Hello everyone! Time for another installment of The Price is Right! Haha. I'm looking at getting a different truck. I love the character of my truck but I really miss having a diesel and a larger cab.

I found a 1997 F-250HD 7.3L, Automatic, 4x4, super cab long bed with 131,000 miles. The truck looks to be in great shape but I know for a fact that the guy is asking way too much. He's asking $9700 for the truck, I've looked at the KBB and the truck's only worth around $8500 (I know KBB isn't always accurate). I'm in Southern California so rust isn't an issue out here. The truck is stock besides the wheels and tires. My question is, how much do you all think this truck is really worth? Thanks in advance for your help! And fingers crossed that I can get it if it's as good as the pictures make it look!

 

131k isn't very high mileage and a powerstroke can run a lot longer than that. Just that fact that it has a powerstroke makes it way more expensive than the exact same truck if it had a 460. $9700 actually isn't crazy high from what I've seen, plus those wheel are probably pretty spendy, but you never offer to pay asking price straight out of the gate. I'd offer $8000 and see where he's at. Check around on craigslist and ebay to get actual prices from similar trucks but remember that powerstrokes demand a premium.

That is a really nice truck, hope you get it.

 

Thanks for that. You've comfirmed a lot of what I was thinking. I really hope I can get this truck! I'll keep everyone posted! I personally think this is the best truck Ford ever produced, both the body style and the 7.3L.

 

I've seen dealerships ask as high as 15k which is a bit much. Max I would say is 10K, every now and then you might see one for $7000 but it won't be as nice.

 

Yeah, I'm thinking this one is perfect, just within my price range. I'm going to try to get it for 8500... definitely no more than 9k. I'll keep you all posted!

 

You would do well for that. It's got a lot of life left in it. The weak link, if you can call it that, is the E4OD tranny and I'd bet it's got 70-100K left in it too or more.

 

Great point Burnout, I had an E4OD in my '99 Expedition that lasted only 112k, and the one in my current truck shows it's age a bit (94k as a city truck). I'd love to swap for a zf5 (saw some similar trucks for sale with zf5's but either super high mileage and beat to crap or super expensive).

 

I thought the superdutys and expeditions used the 4r100 or some such, which is very similar but not the same. I don't recall for sure. In any case the E4OD can last a long time. Just be really thorough on the test drive. Upgrade the tranny cooler and pan and put on a temp gauge and it should do fine if it hasn't been abused by the PO. Just because it looks nice doesn't mean he changed the fluid on time or overheat it.

 

You're probably right about it being the 4r100 in the Expedition. I'll be checking all of the fluids before I decide to purchase it. I'm going in the morning so the truck will be nice and cold when I first start it. I've got a whole check list to go through.

 

Was it behind a V10? My dad and another guy had autos in their V10 superdutys crap out really early. Luckily they had extended warrentys.

 

I live in Socal as well and it seems like you could do a little better if you wait. There are a lot of larger trucks around do to gas prices. I got a 96 F250XLT 7.5L Supercab with 80,000 miles for $4900.

Is the truck pulling the trailer out of saltwater in the picture?

Joe

 

As I mentioned the powerstroke diesel is worth MUCH more than an equivalent gas truck. I've even seen them go for double. They only made the OBS powerstrokes for 3 years so they can even go for a hair more than a superduty.

 

Judging by the pictures I've seen of your truck (gorgeous), you stole that thing!

I'd go in asking $8500 and be happy settling at $9000. KBB doesn't really seem to reflect the demand and premium for diesels, especially 7.3L PSDs. It showed my truck as only being worth low 4s, but if you can find anyone selling a diesel with sub-100K miles for that kind of money, you've won the lottery.

Definitely check out that rear if he's been launching in salt water, though. Probably not a huge deal, but there shouldn't be anything more than light rust.

Mike

 

I understand that they are much higher. My point was that this is a buyers market for things like that, more so in Southern California. I would also be concerned if it was used in Salt Water.

 

Well I don't know the socal market. Up where I am when it comes to diesels the sellers have a bit more leverage. Almost anything else is very much a buyers market but the diesels get better mileage and people aren't going to give up hauling their toys. Up here that would be a truck to ****** up at $9,000.