Since I have 4 foster kids to haul and a pickup would be occasionally useful, I'm looking for a crew cab. I'm looking to keep it under 15K as well. I'm checking out a 96 F250. It is a Rollalong package (Any info on what that means would be helpful) My only concern is that it has 173K on it. It looks to be well kept, and I know that the diesel should go a lot longer, but how about the rest of the truck? Any things I should be especially aware of? Oh- The asking price is 10K- Is that about ballpark?

Thanks

Bob Hofferber
Vancouver WA

 

yeah sounds about right depending on condition and wether its a 4x4 or not....dont worry about those miles.. i know a lot of folks here and elsewhere 250+, 300+ with a ton of mods on them....be worried about the auto tranny, and what kind of air filter has been used and how effecient it was...

welcome to fte and hopefully the psd club soon...

does the air box have plastic bolts holding the lid on or are they metal?

metal is what you want. there was a recall quite a few years back..
ask the previous owner how well he kept up the tranny if an auto...if its a stick you got basically no worries.

 

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If you are looking to keep it under 15k you can get some really nice PSD's.

You could get a 97 with lower miles. The crew cab and especially 4x4 options command a higher price. Like the other guys said the big question mark is the automatic transmission. If it has not been serviced or changed in the 170,000 miles pad in around $2-2.5k for a strong rebuild. This could be a reason why he is selling it, so you have to be carefull, pull that dipstick and inspect the fluid.

The Roll-A-Long package can be a lot of things, mostly related to towing or camping. They are still doing business at roll-a-long.com

Run a kbb.com and a tmv at edmunds.com to find a market value. You will have to keep in mind though both penalize the diesel engine like a gasser and subtract value.

 

i bought my 96 psd 4x4 crew cab for 8k and has 200k runs strong except for the poor install of the injector from the previse owner other than that you would never know the truck had that many miles. the truck from TX. miles dont mean much look at the trans mine already had a rebulit in it.

 

I bought a '96 crew cab 350PSD 7.3L in 2002. It had 146,000 miles at the time. I paid 17,500 for it. Since then I have replaced the primary and secondary injector wiring harnesses, and rebuilt the transmission. Total cost of repairs to date around 4000 dollars. I now have 180,000 miles on the truck. I have added 5th wheel, for RV Trailer, Electronic Braking and a Sound System. I installed air bags on the rear for levelling purposes, when towing. I love the truck. I was offered 15,000 for it last week and turned them down. Once you get one of these trucks, and get to know it, you will love it. The Front Doors need the hinges replaced, or re-aligned and a few things that are just simple repairs are needed, but all in all I have not been disappointed. I tow my TT and it weighs about 12,000 lbs with no problem. I also use my truck for a daily driver. I commute the freeways in Houston Texas. Like everyone else has said, when you buy a used one you are gonna spend a little on it, but usually not to the extent that some might think. Visual inspection can usually reveal if the previous owner cared for it and kept it up. If you feel uncomfortable then get someone who knows diesels to take a look at it and drive it with you. I hope you find one. And like others have said Miles don't mean a lot. I plan to drive mine for many years to come. One thing to remember, and you won't find this a problem, once you fall in love with it, don't skimp on maintenance. Take every advantage to fix, repair, and maintain your truck.
Also, this is the BEST Place to find friends to discuss Trucks with. The folks on here have many many years of experience and I have gotten a lot of good advice here.

 

I had the 96 Crewcab checked over by a mechanic buddy who said everything looked pretty good. I ended up getting it for $9500, plus another $1500 for the extended warranty (I know that extended warranties are generally not a good deal, but figured it is cheap insurance should the transmission or something else major takes a dump) After I got it home I found a receipt showing that the transmission was rebuilt at 125K by Aamco, so with only 50k on the rebuild I'm hoping it should last for awhile.

Thanks for all the good advice- I'm sure I'll be back with lots of questions... Is there a "Powerstroke Diesels for Dummies" book out there?

Bob Hofferber
Vancouver WA

 

I think you will find that you have something to be proud of.
I have loved every minute of owning mine.
I have a picture of mine in my gallery. (proud)
Well, anyways, Glad you got you one.
Have Fun, burn that diesel......!
The 7.3L is a really good engine, as well.


Best Wishes,
Johnny

 

Be sure to keep the juice and filter clean. It'll last a long time.

jimbo

 

Congrats on the new truck. Post us a picture when you get a chance.

 

Congratulations on the new ride, you'll love it for years. Change out all the fluids and filters and double check that all the mileage related maintenance is done and you should be fine. As far as Diesel for Dummies goes, you're at the best place you can be with this forum. These guys are incredible with their knowledge and ability to help. Welcome aboard!

 

I purchased a 1996 F-250 Supercab with 47K miles this summer for $11,850 here in Ca. Had many nice options. LOVE this truck. One question though... my car mechanic (very reputable) mentioned that the government is playing with diesel fuel formulations by removing some lubricants. He has recently noticed a spike in injector pump failures in all makes of diesel equipped vehicles. He recommended adding diesel fuel additive (e.g., form AMS oil and other vendors). Anybody know anything about this?

Thanks,

Will

1967 F-350 Crew - for sale
1968 F-250 Camper Special
1972 F-250 Camper Special - being restored
1996 F-250 Diesel

 

congrats on the new truck, it won't take long to fall in love with it.

I bought mine in FEB of 05 and love it.It's aF250 cc sb 4x4 with 130,xxx on it and paid $15,500 for it. Found it on autotrader, had to drive 250 miles to get it in LOUISVILLE,KY but it was well worth it. The dealer I bought it from had 5-6 cc obs and 4-5 sc obs all pwerstroke's in great shape. Can't wait to get a chip for it!!!

 

i almost bought a truck from there....the guy always blew me off and dint think i was serious because i was coming/calling from florida...oh well i flew to texas and got my 5 speed.... i love her very much even though the ebpv actuator housing is leaking right now ....

 

The low lubricant diesel fuel the mechcanic was talking about is called "dry" diesel fuel. It has a lower sulfur content to reduce emissions. Many people, including myself, use a diesel fuel additive. I use PowerService DieselKleen, available at Walmart, white bottle in winter (contains anti-gelling agents) and gray bottle in summer. The other most used additive is Stanadyne, available at many truck stops or farm supply stores. I use it specifically to help lubricate the injectors although it's suppose to improve mpg by increaseing the cetane level in the fuel.