'97 XLT 4x4 125k miles

[James Morse]

No not financing.
You are correct it would be a huge down payment but then I'd have payment every month, plus, I'd have to carry collision.
I can budget for expected repairs/maintenance and still have it a lot less than a car payment on newer.
And in some ways I like the old school stuff better than new. Seems to have more heart, that's just me. Obviously if you offered me a 2023 real cheap, I'd take it, but that's not happening.
The thing is, I'm not saying the truck looks brand new, but, not that far from it. So what would a newer truck have that it doesn't? I'm hard pressed to answer that question. Better ride, I guess.
I drive maybe 5k miles/yr right now.
I see lot of '06-09 which is what I was looking at that are beat to h*ll, look bad, drive bad... and more money... for what? Maybe a perception they are more reliable, but seems to me if everything is up to snuff on a 97 it should just keep working.
I still think on my 99 I can get, maybe, 4-5 grand for it, seeing as it drives great and has zero issues. If that were true, I'd be out of pocket maybe 5 grand for the '97, which I think is not a lot of money for a serious upgrade which by that I mean basically 4x4, 4.0L, and power everything, compared to 4x2, 3.0L, and no power anything. Inside pf 97 is clean, no tears or burns, hard to imagine really for its age. There were two owners, and looks like they both were pretty careful of it.
It's not so much the money (talking old vs new) as it is that I just object in general principle to spending tons on a vehicle if I can get one cheaper that does everything I want and looks cosmetically good and is easy to work on.
All that said, you certainly do have a point.

 

[Josh B]

That's a sharp looking truck James. It might still have a flip seat in the back w/ a seat belt. Not much for comfort but if you get in an occasional spot and need the extra seat welll, I've had some large size people in mine and never had any complaint.

Watching my Kelly's Blue Book value go over the cliff wasn't fun. but that's the way it goes. Any fender bender now and they will hand me a check for $200 and total the truck, but it's worth more than that to me every day

 

[James Morse]

Thanks, I do think it's sharp and I'm not crazy about cosmetics/vanity but it's nice when they look good. Not to say it's the most important, but it's sure nice.
I'll check the back again as to seat I might have missed it. I do like that it doesn't have the jack in there in the back part, those holders seem to always be broken.
Waiting for them to put in air sensor, seems like that should take all of 10 minutes... probably had to go get part.
Book value seem to bear only a vague relation to actual prices. I said I was going to wait for the recession, but I looked under and as to the body itself under there is zero rust and truck just seems pretty clean. and I've seen a bunch of trucks way newer that didn't look half as good.
Did not get a chance to see engine bay yet, that's pretty important, look for leaks etc.
Talked to faspakr about the 4x4 and he says if the lights go on in the dash then it should be good.
It doesn't surprise me if there are a few things that the last owner didn't take care of especially if they were getting rid of it.
If it all pans out I'll just make a decent cash offer and see what they say. If they insist on their full price that'd probably be an issue for me because I do expect people to bargain some. But if they have a lot of people calling about it, they might not move on price. What has the world come to.
As to future value, if it's really the truck I want, then, that wouldn't much matter as I'd be keeping it. Sure, at some point upgrade, but I'm not sure what a different/newer truck would offer me that I'd be willing to pay for.

 

[Josh B]

You are more likely to acquire malfunctions on a bumpy 4 wheel track, and as always, the newer parts cost more, and I would see that as a plus for the one you're looking at.

You won't get many chances on a good deal, you have to get there first, know how to look it over, and make up your mind in a hurry. Today's prices and options must be playing hell on that, good luck.

Actually my flip-down seat opened a pocket in the side that held the manual spin-up bottle-jack, which I prefer to any others on the road, I keep at least 2 under my tool box w/ 2 good jack stands for unexpected emergency.
The seat back folds up to close the side pocket access

 

[James Morse]

So the guy at the dealer told me he can't hold stuff because all the sales reps get a chance to sell. But just texted me they won't be done to swap out the air sensor until tomorrow and he's going to hold onto the keys.
Which of course if it's in their shop no one can show it... but it's one less thing to worry about.
I just have a feeling he's not going to move much if anything on price and I'm thinking of going to the bank and getting stacks of 100's and making a cash offer, perhaps psychologically that makes it 'easy' for them... but that's probably hogwash. I dunno... it's worked in the past, I just show them, this is what I have, do you want to sell it or not.
It's stressful. I hate decisions.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Without the back doors the jump seats are just little handles under the side windows, pull that out and there's a seat... jack is behind the passenger side jump seat, it's just a lap belt so no signs of anything... the ones without jump seats had a plastic cubby where the seat would be. my '97 has a retractable cargo cover under the rear window and a mesh thing at the bottom where I keep a volt meter and some random stuff... There's enough room even on the jack side behind the jump seat to stick a 20' tow strap with shackle, I have a box with 4 new ratchet straps on the drivers side...

It's expensive but fully loaded and in good shape, if it fits the bill for me I'd rather have the TTB suspension...

My '98 Explorer had 255's from the factory so it was likely a thing...

 

[97RangerXLT]

This is my 97. sounds like you are looking at the same truck. mine does have the jump seats. in the 17.5 years that IU have owned it I have never used them. but they fold nicely into the side panel so not much if any room is lost. I think the seat delete option just puts a panel over where the folded seats are. got the pop out rear windows as well, and again I think I might have used them a handful of times. Change out the auto hubs, you will be glad you did. My truck came with factory 265x70R15's which work out to 31" tires. so you can get a bit bigger tire without rubbing should you so desire.

Add a blue and white pinstripe down the side and you got the exact twin of my truck.

AJ

 

[James Morse]

@scotts90ranger Are you saying the '97 has TTB and that's good? I know 98-00 and 01 up are different with the torsion bars on the later ones... 97's I didn't research that part of it much.
Pretty sure it has the Dana 35 based on ribs all around on the diff.
Yeah it has the cargo cover like you are saying. I do like the rear doors on my '99 but moving the seat forward you can get to the back pretty easily. One less thing to break I guess, I had to replace the grommets w/ the better aluminum ones on my rear doors.
Yeah I was just thinking about it... the '99 I bought the first day it was there... our house we made offer the day before a sign even went up... might be the same kind of thing.
I have a feeling if I pass on it, that it will take me a long time to find a fully optioned XLT in as good shape and in town. True there are a few options it doesn't have but not many. Leather seats, if you could even get them, probably aren't really a plus, though I do love the smell of them.
You know I didn't look to see if it has tow hooks. Wouldn't they be kind of expected, or should I not worry about that? There must be other ways to tow it out of a rut or something? Not that I'm planning on it, just wondered.

 

[James Morse]

yes 97rangerxlt that's the truck
is that the biggest rock it can go over or are you just showing it has no problem at all with that rock
seems like you can't go a whole lot taller with the rock or it'll hit the body when you come off it

why do I want to change out the hubs? what am I changing them to?

pinstripe might have been from factory, it was an option. I could add it.

sounds as if you like yours, it helps me a lot all the feedback I'm getting

yeah that's quite a large tire. it looks correct for the truck though, cosmetically, and nice aggressive tread you want for snow/off road

you also have optional side molding I don't have that.

pretty much carbon copy though cool

 

[Shran]

I just have a feeling he's not going to move much if anything on price

Of course he's not going to now, that's how it works... if you even look like you want them to hold it, their hooks are set.

Best tactic for buying cars is to grumble a lot while looking at it, point out every little defect and act disinterested. Then pull out a reasonable price in cash and threaten to walk if they don't take it.

 

[scotts90ranger]

TTB is the type of front suspension for '83-97, and I do prefer it over the newer style, just less moving parts, left stock should be pretty trouble free, I would probably change to manual hubs if the opportunity comes up

Ford didn't really provide any way to be towed out up front on anything for a long time, there's no real good place to mount them either without modifying something...

 

[Josh B]

Mine had a spot ready made with a bolt hole, I just stuck an eye-bolt in it with a heavy washer behind it

Anybody wanting to shuck their auto locking hubs I'll happy do some kind of swapping

 

[James Morse]

shran - heh... yeah well that train already left
yes certainly I do point out anything when I see it... problem is what am I going to complain about. Oh, cruise buttons. That's $20 and maybe an hour work. No reason to suspect computer is bad for it. Just buttons worn out like always.
I did complain about the tires. There's maybe 1/2 tread left maybe 3/8 so they are ok for a while but there's a grand to replace them.
These guys aren't ALL idiots though, they know the market.
It has one small dent that paintless could probably pull out. Other than that, if the body/interior is clean, I don't see any huge rust, and it runs/drives ok, what do I have to complain about except price.
But yes of course you are correct... I just won't be able to fake the disinterested part at this point but realistically a person can be interested until they aren't just like the rest of life.
I asked the guy if he'd tell me how much they paid for it and he said he would if he could find out. Point being I told him the JD Power and Edmunds value on the truck which at MOST is like 6k.
He told me they expect to make $3k on any vehicle they sell no matter what the price is. So you know right there they can drop the price and still make good money on it. But if he thinks he can get asking, and he probably can, then he doesn't have a lot of incentive except to get it sold sooner, maybe.
I could complain it already had two things that had to be fixed. CEL wasn't on when I started, but came on with the air sensor code midway seems wacky unless it has to do with it warming up.
I'd also like to do a cold start on it, that seems kind of logical.
Anyway so I could say, geesh, you already had to fix two things, who knows what's next?
I agree I have to come to some number that I'll pay, go to the bank, get the cash, and lay it down and say here's the offer. And - this is the hard part - being ready to walk if he says no. Or, be ready to up the offer if I really want the truck. So I can't really say "this is the most I can offer" then raise it and look like a liar.
Or I could make it easy and just give him full price, but where's the fun in that. Certainly used car dealers have some point where cash in hand is worth more than maybe-more down the road.
To me if you offer 85-90% of asking that is a good bona fide offer. Especially when you know they are still making a lot on it at that price.

It has the original owner manual and 2 fobs for the remote door locks. Doesn't seem to be missing anything so far that I see.
I didn't mention this, it has this Cobalt tool box. I don't know how it's attached. I'd probably leave it, it's a great storage place. Has keys. It doesn't go all the way to the bed so you can still put long stuff in. Probably worth $100 plus it's already in there. Side rails are good, keeps rail from getting all messed up.

 

[James Morse]

So on the hubs, you are saying, leave the dash switch because that's the electric transfer case switch; but it also electrically activates the hubs and that's prone to failure so change hubs to manual?

Then you have to get out of truck to change them. I guess not a big deal and there'd be no question whether they were locked.

What happens if you select 4wd and the manual hubs are not locked? It just spins the front axles?

What about the other way you lock the hubs but don't engage 4x4. Then it spins the axles from the wheel side? No harm done in either situation, except, you wouldn't have 4x4 and you'd be incompetent. Is that correct?

Is it something like this? Hub / Four Wheel Drive Lock Out - Warn BK 7453111 | Buy Online - NAPA Auto Parts (napaonline.com)

 

[Josh B]

Probably J-bolts. They hook under the side rails and put a 3/4" piece of oak to tighten them from inside the box