What would you pay?

[Redoverfarm]

A friend of mine died last year.  His wife has decided to sell his buisness truck. He was a surveyor and farmer. She called us as my son is soon to enter the driving world and she thought I might be interested in the truck for his first vehicle. The truck is in good condition and she was asking $7,500 but said that if my son wanted it she would take $6,500 for it.  I checked NADA and Kellys and it varied from Retail of $9,500 to Private Party sales of $6,500.  Huh. Here is what it is. What do you think.

2002 Ford Exployer Sport Trac, 4dr, AC, Power door locks, AM/FM 3 CD, moon roof, power rear window, Bed cap, bed liner, tow package, V6 4.0L, 4WD in Good - Exc condition. 99,000 miles

The milage is a little high but it has been well maintained and kept up.

[peternap]

Sounds a little pricey considering the mileage. You might want to cruise some of the forums for that truck and see what the major problems are, then see if they've been corrected or replaced on that truck.

My guess is gas will go up a fair amount more this summer. Last year they were giving away those trucks...and still not getting any takers.

Other than those concerns, it sounds like a nice truck.

[fishing_guy]

That is my wife's "baby", except hers is a 2003.  178,000 miles on hers, and we've replaced an alternator, a wheel bearing (last weekend...a long story), 2 sets of tires.

It is a nice runner, and gets ok gas mileage (18 mpg city/19 highway).  Enough of a bed to do a few things. 

[diyfrank]

I just bought a used truck. The lots around here were selling well below book for used.  Have you checked to see what the lots are asking for them?

[glenn kangiser]

A used Dodge Cummins diesel gets near 20 mpg or better most of the time in an unloaded full size truck and being not the favorite of the Ford or Chevy people is usually low priced.  The Cummins engine will last a lifetime (except 53 block).  Probably much longer than any Ford, Chevy or Dodge dealerships.  They will likely soon all be orphans.

I know --- you guys are Ford men.

[rick91351]

Sounds like that is a lot of truck for a first time driver.  But if you know the 'rig' that means a lot.  Even with car facts and such a lot goes under the radar.  The amount of miles on an engine today is really sort of a dark area.  It is weird how many miles one can rack up with proper car care and a little maintenance on and engine.  However it is my experience at about that area time wise you will start to experience some seal failure.  I.E. Power steering, master cylinder, automatic transmission.  A lot of Ford automatic transmissions start to fail around that magic 100,000 mark. 

Glenn I too am a Ford guy.  And if everything would have stayed the same, I don't know for how much longer I would have been.  We bought a plain Jane Charger two years ago.  I am now envious over a friend that has a new 3/4 ton Chevy, I love it.  And there is no better power plant than a Cummins, but there are a lot of old 'Corn Binder' Power Strokes out there as well.           

rlr