Sent the 13 year old up to the house in it told him to unload it and meet me at the main gate. He never cane back. Wife came down and said it would not move was low on transmission fluid.

When I got home I added 3/4 quart to it got in and it goes forward in reverse , forward in neutral in over drive drive 2and drive 1. I have no reverse or neutral just forward in ever gear.

Works fine as long as its dont need to back up lol.

Paid $3200 for it and put 100k miles on it u guess its been a good run. May end up fixing it if I figure out whats wrong with it. I bed a used transmission would not be to bad on price in the worst case.

On the way to look at a 08 f 150 maybe it will be worth buying.

Get rid of the old junk and buy something new.
You cant take it with you when you go.
Spend it now and enjoy it before some wanker gets it all when you croak and squanders it up against the wall.

Run the old junk and work less, you don't get the time back

Ypu got it backasswards.
Old junk costs way more time and money.
Not to mention aggro.

It can sure get that way. There is a point of diminishing returns.

Sounds like a great idea. Go buy a new $80,000 truck for your 13 year old to drive around the property. What could go wrong?
Put a rebuilt trans in that thing and run it. Probably less than $3000. Whats a truck payment now? Bet $3000 won't get too many months.

Solid advice Boco.

I bought my first new pickup in 88,never bought old junk ever since.Probably had a least a dozen or more since then all brand new-not one put a dent in my bank account.
Only the first one cost a little bit of money-you make payments to yourself after the first one then by the time your first one is 10 years old you got enough in the bank for a free one plus what you sold the old 10 year old one for is a good chunk of your next new one.Before you know it you got a couple or 3 newer vehicles(under 10 years old) to drive,and so each has low milage.
I got 3 vehicles now,oldest is 2017 f 150-great trouble free truck and I will sell it for a good chunk of cash.New one is only about 60g cad got plenty set aside to buy it cash.
Only a fool will make payments to someone else for a new vehicle.
Pay yourself and use your money to enjoy since you worked for it.

Agreed.

Bet that pretty red F350 you liked is still running well!

Liked? What did you mean liked I still love it. Its a great truck. Just a touch more than im wanting to spend. Its one thats nice enough I wouldn't want to drive it every day and put the miles on it I drive and end up with door dings in it. Its one I would want to keep looking like it dose now in 20 years from now. And with the kids and driving I do it would be hard to keep it nice.

I definitely have thought about it many times. But would want to baby it.

Pour a bottle of sea foam in the trans and dive it around some. Keep trying reverse and neutral. Let it sit a few days and try it some more.

I bought a one year old 2wd 97 f150 in 98 and traded it for a 98 f150 4x4 in 99. The 99 ate a red oak at 55mph after an old man pulled out hit me in the front quarter panel and the impact sent me off the rode into the tree.
Bought my wife a year old mini van 2 times in the last 20 years.

I have had bot nearly new and good used and I much prefer something 5 or 6 year old or much older.

Financial vehicles are about the worst investment you can.make. they loose 50 to 60 % of their value in 6 years and most people are paying intrest on a depreciating asset.

Glad it works for some and glad you can pay cash. But most people are financing them and thats one of the biggest wealth killers in the US. If I keep a vehicle 10 years it will be wore out and ready for the junk yard. But I drive more than the average individual.

Different preferences and ways of doing things. What works for me may not be what works best for somone else.

The truck I went to lok at tonight I passes on. Was not running as smooth as I prefer and had no transmission fluid on the stick. Hard pass. Shoping around is part of the hassle of finding a good used one.

Also I dont want a new one with all the electronics on them. Other people love the conveniences and heated seats and such.

Good idea. I will do that when im off next week.

in rust country around here I bet you can find a trans for not to much

but if it goes fine in forward but no reverse that sounds like it might be worth tearing down might have sheared a key.

I have a 99 Ranger with 253,000 miles. Been waiting for the tranny to go any time. But it keeps working and no rust. It's my hunting/farm/fencing truck/sidexside. If the tranny or motor craps out, I'll just fix it and keep driving. That's a lot cheaper than replacing with another beater that will likely be on it's last leg.
There's a late model F350 right beside it in the shed. But, P.D. the amazing ford ranger does what I need most of the time. And, it goes just about anywhere I need to take it.

Have ran my last 3 fords to 300k, took a little upkeep, but was still cheaper than buying a new vehicle, dont forget new ones break down to, then you have a 900 dollar payment and a repair bill. My 95 f150 has 167k on it. I will run it to 300k to, and i will get that out of it. 3500 dollar rig, run for 5 or 6 years. Thats pretty cheap

I bought an used 01 years ago and have 300,000 miles and its still going. Starting to get a little tired and needs some love but for 4500 dollars she's paid for herself ten times over and goes like a tank. Not sure about 97 though, I think the model year changed in 98.

Hard to beat a 98-12 Ford Ranger if anyone sees one. I bought it b/c a guy had one at work that went forever and I did the same thing. 2.5L 4 cylinder 2 wheel drive 5 speed crank windows with air. I don't even think you can buy that anymore... Maybe worth putting some money into or shopping around for one to put some money into. Thought I'd mention it. Good luck.

Wonder if got shifted into park while moving.

Like said just buy new.
Heck buy 3 while you're at it.

I miss the 81 and older.
But not the rust.

Ive owned a few ford rangers over the years.
Got this ranger new in 09.
Scrapped it in 22 for 75 bucks.
Drivetrain was still number 1 but the body and frame rusted out.
Got a lot of good years trapping out of it.


Got this ranger new in 22-10 times better truck than the 09 both off road and on the hi way.