Looking for 1st IDI - Need Advice!

[FORDGT1999]

I'm looking for my first IDI and came across a 1989 7.3L IDI F-350. I wanted to see if you all can comment on the pics of the truck, give me suggestions of things to look for and general advice. Looking for info from the experts! Thanks for the help.

http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/trucks/203087-fs-89-f350-standard-cab-7-3-a.html

 

[Jake_IN]

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?t=7597

Read this, then print it off and read it again, then read some more. I still use this when looking at idi's. Lots of good info in this article.

 

[biggin92]

wow i like , 6500 is a lot of coin, however this truck looks very clean, man what a fine ride!!!

 

[Knuckledragger]

Looks very nice, despite the region it lives in. Only one spot of rust in the pictures, the underside pretty clean. 7.3 engines are tricky to buy if you don't know how the PO took care of them.

 

[icanfixall]

Welcome to the forum. Glad you posted over here. I really can't add much more to my other post but like I said. Plenty of other members will chime in here much more than the pm forum.

 

[FORDGT1999]

Thanks for the replies, that post is great! A lot of good info. The truck has some rust on the corners of the doors, a few dents, misc scratches, etc. All in all very good shape. Needs driver mirror replaced, e-brake is shot, belts look very old and fairly loose. I drove the truck and it drove very nice, no hiccups. What do you think about paying $5k for the truck?

 

[towcat]

if you have that much cash to drop, I highly suggest you take a look around. there's many trucks that can be bought for that price without the rust issues.

 

[SparkandFire]

if you have that much cash to drop, I highly suggest you take a look around. there's many trucks that can be bought for that price without the rust issues.

X2 . . .



That's alot of dough... FWIW I picked my current truck up from a dealer for 3500. Had to go to Washington to get it, but it was worth the trip.

Good luck!

 

[Agnem]

Considering the truck is in eastern PA, that is probably a fair price. However, if you go outside of that market, you may pay less. It's still might purdy.

 

[Darrin Tosh]

You California guys are so cute,...and spoiled! damn cheap rust free trucks anyway,....



Yup, you can buy a rust free truck for cheaper money out thataway or down south, but for what that truck is, $5K would be a pretty good price.

First look at what you are getting, and what the stuff is worth.

Just throwing out some fair used prices:

$1000.00 64K mile Diesel motor
800.00 Dana 60 front end
700.00 ZF 5sp tranny
500.00 factory Alcoa rims and tires
1,000.00 Complete banks Sidewinder Turbo

Just that stuff puts you at $4000.00.

You hear so many guys here saying I want to convert to 5sp, add a turbo, add a Dana 60, then Ill get some rims, and now I am having motor problems.

With this truck you have all that DONE! That has to be worth something.

Then to see that it is a 3 owner truck, looks like it has been taken care of and has had all of the glow plug maintenance done last winter.

Not a bad truck for that price at all!

 

[hawaiian808]

that looks like a clean truck, might find some rust on the inner side of the body panels but eh, 6500 is way to steep, payed 1500 for mine lol

 

[jonathan]

its a nice truck but way to much coin for a regular cab for that price i could get a cc 4x4 around here. i think you shoud shop around

 

[SparkandFire]

You're right Darrin, out this side of the country people look at you funny if you don't drive a brand new, fresh off-the-lot pickup.

The Old Iron is very undesirable out here in the modern west.

Works for me...

 

[Darrin Tosh]

its a nice truck but way to much coin for a regular cab for that price i could get a cc 4x4 around here. i think you shoud shop around

That seems to be another misconception that Crew Cabs are worth more than Regular cabs,... That has not been my experience at all.

Reg Cabs can be worth just as much or more because they are harder to find. Especially a nice one. A lot of the Reg cab Trucks were used as plow trucks, or municipal duties, worked hard and put a way wet. So when a real nice one showes up it will bring more money than a comparable Crew Cab. There are a ton of guys out there that don't want a CC, they are single, no family to tote around and don't want the long wheel base.

The most expensive OBS truck that I have ever sold was a 1997 F350 Reg Cab 4x4 PSD with 36K miles on it. I sold it for $22,500.00. Compared to a 97 F250 ex cab 4x4 with 41K miles on it sold for $21,000.00 I have had a ton of low mile Crew Cabs that sold for way less than that.

 

[papastruck]

Speaking of crew cabs, I dig it every time Darrin posts so I can take a gander at Big Red in his avatar. Anyway, IF the truck checks out - the owner can document the miles and work, and show a steady maintenance history - I think it's a fair price. Not the best, and I wouldn't pay it if all you have to go on is his word. The trick is making sure you don't pay it and then have to go back down the same road you would with the $1000 truck. What makes me wonder is, for $6500, you'd think he could be bothered to change the belts and fix the parking brake. $6500 should be a buy it and use it price, not buy it and repair it.