Today I had my mechanic look at a 94 F-150 XLT 4.9L 4x4 auto with 96K I was considering buying. He said it needs (or will soon need): tires, brake lines, oil pan, exhaust system, tie rod ends, fuel pump, front U-joints, gas tank brackets. He advised me not to buy it, because of its current condition and the liklihood that it will be a money pit.

I'm a little discouraged, because this is about the vintage of the truck I want, and he said this condition is typical of vehicles this old in the north. I wouldn't mind putting up to $2K into a truck I pay $3K for (owner was asking $3500), if it would end there and not be a pit. So my question is, based on your ownership experience, after I had my mechanic do the necessary immediate repairs to get it in good running condition, how much per year would I typically spend having my mechanic fix what will inevitably break on a truck of this vintage? I know it's impossible to predict because the transmission might fall out tomorrow or I might go several years with not much more than fluid changes, but what would an average be? This would be a third vehicle for backup and weekend cool factor use as well as occasional towing and hauling, but I can't justify the cost if I'm looking at too much cost per year of major maintenance.

Thanks for any estimates on the yearly cost of maintenance, as well as any other thoughts you might have on the matter. By the way, I have other very time-consuming hobbies, so I'm not willing to do any of the work myself.

DonaldB

 

if gas tank brackets are bad then the tank may be on the way out.

what about shackles/spring mounts and springs?

does air work?

what trans does it have?

 

I am a big fan of that vintage myself. The F250 in my signature was bought used when it was a few years old. I use it for work only and I would say it costs me an average of $500 a year to keep it maintained. I only drive it about 7,000 miles a year and to be honest it has been a truly reliable truck. HOWEVER, it took me 3 years to find it and I bought it from the original owner who loved it a lot. My mechanic took a day to look it over and gave it his blessing. If you trust your guy, keep looking. Ford made a lot of these and another one is always around the corner and since it is a third vehicle for you, there is plenty of time. In sunny SoCal this year Ford truck is plentiful and cheap and rust free. Good luck.

 

Once you get the immediate stuff fixed, I would still estimate $600 a year for repairs, that's been my average with my 96'. (over 2 years that is)

 

Have you considered buying a truck outside the rust belt and then driving or having it shipped back? Cheaper trucks abound in the west and the south, and you'd end up spending about the same in the end, but you'd have a truck that isn't rusted to pieces.

I know some are wary of ebay, but it sounds like it might be a good fit for you.

 

Thanks for the responses. Andym: Buying outside the rust belt may be an option. KW160 and framerboy: The $500 and $600 estimates sound pretty reasonable to me. It's about what we spend on our 4-yr old/70K Subaru Forester for routine and preventive maintenance, wear items, and the occasional slightly more major repair. quicklook: not sure about the springs, as the list my mechanic started with was enough. Truck was not equipped with air, which is fine with me.

Thanks again. I'm a little more encouraged. Anyone else have other estimates for yearly maintenance cost, or should I assume $500-600 would be a pretty decent working estimate?

DonaldB

 

$500-$600 sounds about right. I've owned one of mine three and a half years and 65K miles and probably haven't spent that yearly in needed repairs, but when you add maintenance and other small things it sounds about right. If you find one that's not beat up and well taken care of, even if it has a few miles on it, it should be a good truck.

 

I'm going to second the "get out of the rust belt" suggestion, although you'll find West Coast vehicles are quite a bit more expensive than what you're used to seeing. There are some really good reasons for that- I have a good friend (retired GM exec) that won't even buy a 1 yr old lease return out here if it's got (or had) a Michigan title.

My '93 is going to turn 200K in the next few days, and I doubt I've spent $2000 on repairs (outside of routine maintenance stuff)...in total...over that time period. It has two small rust spots at the bottom of the cab that I presume were caused by it's first (and last) winter in Iowa. I can just imagine what one looks like after 10 or 12 winters.