hello, how are you doing?

i am new to the forum, and i am hoping to come back more often once i get my ranger...

i am almost buying a 1992 ford ranger 3.0 rwd manual.
the car currently has 62k miles (really low for its age)
the car does not seem to leak anything from anywhere, however the owner has replaced all of the cooling accesories (radiator, hoses, fan clutch...)

my question to you is:
what should i be careful with?
what usually needs to be replaced with time and not mileage?
head gasket job was never done.
should i look for something in specific?

guy wants 3500 due to low mileage...

thank you for your help!

 

Welcome to the forum

In my opinion, Walk away, $3,500 is too much to pay for an almost 30 year old Ranger, they are NOT classic or collectable vehicles

If it only has 62k miles then it was either broken down alot or parked alot either way is not what you want for a daily driver
You can look at the clutch, gas and brake pedals, should look almost NEW at 62k

Big problem with low miles vehicles are all the seals, when a vehicle sits for long periods they dry out, and every time vehicle is used they tear a bit, until lube spreads out again
Its good that the rubber was replaced in engine bay, i.e. hoses
But there are still all the seals in the engine and trans and the 4 wheels
Only when a low mile vehicle is driven daily then the seals will come forward as issues

As for the Ranger itself
1989 to 1992 was generation 1.5 on Rangers, 1993 was the newer, larger, body style used thru 2011, so 1992 was last year for the "older" square look
1992 3.0l Vulcan engine with manual trans was a good combination, no real red flags for that year or power train
It has a distributor which is an extra part to fail, also separate spark system, TFI Module which can get heat sensitive
At 28 years old, wiring will be brittle so can cause issues

A running small pickup truck without major damage usually holds minimum value of $1,200-$1,500, regardless of age, its a specific use vehicle
Then it goes up from there as Buyers Choice

 

RonD, thank you very much for the thoughtful reply.
this is more information than i could ever wish for.

looks like i will pass on the truck than.

hopefully i will be able to find a good one for a decent price, and finally be able to be more active in this community.

once agonn, thank you!

 

yes the 3.0 rangers are awesome trucks. I'm on my second one. I've never had a single drivetrain issue on either of them, and they are both claptraps compared to what most people buy. Mine have had serious cases of midwest cancer (aka RUST) but aside from preventative maintenance haven't been much of an issue. The 3.0 engine is bulletproof, just like the chevy 350 or the 4.6 you find in crown vics. a quarter million miles is the bare minimum to expect from these drivetrains, unfortunately usually the cab rusts off the frame before it ever gets there if you live around these parts, hence why you see so many rangers with a gangster lean or blown rear shackles. I don't consider myself a truck guy by any measure, but I have really grown to love my ranger, its almost a part of the family now. Mine is a 1993 rust bucket and its my ONLY vehicle, now THAT is trust my friend! I also got a motorcycle but that's useless 4 months out of the year and also when it rains, so the ranger is a daily driver as far as im concerned.