Is it worth it or not?

This 1987 F-250 6.9 Idi with a turbo kit is for $3750. It has 250000 miles on it, all the wiring is in good condition, and it has four-wheel drive. Should I purchase?
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This in red truck was my first vehicle when I was 16. I really drove the heck out of it.

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It is an affordable truck to maintain. I am not sure what kind of “bulletproofing” you can do for a 6.9, and there’s no factory intercooler at all. In 1987, the brick-nose Fords still had the 6.9 engines; the 7.3s didn’t start appearing until 1988, and very few '87 models had the 7.3. The 6.9s are workhorses. You won’t win any races with them, and you can’t push 15 lbs of manifold pressure on them daily and expect them to last, but the reliability and ease of repair of the IDIs are pretty impressive. Injectors are affordable, so it’s best to replace them all with remanufactured ones. The injection pumps are also inexpensive, though those rotary pumps generally last only 100,000 to 150,000 miles. With a good set of injectors, a new injection pump, Beru glow plugs, and quality O-rings and return tees, that truck will be as reliable as sunrise. I’ve spent hundreds of hours working on these engines and have replaced or repaired almost everything. I’ve put hundreds of thousands of miles on them. You can’t just buy a program to increase power, but these engines are excellent for learning how to maintain and repair a diesel. Honestly, I’ve only had one IDI leave me stranded, and that was due to the injection pump driveshaft breaking while driving. I’ve owned several: a 1984 6.9, a 1986 6.9, a 1988 7.3, a 1991 7.3, and a 1994 7.3 turbo. I still have a couple of those trucks. We’ve added turbos, increased fuel flow, advanced the timing, and completely rebuilt them; there’s not much we haven’t tried. I’m no expert, but my experience with ownership and repairs gives me enough knowledge to point you in the right direction. They may not be fast, but they are dependable. I remember once pulling a heavy load up a grade with a breeze, and the smoke was actually moving faster than the truck. It made it to the top, but it wasn’t quick. If you decide to buy it, make sure to get rid of that stack in the bed!

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Absolutely, that is the first thing I am getting rid of, it’s really not my style. I appreciate your advice, though, I’m definitely going to make that purchase. Thank you.

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If it runs, shifts, drives, stops, and steers well, it is automatically worth $1,000 to me. I’d add another $1,000 if there’s no obvious rust, but I’d subtract $500 for a rattle can paint job. I’d give an extra $1,000 for a clean interior, and I like the blue since it’s not too common. However, I’d take off $500 because I prefer red.

Personally, coming from NE Ohio (not sure where you are), I’d offer around $2,500 to maybe $3,000 at most.

If the heads haven’t been worked on, I’d be cautious if it’s running over 5-7 pounds of boost on the turbo.

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I would not pay more than $2,500 for it. For nearly $4,000, you can find a much nicer IDI. This truck looks pretty rough with the rattle can paint and the bed stack.

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Yeah, those would definitely be the first to go. I wish I had a better market where I live, but it’s pretty bare.

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I would go for it. These things are really affordable to fix up and get running since parts cost only a fraction of what shops charge for major repairs.

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The vehicle is 37 years old and has 250k miles on it, so the suspension is likely quite worn out, but the motor and transmission are in fine condition. Therefore, this vehicle isn’t for you if you’re searching for a cheap one because you’ll probably need to spend at least $1k on it just for wear and tear and basic maintenance. I believe that investing a bit more money on an obs 7.3 psd would be wiser. The fact that this truck is manual is, in my opinion, its only advantage.

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This is what I would do if I were in high school again, man. What a shit rig.