Keep or sell??? Input please!

[pugsy]

Hey guys...got a lot of info. from people on this fourm and it's helped get my ex running great! However, there's still a few little things that need work to it. I'm buying a house soon, and this is my 2nd vehicle/play toy and I'm not sure if I should sell it or keep it to free up $$. Currently it's costing me only around $40/month to insure and eats about the same amount of gas as my Dakota (my daily driver) so I'm not indifferent to drive one over the other to save gas. However, I need to have it emmisions tested an re-register my plates for this year, will cost me over $100 for that, assuming it passes e-test, but I'm sure it will.

The specs:
'92 XLT 4x4, auto, loaded with power leather interior. Good shape, no water leaks or holes in the floor board. Minor rust on the body but it has a lot of bondo around the wheel wells. I've added fender flares to combat this though and looks good. Everything works on it except the Cruise Control. Engine runs okay and no oil leaks but could use a tune up. Transmission runs well and no signs of problems. I have a small transmission fluid leak that only seems to leak faster once I top it up. Only takes about 1/2 quart of fluid every couple months to top up. 4x4 works great in the snow/mud, I put on a new shift motor and working auto hubs. Also had a new starter put on last year.

What's left to do:
- radius arm bushing need doing soon.
- Muffler has a hole in it, nothing loud and not really urgent, but will have to fix to get it e-tested.
- U-joints: Driveshaft ones are decent, but starting to get some vibration at speeds around 80-110 Km/H. Front u-joints clunk when in 4x4 when you take your foot off the gas. Otherwise quiet when on the gas.
- Shocks are pretty much gone, but still driveable.
- Serpentine belt is starting to squeal.

Areas of caution:
- my fuel pump seems okay, but a high pitche noise coming from gas tank area, but hasn't got any worse in over a year since I've had it.
- power steering pump whines, but again, hasn't got any worse since I've had it.

Other then that, I drive it almost every day around town with no problems. Do you guys think if I can get $1,500-$2,000 for it, should I part with it? I'm thinking if I get offered any less, it might be worth more to me to keep as a second vehicle and replace the parts above as needed. Keeping in mind that I'm only a beginnner DIY'er with limited tools. So if I don't sell it now, maybe it will end up costing me a lot more in the long run, which I won't be able to afford if I buy a house right now.

Thanks for the input guys!!
later...

 

[gsmaclean]

I bought my 94 Limited as a daily driver winter truck a few weeks ago. I put new tires on it, changed fluids and filters, and fixed a few minor things. It needs new radius arm bushings, I'm ambivelent as to whether or not I'll fix the fuel sender, and there's a couple other minor things that could use fixing. That said, I figure I'll drive it until it dies. It's great in the snow, it carries lots of stuff, it's comfortable and fun to drive. I don't know that it's worth the couple thousand or whatever I'd get for it to me to get rid of it, when it could come in so useful.

And besides, I'm getting to really like it.

 

[mikeinri]

Keep the Exploder, sell the Dakota. Hey, this IS a Ford board...

How many miles are on it, and how common are these where you live? Those would give huge insight as to how much you could expect to get for this truck also.

You may have trouble getting that much money for that year truck. The parts you need to fix won't cost much if you're doing it yourself, and since it's a second vehicle, so you can let it sit if needed between/during repairs.

Your tranny leak is most likely either the rubber coolant lines or the vaccuum modulator. Both of these are cheap fixes.

Radius arm bushings are cheap.

Mufflers are cheap.

U-joints are cheap.

Shocks are cheap.

Belts are cheap.

All told, for probably $300 in parts, you can fix all of these problems. Now, if by some miracle you could get $1500 for it, where could you get one in as good shape for $1800?

If the engine is purring (and not leaking!), and the tranny is good, I would never, ever, ever let this one go.

Mike

 

[pugsy]

Oh yes...mileage. I live in Canada, so bear with the listing in KM. It has just under 240,000 KM on it. Explorer's are really popular in my parts, not as many Gen I's on the road though as the 95's and up.
Any input on my areaa of concern? ie. the fuel pump and power steering pump.

 

[SVO42]

Keep it. Most Ford PS pumps are noisy. Just make sure it's not leaking, keep the fluid level up, and you're good.

Both my Explorer and my old '89 Mustang also had noisy fuel pumps. IIRC, the one is my Mustang is still the original with 170K miles on it and has been noisy as long as I can remember (I got it back in '94 with 58K). The Explorer's pump makes the same noise. I just thought, "Huh, sounds like my Mustang." I wouldn't sweat it.

Everything you've listed is all minor maintenance stuff, IMO. Hang on to it.