Truck advice please-F250 Diesel specific

[Norton]

I was planning on getting a (used) truck even before the recent vandalism to the Dakota.  With the land purchase, I really need a 4x4 that will haul equipment and materials up to the property safely.  Dakota is 2wd so it's off to the land of used truck sales.

I'm a big guy, so the Dakota is the low end of what I can drive size-wise, but I've always had a hankering for a full-size truck.....so now seemed a good time.

Now, before we start worrying about the fuel bill, I should say that I only drove my Dakota 4,000 in the last year so it's not really too much of an issue.

I've got my eye on an F250 Supercab, 7.3l diesel, manual transmission.....lots of other bells and whistles but those are the biggies.

Questions:

1.  Anyone have any comments on the diesel engine?  I see it as better mileage, greater longevity of motor (plus that cool sound!)


2.  I've heard a couple of naysayers on the manual tranny as far as longevity in this model but can't find any info to back it up.  Any comments?


3.  Vehicle has about 160,000 on it.....lots of miles but the dealer swears it's in good cosmetic shape (I'm going to look at it Saturday).  That's not a lot of miles for a diesel to my way of thinking.....any thoughts?

4.  Any other comments are welcome!

[bratch]

Not knowing anything else about yours but my cousin recently got a 3/4 ton SuperDuty diesel with 60000 miles for $15000.  He had to look most of the ones he found had 100000+ miles on them.

160000 is alot to me.  The engine may have lots of life but other things are bound to start failing with that much use.

I lucked into my new truck and got one with 20000 miles for the price of 60000 miles.

[Azrael256]

What year is it?

That 7.3L has been a real workhorse for...  well, as long as I recall.  I have never seen a problem with those manual transmissions in a truck that was cared for.  Just remember that it's no good for quick trips to the store.  Diesels are for running all day on the highway hauling loads.  Nothing else.

Bratch is right about little things falling apart.  Check it over very carefully for cosmetic issues.  160,000 miles can be real hard on door handles, shift lever caps, seat mounts, etc.  Also, see if you can get maintenance records.  Those engines will run a million miles if they're properly maintained, but won't make it off the dealer's lot if they aren't cared for.

[BobCat]

Apologies - I know nothing about Fords - but one data point for you about diesels: my 95 Dodge / Cummins has over 293,000 miles on it and all it has needed is a water pump, front brake pads, belts, hoses (changed every 4 years - not broken or leaking), and batteries.  I change oil and filter every 3k miles, fuel filter every 10k.  Added K&N air filter, wash every year or two.  Gets between 20 and 22 mpg, running ~70 mph (country roads, no stop-and-go).

No little stuff has broken or fallen off; several factory recalls for electrical parts, but Chrysler is know for lousy electrical systems.

If you do not run your truck a lot, a diesel may not be for you - but if you do run it a lot, you will love your diesel.

Purrrs,
BobCat

[Brad Johnson]

1.  Anyone have any comments on the diesel engine?  I see it as better mileage, greater longevity of motor (plus that cool sound!)


2.  I've heard a couple of naysayers on the manual tranny as far as longevity in this model but can't find any info to back it up.  Any comments?


3.  Vehicle has about 160,000 on it.....lots of miles but the dealer swears it's in good cosmetic shape (I'm going to look at it Saturday).  That's not a lot of miles for a diesel to my way of thinking.....any thoughts?

4.  Any other comments are welcome!

Same question as above. What year?

There are two different 7.3L diesels. The older non-turbocharged mechanically injected version that was an outgrowth of the original 6.9L, and the PowerStroke turbo-diesel with it's electronically controlled injection. Both will run just about forever with proper maintenance, but the older version is pretty underpowered.

Never heard of anyone having a problem with the mainual tranny. Overdrive bands in the auto tranny, however....

Go to www.ford-trucks.com . It's a terrific site for this kind of info.

Brad

[roo_ster]

When it comes to used autos, it is all about THIS PARTICULAR auto's condition and how the previous owner maintained the vehicle.  Are all the maint records available?  If not, you might want to move on.

A friend of the family used to haul horses in a 7-horse trailer for a living.  If he put only 200K on a truck before switching, it was a sign he didn't like the truck.  He owned 'em all before going into other work.

He had an older, non-turbo F-350 dually for ~350K miles before buying a new truck.

In his estimation, he ranked the engines (lowest to highest power):
GM 6.2L V8
Ford 7.3L V8
GM/DD 6.5L V8 turbo
Dodge/Cummins  5.9L I6 turbo

He didn't complain too much about lack of power WRT the Ford 7.3L non-turbo, but he was impressed by the power of the old GM/DD 6.5L turbo & all hot over the Cummins (400K miles & going).

If the truck is in good condition AND the maint records tell a story of good maint, I would not hesitate.

[Norton]

Hmmm.....thought I posted a reply this morning but something obviously went wrong.

I think that I'm going to hold my breath and keep looking around.  While I have no concerns about the diesel motor WRT longevity, who knows about how the rest of the vehicle has been maintained over the course of 160,000 miles.  I'm pretty fanatical about how I maintain my vehicles but know that others don't.

I saw something today that looked interesting locally:  2005 Colorado, 4wd, ext cab, 14,000 miles........$18k.  Friend just bought one and it seems to ride very nicely and has plenty of room for my big ol' self.  I'm a little suspicious of the price as I know that he paid around 25k for his.

[Sergeant Bob]

I saw something today that looked interesting locally:  2005 Colorado, 4wd, ext cab, 14,000 miles........$18k.  Friend just bought one and it seems to ride very nicely and has plenty of room for my big ol' self.  I'm a little suspicious of the price as I know that he paid around 25k for his.

It's a buyer's market right now if you're looking for a 4WD. The gas (and diesel) prices are killing the market. That price wouldn't surprise me at all. Around here the big 4WD's are popping up for sale all over the place, and the prices are mighty tempting.

[Norton]

I saw something today that looked interesting locally:  2005 Colorado, 4wd, ext cab, 14,000 miles........$18k.  Friend just bought one and it seems to ride very nicely and has plenty of room for my big ol' self.  I'm a little suspicious of the price as I know that he paid around 25k for his.

It's a buyer's market right now if you're looking for a 4WD. The gas (and diesel) prices are killing the market. That price wouldn't surprise me at all. Around here the big 4WD's are popping up for sale all over the place, and the prices are mighty tempting.

Exactly why I may hold off on going to Richmond this weekend.  I figure that I am in the driver's seat, metaphorically speaking, since I don't want the vehicle for a daily driver.  With as few miles as I drive the truck the cost of fuel is really not as important as the cost of insurance.  My brother also pointed out that the F250 puts it in another class from the smaller trucks and will cost me a lot more in registration costs.  My Dakota already costs me $152 for registration....I'm sure the F250 will be maybe $250.

Heh, heh.....some misguided politician here in MD tried to pass a bill making the large SUVs and trucks pay $750 every two years for registration.  That didn't last too long fortunately.

I'm going to go look at the Colorado (if it's still there) today after work and see if it's worth it.

[Tallpine]

If you're just going to use it for hauling materials and such, I'd suggest getting one with a flatbed instead of a regular pickup bed (if you can find one).  Maybe even go to an F-350 (not much difference in fuel consumption).

Our VFD just got a 1993 1T Dodge Cummins with about 160K on it.  I drove it back from Missoula, and that thing really has the power!  Just practically idled up over MacDonald Pass in 5th gear (that was with the wildland tank/pump setup but no water on board).

[Norton]

Went and took a look at two more trucks today:

2005 Chevy Colorado, 14k miles.  4wd ext cab, 5 cylinder engine ----$18,700

1998 Dodge 1500, 60k miles, V8, 4wd------$13,100

The Dodge wasn't there,as it turns out it was still being inspected.  May go back up and take a look at it tomorrow.  Colorado is a GREAT truck....just a bit more than I wanted to spend right now.