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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 331
 
Location: Loma Linda, CA | Advice?
Lol.
I will be buying a used truck from a dealership. I'm looking at diesel only.
They range from F250-F350 (fords) and ideally a dodge ram, but the rams are so much more expensive. I do want something with more power for when I get a more powerful trailer one day!
I do want a tow package already installed.
I have a car I can trade in, but considering just saving up $3-4k instead of trading my car so that the truck is literally only used for hauling horses and my car is still used for day to day use. Which I think is way smarter since my truck will most likely come with 80-100k miles on it (I can't afford brand new).
Thoughts on trucks? Anyone with a Ford? Any issues hauling?
I know my hauling question can't be answered till I state what type of trailer I'll have and hauling I'll do.
I'll be hauling locally in southern california and once my horse is more seasoned I plan on doing stuff in AZ as well. Just keeping it within 6 hours drive anywhere I go.
The other question is; trailers!
Would it be who of me to go to a trailer dealership or should I just buy someones 2 horse trailer?
I don't know how trailer sales work, what type of down payments are needed, what type of payments are made etc. I definitely don't want to over extend myself since a truck payment will be around $400-500 as it is plus insurance.
I'd like a 2-3 horse slant BP with at least a dressing room. LQ not necessary (it is the dream one day lol) cause even if I haul out I have no qualms sleeping in my truck and I'll most likely bring portable panels for the horse if stabling isn't available (if overnighting).
But I'd even settle for just a regular BP 2 horse (slant ideal).
Thanks in advance!
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 915
Location: SE KS | Do NOT get a used Ford 6.0. & I still wouldn't get one even if it had all the "updates" done to it!!!!!!!!!!!!
We have a SRW 99 Ford F250 powerstroke 7.3 diesel, I like it. Depending on how big of trailer you get, for stability you may want a DRW. Also would get a gooseneck trailer over a bumper pull. ( my opinion)
That's all I got for now!!!! lol
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 331
Location: Loma Linda, CA | lhighquality - 2014-05-15 1:29 PM
Do NOT get a used Ford 6.0. & I still wouldn't get one even if it had all the "updates" done to it!!!!!!!!!!!!
We have a SRW 99 Ford F250 powerstroke 7.3 diesel, I like it. Depending on how big of trailer you get, for stability you may want a DRW. Also would get a gooseneck trailer over a bumper pull. ( my opinion)
That's all I got for now!!!! lol
Why are Ford 6.0's bad?
What is DRW? This is my first experience and your speaking chinese hahah!
Difference between BP/GN? When we hauled when I was in high school we had both, never had issues with either. I think if I recall correctly GN's have more stability since it is connected to the bed of the truck therefore the truck has more control than just a BP?
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 331
Location: Loma Linda, CA | I just looked, most of the Fords are 6.0's. The 7.3's have higher mileages like 130-150k.
The dodges have a 5.9L engine.
No idea the difference, whats good, whats bad and why. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
 
| The Ford 6.0 was a real lemon maintenance wise and generally speaking had some pretty expensive issues going down the road. That's the short version and the reason there are so many for sale.
The 7.3's are as solid as they come so don't let a few more miles scare you.
FIND A DIESL GUY (or gal) TO TAKE WITH YOU!!! Bear minimum take it to a good diesel mechanic brlefore you buy, but a lot of issues can easily be spotted on the lot and save you time and money if you can get someone to help you shop.
As far as trailers go there are a lot of posts you can search through on here with regards to specific brands and their long term durability. Again, I suggest getting a second set of eyes to go along with you because it never hurts. I've had buyers remorse on things I just didn't think of checking out at the time. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
| They stopped making the 7.3 in like 02 or 03 I ***THINK*** (maybe earlier)???
They were the best trucks ford made. I am actually looking to get a 01 7.3 right now.. at 100k miles those trucks are barely broken in.
The older dodges were great trucks as well..
I would go for a gooseneck trailer as well. Easier to drive/back up/ and safer. nothing against a bumper pull at all but I just think they are easier to haul.
And I keep your car if you can. I leave my truck hooked up all the time and drive my little car everywhere. Makes much more sense this way if you can afford to do it. |
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 Tough Patooty
Posts: 2615
Location: Sperry, OK | Dodge stopped making the 5.9L in 2006 (I think the first half of 2007 may have them too) and not sure where you live but FORD and CHEVY out price Dodge anyday where I live. I drive a Dodge because it is what I could afford, I am a Ford girl! |
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | Phxbarrel - 2014-05-15 2:50 PM I just looked, most of the Fords are 6.0's. The 7.3's have higher mileages like 130-150k. The dodges have a 5.9L engine. No idea the difference, whats good, whats bad and why.
130-150k is NOT high mileage for a diesel. |
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My mind still works
Posts: 8912
| Agreed with Ace....Chevy is high in our neck of the woods.
Try and get you a GN if possible. You can find a 2H if you look good enough. Which is what your looking for but in BP so I would just buy a GN and be done. You can add an Air conditioner and a mattress and that'll be good enough for now. Go cheap until you figure out what you need and don't. Go to habitat for humanity and get some cheap cabinets or Lowe's even has some. You can fix the trailer along with way.
Pickup: I drive a '07 Chevy (trailer is a '99 4star) but stay away from the "03,04 and 05....nothing but problems. Mine stay welded to the trailer as well and I drive an old car. I'm not much on keeping up with the Jones' |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | Phxbarrel - 2014-05-15 12:46 PM lhighquality - 2014-05-15 1:29 PM Do NOT get a used Ford 6.0. & I still wouldn't get one even if it had all the "updates" done to it!!!!!!!!!!!! We have a SRW 99 Ford F250 powerstroke 7.3 diesel, I like it. Depending on how big of trailer you get, for stability you may want a DRW. Also would get a gooseneck trailer over a bumper pull. ( my opinion) That's all I got for now!!!! lol Why are Ford 6.0's bad? What is DRW? This is my first experience and your speaking chinese hahah! Difference between BP/GN? When we hauled when I was in high school we had both, never had issues with either. I think if I recall correctly GN's have more stability since it is connected to the bed of the truck therefore the truck has more control than just a BP?
DRW means Dual Rear Wheels. Unless you are planning on pulling a 4-horse or larger, you don't really need dual rear wheels.
Gn vs. BP is really personal preference. We pull with a bumper pull and it does exactly what we need it to do and have had no issues. So far that is what I prefer, but have never pulled with a gooseneck. Some say a GN is easier to hook up, but no experience on my part there either.
We really like the Dodge Cummins and we have had 3 of them adn we have been pleased with every one we have had. Our oldest is a 1994 12 Valve and the newest was a 2006.
Edited by mtcanchazer 2014-05-15 2:33 PM
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 Always Off Topic
Posts: 6382
Location: ND | Murphy - 2014-05-15 2:14 PM Phxbarrel - 2014-05-15 2:50 PM I just looked, most of the Fords are 6.0's. The 7.3's have higher mileages like 130-150k. The dodges have a 5.9L engine. No idea the difference, whats good, whats bad and why. 130-150k is NOT high mileage for a diesel.
maybe not for the engine....but it's not only the engine that has the miles on it..... |
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Veteran
Posts: 204
Location: North Louisiana | 6.0s are always having to be worked on! I know we have F250 and a F350. Boyfriend is a diesel mechanic we bought them cheap and keep them running. Each vehicle has its ups and downs Dodge tends to have electronic problems. Chevy tends to have the least.
If you are getting a GN I suggest a three horse I bought a two because I said I didn't need 3 but now I wished I got a three horse and sometimes they are easier to find at better prices. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 915
Location: SE KS | Phxbarrel - 2014-05-15 1:46 PM
lhighquality - 2014-05-15 1:29 PM
Do NOT get a used Ford 6.0. & I still wouldn't get one even if it had all the "updates" done to it!!!!!!!!!!!!
We have a SRW 99 Ford F250 powerstroke 7.3 diesel, I like it. Depending on how big of trailer you get, for stability you may want a DRW. Also would get a gooseneck trailer over a bumper pull. ( my opinion)
That's all I got for now!!!! lol
Why are Ford 6.0's bad?
What is DRW? This is my first experience and your speaking chinese hahah!
Difference between BP/GN? When we hauled when I was in high school we had both, never had issues with either. I think if I recall correctly GN's have more stability since it is connected to the bed of the truck therefore the truck has more control than just a BP?
Sorry I wasn't clearer, but I think everyone else has done an excellent job of filling in!!!
Our truck was a "show" model for a local flatbed company it had 175K miles on it when they traded it into the dealership I work for, the bed didn't have a scratch on it!!!!!!!!!! That was in 06-07, it has 215K miles on it now & I've had one $2K repair.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1094
Location: Idahome | TNcowgirl88 - 2014-05-15 1:04 PM
They stopped making the 7.3 in like 02 or 03 I ***THINK*** (maybe earlier)???
They were the best trucks ford made. I am actually looking to get a 01 7.3 right now.. at 100k miles those trucks are barely broken in.
The older dodges were great trucks as well..
I would go for a gooseneck trailer as well. Easier to drive/back up/ and safer. nothing against a bumper pull at all but I just think they are easier to haul.
And I keep your car if you can. I leave my truck hooked up all the time and drive my little car everywhere. Makes much more sense this way if you can afford to do it.
We have an 03 with the 7.3. While I want a Ram next time we can afford a truck, the Ford has been pretty good to us. Yes, we have had to fix things on it but nothing major. Its got 225K miles on it and pulls really well. We have a 4 horse GN with just a dressing room, no LQ. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 331
Location: Loma Linda, CA | Thanks everyone for the replies!
I am actually new to California so I will see if anyone I know, knows anyone that I can take with as far as diesel mechanics go.
I know me and my other half and that's it thus far! Lol.
But hopefully that will change by the time I'll be in the market for a truck!
I definitely don't want to spend a crap ton on repairs!
I also had no idea that 130-150k is nothing on a truck! How long do they last?
My little car has 165k miles and I've had 3k in repairs so far and I'll probably need some more soon (alignment). But I think it will last me a while?
Lol. |
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My mind still works
Posts: 8912
| If you keep up on the oil etc changes on a diesel, they tend to last a good 300-400 but that's maintained and don't buy your diesel from somewhere that doesn't sell a lot of it. Just FYI. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | I would get a gooseneck. And get 1 slot bigger than the horses you have...I would get a 3 horse....better resale value.
Couldn't tell you much about the trucks except what they are saying about the 6.0 is true. We traded ours in 6 months ago--that thing was broke down ALL the time!!!! |
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My mind still works
Posts: 8912
| She doesn't want to over extend herself so I'd stay with a 2H of some kind. Once the pickup is paid off she can get a bigger trailer.
Several people I know are looking for or have gotten smaller 2h gn or bumpers: me included |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 331
Location: Loma Linda, CA | Thanks again!
So avoid 6.0 Fords.
130-150k is NOTHING on a maintained diesel! :D
And yes, I definitely don't want to overextend myself.
I will most lily buy a 2 horse out right (under $2500) so I don't have to make payments on anything else. And that was definitely the plan. Upgrade once I have the truck paid off.
I will probably only have one horse at the time that I get a trailer anyways! I have my other one up for sale dirt cheap so she sells. So a 2 horse will be just fine. :)
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 Love Me Some Robert Redford
Posts: 2335
Location: WV | We have an F250 with 6.0 and have not had any issues with it. It only has 105000 and is an 06. We pull and GN 2 horse with it, hay etc. Everything is gonna have something go wrong at some point. Get what you like and feel that is what best fits you. jCongrats on getting your first truck and trailer! |
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 The BHW Book Worm
Posts: 1768
| If u are only planning to spend 2500 on a trailer to find a gooseneck of quality is going to take some extreme talents and if you wind up with a bumper pull you don't necessarily need 350 or 250 it would be over kill. I have a f 150 with over 280,000 miles on it that I have pulled my trailer all over the country with that has never broken down once n still gets 16 miles a gallon. If I can ever get a decent trailer one of these days I will get a different truck though. Just a thought. |
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  The Color Specialist
Posts: 7530
Location: Washington. (The DRY side.) | Don't be afraid to look for trucks that are NOT in your immediate area. They are likely cheaper places like Idaho and Utah. Enough cheaper that you can buy the truck AND go get it or have it delivered and STILL be cheaper than buying one locally. You CAN find 7.3 Ford with choose to 100k miles on it for a decent price. But you have to be patient. My partner and his wide have bought 2 in the last year. One had 75k and one had 100k. Both F250 7.3 4x4. One out of Salt Lake City and the other from eastern Idaho. They are both like new. Both were owned by older people that took great care of them. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 356
| I'm no help on the truck end of things, but I would definitely recommend going with a gooseneck. Easier to maneuver and back up, and you have WAY more storage...plus the option of a place to throw an air mattress if you would ever want to! Mom found one online a few years ago that was a 2 horse slant gooseneck with a collapsible tack room up front, and it was an absolute steal! |
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My mind still works
Posts: 8912
| Better to over kill now than under kill.
Get the pickup now that'll haul the trailer your Going to get. That's a no brainer. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 331
Location: Loma Linda, CA | Yeah I want an overkill truck cause I'll be upgrading the trailer within a few years. Just want something I can haul now and afford.
And when I mean upgrade I'll probably get a 3-4H LQ. I just don't want to go overboard right now lol.
I didn't think to look in Idaho or Utah! That's an awesome idea!
Thanks to who mentioned that! I'll definitely look into those states! |
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Going to be buying my first truck & trailer in a few months