At $12,000, Is This 1993 Ford F-150 Long Bed A Deal You Wouldn't Sleep On?

According to the seller, today's Nice Price or No Dice F-150 "runs and drives like a new truck." That may not be the experience buyers of classic trucks are seeking, so we'll have to weigh that aspect when considering its asking price.

In the second half of the 1960s, the CBS TV network aired a bizarre show called "Hogan's Heroes" about the goings on of Allied prisoners in a POW camp. Here's the thing: it was a comedy. One of the camp's guards was played in a buffoonish manner by Austrian actor John Brenner, whose catchphrase on the show was "I know nothing, nothing!" Of course, with the character's cartoonish accent, he pronounced it "nuth-zing!"

Speaking of Germans and knowing nuth-zing, oops, I mean nothing, the seller of the 2000 BMW 740i Sport we looked at on Monday wasn't very forthcoming with the details on the car's maintenance history. That's generally a red flag for any older German car, but in this case, it seemed mitigated by our candidate's presentation and relatively low mileage. It also helped that the E38 7 Series is one of the last great analog cars from the Bavarian brand. That factor helped ease the pain of thinking about the car's $11,995 asking price, as evidenced by its 65% 'Nice Price' win.

So, just about $12-grand could buy you an older, but stately BMW luxury car. Alternatively, that precise amount could wrangle you a classic and fairly basic standard cab pickup like this 1993 Ford F-150 XL Long bed. Which would you rather have?

You don't have to answer that, as I think we all know the answer. It should be noted, though, that the Ford has been the answer—as in the best-selling vehicle in the country—over the course of a decades-long run. It helps that the sales numbers encompass both personal use and commercial trucks, but to be fair, the folks at Ford have long worked to ensure that the F-Series is the one to beat.

The result has been that the trucks not only sell like candy-crusted hotcakes when new, but also engender an eager following among older models like this extremely low-mileage (66,700) Vermillion-Red over gray standard cab. This older truck's size is also a nice contrast to the massive proportions of modern full-sized trucks. That said, its shorty cab does give up a good bit of space to the long bed in the back, which might be a bit of a downside.

According to the ad, the truck comes with a V8 under the hood. Which V8 is that? Well, for this model year, it could be either the 302 or the 351 cubic-inch-displacement mill, both Windsor blocks. Considering the truck's specs, I'm going to bet it's the smaller displacement edition. For this year, that made 185 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. Mated to that is a four-speed overdrive automatic, which drives the rear wheels exclusively. 

One notable option on this truck is the dual fuel tanks under the bed. The forward tank holds 16 gallons of gas, while the rear one can swallow just a hair over 18 gallons. When this truck was new, filling both tanks would run the truck's owner around $40, not adjusted for inflation. Today, that same effort will set the next owner back by over $150, an amount that could vary as it is currently being adjusted by inflation. At least maintaining the truck should be easier on the wallet, as the seller claims it "runs and drives like a new truck."

It looks like a new truck, too. The paint pops nicely, and the chrome is bright and shiny on both front and rear bumpers. One nice aspect of the truck is that it has been fitted with whitewall tires around its factory wheels, which is always an unexpected pleasure.

According to the ad, the only rust on the truck is the typical surface coating on the frame that afflicts most cars and trucks, even in a desert climate. Considering that this truck was first sold in Ohio and is now offered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, it's a wonder it hasn't rotted away to nothing long ago.

You wouldn't expect any rust in the cab, since it's all plastic and cloth, but you might envision those materials showing a bit of natural wear and age-related degradation. That doesn't seem to be the case, however. The carpet under the driver's-side floor mat shows some fading and wear from years of the mat sliding around, but that's pretty minor. Even being a lower-end XL, the truck is pretty well equipped, featuring power locks and windows, A/C, and cruise control. It even has the original Ford AM/FM/cassette stereo for that complete old-school vibe.

As one might expect, this is a clean-title truck. Less expected is the seller's claim that the truck has never seen action in the winter. That could help explain both the low mileage and the lack of road rot it exhibits. The question at hand is why this truck was spared a work life so that it could now be offered in almost as-new condition?

I guess a more salient question is: could it now be worth $12,000 to continue that life under a new owner's stewardship? What do you think? Is this classic F-150 XL worth that kind of cash as presented in the ad? Or, does that asking price mean this F-Series won't be the best-seller?

You decide!

Ann Arbor, Michigan, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to Mark McIntosh for the hookup!

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