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Figured this would be the best place to get the straight dope. Thinking of purchasing a 2009 Ranger 4.0l automatic, 4x4. 150k on the odom. Used to be a Massachusetts DOT vehicle. It was bought at auction this summer by a local dealership who wants $5500. I happened to swing by the dealership yesterday for a quick check (didn't have time to take it for a test ride). It started right up, ice cold AC, frame is oil undercoated and looked solid, VIN checked out in all the searches I did. Curious about the few rust areas in the photos like the radiator mount and the hole in the side of the bed. Not sure if that's indicative of a larger issue or just normal wear and tear? Also, the hubcaps appeared spray painted silver? Still waiting on an answer about that?
The wife and I essentially just want a second beater car for the times one of us has our main car and to haul stuff around as we do home repairs. This won't be a daily driver. I'll obviously test drive it beforehand to see if it rides straight. Aside from what I asked about, anything else to look out for with this year model? Thanks.
I have the same truck. My son bought it from one of my customers back in 2017. They brought it down from NY. I believe it was an ex DOT/State truck also. I’ve been restoring it for well over a year now. Mine is rusty in all the same areas. Had a bed liner, when I pulled it to pull the bed I noticed rust. Enough to where a few of the bed supports where they mount and sit on the frame are shot. I actually poked holes through the bed with a screw driver, with almost no force. I need another bed. Also pull up the passenger side plastic kick plate and try and peel the carpet back a bit and peek. Mine had a water leak and the floor board has some decent spots of rust. Nothing through. My frame and all the hard metal underneath is pretty good, it was all coated it looks like at one point. All surface rust but no through holes or breakage. The shocks are terribly rusted. I had the engine out, and all that was decent. Cleaned and treated all of it. This is a resto project for me so you won’t be doing all that. But just get a good look underneath. Body stuff isn’t a big deal for a worker. Mine has 98k, no tears in cv boots, wheel bearings have some decent play, but my son kinda beat on the truck for a year, mud, trails, tree stumps, etc. You can get a good look at mine in the “project builds” section. Titled “Gage Jackson Tribute” I have before and after pics of some of it. Still have to post the bed off pics.
-RJ
omg that radiator mount looks bad. a Mass DOT truck was probably beat and used on salty roads all the time in winter. being from the north shore as well we all
know about rust don't we? from recent experience getting a sticker on my 02 was a nightmare! lol
Awesome! Thanks for the heads up. Yeah, I figure there's going to be rust no matter what year Ranger I get.
I went back this past weekend to look at the '09 again and somehow failed to also notice a crack in the windshield. Yeah, no thanks. I'm going to keep looking.
Awesome! Thanks for the heads up. Yeah, I figure there's going to be rust no matter what year Ranger I get.
I went back this past weekend to look at the '09 again and somehow failed to also notice a crack in the windshield. Yeah, no thanks. I'm going to keep looking.
