2004 Ford Ranger... pass or buy.

[Cheeses of Nazareth]

Neighbour's daily drive is a 2004 Ranger , or at least it was till he got a new Golf a month or so back.. i mentioned that i might be interested in it if it was cheap, and his wife wants it gone.. so the question is , should i bother?

He pays to get it maintained, i have no need for it other than i want it to pull my enclosed bike trailer over winter so the camper doesnt get trashed. I am assuming its a 2.5D it has 10 months MOT.

I always buy on price, as in ' what will £800 buy me today', but i always fancied one, and this is looking like a £1500 job, if it happens, i am not paying more, and he wont take less.

Apparently the chassis is solid, what else is going to bite me?

TIA

[loskie]

you could probably run it and if it becomes non MOT able sell it for export and get most if not all your money back.

BUT

Buying from a neighbour: is that a good idea if it all goes wrong, could be awkward

[V8RX7]

Presumably 4x4 - single, super or double cab ?

Known weaknesses are heads and to a lessor extent inj pump but generally very reliable

Very old school to drive

Not many about below £1500

[Cheeses of Nazareth]

V8RX7 said:

Presumably 4x4 - single, super or double cab ?

Known weaknesses are heads and to a lessor extent inj pump but generally very reliable

Very old school to drive

Not many about below £1500

I assume so, its a double cab.

i am very much an 'end of life ' purchaser, so they are the risks you take, but i dont feel its a mega risk, as a second vehicle .

I can tell you its blue.

[Desiderata]

With these more than anything, you need to buy on condition rather than age or mileage. There is an enormous difference in them depending on what they've been used for and where. Any off-road use massively affects them . I've seen one owned by a fisherman scrapped after 6 years and ones "properly" used on farms etc not much better while ones which never left the tarmac can be spotless after 15-20 years.
Even if the chassis is ok, check the fuel tank, brake pipes, power steering pipes, brake balancing mechanism, rear diff casing etc. The main mechanical and chassis tend to be not bad considering the abuse they get it's the ancillary stuff that tends to cost money after a while.

[Cheeses of Nazareth]

Desiderata said:

With these more than anything, you need to buy on condition rather than age or mileage. There is an enormous difference in them depending on what they've been used for and where. Any off-road use massively affects them . I've seen one owned by a fisherman scrapped after 6 years and ones "properly" used on farms etc not much better while ones which never left the tarmac can be spotless after 15-20 years.
Even if the chassis is ok, check the fuel tank, brake pipes, power steering pipes, brake balancing mechanism, rear diff casing etc. The main mechanical and chassis tend to be not bad considering the abuse they get it's the ancillary stuff that tends to cost money after a while.

Thanks, its been used as a horsey tool, but not to tow a box, as they had a proper truck, it has been used as a daily drive, and hasnt had much off road use.