This probably seems like a bit of a broad topic, but I have nobody else to really ask except for online. Growing up I didn't have people to teach me how to do simple mantinence on vehicles, but I've sparked a little bit of an interest the past 2 years. I have always loved the look of a nice 2 tone 90's f150 more around the 1996 years. I have almost 0 idea what I'm talking about when it comes to anything vehicle related, ill just get that out there. I currently drive an escape but have surely outgrown it since I constantly need more straw bales for my little farm and 1000lbs of feed every few months. My main question I guess is the reliability regarding F150's from the 90's? I know there will of course be upkeeping and trying to find one from somebody that has taken good care of the truck before reaching me, but im at a total loss of what I should know before I even start shopping around and what I should look for when I do. Whatever I do get will be driven daily, probably about 100-150 miles a week,which is the part that slightly worries me. Again, I have no idea what I'm talking about and could use some help... I don't have much of a budget yet since I'm still paying off my escape for a few more months, but probably around $10-19k. Also how are they in snow?? Michigan can be iffy on these snow storms...

 

I didn't have anyone to teach me vehicle maintenance growing up either. I learned out of necessity from driving old high mileage vehicles. Youtube has been very useful over the years. If you're willing to buy tools and have free time to work on vehicles you should go for it.

The biggest mistake you can make is not buying a truck outright. Do not get a loan. Even if you only have $1000. Go buy the most beat, rusty 2wd truck you can find.

You won't be able to find an OBS Ford in the rust belt. Sometimes I will see a nice OBS on craiggys but they want 5 figures for it and that's just not wise. It's difficult to find any older truck in the rust belt, not just Fords.

If you have $10 to $19k to spend and you like wrenching go buy a newer truck with high mileage. You can get a high mileage 2010 or newer truck in your price range. If you have a farm you should buy a 3/4 ton. Just my 2 cents.

 

Thank you! I worded my post a bit poorly, I an willing to do/learn how to do simple maintenance on a truck but I'd really like to find something reliable (I won't constantly be fixing something). I was planning on getting a newer truck, but my heart keeps coming back to the boxy look of the 90's f150s. I won't be hauling too much weight and not very often, mostly just some straw bales probably twice a month and feed every few months (6 or so). I'll look into the 3/4 ton as well though!

 

Great insight from @muhford

You are on a farm... do you have a tractor?

Looking ahead for the next 12 months... You are heading into a busy time on a farm. Winter is the time to upgrade / repair / refurbish a truck.... Used truck prices are out of sight. Is it feasable that you can shop for a truck this summer and restore it next winter..... or ........ Do you need it ASAP?

There will be more questions.

Hobo

 

Not yet, I'm in college and still living with my parents so I don't have much land to expand my small farm to the extent I'd like, but maybe in a few years! For now it's just a poultry farm with about 50 birds.

 

"90s Ford trucks certainly aren't particularly unreliable. But no old vehicle will be as reliable as a new one. You're going to end up working on it. If that's not what you're looking for, then look elsewhere.

If you don't mind that your daily driver will double as a project vehicle, mid '90s Fords aren't a bad choice (I daily drive a '97 F-250HD). They're relatively simple while still being relatively modern. The EFI and computer-controlled ignition works really well (until it doesn't). Not as simple as a carb and breaker points from the '70s, but better power, better driveability and better mileage come at a price. And they're still not that complicated.

How are they in snow? 2WD is pretty poor unless you put a bunch of weight in the back. Real snow tires would also be almost a necessity for winter driving a 2WD. 4WD is really good. Some weight in the back and decent tires are still very helpful, but you don't need to go as far with either. I have a fiberglass topper and about a 70 lb tool box and call that good, and I'm running decent mud&snow-rated radials. I use 4WD any time the roads are snow covered and it provides such good stability that it would be easy to get lulled into overdriving the brakes. But don't do that (with any vehicle). That'll get someone killed.

 

It will be hard to find anything you can just jump in and drive for under 4-5k unless you don't care what it looks like. Remember, a '96 is 30 years old. This drives the price up since many folks think what they have is so valuable since they saw the auctions on TV! lol The first requirement is to be patient and wait for the truck you want. A good truck is worth waiting for. I would suggest looking to the South of you like Tenn or farther. I am sure there are nice trucks tucked away in garages in Mich. but not found that often. One more thing, if you do find a decent OBS, would you want to drive it through the Michigan winter? Just throwing things out for your consideration.

 

Driving it through the Michigan winters is definitely something I have pondered, although our past few winters haven't been too bad, there is still the factor of the amount of salt they pour everywhere which is a pain.... But at the same time I think a newer truck would rust as well (unless somehow older trucks rust easier??? Like I said, I have no idea what I'm talking about hahaa) I'm definitely willing to spend more than 4-5k, between 10k-19k is my ballpark (I have been saving up for a while since I know I'll need a truck of some type in the next year or 2). Traveling for the right truck shouldn't be an issue luckily. I'm more just worried about general mantinence compared to a "newer" truck from 2010-2014. This is my first time buying a vehicle in general so everything is pretty chaotic in my mind

 

I daily drive my 96 F350 in Wisconsin. I put probably 40 miles a day on it. In the winter I just wash it off and underneath every 4 days or so to get the crud off.

It has never left me stranded to where I couldn't fix it myself with simple tools and a quick parts store trip.

Some people are cheap and don't like to pay for things. With any older vehicle, I'd say buy the nicest looking one, bodywise. The old sbfs are dirt cheap to replace, bodywork is a pain and expensive. If you manage to get a 7.3 powerstroek then you are in luck. Those engines can easily go for 3-500k miles or more before needing a rebuild if basic maintenance has been done.

 

thank you, that makes me feel a lot more confident, especially knowing the conditions weather wise in Wisconsin...

 

I certainly wouldn’t spend more than 10k on an f150 that body style. even a clean one shouldn’t cost you that much

 

I will still be in school for atleast 5 more years (I'm an aspiring Veterinarian) so my farm will grow much after that. I don't need a truck asap, I was aiming more for beginning of 2022, possibly the end of this year.

 

Finding the right truck is like sitting in a deer stand........ Be patient........ You have time......... Gather up some CASH.

I have 7 chickens.... Get 4 - 5 eggs a day.

Hobo

 

I would be more inclined to go with the F250 vs an F150

I had an 80s Era F150, decent enough truck but stuff was wearing out by 100k.

The 95 F250 has been pretty much bullet proof. A big factor is how well its been taken care of and you can go by clean as a help but if you have a shop to inspect it, that also would be a very good input to get.

There is stuff that is going to fail due to age vs mileage so 30 years is getting long in the tooth and more so for corrosion impacted areas.

 

First things first, keep this in mind: No matter what you get, you are going to pay for it.

With an older truck, you pay less up front, and in maintenance you pay a little more periodically if you do it yourself. You spend TIME on maintaining it rather than money.

With a new/newer vehicle, you spend much more up front and less on fixing it, either in time or in money.

In my experience, the time spent maintaining an older vehicle has ALWAYS been a better deal than the money spent on a newer vehicle.

If you live in the rust belt, find one outside the rust belt. Even if you have to drive 8 hours one way to pick it up, it's just a day's trip, not that big a deal at all. Sure, buying a newer vehicle close to you might seem like a better option, but how much are you spending for that convenience? Me? I'd rather find a really nice OBS ford for 4-6k, set aside a few thousand in the maintenance budget (ONLY DIY YOUR REPAIRS.) and spend the rest of your budget on something else or save it. If you have to spend 10 hours a year doing your own maintenance on an older vehicle but you save $1000 per year doing it, you're getting paid $100/hour.

Oh, and cash only. No debt, no credit. The Bible says the borrower is slave to the lender, and regardless of what you think about the Bible, that is still true today. Debt being used as a financial tool has been the cause of every major economic problem the country has ever had.