Excellence in trucks

Who can say anything bad about a Ranger. It is one of the best selling compact trucks ever. I recently bought a 88 STX supercab for $500 (well below book) Although it was beat almost to death by the previous owner, a little tune-up and neglected maintenance and I am in buisiness. Even though it has a lift and off road suspension it is quite comfy, and the kids like the supercab.
At 169k I have a noisy lifter that comes and goes, and the body is starting to show 12 years of abuse, but for $500 how could I go wrong? I would have easily paid twice that.