Need a 3/4 ton truck...

mxracer72 · Feb 21, 2016

Hey guys, I'm looking to spend around 15k ish on the best 3/4 ton I can get for the money.

Requirements:
3/4 ton (minimum)
Diesel
Crew cab with decent room in back seats
Automatic
Decent fuel mileage unloaded
4x4

Natural first choice is a 98-03 F-250 with the 7.3 Powerstroke. However, most of them that I can find have 200k+ miles by this point. I much prefer the interiors of the F-250s with the 6.0s but I'm weary of the EGR / head bolt issues.

I'm not opposed to GM or Dodge trucks, but I'm just not familiar with them. Please help me with other highly reliable trucks to look into.

DAVE_M · Feb 21, 2016

200,000 isn't even close to the life of a diesel.

Get what you are familiar with.

RM Holsters · Feb 21, 2016

I have 2 F250's both with 7.3. 1999 model with 410000 and a 2000 model with 310000. Very good dependable trucks. Decent fuel mileage.

paddle007 · Feb 21, 2016

If it was well maintained 200k is reasonable. You have been warned,the air filter/clam shell on 7.3s had issues with warping which allowed unfiltered air into the engine.
Always look at the fresh air side of the turbo wheel for sandblasting and dirt in the lid of the airfilter box. Red flag #1
Look at the dipstick tube. Is there obvious oil running down the outside of the dipstick tube. Red flag #2
With the engine hot remove the dipstick and look for excessive crankcase venting. If there's lots of crankcase venting/smoke. Red flag #3
There is alot more that can be checked but this is the sniff test it must pass to warrant further inspection.
FWIW on Fords do not rely on the oil pressure gauge as it works like a warning light. Ever notice it stays in the same place regardless of temp or RPMs?

mxracer72 · Feb 21, 2016

Thanks for the info folks. I updated the requirements to add 4x4 also. I was hoping someone with 6.0 experience (good or bad) would chime in also.

Are there any 7.3 equivalents (from a dependability standpoint) made by GM / Dodge? Any other engine/trans combinations to be aware of?

Sig220 · Feb 22, 2016

Just did the same search almost to a "T". Mine included 2007 or older Dodge 5.9 and 2006-2007 Chevy with a Duramax. As paddle007 mentioned, blowby is a red herring in diesels. You can crank it up and loosen the oil filler cap if it has pressure behind it, its got blowby. I got close to buying a Dodge, but the transmission is the weak link there along with the interior. I settled on a 2006 Chevy Duramax with the Allison, 4WD, CC. The one i picked up only had 126,000 and cost just north of $21K. More mileage and you can get them cheaper. Pulling a SXS average 14mpg and by itself can do 19mpg. Speed will kill your mileage in a hurry!! BTW, I was shopping within a 300 mile radius of my house and drove to one truck that was 325 miles away.

In your price range, most will be at or over 200,000 miles and that includes any of the 3. Ford through 2002, Dodge up to 2007, and Duramax best years are 2006-2007 in that price range.

Good Luck!!

wcweir3 · Feb 22, 2016

I had a 6.0 F-250 great MPG but could not keep it out of the shop, I do a lot of work for a used car dealer and he told me he would never buy a 6.0 unless it was bullet proofed w/papers to prove it. I also had a dodge w/Cummings diesel great engine never gave any trouble, I know of plenty of Cummings that have gone over 1/2 million miles

Whitebread · Feb 22, 2016

Of course everyone has an opinion. But to me $15,000 is too low if you want a diesel to be trouble free. The 7.3 is a great motor and so are the Cummins trucks but in that price range what I always found was great motors that will or already had ran that chassis into the ground. Personally if you dont need diesel then avoid it all together. If you work your truck for a living, I would reconsider my budget. If you just got to have a diesel and you can't spend any more money I would say the 7.3 has a better chance at being in a truck that will last a while in the price range. I got out of my 3/4 ton gas burner almost two years ago and bought an ecoboost, and the only thing my 3/4 ton did slightly better was handle payload/tongue weight.

mxracer72 · Feb 22, 2016

Intended use of the truck is a secondary vehicle for hauling family plus towing a 24' enclosed car trailer and eventually a camper. Occasional use on the farm for towing tractors/skid steer.

I could push the budget to $20-22k if it bought a quantifiably better truck. Just hate to spend that much cheese on a second vehicle.

My everyday driver is a Civic that I don't mind parking in a chemical plant.

Saint Peter · Feb 22, 2016

Look into an excursion that's a 3/4 ton and run nicely in have 2 of them gas v10 and diesel 7.3 that gets 22mpg on highway I use that one for traveling. Can't go wrong there are a few around if you look

Blue Diamond · Feb 22, 2016

There are many in your price range. Don't listen to the ones that drive mini-vans and volkswagons they will only confuse u because they don't know what a real truck is. I drive an 02 Lariat Super Duty Crew Cab w/4wd w/7.3 auto. Its a machine. I have been pulling a 35' camper around the U.S. many years and there are a bunch around but u need to examine them closely to find a good one. Always look under the hood and under the engine. Look inside the frames for signs of oil leaks past and present. If it is all clean top and bottom u better buy it. A lot of people water blast underneath but if u look inside the frames good u can tell if they are hiding something and don't worry about 200,00 miles. If it hasn't been dogged that is no milage for the 7.3. I looked at some with over 600,000 miles in various RV parks and they are dependable and running strong.

Robbie · Feb 22, 2016

Recently sold a 2000 Ford Excursion 7.3 4X4 best truck I have owned, just basic servicing.
Bought it in 2001 with around 40k miles, sold with 175k miles - only sold because kids got older and needed to downsize.

My vote goes to the 7.3, in fact the gentlemen who bought, we became friends and loves the truck.

XDguy · Feb 22, 2016

2006 Dodge with 217k miles, running around 202000 of those miles with +100hp and pull a trailer 75% of the time. Just had the transmission rebuilt and while my seat is pretty worn out the rest of the interior has held up just fine. I've done a lot of repairs over the years but nothing out of the ordinary, ball joints, evaporator, alternator, radiator, water pump, etc. I've been very pleased with her, been a very good and dependable truck.

Sig220 · Feb 22, 2016

Not that we have to justify....lol I wanted a diesel because I wanted the power to tow anything that might come up in the future. Right now that is a SXS and a boat but it could be a 30" travel trailer. I started off wanting to spend up to 15K. I didn't care about mileage as I will only drive it about 3500 miles a year. I use a Camry as my work car (after selling my Civic). I had been towing with a low mileage 98 Toyota 4R, but with a head wind I would be lucky to do 60 and the mileage dropped to 10mpg. The T4R is a great vehicle and very capable with limitations, as towing is not a strong suite.

I had my heart set on a 5.9 Cummins...but within the price range they all had blowby or a slipping tranny. Was about to settle on one that needed a transmission job when I ran across the 06 Duramax. The wife finally convinced me to buy a nicer truck then I was shopping for....for not that much more money. So that is where I stopped and bought the truck. Sold the T4R to the first person to drive it. My only expenditures will be for some nerf bars and a tool box! Auto trader online came in handy on my search and while I looked long and far, I ended up buying locally to me! Again, Good Luck!!

Whitebread · Feb 22, 2016

mxracer72 said:
Intended use of the truck is a secondary vehicle for hauling family plus towing a 24' enclosed car trailer and eventually a camper. Occasional use on the farm for towing tractors/skid steer.

I could push the budget to $20-22k if it bought a quantifiably better truck. Just hate to spend that much cheese on a second vehicle.

My everyday driver is a Civic that I don't mind parking in a chemical plant.

Yeah I would stick with a 3/4 or larger the tongue weight on those race boxes is unreal. The guys I know who use them with a 3/4 ton add some bags to smooth things out. If you have the time and willingness to find a gem of a 7.3, to me, that would be the way to go. And if you are willing to row buy it in a 6speed. After the 6.0 and the 6.4 I think Ford got back on track. Of course you could just buy a 6.0 have it bulletproofed and turn it up.

edman87k5 · Feb 23, 2016

I have a 2000 crew cab 4x4 7.3/6 speed. Has 240k or so on it. Starter, alternator and water pump have been changed and that's it. It's getting harder to find a nice one though.

whbonney26 · Feb 23, 2016

Buddy of mine has this one listed for sale.

Need a 3/4 ton truck...

The Best online firearms community in Louisiana.

Member Benefits:

Well-Known Member

_________

Aware

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

*Banned*

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

sportsman

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

*Banned*

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Attachments

Log in

Forum statistics

Banned

Banned