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Post by rhapsody on Feb 27, 2005 17:43:15 GMT -5
DH found a 2001 Ford Lariat F350 Super Duty (no dual wheels) locally that he's keen-keen-keen to get. Now, we had already decided to wait to buy a truck till we're in our new house and since we haven't even got house plans done yet . . . well, this is a bit premature! But he's like a kid in a candy store . . . and our current truck has seen pretty hard use, and was in a pretty bad accident in 2002 besides.
But this 2001 Lariat is IMMACULATE. It even still smells new for all that it has almost 68,900 miles on it. Tow package, 2-tone paint (white/bronzish), leather interior, tool box, chrome running boards (the round kind), power everything, extra-wide tires and a custom-made bed cover. The guy is asking $26,900 but said he would negotiate "a bit" (nothing drastic, he said).
I found a couple 2004 F250 trucks, still under factory warranty, for about $24,500 and $27,500 at the local Ford dealership. They're not Lariats, though, which tend to be the "loaded" models.
I ran a Carfax on the 2001 Lariat and it's clean. It's a 1-owner truck, and looks garage-kept. I ran a kbb.com check on it and private party value came back as $24,930. Edmunds gave a private party value of $19,902 but it doesn't give you the opportunity to put in all the options that kbb.com does.
I drove it today and it's pretty nice.
If we offered $24,000 cash (assuming the guy accepted the offer) do you think we'd be getting a good deal, considering there probably isn't any factory warranty left?
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Post by Chrisnstar on Feb 27, 2005 18:07:24 GMT -5
sounds reasonable to me!
Go for it!
chris
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Post by Kit on Feb 27, 2005 18:54:52 GMT -5
Sounds good!
But I might offer a bit less, then if he counter offers, you can go up to the $24,000.
The worse he can do it say no, and you can then make the $24,000 offer, but he may take less.
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Post by rhapsody on Feb 27, 2005 20:13:55 GMT -5
It's really hard to figure out what to offer. The NADA gives the highest private party value of $26,975. Kelly Blue Book gives a private party value of $24,930. Edmunds gives a much lower value but it doesn't allow you to input as many options - it gives $19,902 as the private party.
Retail values were given as follows: NADA $30,800; KBB $28,660 ; and Edmunds $22,744. Again, Edmunds doesn't allow for all the options this truck has.
The credit union will finance as high as $30,800 on this truck according to the owner (we'd have to verify).
We're going to ask the owner if he's okay with us taking to our mechanic for a thorough once-over.
BTW, the truck is eligible for the CarFax Buy-Back program.
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Post by rhapsody on Feb 28, 2005 11:06:47 GMT -5
We're going to keep looking without really looking, if that makes sense!
The owner wasn't willing to back far enough off the price and since we can get a 2004 F250 diesel for about the same minimum amount that he wants, we're going to hold off. The 2004's would even still have some factory warranty left on them. The drive train warranty on his truck (which would have been the only warranty left) was voided because he had chipped the cam position sensor (to improve performance, he said).
It's a nice looking truck but he wants too much!
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Post by noblesseoblige on Feb 28, 2005 14:36:23 GMT -5
personally, if he did not accept the offer, you jknow it was not meant toi be. Having a gas truck (Ford 250XLT) and getting a diesel (any day now...  )..I would never have a gas truck again. You get terrible gas milage with a big engine - and you need the big engine if you haul. You have more power with the diesel and your engine lasts longer. Besides you never need a tune-up. Also with the 350 you pay for something you do not need. The 350 does not indicate a bigger engine, but the ability to have a bigger payload (stronger suspension etc). We have had a Lance Camper on our 250 and pulled a 2 horse trailer. Now we have a three horse slant GN with LQ and the 250 does just fine except is (18 years and runs great) old and uses too much gas. |
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Post by Coyote on Mar 2, 2005 9:38:43 GMT -5
There was an engine (diesle engine - I don't know about the gas) and transmission change from the 2003 (and previous) models to the 2004 models. I would opt for a 2004 over a 2001 because of that change. It was a substantial improvement in the quality - a better and quieter engine and a more reliable transmission. 2005 changed other things such as handling and built in trailer brake controller, but remained with the same engine and transmission. The 2005 turning radius is smaller and that whole turning system is redesigned. (I should note that *some* 2004 models have the 2003 transmission, which was somewhat problematic.)
We went with a 350 over a 250. Though the 250 has a lot of power and towing capability, the 350 does have 15 percent more towing power (which in most cases isn't significant). It then has heavier suspension.
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Post by Mary Ann on Mar 2, 2005 11:30:12 GMT -5
Okay, gotta ask.
Coyote, how do you know so much about trucks? You're unusually conversant.
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Post by noblesseoblige on Mar 2, 2005 12:27:49 GMT -5
The Ford Diesel, there is a big difference between the 2001 and the 2003/4.
They revamped their trucks again in 2005.
More power and the new torque shift transmission also bigger breaks, which a a big plus pulling a trailer.
The new 250 handels better, but with the 350 one still has the problem of the hard suspension, you hang on to your streering wheel for dear life if you're not used to it, LOL.
Turning radius, ha-ha-ha, sorry, I expected to have a better turning radius then in my old truck.
I am driving an SUV as my every day car that turns on a dime, when I test drove the new Ford 250 and tried to make a U-turn, I hit the curb on the other side.. ;D
All in all Ford Diesel, the newer the better is THE TRUCK!!!!
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Post by Coyote on Mar 2, 2005 13:39:04 GMT -5
LOL, MayAnn. I was posting here a lot and then, somehow, I lost the address to this site, and kept thinking I'd find it on my favorites list where I had put it. I finally gave up and did a google search to find it again.
Anyway, I bought a new truck in December - a 2005 Ford F-350, 4x4, club cab diesel long bed with all the bells and whistles (though I don't consider the bells and whistles as being very important). A friend bought a 2004 F-250 at about the same time. And other friends bought 2003's and 2004's over the last year or two . Oh, and another friend bought one in December, too - new ford trucks all over the place out here - so we've had a lot of truck talk:)
I drove 2004's and 2005's long and short beds F-250' and F-350s in December before I bought.
I'm very happy with my truck and use it for my everyday vehicle. Of course, I'm still driving my 1986 F-350 club cab (460 gasoline engine) , too, since I'm too careful with the new one:)
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Post by noblesseoblige on Mar 2, 2005 14:12:19 GMT -5
what kind of milage do you get with the 86 460l engine   ? |
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Post by Coyote on Mar 2, 2005 14:48:44 GMT -5
Do you want the answer in miles per gallon or gallons per mile? LOL
For driving on strees, it's about 9 or 10, miles per gallon regardless of whether I'm pulling a normal-sized trailer. I've gotten as much as 11 or 12 for true highway milage when I use carburator cleaner additive, but that's not the norm for it for my use - . I'm sure with a carburator rebuild and a fancy air filter, I could increase that by a few miles per gallon.
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Post by noblesseoblige on Mar 2, 2005 20:32:54 GMT -5
the best I ever got was 10MPG (on a straight HWY) with the same size engine. Normally it is 6-7, like you makes no difference if I haul or not. I can't wait for my new Diesel to get here, all this truck-talk makes me more anxcious |
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Post by Coyote on Mar 2, 2005 20:47:55 GMT -5
That's interesting. I get that 7 mpg when I use it in the pasture for various things like picking up hay or doing stuff with irrigation - where there is little movement for the engine running time. But, if it's on the street, it gets better than that. On cross country trips is where I got the 11-12 but only if I added the fuel additive. that's why I think I can improve it with work on the carburator. My friend has the same truck and his mileage is the same as mine. I wonder if your transmission was different, or something.
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Post by noblesseoblige on Mar 2, 2005 21:59:09 GMT -5
I don't know either. I know Superman had it 'tweaked' he had his mechanic take all the smog stuff out we are supposed tohave here in CA, also he had it adjusted to idle higher - I guess that affects the milagfe.
We never put an additive in the gas, humm, maybe we should have, too late now.
When we get the diesel we have to put an additive in don't we? I had a diesel Benz and always put 'Diesel Doctor' in. DH totalled my old Benz with 280.000 miles on one engine and the thing run great tilll the last day.
Have you heard of a 'chip' that is an aftermarked chip they put in Ford trucks that improves the milage??
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)..I would never have a gas truck again. You get terrible gas milage with a big engine - and you need the big engine if you haul. You have more power with the diesel and your engine lasts longer. Besides you never need a tune-up.
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