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Help me chose a truck

NullSmurf

NullSmurf

Das Bruce
Joined
Jan 18, 2006
Messages
7,858
I'm already towing near the limit of my 99 F150.  I'm thinking on getting a used F250/350 6.0L diesel.  Are there any pitfalls I should know about? 
 
Worked for ford. Love the trucks and also love dodge trucks. Woth any car or truck there are issues. Ill be honest and say I think personally there are more issues with fords then the dodges. And dodge is cheaper. Nicer. And Cummings has a longer rep with diesel engines. I have a Cummings in my peterbilt amd its a animal.I have owned a 5.7 hemi dodge and abosulty loved it. IMO. If you have any ford questions pm me I have a very close friend well friends. That work at ford and I could put you in contact with them to help you out anyway you may need.
 
this is opening Pandora's box. If your diesel the Cummins in dodges have the best track record in my opinion. Your going to find a lot of mixed data but sense doge got their transmission issues fixed id lean towards that. That said I really do not buy info brand loyalty anymore. I have had a dodge truck that I loved but got shit gas mileage. I have has a dodge car that was a lemon. I've had Chevy's that were great and one that was a total POS brand new to the point where I actually got to used the lemon law on it. I've also had bad luck and good luck with Fords. You can see where i am going with this. What I honestly would do is pound consumer reports and reviews. We got the fiance a 2010 Chevy equinox and i researched the model and year for a month. Everyone I know reefers to them as great machines that they just did it right in those few years. I feel like the same thing happens with every other vehicle and brand. You gotta find what one works and that they did right for the year you want. Just pounding your chest and screaming brand names doesn't work anymore.
 
Hey there Bruce.

For towing with a diesel I like the Ford F350. They have pretty good reviews for reliability and I like how they look. Will you be using a gooseneck?

I just can't get over the price trucks anymore. I was considering a new truck purchase and now I'm looking at used.

Hope you get the one you want! Doug
 
NullSmurf said:
I'm already towing near the limit of my 99 F150.  I'm thinking on getting a used F250/350 6.0L diesel.  Are there any pitfalls I should know about? 
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Yes....Ford!
 
Cut seriously - check the year you are looking for...try to get one near the end of it's cycle (aka before a new model year).
They'll likely have worked out any bugs and you'll also know about known issues.
 
Buying new is a whole 'nother story.
 
Happy hunting!
 
Having had both Ford and Dodge PUs while in the heavy equipment business, I'd lean towards the Ford.
 
The Dodge's Cummins engine is a bear...and God knows I sold a TON of equipment with them, from front end loaders to huge forestry equipment...but the tranny issues were many. Plus, the fit & finish of the Dodge can't compare to Ford's. With the Dodges I've had leaky cabs, rear beds mounted off center, dash and interior squeaks that drove me nuts, brake issues, suspension issues, tailgate hinge issues, etc. There were a few times when my truck brakes failed and I had to use the trailer brakes to stop the truck! Not fun as your heart is pounding out of your chest. They seemed to get old very fast...like after 50 to 60K of hard miles.
 
The Fords (F-250 & F-350 Dualy) I've had just ran...and ran...and ran. The engines & trannies never let me down while towing and the 4WD drive train was solid as a rock. Also keep in mind I serviced the hell out of these things because I had mechanics across 4 states at my disposal...so oil & filters were changed every 4K, tranny fluid and filters were always done before scheduled recommendations, they were constantly greased, etc. The Ford's fit & finish was far superior to Dodge's in my opinion...over the long haul...more things worked over time. The switches, door handles mechanisms, headlight knobs, the wiring harnesses that light up the dash & cab, tailgate hinges...all those little/big things that can drive you crazy just worked all of the time. I had wiring issues with a few Dodge trucks...keep in mind that these were work trucks that I drove on constructions sites with soft dirt, mud and snow.
 
A few buddies of mine had Chevy diesels and loved them...but I did hear some bitching about their rigs from time to time. The interiors were nice, but every time I rode in one I couldn't help but think it wasn't as nice and as comfortable as a Ford product....and I'm a GM guy. My all time favorite was an F-250 4WD Diesel with a standard 8' bed and a cab and a half. It wasn't too long to park in a standard parking spot, it had a roomy cab that I could fit a ton of stuff into, and it had power to spare when towing....and I exceeded it's towing capacity on MANY occasions!
 
Good luck in your quest...
 
Definitely Ford.  As noted, the fit and finish are just tops, especially if you can find a used special edition . . . down here in Texas they sell the "King Ranch Edition" (which is probably called something entirely different in Colorado) that is just spectacular inside.  Plus they're tough as all get out.  I don't have personal experience with their diesels, but had an old F-250 4X4 when I was in construction that was just unbreakable.  That truck would tow or haul just about anything and climb trees doing it.
 
~Boar
 
I drive a 250 SD with the 6.7 motor for work. So far I have killed a tranny and had fuel system problems which were not covered under warranty. Understanding that these things happen with any truck, it has been solid after the issues were resolved. The truck is a beast and makes my Tundra seem like a toy. Our Dodges have been prone to issues, motors are solid but lots of minor issues. We no longer use Dodge.
 
Backslide said:
What, no Tundra love?
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That's my preference after working on foreign and domestic for over 25 years. Everyone in the shop I managed owned them as well because they didn't want to have to work on their own shit after having to do it for a living. ;-)

My 2006 has almost 200k on it and has had nothing other than brake pads and an o2 sensor replacement.

Wouldn't be the best truck for towing anything massive, but mine has handled the occasional large horse trailer just fine.

You have to be prepared to pay to maintain any diesel though. The Navistar 6.0 is prone to issues with injectors, high pressure oil pumps, etc., right after the 100k warranty is out.
 
I have a friend who does a lot of long haul tows, and he had a Ford.  He now drives a Dodge.  He says it's way better.  Personally, I'm a chevy man.
 
Had a home repair contractor that we go to know pretty well over time (he did the remodel on our previous house).  Dave had Dodge diesel trucks, and pulled a good sized trailer with all his tools in it.  Was on his third transmission, last time we talked.....
 
I've always liked Fords, but YMMV....
 
Fords are unpopular with mechanics because they're difficult to work on, unlike GMC products that only require a hammer. I have no experience with Dodge.
 
Doc
 
I'm truck shopping right now as well and have looked at all of the half tons. I personally don't like the look of Dodges so that was out of the questions. Looking at the 13' F-150 FX4 w/ ecoboost and the 14' Silverado LTZ which is new and improved and a great truck this year. I tow a 5k lb RV in the summers so both of these would be plenty for towing what I need. I also have to drive people around for business quite often so it has to be nice inside and ride smooth, but tow well. Will likely get the f150 soon since they are clearing out 13's at a good price. 
 
bfisher88 said:
I'm truck shopping right now as well and have looked at all of the half tons. I personally don't like the look of Dodges so that was out of the questions. Looking at the 13' F-150 FX4 w/ ecoboost and the 14' Silverado LTZ which is new and improved and a great truck this year. I tow a 5k lb RV in the summers so both of these would be plenty for towing what I need. I also have to drive people around for business quite often so it has to be nice inside and ride smooth, but tow well. Will likely get the f150 soon since they are clearing out 13's at a good price. 
Click to expand...
 
Honestly if that's all your using it for my buddy has a Tacoma that's a fantastic truck for the size. He's racked up 130k miles on it in the last 7 years and it still looks pretty new when he gets it washed. Even things that get "sloppy" with miles in trucks like the steering is still tight like its new. I know everyone wants a full size to make their nuts feel bigger but you'll appreciate the gas mileage. It also tows like a champ, he's got two 4wheelers he trailers 4 hours each way to his brothers place up north. He even helped me trailer my car which was 3 Ton and it pulled it just fine.
 
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