Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Value of 1995 F250 with 24,000 original miles....

I found a 1 owner 1995 F250 4X4 with 24,000 original miles. Has the 5.8L gas engine. Extended cab. Extremely nice condition. He's asking $11000.00. Will negotiate a little. Thinking might get him down to 9500.00. Does this sound like a decent price? I'm a little worried that there might a lot of catch up maintenance. Anyone got one of these and know what kind of mileage to expect. Thanks

Brant

Sounds like a very good price.

Sounds like a fair deal. But, be aware that a 20 year old truck is still a 20 year old truck.

Plastic parts, rubber parts, and other things age with time, and give you issues regardless of the miles on it.

I bought a 1966 2 door LTD with a 390cid back around 1990. It had been garaged and babied by an old couple, and only had 20 something thousand miles on it... Overall, it was a good ride and I made money on it selling it as a classic after I drove it 50k miles more....But, it cost me $300-$400 per month to keep it running. Mostly due to just it's age. (I could have made a payment of that amount and driven a brand new Crown Vic. at the time.)

KBB......$9700

http://www.kbb.com/

Whatever the insurance company will pay you if you total it .

I recently passed on a 1986 F250 Lariat 4x4 extended cab with the 6.9 diesel. Had only 36000 miles on it and was in near perfect condition. The lowest they'd go was $8500.

Dad had a 1986, so there was a little sentimental attraction on my part for the truck. Finally decided I had to pass on it. It had the 3-speed automatic in it (no overdrive). May have been great back in the day, when the speed limit was 55mph. However, the speed limit on highways around here these days is 75mph. The thing was turning 2800-3000rpm trying to go that fast.

Completely defeated the purpose of having a diesel. Would have been too complicated trying to put a different auto trans in or converting to a manual, to get back down around 1800-2000 rpm.

Not for sure how that 1995 you're looking at is geared, but you might try taking it out on the highway at TODAY'S speeds, and seeing what kind of rpm's you're turning. The mpg on that truck was likely to be 14mpg tops, anyway. If you're having to push it at 3000 rpm to go 70-75 (un-loaded), imagine what kind of mileage you'll get pulling something??

Just a thought......

PS-- The front axles on those F250's weren't that well-regarded (though they look like a solid front axle, they are NOT). Expect a rebuild in the future.

lazydrifter;
This past fall we were looking for a small SUV for our eldest daughter and ran into an '87 Cherokee that had been garaged since new, but did have more miles on it than the F250 in question.

Anyway, I figured on spending about $2000-$2500 on it for new rubber and miscellaneous maintenance and as it's turned out we're pretty close to that.

That vintage of F250 will have twin fuel tanks I believe, so there will be an in-tank fuel pump/fuel gauge sending unit in each tank plus the main fuel pump on the frame underneath the driver's side frame. They are in my experience with slightly older Fords, items that don't last forever.

As we did with the Cherokee, I'd be inclined to get the brake fluid drained, flush the system and do a thorough check on it.

The oil in the diffs, transfer case and transmission could likely stand to be refreshed too, unless you know that's been already done.

The F250/350 didn't have the twin I-beam front axle did they? If not then the front end alignment, springs and parts shouldn't wear like the F150's did.

Shocks may be still OK, or not - but you might want to check them.

As mentioned by other posters, sometimes it's the rubber hoses and weird plastic parts that just die with time that become a bit tiresome eventually.

Our daughter still loves her Jeep, but indeed there continues to be a list of things "to do" on it most of the time.

Hopefully that was somewhat useful to you sir. Good luck on your truck purchase whichever way you decide and all the best to you this Sunday.

Regards,
Dwayne

The 5.4 in the f250/350 was the biggest mistake ford ever made they are a big pig. But if you were buying a gasser 3/4 ton from ford it was the v10 or 5.4.

Well I just the 5.8 in the op thread oops!

At that price he's going to have it a long time. I wouldn't pay more than $6k for it. Its a 20 year old truck and they weren't fords best trucks by a long shot.

Yeah, kind of the answers I was looking for. I bought a new boat last fall and while my 4Runner pulls it just fine I've been looking for a used P/U that I can launch it with. I figure it would be a truck that probably wouldn't get more than 4 or 5 thousand miles a year. And probably very little hiway use and probably no freeway use at all. It just got a new battery but I kinda figured at the minimum it would need new tires,shocks, hoses,belts, all fluid changed and a real good going over. Think I will go drive it tomorrow. Thanks

Brant

It's a 351. MPG in the 12-14 maybe. No idea how it was kept or stored but would consider brakes, exhaust, manifold gaskets, brake and fuel lines, seals everywhere, fuel tanks, steering components and ft end stuff (IFS ugh)... ujoints, and some electrical crap. That's normal stuff here when you find a low mileage cream puff. By-product of both salt, time and lesser grade materials used back then... JMO

W

The truck in the op is before the 5.4. It's 351 Windsor, 5.8. Great motor.

This was bought new by an older person, looks to have been well maintained and lived it's life in a garage. looks more like a 4 or 5 year old truck. I've heard good reviews about the 5.8L motor but in all honesty, I've never owned a Ford. This is probably way more truck than I would ever need. Not ever planning on towing anything more than this boat, which only weighs about 2000lbs.

I bought a 1981 Dodge with about the same mileage a few years back. I replaced the original shocks, greased the bearings, and not much else. I have had no issues which were not endemic to the truck (crappy thermo-quad carburetor, automatic hubs, not the best seat). I love that it does not have anti-lock brakes, air bags, power windows, electric 4WD switch etc. I replaced the auto hubs with Warnes and the carburetor with a Carter AFB and removed the air pump and related plumbing. The 360 is not a bad powerplant and I see no reason the old pick-up shouldn't last me a while. I keep my eyes open for similar older pickups because I detest the modern offerings which I consider to be excellent trucks but buried under too much superfluous fluff and over-priced as a consequence. I'm kind of old and I like kind-of-old trucks. That 95 Ford is a little too new. GD

I've heard there's a guy in northern Minnesota who can turn that Ford truck to LNIB condition.

For your purposes that truck will probably be great then.

Has the truck been driven on a regular basis or has it been sitting in storage for years?

Been driven on a regular basis. Just not very often and not very far.

If you just need something to pull a 2000lb. boat, you might look at a 1992-1999(with 350)or so, Suburban or Tahoe. The parts are cheap, you can get 'em for $3000-$5000, they'll tow up to 7000 lbs. (1/2 ton), and they are often in much better shape than a pickup because they were the "family vehicle" and spent much of their time garaged, not worked like a pick-up.

The fact that you can fold down the rear seats and have just as much room as a pick-up, while keeping the weather off of the stuff and keeping it under lock and key (expensive rods/reels, tackle, etc.) is also a plus.

The newer ones (say 2001-2006), with the 5.3 will even get 18-20mpg on the highway, though they'll run you $6000-$12000.

Not trying to change the subject, but just giving you a few more options.

Since it has been driven on a regular basis and garaged I wouldn't worry too much about strictly age related problems. I have a 98 Chevy (different manufacturer - same vintage) and there's been almost no problems caused by age.

1995 American made rubber and plastic bits are, generally speaking, very good quality.

There's few things like fluids, tires, and maybe belts and hoses that might need to replaced but I'd look at it with the thought ... if ain't broke, don't fix it. I'd drive it and see if there's any problems and then fix as needed.

If you're unsure about the mechanical condition have a buyers inspection done. It's a great negotiating tool if there are problems.