Assessing value of 4wd '92 Explorer XLT with manual transmission & hubs

[tall_dude]

Greetings all,

New member here, hailing from sunny Seattle. I thought I'd shamelessly seek some free information from you folks who enjoy discussing this sort of thing. I am curious about the effect of a manual transmission, manual locking hubs, and low mileage (73k) on the desirability of a '92 Explorer XLT. Mine is about to be totaled. I'm not looking to sell it, just evaluating the offer from the insurance company.

The situation is as follows... My mean old man gave me his '92 Explorer XLT 4wd with a manual transmission and manual locking hubs, as a gift. My initial investment was thus zero (and I hadn't researched the vehicle). I replaced the eleven year old tires with four brand new Michelin LTX M/S 2 tires, got it aligned the next day, and promptly got rear-ended the next morning after that.

Insurance company values the car at $2482, essentially. In this case, they are subtracting a further amount for a prior ding and arriving at a lower number, but I don't want that to muddy the waters just yet. I'd be interested in getting responses to the valuation of $2482.

The interior wear was characterized as "moderate"- no odors, some coffee/grease stains and scuffs here and there. Everything is working fine, probably could stand to have some things tuned up, but nothing obvious. Engine used to leak oil but valve covers were replaced.

I am planning to keep the vehicle and make necessary safety repairs. I have done some research on Kelley Blue Book, NADA, Edmunds, and of course, Craigslist. I've noticed that most of the vehicles I'm seeing have automatic transmissions and hubs. They also usually have twice the miles.

I'd greatly appreciate general feedback from some Explorer owners (especially if you ever go off-road). What do you think the combination of manual transmission, manual locking hubs, and 73k miles does to the value? My father and I thought that might make it more attractive for certain kinds of owners.

I've attached pics of the vehicle from four angles (after the crash, unfortunately, but disregard the rear damage in your evaluation). Rear door on passenger side is simply ajar in the third picture (rear_passenger.jpg).

Thanks for your time and insight!

Tall Dude.

1992 Ford Explorer XLT 4D Wagon 4WD
6 Cylinder 4.0 Engine
5 Speed Manual
73k miles
Air Conditioning
Tilt Steering Wheel
Cruise Control
Rear Window Defroster
Rem Trunk-L/Gate Release
Rear Window Wiper/Washer
Intermittent Wipers
Privacy Glass
Tutone Paint
Roof/Luggage Rack
Manual Locking Hubs (4WD)
Anti-Lock Rear Brakes
Tinted Glass
Leather Steering Wheel
Power Door Locks
Power Brakes
Power Windows
Power Steering
Power Mirrors
AM/FM Stereo Tape
Split Front Bench Seat
Velour/Cloth Seats
Aluminum/Alloy Wheels
Engine Block Heater
Power Equipment Pkg
XLT Package

 

[tall_dude]

I might have been too longwinded- I mainly want to know if anybody ever looks for manual locking hubs and a stick for going off-road.

I like the control and simplicity of it so far when I'm playing around in the snow, but I'm having trouble finding ads for similar rigs- they're almost all automatics with automatic hubs.

Thanks!
Tall Dude

 

[Baddecision93]

In my opinion their evaluation is spot on.

The manuals in these weren't super, super rare so people won't really be readily paying more for one.

The manual locking hubs are regarded as the best option for enthusiasts but they aren't terribly expensive (<$200) and since they are used and already on there it's a negligible change to its value.

It should probably be worth more considering it's in good shape and super low-miled but you have to remember that it's really old no matter how you slice it. And it's not great on gas...not even good, so there's that too when you consider its market value.

Hope this info helps.

 

[tall_dude]

Thanks, Baddecision. I'm not getting greedy, I've just been having a hard time finding comparisons!

 

[Baddecision93]

Understandable. It's hard to use a reference guide too when they get this old. Just one of those things . Hope you get a few more answers so you can draw an average comparison.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Considering the age of the vehicle, the insurance is more than the value of the vehicle. This is a common issue for most older vehicles.