Hi
I’ve been offered a 142k mile vehicle. It is obviously well used.
Are parts readily available & what should I be looking for in terms of problems. Are there specific areas where they rust.
Also is the rear canopy easily removed as I really need the vehicle as an open back.
Cheers

Parts are very easy to come by.

Areas to watch for rust on one that age .... Front cross member, front wings, fuel tank mounts , rear leaf hanger mounts. - bearing in mind it's 16 years old so , as with most cars that age , rust is to be expected!
Problems with the truck - flashing 4x4 light ( normally fairly easy to solve ) , potential head gasket issues ( despite what you may read , not all K 74/series 3 ( 1998_2005) suffer from head gasket failure. It is a 50/50 gamble I'm afraid , damaged tailgate , oil leak from half moon seal on rocker cover ( easy fix )
Rear canopy will either be 6 'g' clamps or bolted straight through, not hard to remove at all, get a friend to help lift it as it can be awkward to manouvre on your own ( check for electric wiring connections before you remove and also may be ' stuck ' to the foam between the truck and canopy )

Approach it with the head that it is a 16 year old vehicle , so is unlikely to be pristine. It is likely to have spots of rust and show signs of use ...no different from any vehicle this age. All of the issues I have raised above have been dealt with by people on this forum , so if you do have issues , never be afraid to ask for help

Ps ( why don't you sign up as a full member .....it's all free! )

good advice by Ronnie there


if I were looking for another classic my check-list would be
make sure it doesn't overheat (floor it on a long hill and watch temp gauge doesn't go above half way, if it goes above half way I'd walk away)
make sure there are no bubbles in the expansion tank when you turn the engine off (usually head gasket if there are bubbles)
if it's an animal make sure the power chip is still there (passenger foot-well silver box)
check for rust on front cross member and rear mud flap things next to back of cab
check for wobbles in the front pulley (if it wobbles, walk away)
check all the warning lights come on when you turn the ignition on then importantly go back out when it's running
check for excess smoke (mine gave a small puff on first start up)
check the 4wd high and low work (on loose or slippery ground not tarmac or you'll break it)
make sure the green 4x4 light goes back out when back into 2wd
check for wear on gear levers and steering wheel are consistent with the mileage
check the DVLA mot checker to see it's history of mileage and mot passes and fails
check the hangers on the rear box as they rust for a pass-time
check for oil leaks in the engine bay, common ones is the half moon seal at the rear of engine
service history would be a bonus but certainly not a deal breaker as even the most meticulously serviced engines can fail
check it has the tool thingy if there are locking wheel nuts
if it's an animal with 18inch alloys, check there plenty of tread as those tyres aint the cheapest
check it's got a spare wheel as many get pinched
and I'd avoid a truck that's had a reconditioned engine as the 'reconditioned engines' are rarely done well and seldom last long