To sell or not to sell...

[kinda_low]

Well i currently have a '99 Ranger 4.0/5spd 4x4. I've owned it for a year now and have been dumping money into this thing and its looking like its going to need more soon. I'm still throwing codes (assuming its o2 sensors now), I'm still getting valve clatter even after seafoaming it, power steering pump whines like crazy, and now the transmission is starting to not shift so smoothly...

In the past year I've done plugs/wires, all filters, brake rotors and pads, slave cylinder, fuel pump, replaced the iac and maf, had it aligned (now needs balljoints), cd player, and put tires and wheels on it. Which all came out to around $1500.

I'm also not incredibly happy with the IFS on these newer trucks either (rides pretty horrible, and everything like hubs and spares are expensive and complicated). I was eventually going to throw a D30 under it.

I'm almost tempted to sell the damn thing and buy another GMC Sierra like I used to own. B
ut browsing craigslist today I came upon a '93 Ranger 4.0/5spd 4x4. It has some sort of a lift on it, 33s, a few new parts (clutch, fuel pump, radiator, window motors, windshield, heater core) glass front/rear fenders, and claims to have a F150 front axle (this was not confirmed I'm going to look at it tomorrow). The truck needs a couple things like the fuel guage doesn't work, it has a rough idle (vacuum leak suspect), one window is off the track, and it could use a paint job. But the guys only asking $1900.

I'm on the edge whether to sell my truck and buy this one and take the extra money and fix this one up. But I don't want to get sucked into another unreliable vehicle...

Any input?

 

[master hec0]

i would just keep throwing money at it. eventually everything will be fixed and you would have a vehicle you know is reliable. i wouldn't risk buying an older truck hoping it doesn't have any issues with it.

 

[MountainMike]

i would just keep throwing money at it. eventually everything will be fixed and you would have a vehicle you know is reliable. i wouldn't risk buying an older truck hoping it doesn't have any issues with it.

Here, here. That's the mentality I had to adopt for my Nine-Eight

 

[master hec0]

yeah thats what i did/am still doing on my 87 b2. im atleast 1500 deep in to it now.and going for a motor swap soon

 

[adsm08]

only 1500 in? Geeze, I spent 900 on the first two years of inspection, a piece. Now I needed a clutch at year two, but 1500 ain't bad. I think i sunk 25 to 30 into my 87 before she was reliable and not breaking every week. It sounds like you have just hit what I like to call the 10/100 wall. At about 10 years or 100,000 miles every vehicle needs a good bit of time, money, and work, but once you get it past that and fixed up again you have a nice, good running vehicle again, and usually for a lot less than the cost of a new car.

 

[master hec0]

only 1500 in? Geeze, I spent 900 on the first two years of inspection, a piece. Now I needed a clutch at year two, but 1500 ain't bad. I think i sunk 25 to 30 into my 87 before she was reliable and not breaking every week. It sounds like you have just hit what I like to call the 10/100 wall. At about 10 years or 100,000 miles every vehicle needs a good bit of time, money, and work, but once you get it past that and fixed up again you have a nice, good running vehicle again, and usually for a lot less than the cost of a new car.

it doesnt even have 100 000 miles it only has 97 000 kilometers. and i only have put about 500kms on it since i owned it most of the money went in to making it road legal.

 

[adsm08]

Still got 10 years on it. Sitting can be just as bad. If I have the choice of buying a 99 with 50,000 or 150,000 I'm gonna buy the one with 150 just because I know it hasn't been sitting and rotting.

 

[mattpresley]

only 1500 in? Geeze, I spent 900 on the first two years of inspection, a piece. Now I needed a clutch at year two, but 1500 ain't bad. I think i sunk 25 to 30 into my 87 before she was reliable and not breaking every week. It sounds like you have just hit what I like to call the 10/100 wall. At about 10 years or 100,000 miles every vehicle needs a good bit of time, money, and work, but once you get it past that and fixed up again you have a nice, good running vehicle again, and usually for a lot less than the cost of a new car.

+1 thats where im at right now

 

[adsm08]

Yeah, and I've still spent less to get where I am than if I'd gone and bought even a 95 or 96.

 

[trail B2]

On mine the only thing that work good are ones that i dont care for like the 2.9 i'm starting to get down to fuel gauges and dome lights but it wasn't cheap or easy.If you do decide to change rigs be honest about the cost, a real price for yours as is, taxes, get it smogged and bring the new rig up to snuff. Don't forget changing cars is an expense as well.

 

[kinda_low]

Ya good points, not to mention that other truck was worse than I thought...Well looks like the transmission will have to come apart soon This weekend I'll probably swap in a better power steering pump.

Thanks for input!

 

[Nhaz]

At a decade old you are just running into what I call General maintenance. Throw money at it. => Fix what needs to be fixed get on top of the preventative maintenance and you should be good for another decade.

 

[Toms01PSD]

At a decade old you are just running into what I call General maintenance. Throw money at it. => Fix what needs to be fixed get on top of the preventative maintenance and you should be good for another decade.

Bingo! It may seem like a lot of work but the 98 I bought needed new heads/head gaskets. I also ended up doing ball joints, steering rack, tie rod ends, and a mess of other shit.

Oh, and just so you feel better, I just bought a rebuilt trans for $1700.

 

[kinda_low]

Oh, and just so you feel better, I just bought a rebuilt trans for $1700.

OUCH $1700?? I'm hoping my trans lasts another year or until I can find one out of a '01+ newer truck. And hiping another can of seafoam sitting on the valves will clear the clatter

 

[Chance]

I'm assuming you're gonna swap in a sagina pump then? The factory ford ps pump always whines no matter what. I've gotten to the point where I like the sound of it