Buying a 1997 5.4L 4x4 extended cab
#1
05-20-2001 | 12:51 AM
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
From: Maryland
Buying a 1997 5.4L 4x4 extended cab
Hello everyone. I am buying a 1997 extended cab, 5.4L, 4x4, 46000 miles at the end of this coming week, and I would like to hear some opinions on this truck. This truck is in GREAT condition, and I am getting it for $15500.00.
Let me have it !!
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Let me have it !!
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#2
05-20-2001 | 02:13 AM
Senior Member
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,002
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
First check the retail and trade-in values of the truck at http://www.kbb.com
Somethings to find and bargain down the price on:
1) door cracks! Everyone will have them. Most of them on the drivers side, but some have the passenger side also. Read more here:
https://www.f150online.com/articles/cracks2.html
2) a lot of the supercabs have cracks in the paint along the roof valleys there. Another thing to bargain down on.
3) check all the TSBs on the truck. There is a link to the left on this page for you.
4) listen at a COLD startup for piston slap. It will sound like a diesel. If it continues for more than 5 minutes, bad motor.
Other than that, get under the truck. Check the top of the frame rails for dirt. WOrk the gears, all functions like power mirrors, AC, transfer case, power seats, windows, CC. Find out what works and what does not. Then go off the blue book value and try to bargain down the seller.
Dont get the wrong idea here. Every mass produced vehicle has "issues". The piston slap motor is a big one to avoid, but the door cracks are pretty much a part of 97+ F150 life. So dont worry about them. The F150s are great rigs! I bought mine used 1 year ago with 65K miles and have not had any trouble with it at all. Just the perfect rig for me! it has 72.5K now in just about a year that I have had it.
Good luck on your purchase!
Somethings to find and bargain down the price on:
1) door cracks! Everyone will have them. Most of them on the drivers side, but some have the passenger side also. Read more here:
https://www.f150online.com/articles/cracks2.html
2) a lot of the supercabs have cracks in the paint along the roof valleys there. Another thing to bargain down on.
3) check all the TSBs on the truck. There is a link to the left on this page for you.
4) listen at a COLD startup for piston slap. It will sound like a diesel. If it continues for more than 5 minutes, bad motor.
Other than that, get under the truck. Check the top of the frame rails for dirt. WOrk the gears, all functions like power mirrors, AC, transfer case, power seats, windows, CC. Find out what works and what does not. Then go off the blue book value and try to bargain down the seller.
Dont get the wrong idea here. Every mass produced vehicle has "issues". The piston slap motor is a big one to avoid, but the door cracks are pretty much a part of 97+ F150 life. So dont worry about them. The F150s are great rigs! I bought mine used 1 year ago with 65K miles and have not had any trouble with it at all. Just the perfect rig for me! it has 72.5K now in just about a year that I have had it.
Good luck on your purchase!