buying a truck and i need advice - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Skyshadow · 11-27-2012, 13:33

Hey there guys, I'm Justin I'm new to fords and I needed some advice on buying a truck. The truck in question I'm looking at is a 1995 f250 with 216k. It has the 5.8 v8 and a 5 speed manual transmission. I'm used to owning volvos so high mileage cars usually are fine with me, I'm just wondering if the truck in question is worth buying with that high of mileage on it. He said the motor runs great and doesn't leak anything and the transmission has been pretty much rebuilt. The truck itself looks really good for the age with almost no rust. The only other thing is that the gas tank has a hole and leaks above half (something which i would probably fix myself.) So any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read this!

**chipset** · 11-27-2012, 15:06

my first opinion is that the truck is too old. It still has OBD1. After 92 the 5.8's H.P.
plumits. just barely 200 H.P. That engine is a bit small for a 3/4 ton. I have the same
engine in my 1/2 ton and it pulls a car hauler. Not good but better than a 302. You better have deep pockets. The 5.8 will kill you on gas consumption. I get around 12 MPG
on mine which is pretty good. Don't get me wrong. If that is all you can afford there is nothing wrong with it but be prepaired to replace the gas tank. They rot. They all rot.

Skyshadow · 11-27-2012, 16:24

Ouch 210 HP from a 5.8 that great. Is there any particular reason it drops in those years? Is there like a new chip I can get to increase it? I noticed that the have that same engine in the lightning edition of the truck. Is it a different engine or just a better tuned one?

**chipset** · 11-30-2012, 10:45

The lightning is the same engine but not the same. In 87 the 5.8 had a carb and 210 HP
and 305 in TQ. The 88 that had the efi had 210 HP 315 TQ. After 93 EFI HP was 200 and 310 TQ. 94 - 96 lightning had 210 HP and 355 TQ. They used GT40 heads and a few
internal mods. also extensive mods to the suspention and drive line. Hope this hepls.

**360ci** · 12-09-2012, 08:24

If you want something with a manual transmission, the full size market is growing more scarce. If the price is low (or nothing) considering the repair work to get it certified, it might be worth picking up and you should get a few years of driving out of it if it has been maintained properly. Maintenance is key. Most people don't think to change manual transmission fluid, so it's worth while to ask. As vehicles age, parts can be harder to find, which usually increases the cost.