1994 F-450 diesel??

[treesandsurf]

I don't know much about trucks and what's a good deal or not. This truck I'm looking at is in New York, from allmark from the buzz. He wants 6,000 for it firm, bought it new in 94 and has 165,000 miles. Shows some rust and wear but I like the fact that he got it new himself.

What do you guys think; we can't find anything out here in Hawaii for under 10,000 for something like this because of shipping. Will cost a few grand just to get it over here too...

jp

 

[Cobleskill]

Is the salt air an issue where you are. Being in New York, I know how much salt tears up bodies and frames, brake lines, fuel lines. Expensive to have fixed and not fun to do yourself. I would look for something in a state where they don't use so much salt. The vehicles in Pennsylvania look much better than ours.

 

[Tree Reb]

Buying anything from near the coast here is like that, lots of rust problems. Anything out west sells for a lot more.

Rust will sneak up on you, then it's too late. There are some good anti rust sprays around now that will slow it down for a while, but I'd think twice about buying it.

 

[SkwerI]

I wouldn't expect a lot of life left in that old truck, and repairs will be expensive. I would guess that within the first year you will have well over $10K dumped into it and you will still have a 18 year old rustbucket. For that kind of money you can find something decent.

 

[brendonv]

Bleh. What Brian said.

There is so many trucks out there for good prices right now. Wish I was buying a truck in this used market.

I love when people buy an old truck to save money, then dump thousands into it. Coulda had a mint truck off the bat. My buddy bought an old chevy for plowing, after paint and all the repairs, he coulda bought a year 2000's diesel and been ahead of the game. Buy what you can't afford, really. I was looking at trucks for 5k when I was shopping, ended up spending 15k. I have no head aches/break downs, just maintenance, and it's paid for from being able not to spend money of repairs.

 

[Al Smith]

From what they tell me certain items such as chip haulers are more readily available on the east coast .Many however are pre owned by Daveys and big A and may or may not have the snot used out of them .

To buy one over the net sight unseen would be asking for trouble IMO .

Some time ago Tom sold one by listing it on A-S .The guy that bought it was from Oregon but a very savey buyer .He paid to have it mechanically checked out at Freightliner .Money well spent .Like a couple hundred .

He paid to have it shipped which was probabley as cheap as hiring a driver,paying for fuel,eats etc . Most likely it would have taken 5 days transit from Ohio to Oregon and the bills would add up .

 

[treesandsurf]

Thanks for the advice; I was thinking of picking it up and trying to do work on my way back across the states to make up for the costs, but it sounds like I could find something better on the east coast anyway...

jp

 

[Bodean]

Doesn't really jump out screaming, I'm good for it.

But it's just a picture.

MAybe it romps.

 

[Al Smith]

I was serious about Freightliner .They are a well establish recognized ,well reputed company with service centers all over the US and Canada if not the rest of the civalized world .

The couple of hundred for a diagnostic checkup would certainly be better than traversing the country only to find dissapointment at the end of the trail .Cheaper too in the long run .

If a perspective buyer were to complain over such a test ,I'd walk on by .

I imagine an account could be set up at any service center,perhaps on line even .

 

[Bodean]

In California, Diesel is smogged anything 1998 or newer.

 

[Al Smith]

Well ,lets face it California has edicts for things the rest of the known world does not . Always have ,always will .

 

[Bodean]

edicts?

 

[sawinredneck]

From what I've seen I certainly wouldn't be jumping for joy over it. Lots of rust, that you can see, I'm sure there's more you can't! Lots of hard miles with different drivers I'm sure. "It ain't my truck, gun the damn thing and let's get out of here!" "Hell. it'll pull that load fine, if it breaks the boss will deal with it!" Just think of all the drunks and junkies that have had a turn behind the wheel in it! I'm just saying......................
Then what would it cost you in fuel and lodging to get the thing home? I'd bet it would be close to a grand in fuel to make that trip in that truck.
I'd certainly keep looking if it were me.

 

[Monkeywithasaw]

for that price you could get an old asphlund truck from ILL or texas

 

[Bodean]

I've seen clean used arbortech boxes for under a grand.

 

[sotc]

Bad deal, $3k might be worth it.

 

[Al Smith]

edicts?

Meaning laws etc regarding pollution requirements . For example even in the late 70's Californias' requirements for same was the most stringent in the USA . Ford GM etc made special engines specifically for shipment to Calfornia markets during that time frame . Not a big deal just a fact .

Just recently too it seems there was a law passed requiring older off road equipment to be refitted with newer more modern diesels if they were to be kept in service .Seems rather unlikely a road contractor would spend twice the amount it's worth to refit a 1980 D7 Cat to keep it in service though .

 

[SkwerI]

Bad deal, $3k might be worth it.

This is what I was thinking on the way home today. There's massive rust, bare wires hanging out of the tail light holes, I bet you'll have several hundred in fixing the electrical alone.

I saw a '96 or so F350 four door with a flat bed and racks on the side of the road today for sale. I'll go get the details on it this afternoon just as a quickie comparison. I'll bring my camera.

 

[SkwerI]

OK, here it is. '97 F350 with 7.3 diesel. Look at the pictures and you will know as much about it as me.

I also know of a very nice '89 F800 with dump bed for $5500. One of the guys I work for replaced it when the transmission went out on a job. My stump grinder buddy bought it, fixed the transmission and cleaned it up to resell it. Gas motor but it's in good shape. I'll get pictures of that later this afternoon if you or anybody else here is interested.

 

[Al Smith]

It's not always the case but in times past more often than not a flat bed on a pick up usually meant one thing .The owner most had likely beat the pizz out of the orignal bed and did a hillbilly fix to it . I think the recent rise in scrape iron prices over the last few years has thinned that flock considerabley .

 

[SkwerI]

Al, the truck I just posted appears to be the original bed on that truck. Also, it's been for sale for at least a month, maybe longer. I bet somebody is just waiting for work to pick up so they can afford it.

Jon, if you want me to test drive it or check it out further just ask.

 

[Al Smith]

Yes that looks a like an original service type bed .It used to actually be cheaper to buy a 1 ton cab and chassis and install a service bed than it was to buy a 3/4 ton complete with bed .I have no idea if that still holds true today or not .

 

[GASoline71]

If that truck ain't a 7.3L Powerstroke Turbo diesel... skip it. Powerstrokes came out in mid 1994. The Direct injection turbo (non-PSD) diesels that preceeded the PSD had lots of problems. The first gen PSD (Powerstroke Diesel) engines are good engines. I had a 1995 PSD 7.3L and loved it. I drove it until it almost had 400,000 miles on it. Then traded it in.

But I can tell you that some of the things that will go wrong with the first gen PSD's are a PITA to fix. Looks like a stick too. The flywheel is non-resurfaceable. It is what they call a "dual mass" flywheel. You have to replace it completely. Ford is the only place you can get the DM flywheels. Spendy critters. There are aftermarket companies that make "single mass" flywheel/cluth assemblies for half the cost. But the don't work as well as the old DM flywheel/clutch setups.

Gary

 

[NeTree]

Is the salt air an issue where you are. Being in New York, I know how much salt tears up bodies and frames, brake lines, fuel lines. Expensive to have fixed and not fun to do yourself. I would look for something in a state where they don't use so much salt. The vehicles in Pennsylvania look much better than ours.

My thoughts as well.

 

[Al Smith]

Well here's another thing to consider .Trucks used in tree service work get showered with wood chips and I think that is about as acidic as salt .On more than one occasion I've had to weld in plate steel patchs where the main frame rails were quickly disappearing . Now they were older late 70's ton a half trucks but still the stuff would work on the frames ,spring shackles etc. no matter how old they were .

It wasn't standard iron oxide but black as coal which is a sign of acidic reaction to steel .Something to consider .