Question(s) on 93 F250 IDI

[lainemech]

Hey Guys,

I didn't really want to start a new thread, but replies to old ones don't seem to get much attention.

Ok, I went to look at the 96psd 4sd 4x4 yesterday. Sure looked better in the pic's! So that one was a no go.
Went to look at the 93 IDI auto 2wd today. Really nice truck, low miles (134K, as opposed to the PSD's 213K) tranny was rebuilt at 84K along with a new TC and a "shift kit". It's in good plus condition. Was a little disappointed to find that it doesn't have a turbo (it was marked wrong on window). I was surprized at how well it performed. That sucker had twice the guts of the PSC I drove the day before.
I'm really considering the 93. Guy wants $5000 I offered him $4000 (blue booking). He laughed! Anyways, he will take $4700 (maybe a few bucks less if I beg) He has the paperwork from the tranny job and some other maint. records (he also changed the glow plugs and batt's a year ago and tires are next to new). It has some kind of Banks power booster??? or whatever?? I've never heard of it. Looks like the old round air breathers from carbed gas engines, and sits right about where one would on a gas engine (the air filter is in it and looks to be like the old car type filter). Overall, I would say it's a real nice truck and runs great. Other than the Banks thing and the shift kit, it's all stock.

So, what do you guys think? Is it worth it?

Looking forward to hearing your responses.

Thanks,

Bob

[vitalidle]

Sounds okay I guess. How is the body? Not rusted? Seems like alot for a 16 year old truck, but if its owner took care of it, might be a good buy. Heck for 5 thousand more you could find a 99-2000 for that price. Lots of deals out there if your patient and keep looking.

[lainemech]

Originally Posted by vitalidle

Sounds okay I guess. How is the body? Not rusted?

Thanks for the quick response. It's a South Carolina truck. Has no rust, but it's not "Perfect". By Kelly's blue book standards I would say it falls into the "Good" category. My opinion, it's a "good +". Had a fifth wheel rig in the bed that is not there now, so the bolt holes are in the floor of the bed. It has very few minor scratches where most PU trucks get em, in the bed area. I've Been doing a lot of looking over the past month or so, and it is the best one by a good bit. Would rather have a 4x4, but by no means "need" one. Just need a good, reliable truck that can pull some weight from time to time. I don't want to spend more than $5000. Every (and newer) PSD I have looked at has been beat to crap and have tons of miles.
I'm not going back to get that one right away (if I get it at all) but, from what I've seen out there in that price range all look like "drive once, fix twice vehicles" most at higher prices. I thought it was a little on the high end of what I thought it should be worth, but its lower than the KBB retail price. In SC every other person is a licensed car dealer and every other yard is a used car lot. This guy is no exception.

Thanks for your input. I appreciate everyone's. Good or bad.

Bob
BTW...I used to live 20mls east of Manistique, MI (spelling?) drilled wells in Munising, Grand Marais and all over "da UP". But that was a million years ago.

[jamstoyz]

sounds really high for the year man. if your willing to travel down to lower mi, you could find a great deal. a while back i was looking at a 95 or 97 psd single cab 4x4 auto with 135k on it for $5k
try craigslist

[jamstoyz]

heres a few
94 Ford Diesel 4X4
heres a big boy lol
super duty f450 turbo diesel LOW LOW MILES

its a cheby but.....
1998 CHEVY 3500 DUALLY=== 6.5L DIESEL === GOOD FOR WORK OR TOWING
1996 Chevy C/K3500 6.5 Turbo Diesel

[lainemech]

Originally Posted by jamstoyz

sounds really high for the year man. if your willing to travel down to lower mi, you could find a great deal.
try craigslist

I guess I forgot to mention, I am (as well as the trucks I have mentioned) in South Carolina!. I do get up to MI from time to time, (been a while tho) and I wouldn't say it would be out of the question to go that far to get a good truck. What I have found from Craig's List, cars.com and autotrader.com is that the vehicles always look great in the pic's (if they even put pics), but look like crap when you see them up close and real. like the 96 F250 x cab short bed PSD 4x4 I looked at. It looked REAL NICE in the pics, and when I called, the guy said, "it only had one little "ding" in the bed behind the cab"... WRONG!!!... headlight hanging on by the wires, drivers door sprung, interior ragged and surprisingly RUST. We don't really get rust here in SC. I appreciate the links you sent, and I am still looking. Lots here like that too, maybe a little higher on average, but most at those prices are ragged out when you go look at them. Gets old running all over he!! to look at these things. I"ll keep looking though.

Thanks again,

Bob

[vitalidle]

Good luck on your search! Im sure you will find the right one your looking for

[FordGuy100]

Honestly, as much as I like IDI's...if I was going to spend that much coin on a truck, I would probaby put it towards a PSD, or...gasp....a cummins. Anyways, around here $4700 for a 2wd truck in that condition, with those miles, ect...might fetch $3000, but I would never buy it cause 4wd comes in handy all to much. I would only buy that truck if it had a turbo, and a gear vendors overdrive, then it might justify that cost.

Thats just my $.02

[vitalidle]

Bob have a look at this http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/tru...30-diesel.html

[lainemech]

Thanks for the link, I saw that one too.
The more I read, the more I kinda sway towards an IDI. Too many darn things to go wrong in the PSD's, and high $$$ parts. To me, the "simpler the better", Kind of like an old tractor. I want the truck for practical reasons, with no intentions of modding (other than to squeak a few more MPG's out of it) In SC it's rare to need 4wd unless you want to play in the mud. (I've only used 4wd on my Dakota a couple times, just as a preventative measure. Prolly didn't really need it.
I've found quite a few 93-94 IDI's so far in this area, they all seem to be in the $4k-$4500 range (with less than 200k mls on them, and good body/mechanical). You have to take in to consideration that this is farm country. Pickup trucks are the standard "family vehicle" around here and a "must have" tool. The bodies rarely get any rust, you don't have much for cold weather starts (may get down to 15-20 a couple times a year) towns with 1 traffic light, the rest hwy. Vehicles just plain ol last a loooong time here, and most people drive em till their dead. I'm from MI originally, and I know darn well that northern vehicles this old are not in this kind of shape.
I'm not wanting you to tell me what "I want to hear", I appreciate the honesty. Most on here know a hell of a lot more than I do about diesel PU's. One thing that I have noticed though, is that most of you guy's have these things as toys, and have a lot more cash than I do to play with. Most have put more $$$ in mods to their trucks than I would spend to "buy" 2 trucks. I'm saying this just to put things into perspective. If I had the $$$, I would just buy a new(er) PSD and put 10K more into it in mods, or just plain ol spend big bucks and get one all "duked up" already. Seems to me, (and that's in my mind) that $4-4.5k for a truck that potentially has another 100k-150k or more miles left on it, with great body and paint, that I can just jump into and go is well worth it. How bout you south and southwest guy's? You must know what I mean?

Sorry for rambling so much. LOL I just get the feeling that most guy's on here are looking from a whole different angle than I am. And have used trucks around at much better prices! lol

Thanks again guy's!!

Bob