For almost a year, I've had a 1997 5.4L, 4x4, and it's killed every paycheck I've recieved. At 16, I can't afford to continue paying for new this, replaced that. In the past year, the truck has cost me over $4,000; and I'm only 16. My dad kept telling me that I should just fix it, and it'd probably be the last thing to go wrong, and that wasn't quite true.

Two Ball Joints, New wheels and tires (flatspots and a bent wheel), New heater core, New Exhaust system, New carpeting and upholstery, Idler Arm replacement, and new Rear shocks later, I'm burned out on the money.

So I'm gonna try my luck at a dealership for a trade in, and get something that'll hopefully cause less trouble. It's not that Ford sucks, it's just that people suck. And I got one of the best lemons, from one of the suckiest people.

 

Your 97 is eight, nine years old...Idler arm, two ball joints out of four ( upper lower booth sides ) heater core, Shocks tires, exhaust, that's normal wear and tear...Factery rims at a wrecker are cheap, so if you bought aftermarket rims, you can't bitch abought that, Upholstery replacement was some thing you wanted to do, so you can't bitch abought that....If you keep your truck, Your going to have to spend more money for upkeep, that's perfectly normal. if your having problems keeping a float, ( I did not buy my first car until I was 21...) thiers no way your going to come out ahead on a trade ( you lose on your repairs ) and you don't want to end up with a truck/car that your putting money back into....
Fix as you go, as you can aford, It takes a lot of hours to pay for a new truck... at age 16 you can buy a new truck when your 21....or buy a house

 

Well at 16, the world is seen quite differently.
What happened to you is normal for a truck that has age on it.
How would one ever expect to have a trouble free truck unless you bought one a couple years old and has low milage, then you can never know when a problem will develope.
I bought an 02 a year ago. A honey of a truck. Just got a code 401 to fix the other day at 54,000 miles.
Tested the EGR pipe for being clear, the EGR operation is good. Time to replace the DPFE sensor.
Thats the way the world goes around.

 

Gotta agree sounds like normal repairs for a truck that old.

 

Sounds like normal wear & tear to me. You may have bit off more than you can chew.

I think most of us, at age 16, didn't have anything as sweet as an 8 year old 4X4 F-150 to drive. Perhaps you may want to trade the F-150 for a nice used Hyuidai or Kia.

 

Sounds like someone is going to luck out and get a nice trouble free truck with all the regular maintenance items already replaced

 

I ended up trading it for a 97 Jeep Wrangler with 54,000 miles. I don't think it was normal wear and tear, I think the previous owner just mistreated it really badly.

 

Maybe so but if you think trading the f150 for a jeep was a good move, just wait until you start getting a bunch of wiring problems with the jeep. the fun will never end.

 

Congrats on your new Jeep! You just purchased one of the most maintenance intensive vehicles known to man. The Jeep is a good vehicle, but they require frequent preventative maintenance. Check your owner's manual. Tune-ups are every 30K miles, as are transfer case & transmission services, and differential oil changes. Brakes seldom last more than 40-50K miles and catalytic converters fail frequently. I like Jeeps (I've owned more than a few) but they are costly to keep on the road.

 

Big Mistake.

 

Well tatersalad, if you don't like it and you can afford it, try somthing else. I have owned 8 fords and I can understand your problems. ALL 8 of them had there expensive problems, Hell I have an 04 f-250 psd 6.0L 4x4 and fords already recalled parts on it three times. I have only 15K on her and I'm gong to sell her, before the yellow banana starts other things. Guys, I think we have bought into the ford "I'ts going to brake at so many miles theory". What I see now is parts that will last 100K miles. So I'm not sure if what the salad dude is having "normal" problems, but you know If I put in 44K for a vehicle, it should just about do my laundry.. But Salad dude any vehicle is going to have its problem regardless of age. Just read this forum and judge for yourself. You know at 16 I had a two tone rust on rust 55 Chevy Bellair and that baby ran like a dream, you and a friend could sit inside the engine compartment it was so big. You know if you look at the jeep site there going to have their share of problems just like if you look at the jaguar site or hummer. Heck have fun your 16, beside you have a lifetime to get more vehicles which you will. Oh well that's my experience and I'm sticking to it.

 

Hmmm, if you or someone qualified had checked this truck out properly prior to purchase, the items you listed-with the exception of the heater core-would've been brought to your attention. As far as you thinking that all these items needing replacement are due to the previous owner mistreating the truck, how exactly does one mistreat factory sealed, non-greasable ball joints and the idler arm? Or the exhaust system for that matter? Stuff wears out no matter how you treat the vehicle. You didn't take the time or spend the cash to have this vehicle gone over with a fine tooth comb and you got burned. Consider it a lesson learned. As far as that Jeep goes, good luck!

SL

 

Snappster,
I remember my 97 f-350 4x4 PSD 7.0L I bought from a dealer who "Certified it". I even went out and got one of those lemon buster companies to go out and check everything (170 PT) inspection with a 4,000 dollar money back 6 month gaurantee. And you know what? after the ASE certified tech gave me the "Looks like a great buy to me" 2 months later the f-350 was shaking and bouncing like a low rider car. Oh then I got the blinking overdrive light to come on for another $1,800 blings. And we found out later this thing had been abused by excessive hauling with no proper maintenance. I found a signed blank check in the owners manual from the previous owner and told him aobut the check, but before he got his I got mine on the truck. I hate to say it but that "Job one or Ford one" is starting to come back and bites some people. Don't get me wrong I love fords. I currently have 4 of them, but saladdude you did your best and you want to vent a little thats okay, schools starting soon and life will be good again.

 

Who gave you this info, and how exactly did they determine it? How were all your problems missed by a dealers "certification", the lemon company you hired, and another mechanic checking it out? Nobody know how to check out a vehicle anymore?
BTW, I wasn't referring to every used vehicle bought, I was referring to the problems that tatersalad listed, and aside from the heater core, a decent or better wrench should be able to spot and condemn loose ball joints and crappy exhaust. I know I can, and I haven't done it for a living in over 15 years.

SL

 

SL

1) previous owner
2) That's why they sold it(took into dealer and go some whopping quote)
3) I'm sure dealer was not interested in fixing all problems
4) Lemon busters wrote out a nice check for the first one
5) Dealer wrote out a nice check for the second.

Got what your saying.