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what do you guys think of an Ex with a 6inch lift?
I'm not particularly interested in lifts and am worried at the repercussions (differentials, transmission, additional burden of maintenance etc) if I were to get one. . any thoughts?
Run away! I'm sorry anytime I see all the tar crap sprayed on the frame I'm suspicious. That stuff hides things. Why would an Arizona truck need that? If that is all over the undercarriage run away. Edit, excuse me I thought the pictures were the AZ truck. Even so, as W3EZS has said rust is none starter.
I've got over 220k on mine, and drove x-country last summer. I changed the fluid in it and the pan looked spanky new inside. The PO took good care of it. It's all about proper maintenance.
wow bluovl, that’s impressive! I would be proud of myself if I had taken such care of my ride!
Guess I gotta look out for those oldie but goodie trucks too!
im guessing most of your servicing isn’t on carfax huh?
Run away! I'm sorry anytime I see all the tar crap sprayed on the frame I'm suspicious. That stuff hides things. Why would an Arizona truck need that? If that is all over the undercarriage run away. Edit, excuse me I thought the pictures were the AZ truck. Even so, as W3EZS has said rust is none starter.
oh yea I didn’t mention that this truck has been around Washington State for close to 2 years BUT most of it life it’s been around Arizona and Nevada!
I think it’s the owner in AZ that installed the lifts costing 4.5k. But yea it bounced around a lot! (Among owners and states)
wow bluovl, that’s impressive! I would be proud of myself if I had taken such care of my ride!
Guess I gotta look out for those oldie but goodie trucks too!
im guessing most of your servicing isn’t on carfax huh?
Actually my truck had a long history on CarFax. It was a repo, and I bought it wholesale from the dealer who repoed( is that a real word?) it. It makes for a good campfire story. But I'm sure there are others here with lots of reliable miles on the Ford tranny's.
Actually my truck had a long history on CarFax. It was a repo, and I bought it wholesale from the dealer who repoed( is that a real word?) it. It makes for a good campfire story. But I'm sure there are others here with lots of reliable miles on the Ford tranny's.
wow that seems like a good buy! It's so hard to get a decent bargain for an Ex that the thought of travelling cross states to the middle of nowhere just gives me jitters! It's a logistic nightmare since I don't even know how I can get a PPI to begin with!
EX#1 - 2000 Ltd 7.3 PSTD - Bought from a seller in the PA Amish County. Clean Carfax, decent maintenance history records. EX was exclusively used to tow a TT during summers, and then stored in a climate controlled barn. I bought it for a little over market value, put more $$ into it since I was not too educated/enthusiastic to get my hands dirty. After a little over a year of ownership, ended up selling it for various reasons. Mechanically very sound vehicle, very minor rust issues. I had no prior experience with excursions, and my mechanical experience was older than when this EX was designed and built.
EX#2 - 2003 Ltd 7.3 PSTD - Sellers remorse started immediately after EX#1 was sold. This time, I searched all over the Southern states for a year to find a rust free EX. Eventually made a verbal deal with a used car dealer in FL pending a personal inspection. Took a one way flight to see the truck, liked it, bought it and drove it back to VA. Serious Cons on this were that I had no history of maintenance of this EX. But this time, I was determined to get my hands dirty to keep the EX. Price - I was able to haggle a bit on the price based on some known issues that I identified during inspection. Since the EX lived in FL all its life, rust was not an issue, which was my primary requirement. This EX has given me quite a few heartaches, left me stranded on the road a few times etc., but I am determined to keep it running till the engine falls off or I am broke.
2 things that I'd like to highlight
1. Rust free. If you see the frame and undercarriage painted / line-x'd etc., you should demand the seller to show proof of the condition prior to that and why / how the work was completed. Did they take appropriate precautions to ensure that the rust doesn't creep in again. Remember, if you aren't convinced by their detail, walk away. Finding replacement parts for rusted areas is extremely difficult and/or cost prohibitive. Do not hesitate to walk away if you see rust.
2. Don't be shy to get your hands dirty. This forum has been an extremely awesome resource to enable me to perform my own maintenance. The only time I have ended up taking it to a shop is when (a) the cost of speciality equipment is much higher than the cost of labor (b) there is a need for very specialized skills (c) i have exhausted my knowledge / skills AND I am running out of time to get the vehicle back on the road. I live in Northern VA, about 25 miles west of the White House. Shop labor here is like $130/hr and it is very difficult to find a reliable diesel mechanic.
Outside of this, I would not be shy to look for vehicles from other states far away from you. Personally, I searched in these southern states only - CA, AZ, TX, NM, FL, OK. Add to this the member network in these states and you will find someone that is willing to go and check out a vehicle for you and provide a personalized evaluation.
EX#1 - 2000 Ltd 7.3 PSTD - Bought from a seller in the PA Amish County. Clean Carfax, decent maintenance history records. EX was exclusively used to tow a TT during summers, and then stored in a climate controlled barn. I bought it for a little over market value, put more $$ into it since I was not too educated/enthusiastic to get my hands dirty. After a little over a year of ownership, ended up selling it for various reasons. Mechanically very sound vehicle, very minor rust issues. I had no prior experience with excursions, and my mechanical experience was older than when this EX was designed and built.
EX#2 - 2003 Ltd 7.3 PSTD - Sellers remorse started immediately after EX#1 was sold. This time, I searched all over the Southern states for a year to find a rust free EX. Eventually made a verbal deal with a used car dealer in FL pending a personal inspection. Took a one way flight to see the truck, liked it, bought it and drove it back to VA. Serious Cons on this were that I had no history of maintenance of this EX. But this time, I was determined to get my hands dirty to keep the EX. Price - I was able to haggle a bit on the price based on some known issues that I identified during inspection. Since the EX lived in FL all its life, rust was not an issue, which was my primary requirement. This EX has given me quite a few heartaches, left me stranded on the road a few times etc., but I am determined to keep it running till the engine falls off or I am broke.
2 things that I'd like to highlight
1. Rust free. If you see the frame and undercarriage painted / line-x'd etc., you should demand the seller to show proof of the condition prior to that and why / how the work was completed. Did they take appropriate precautions to ensure that the rust doesn't creep in again. Remember, if you aren't convinced by their detail, walk away. Finding replacement parts for rusted areas is extremely difficult and/or cost prohibitive. Do not hesitate to walk away if you see rust.
2. Don't be shy to get your hands dirty. This forum has been an extremely awesome resource to enable me to perform my own maintenance. The only time I have ended up taking it to a shop is when (a) the cost of speciality equipment is much higher than the cost of labor (b) there is a need for very specialized skills (c) i have exhausted my knowledge / skills AND I am running out of time to get the vehicle back on the road. I live in Northern VA, about 25 miles west of the White House. Shop labor here is like $130/hr and it is very difficult to find a reliable diesel mechanic.
Outside of this, I would not be shy to look for vehicles from other states far away from you. Personally, I searched in these southern states only - CA, AZ, TX, NM, FL, OK. Add to this the member network in these states and you will find someone that is willing to go and check out a vehicle for you and provide a personalized evaluation.
Hi! thanks for sharing! Yea the Chasis, drivetrain and engine are the main issues I always keep in mind!
What's a member network? Where can I find one? That will really help a lot of I could at least get someone nearby to look at it for me!
What's a member network? Where can I find one? That will really help a lot of I could at least get someone nearby to look at it for me!
All the people on this forum form the member network. Just create a post asking for help with evaluating a vehicle, and I am sure that people residing in/around that area will respond back to help you
Originally Posted by WE3ZS
I think they skipped a zero on the salvage title EX's mileage...........Drivers seat and brake pedal pad look like a wee bit more than 19,500 miles.
I had the same thought as soon as I saw that driver's seat picture
All the people on this forum form the member network. Just create a post asking for help with evaluating a vehicle, and I am sure that people residing in/around that area will respond back to help you
I had the same thought as soon as I saw that driver's seat picture
I see . . I have come to the conclusion I might as well go the extra mile (or two) and learn more about the machine and do my own pre-purchase inspection! I'm sure I can keep some of the things for a long time (multimeter, car jack etc) while the rest (mechanic grade OBDII scanner) I could possibly return it or maybe loan it from some shop.
seriously what's the difference between inspecting yourself vs getting a mechanic to do it for you apart from the tools they got?
I see . . I have come to the conclusion I might as well go the extra mile (or two) and learn more about the machine and do my own pre-purchase inspection! I'm sure I can keep some of the things for a long time (multimeter, car jack etc) while the rest (mechanic grade OBDII scanner) I could possibly return it or maybe loan it from some shop.
seriously what's the difference between inspecting yourself vs getting a mechanic to do it for you apart from the tools they got?
Tools, knowledge, know how, etc. the list is pretty long until you really learn these machines, and cars in general. But, keep on reading and learning!
I see . . I have come to the conclusion I might as well go the extra mile (or two) and learn more about the machine and do my own pre-purchase inspection! I'm sure I can keep some of the things for a long time (multimeter, car jack etc) while the rest (mechanic grade OBDII scanner) I could possibly return it or maybe loan it from some shop.
seriously what's the difference between inspecting yourself vs getting a mechanic to do it for you apart from the tools they got?
Experience. If I knew then what I knew now, I probably wouldn't have bought the specific Ex I have now. On the other hand, it has taught me a wealth of knowledge out of necessity.
I'd hang on to an Autel, Snap-on, or any high end scanner. Sure it's a bit of a financial investment, but you never know when that stuff will be handy. Shoot, I've used FORScan more on friends cars than my own.
