I've got a 1990 ford f-150 super cab with (supposedly) 120k miles on it. The mazda tranny is shot, the main bearings need to be replaced, and the rear axle seal has gone out. Other than that the interior is in nice shape and the body is ok for the age. I don't have alot of money so fixing all these things could put a strain on the budget and time is also an issue. If I fix these things, would I even be able to trust this truck and it's (from what I understand from this forum) tempermental 5.0? So I raise the question: Keep it or Ditch it?

 

You need to way your options. If you don't fix this truck what will you do, buy another? You don't get much for $1500-2500 these days. If you stuck that much in this truck you would most likely have a good reliable truck. 5.0l are pretty common, you could probably find an engine-tranny combo at the bone yard cheap. The axle seal is not that expensive or hard to replace. Would you do the work yourself?

 

A running 70-90K junkyard engine is about $350-800 depending where you get it, and how much you negotiate, and what comes with it.

Tranny is about the same.

So for $650-1600 you have a junkyard solution that should last a while and is a lot cheaper than a replacement used truck, and certainly less than a new truck.

That's why I keep my 400k mile, 93 F350 crewcab. To replace it with a new one would be 45k+. There's no way I could find an affordable used one in good condition. They are either not affordable, or beaten to death twice. But these limits are mostly because I only drive/own crewcabs.

 

As with Frederic I would just work on your truck. If you know your way around mechanicaly, or have family/friends that can help you, I would say to keep it and wrench it.

Additionaly ePay or eGay depending on what you want to call it is a good source (sometimes and if you know what your looking for) for parts, engines, trannies etc. My dad got a freshly rebuilt 460/E40D/1356 out of a wrecked F-250 for only $1600 and some change I think. There in our/my 94 F-350 Crew Cab now with some cost for spare parts etc and some pizza money for my brother and I.

Boy, someday I want to grow up and be like Frederic and my truck does too, right now she's only got 271k miles on her, but she's climbing! If only gas wasn't so exspensive then i'd take her on more trips.

-myers

 

Probably the same reason I'm keeping my '95 F250 with 141K - can't afford a new one. Spent $2,600 already on a $5,300 truck but that's the way it goes.

 

Keep it. A manual tranny isn't that bad to get rebuilt.

 

You don't want to be like me. You'd be buried in piles of steel, car parts and other crap your wife will yell at you daily for.

 

Women just don't understand the "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it" theory..... unless it's dealing with clothes, shoes, makeup, or perfume.........

 

My 1991 has had it's fair share of break downs and repairs. I've owned it since 1999 and bought it for $11K. Since then I've done 90% of the mechanical work myself with the exception of the transmission/t-case. I've got $7500 sunk in the transmission and probably another $4K in other parts (axles/ignition system/suspension/cracked frame/winshield), and that's with NOTHING going wrong with the engine. Last summer I was with my girlfriend and dog heading up to the mountains when the transmission broke for the 3rd time. My buddy drove 4 hours with his dually GMC and gooseneck flat bed in tow to pick me up. After my ford was loaded on the flatbed he had some fun taking pictures of the GMC towing the ford. After all that, I went out and bought a new wrangler, which is a much better vehicle for the jeep trails here in Colorado. All that being said, I decided to keep the truck and continue to improve the overall reliablility of the truck. But it's costing me more money. I knew after the frame cracked that should of just gotten rid of the truck, but I was out of work and didn't have the money. So I did my best to fix it. But I lost a lot of weekends working on it. Heck, I bought a lifetime warranty starter and stearing gear box from Checkers when I first got the truck. What a mistake. I quickly learned to buy from NAPA when I can and Ford when I have to. I've replaced the both parts 3 times. That's a lot of time for a guy that doesn't work on vehicles everyday. I also had to rebuild the front/rear brakes, replaced the inner andouter tie-rod ends (agricultural grade), replace the front springs and shocks all the way around, replace 100% of the ignition system, replaced the ignition switch and tumbler, replace the 2 batteries (twice - cold starts are hard on diesels at high altitudes so I spent the extra money and got the optima's last year), paid to have the drive shaft universals replaced (twice) paid to have the front axle rebuilt, and am now paying to have the glow plugs replaced. That's also a lot of time that truck has been out of commision. Fact is it's hard to keep your daily driver without spending money, be it on a car payment, or on parts and your time. Even if I'd a had the money back when the frame cracked I probably wouldn't of gotten a new (or newer) vehicle because I was stubburn and thick headed. Now don't get me wrong I still love my old truck, if you guys could see how happy my dog is when he's in the truck, how can I possibly get rid of it? Now I use the truck for fishing/hunting/camping and plan on using it to haul horses since it's just about as reliable as I want.

Enough ranting. If you have the money, replace your daily driver with something more reliable. If you really like the truck, keep it, and fix it up as you have time and money. That's what I'm doing with mine.

bart