Buying a second vehicle.

[2002MineralGray]

Its been a long time since Ive posted on here. Anyway Im looking for a second vehicle/ winter car and Im pretty set on a smaller truck. I ride dirt bikes in the summer so Ill be using it to transport my bikes in the summer then as my daily driver when the stang is up for the winter. Ive found a 1993 Ranger for $1500 but just need some advice.

The truck has 160,000 miles on it but for a 93 that isnt that bad. They said the body is rust free and the frame is fine. According to the picures it looks like a nice little truck. It has new BF goodrich tires on it as well. They said the only thing it will need is a new fan clutch which is a $60 dollar part. However because you need a special wrench I guess the labor could get pretty expensive. I was just wondering do I need to worry about the truck overheating and seizing up if I buy it? Or is it even worth going to take a look at it? Im going to look at it but I just dont really know anything about how a fan clutch works or if its a sign of an even worse problem. Heres the ad if anyones interested. http://westernmass.craigslist.org/cto/1843955491.html

 

[trombonedemon]

This posting has been deleted by its author
At a whim, I'd say go ahead and buy if you can do the fan install yourself.
Looks like you have snow in your avatar, those Rangers are extremely light in the rear end. I would find a truck camper and keep some heavy equipment in the back. Those trucks, if taken care of, last as long as the owner!

 

[2002MineralGray]

Oh sorry, thats wierd the link is in my favorites but it still works for me. Looks like they re-upped the ad again today so maybe this link will work, here it is. 93 ranger.

Anyway yeah I live in western Mass sometimes our winters are mild and others they are brutal and we get over a foot of snow. The stang will NEVER see those winters if I can help it. My old beater died on me last winter and I refused to drive the stang so I was stuck bummin rides for like 3 months. It sucked lol. But yeah provided all it needs is the fan and I don't find out it needs a whole laundry list of parts (like most craigslist ads) I might just buy it. Like I said I don't know anything about fan clutches except that they play into the cooling system. The lady said she still drives it everyday to work but it does run hot. Im just worried about it overheating on the ride home because its an hour away from me.

 

[Fink132]

I'd say that's a good idea. I personally LOVE those trucks and was looking for one for my winter vehicle (ended up buying a 1996 Ford explorer eddie bauer edition)

 

[Kornnut]

In the second add it doesn't say anything about the clutch fan. Question is how does he know its just that. If it does check out I would pick it up. A second vehicle is always great and being a truck is even better.

 

[trombonedemon]

I think those Rangers have air cooled oil coolers, as does the Explorers of those years.

 

[2002MineralGray]

I have no idea how hes knows its the clutch fan. The person selling it was a woman and when I asked her "does the truck need ANYTHING?" she was asked her husband and he said all it needs is a clutch fan. So are you guys saying that year didnt have one???

 

[cbsdd]

You could just take the clutch fan off and put in an electric one and wire it up to a circuit that comes on when you turn on the ignition. If you wanted to go that route.

 

[Maxpowers]

Wire the fan up to a switch and call it a day. Not worth spending the money on a beater. Find something in the junk yard to rig it up.

Edit:
If that's all you can find wrong with it, that's a pretty decent price. Go for it.

 

[2002MineralGray]

Ok so heres what happened when I went to look at it. Truck had different rims on it and was green. Not blue in the pic... No big deal right? Chalked up the color in the pics to a crappy camera. Basically the truck has new brake pads, rotors battery terminals, new head gasket. Basically everything under the sun was replaced. Tranny was fine 4x4 worked and it ran great when I took it for a drive. Two things got me on the fence about it though...

Truck has no title because she said in Vermont you no longer need a title for a vehicle over 15 years old. The ad says it has 160,000 miles on it and she told me it had 130,000 when I got there. Her inspection sticker has 139,000 written in pen on a line where it says mileage and her registration says 130,000 also written in pen... Yet the odometer reads 420,000 and some change. WTF?! The odometers not broken because I watched it turn over the miles when I drove it. She told me it was a state used truck before she bought it which would make sense that it had over 400,000 miles because they drive all over holy hell with those things. Im worried I wont be able to get a tile for it because I live in Massachusetts and they are nuts about paperwork and what not. She showed me the back of her registration and it has a spot to fill out for buyer and seller just like a regular title but its still techiqually not a title lol. She said if I bought it I just take that slip to the RMV and I will get a new Mass title but Im not sure. In the end I talked her down to $1200 but I have to go to the RMV to see whats up in my state because If I cant get a title I cant register it and I cant insure it so I dont want a $1200 lawn ornament.

 

[2002MineralGray]

Honestly I think I might just pass on it...

 

[Maxpowers]

Walk away. Too many issues going on there. You can find something better.

1) No title. Prove it's not stolen. Anyone can change vin plates but it's hard to get a title to match.
2) Different color and rims is complete BS.
3) Mileage is a joke. Sounds like they are trying to pull something.

 

[Kman92]

Run Away Run Away!

 

[2002MineralGray]

Yeah the title issue was a huge red flag for me. A guy tried to screw me on another ranger last fall when he was selling the truck with a title in someone elses name. The RMV told me it was ok but he just had to write me a bill of sale from him to me so they could see a paper trail. When I told him this he was VERY reluctant to do so which made me suspecious, so I walked.

Thus my guard was already up when I went to look at this truck. After she told me the title issue she asked me if I wanted to drive it. I figured "wtf why not I drove an hour across statelines to see this damn thing" When I noticed the mileage issue on the drive I was like "wtf is up with the mileage?" The lady played the sweet ignorant act and said "ohhh no its not 439,000 you see thats a 1, the 1 kinda hides in there! its got 139,000 miles or something...". My reacation: "... uh miss im sorry but thats a 4 not a 1 theres a big difference and im not blind, Im looking at a 4 and even still you told me the truck had 160,000 miles on the phone not 139,000!"

Urgh... You always meet the most honest and upstanding people on Craigslist. Thanks for all your help guys.

 

[2002MineralGray]

So like I said I didnt end up buying that ranger (thank god). haha. But I may go look at this tomorow http://westernmass.craigslist.org/cto/1890080824.html. Not sure though. Ive never owned a dodge.

 

[streethorse]

Runs Perfectly....right

 

[Maxpowers]

Dodge automatic transmissions = crap

 

[txredgt]

So like I said I didnt end up buying that ranger (thank god). haha. But I may go look at this tomorow 1993 Dodge Power Ram 150 Pickup Truck. Not sure though. Ive never owned a dodge.

My dad had one of those, not new but we bought it from a auction place. It was a good truck, I think we had have 5 spd but either way a 318 is the most common engine. It was used in muscle cars from the 70's and then moved into the trucks. You can find PLENTY of parts for them and they are simple to work on. Being in the north and coming up on a 20 yr truck, I would worry more about rust than other stuff but that's me.