Well Im trying to sell my 88 F150 and I have a guy that says hes buying it.. So if he does then Im looking at an 85 F350 Dually Crew Cab. Now this will be my first diesel (finaly after wanting one since I could drive) so if and when I go look for it what should I be looking for. It has around 130,000 on the clock is what Im told and the guy that owns it now says he changes the oil every 3000 miles. The cruise and all he says works as well. Tires are 80% for the front and 50% for the rear. He's asking 2 grand for it and I have no idea if this is a good deal as I dont see many of these go up for sell. Also the interior looks pristene and the exterior is in good shape too. So as I asked... What should I look for when I go look at this truck?

 

Turbo or NA and 4x4 or two wheel drive?

Where in Colorado are you located?

 

Its NA and 2 wheel drive. Im at FT Carson getting out of the Army and I dont really want to drive my 88 F150 across country but I have to pull a trailer to GA so I need another truck

 

Ok heres a pic of the truck

 

dang, that is a goooood lookin rig

 

Yeah Im hoping to pick it up. Not a fan of the color scheme but that can be changed down the road. Im just waiting on the dude to buy my f150 so I can nab this one for my first diesel!

 

You may not be real happy with the diesel as a NA while in Colorado because of the altitude.

But if you are moving to Ga. then the lower altitude will be much better.
With a turbo, the effects of altitude are practically eliminated.

Looks clean, no rust.

I wish I could find that truck that clean here.

 

The biggest problem with these diesels is getting them started. Once they are running, you are golden.

So try to figure out how it starts from sitting over night. If he always has run it before you get there, be suspicous that he is doing something special to get it going, like a shot of ether, or he is plugging it in the 120v house current to warm it up first.

These diesels are very simple and only take "one wire" to run, but the glowplug system is a little finnicky and has to be kept in good shape for it start reliably. Most of the time that's why these trucks go cheap, they won't start on a cold morning.

 

Yeah I know about the if its already running when you get there or already hot then it most likely has problems. Im only going to have this rig in Colorado for about a week if I do pick it up so the high altitude wont be much of an issue for me. Ive wanted a diesel dually forever and now I think I might have found one but its in Denver and I havent had a chance to make the hour drive up there to look at it mostly cause of the hollidays. I also dont want to go look at it and want it then my truck not sell to the guy that is supposedly supposed to be buying it so I probably wont go look at it until I have cash in hand to buy it. Hes asking 2000 for it but Im going to try to offer him 1600 or 1700 to start with and see if he takes it.

So I already know about the starting issues. Just in general since this will be my first diesel what else should I be looking for. Im not afraid to get dirty and Ill already climb underneith the truck looking for leaks on the engine (and components) tranny and rear diff. Thats just basic knowledge to me anyways when I go look at a potential vehicle!

 

Don't like the colour scheme??? Ah man I love that colour scheme, a tu-tone Tan and Brown I've been thinking of painting mine that way when I restore it, but me being me, I like keeping everything as orignal as I can, so it's gonna be painted it's orignal factory colour of Charcoal Grey.

Besides the tu-tone Tan/Brown looks alot better on 86 and older trucks. Not newer ones!

 

Yeah I can deal with it for the next few years.. But it will get changed probably to something dark blue or black or maybe even a gunmetal gray or something but Im not sure I have to get the truck before really making plans for it. I read somewhere else to look at the block heater because on the 85 and under the block likes to crack there.. Then of course if the coolant has oil or oil has coolant in it then thats obvously bad as well.

 

thats a sharp looking truck.
its an f350 2wd crew cab dually diesel with little to no rust by the looks of things with only 130k miles?
hey,if you don't need 4wd,and if this was my truck,no way would i part with it for under 2k.
hope this helps.(that's based on the info given and 1 pic tho lol)

is it a custom,or? a/c? power windows cruise etc and everything all working?

look at it this way.lets say it needs $500 (based on the info provided.it doesn't even need this)
and you run it for 4 years with no major maintenance.
thats about the price per year that some pay per month for a truck.(and a hell of a lot less in many cases lol)

 

Its an XL with manual windows and locks. Hes says everything works great except the A/C which needs to be charged. If thats the case no big deal. I have more pics of it but am just to lazy to put em up here. It has no rust that I can see in any of the other pics the guy has sent me. I just emailed him back not to long ago and asked if hes done anything with the exhaust and the underhood pic I have looks like hes made an intake and ran it down below the battery on the drivers side. I asked him about that too so Im just awaiting answers. I havent even set up a time to go look at it yet tho.

 

and no I dont need 4wd.. Not until I get ready to build a mudder anyways then Ill probably turbo this thing assuming I get it and use it to pull a mud truck around

 

first.try and figure out if the mileage is accurate or if you think she's rolled over.
check the drivers seat.is it original? is it well broken down?
with a truck this old,she just doesn't blue book.to old.
you need to find out if its worth it or not on your own.
you need to inspect for rust.rust.and rust.
inspect the frame,and look close over the rear fenderwells,and door jams.has it been bondo'ed and re-painted?
is your foot or whole seat about to drop through the floor? lol.
it "looks" like you did find a one owner well kept,hardly driven truck.
but make sure.
check the engine oil,trans fluid,and coolant.although these can be changed recently to sell.it can help identify a well maintained truck or not.
ask for records,if this truck is what it looks like.be surprised if he didn't keep records/recipts.
look at the rear diff.if it leaking? how clean is the engine bay? does it appear hacked? with wires all over? or is everything fairly clean and neat under there?
grab the drive shaft and try to spin it back and forth.a well maintained truck,will have good U joints.
drive it.dos it go straight or pull to the side?
your looking for indicators of well kept and no rust for this year at this price.
if you find "cover ups" beware.
but everything adds up to a single owner,hardly driven,and well maintained truck,and doesn't need much.id have to say its worth the 2k.