i've got a $4000 budget to buy a truck. i'm using it for driving around the city as well as trips to the mountains for climbing/skiing. i need 4wd to handle snow/ice/wet roads, but don't need/want a lifted truck. don't have any plans to go wheeling. i'm ok mechanically, i can change my oil and replace accessories, but i don't have the shop or the skills needed to rebuild a motor. generally speaking, i'm wondering about the wisdom of buying a truck with a blown motor and paying a shop to fix it vs buying one in better shape at the upper end of my price range. specifically, i'm looking at these two rigs.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/5271500207.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/5309094780.html

neither have much in the way of paperwork, neither owner knows when (if?) the timing chains have been done. both say they've kept up on maintenance and there aren't major problems. am i setting myself up for disaster? i'd appreciate some input/advice from the more experienced folks here.

thanks!

 

Myself unless your building the engine and truck as a project I would pass on buying one with a blown engine.

Because you can`t road test it pray tell what else might be wrong Now you have a real money pit on your hands .

Buy one that runs that you can take for a drive make sure everything works or at least be able to identify problems before reaching for the money.

Used Truck never fails some maintenance is always neglected either by the clueless or being thought unneeded .

Figure on a good $1000.00 in parts could be under or over that figure.

Don`t let the Lust of a new truck over come your commonsense .

Even though it happens to us all at least once if not more.

 

Since you are limited on skills and a shop to work on one, I would pass on the blown motor trucks. As old as these trucks are, there will be plenty of other issues that just cant be found without driving one. Even as nice as those trucks are, I would not be surprised to find something on them that will need some work on. $1000 for parts and service will disappear real quick.

 

awesome. thanks for the tips on the blown motor trucks. that's the sort of advice that i needed. i'm gonna check out the 2nd one that's listed, my mechanic will do a free buyers inspection since i'll be taking the truck i buy to him for work. i'll just have to avoid the new truck lust and hold out for a solid running rig. thanks! does anyone have thoughts on the timing chains in truck in the milage range? 180k-200k? should i expect to do it soon? (my understanding is that they go at 100k and are a consumable)

 

Plan on doing the timing chain with that kind of mileage.

Unless your buying from some one that has a way to document that it was just done not long ago.

Unless one pulls the valve cover looks down the front past the cam gear to see if the guides are worn or even broken.

Pulling things all apart looking at that point may as well just replace it.

Even if only for peace of mind.

Having a older truck like this when paying labor is not going to be cheap.

Best of luck!!

 

i'm planning on doing as much of the work as i can, right now i need a truck thats running. without a garage, it seems that changing the timing chain would be pretty unpleasant. i read a walkthrough of the timing chain repair and it seems do-able. maybe i'll be able to borrow some garage space. thanks for the feedback on expecting to change it...it's not what i wanted to hear, but it is what i needed to know.