Looking for a cheap 4x4....

[Breadfan]

Hey guys, just a heads up, I'm starting to keep my eye open for a cheap 4x4 for winter and beyond. If you know of any for sale, let me know. If it's a car (err..truck) you have, or a friends truck, you can rest assured the vehicle will be in good hands. :) I bought my Mustang thinking I'd sell after 1 year but it's staying in the family and it's been one of the better years of it's life with pampering and probably the best the somewhat abused interior has looked in years.

I'm kinda looking for a full size 4wd Bronco, '87-'91...a 4wd F150 would be nice too. Would sort of prefer an automatic but manual would be fine too.

My short list includes:

Full size Bronco
F150
Chevy Blazer or Suburban (full size)
Chevy/GMC pickups (full size)

I'd like to keep a posisbility of towing so I seem to be sticking more to the 8cyl stuff...

I'd also consider older toyota or nissan trucks if in good shape.

Lifted stuff is cool. ;)

All in all I'm looking to stay under $2,000 and would prefer to be around $1,000.

If I buy soon I'll buy a cheap truck that needs work...I'm kicking myself for not buying this old chevy that needed a new transmission, was only $500 and it looked to be in good shape.

So anyway, probably more info than needed, but just thought I'd ask if you guys could keep half of an eye/ear open in case you come across something. Right now the Bronco is on top of the want list but at the same time I would use the utility of a pickup.

This will keep my Marauder off the salted streets. :banana2:

[Breadfan]

Hmmm this sounds kinda interesting, I wonder if it's in good shape and if they'd take 1500... ;)

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp?tracktype=usedcc&searchType=21&paId=175679018&pageNumber=0&numResultsPerPage=50&largeNumResultsPerPage=0&sortorder=descending&sortfield=PRICE+descending&certifiedOnly=false&recnum=10&leadExists=false&criteria=K-%7CE-%7CM-_14_%7CD-_165_%7CN-N%7CR-30%7CI-1%7CP-PRICE+descending%7CQ-descending%7CZ-22315&aff=national

[RoyLPita]

Careful, might be a Bronco II. Check on that 1st.

[Breadfan]

Yeah, it's like 6 miles from my house apparently, I may call. Thing is, I recently got back from a 1 week trip which I had to pay out of pocket until I get my expense check. I got 1,000 bucks coming my way though, until I get it I don't really know if I can pick something up so soon for closer to 2,000...

If it's one of those deals that's too good to pass up though that might change... :)

[renegadetrucker]

HI BREADFAN

i know some one who has a truck for sale he is look to get about $400 OBO

THE truck needs a transmission :( in it it starts the body is in ruff shape but for what you looking for might be the wright thing for you.:o

PS PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN IT

THANKS

RENEGADETRUCKER

[Breadfan]

HI BREADFAN

i know some one who has a truck for sale he is look to get about $400 OBO

THE truck needs a transmission :( in it it starts the body is in ruff shape but for what you looking for might be the wright thing for you.:o

PS PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN IT

THANKS

RENEGADETRUCKER
What kinda truck? Price is good, but if it's in Detroit that's a bit far. If I gotta tow it I don't wanna go much past 50 miles for that...ya know?

I saw a great Bronco on Ebay Motors, it's 1400 right now, but I think it's a bit far away for the moment. Would hate to rely on it to drive back home (150 miles) relying on pics alone, to me that sounds sorta risky. Maybe I should re-evaluate. But I'm not in a big hurry here, just keeping my eyes out, I'd like to find something in the next month or so.

Thanks for all the tips guys!

[Muffrauder]

I have a 1979 Chevrolet 1/2 ton 4x4 for sell. It's damn close to a beater , but it runs and drives fine. And the body isn't all rotten with rust. :depress: $700.00 can make it yours. Bryan ( Onlychevrolets1@netzero.com)

[TAF]

I have a 1979 Chevrolet 1/2 ton 4x4 for sell. It's damn close to a beater , but it runs and drives fine. And the body isn't all rotten with rust. :depress: $700.00 can make it yours. Bryan ( Onlychevrolets1@netzero.com)
I can't believe someone would even own an email with that name ^^^^ ;) :P

[Joe Walsh]

I can't believe someone would even own an email with that name ^^^^ ;) :P


I'm a little concerned about the 'Muffrauder' name.....

[Breadfan]

I'm a little concerned about the 'Muffrauder' name.....
;)

Again truck sounds like it may be a good deal but your location says Georgia which is a bit too far. I'm leary of trusting a beat up truck for a long haul back home. I'm actually hoping to come across something in the northern VA/DC/MD area...but that doesn't mean I'm adverse to things further away.

That Bronco in PA went for 2,000, my upper limit but by pictures alone it looked like a good deal. If mechanically sound like they claimed someone got a pretty good deal.

Snow doesn't hit until November at earliest here, so I've still got room to be picky. :beer:

[Breadfan]

Watched a few Ebay ad's go - a bit high for me at the moment but the trucks were good deals. All in all I've spotted about 3-4 trucks I would buy but they were a bit far away. So I'm feeling good I can hold out and keep scanning cars.com and autotrader for stuff nearby. My zip is 22315 btw.

But keep an eye out...I may see thing on Autotrader but there are a fair amount of vehicles never put in an ad becuase they have soap on the windsheild and are parked next to the road...those I may not see. ;)

[Dan]

Breadfan (what's your first name,by the way?),

I would recommend that you shy away from any vehicle with a lift already installed. As the founder of one of the largest 4X4 clubs in the US I have seen, many times, the damage that lifts can cause.

If you want me to go into more detail, let me know. For now, though, play it safe and go with a stock height ride and add your own lift later.

Dan

[Breadfan]

Dan, THANKS! That's a good tip...I always figured I'd have to inspect the quality of the lift but at the same time I'm no lift expert at this time. I'd hate to see a nice truck on the outside just to find a "nice" lifted truck just has some suspension blocks and a ruined steering angle or pinion angle on the drivetrain.

That's a good tip, thanks!

By the way, my name is Mike. :)

[MERCMAN]

Dan, THANKS! That's a good tip...I always figured I'd have to inspect the quality of the lift but at the same time I'm no lift expert at this time. I'd hate to see a nice truck on the outside just to find a "nice" lifted truck just has some suspension blocks and a ruined steering angle or pinion angle on the drivetrain.

That's a good tip, thanks!

By the way, my name is Mike. :)

OMG!!! It rears its ugly head AGAIN :rofl:

[Dan]

Dan, THANKS! That's a good tip...I always figured I'd have to inspect the quality of the lift but at the same time I'm no lift expert at this time. I'd hate to see a nice truck on the outside just to find a "nice" lifted truck just has some suspension blocks and a ruined steering angle or pinion angle on the drivetrain.

That's a good tip, thanks!

By the way, my name is Mike. :)

Mike,

You're welcome. The damage can go a lot farther than you bring up. Spindles, bearings, u-joints and a lot more can be toasted by a truck with a lift.

And think of this... most guys who put lifts in trucks think that the lift allows them to fly.

Dan

[Breadfan]

FYI I'm still looking, had plenty of bills to pay for some reason the last few months, some of them were from company travel, getting my latest expense check soon so the funds are looking up.

I'm still looking, for those in the N. VA area and MD area, if you spot anything interesting on the side of the road with a for sale sign let me know. I'm thinking between $1,000 and $1,500 is fair, from what I found no point going above that, and below would be nice but what you get below $1k isn't really worth driving and is a real fixer-upper. (Not always a bad thing, but I need this to just owrk outta the box and get me through snow.)

I am considering two other options...an older CVPI or even a Caprice PI or Buick Roadmaster (94+ with the LT1)...I know RWD, but heavy and limited slip it will be sufficient. I could also keep it as a beater car and drive it daily keeping my MM's mileage down and dings down too.

So yeah, if you come across anything, just let me know!

I've found that the Jeep Cherokee looks like a really good bet...seen plenty with tons of miles still running strong and they seem to go cheap. They're smaller SUVs but the 4.0l I-6 has real good torque. (My brother has a '95 and it moves out pretty well right off the line...)

Also, where can you find specs and ratings on off-road ability? Any central location? Some 4wd's don't have limited slip or lockers so you can get stuck spinning one wheel...I'm guessing LSD atleast in the back is preferrable.

Sorry if I sound dumb, I don't know all the much about 4wd diff's, I know more than the basics on 4wd and driving offroad but have not really gotten my hands dirty too much on a truck in terms of its driveline.

Thanks!