|
|
 Expert
Posts: 1302
 
Location: California | Good years vs Bad years? How many miles are too many? What should I look for or ask about? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I don't really have anyone I feel like I can ask that knows enough. I don't want to get into a ton of maintenance but I don't have the finances to buy a new or almost new truck. Thank you! |
|
| |
|
 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
  
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | Which brands and engine are you looking at? |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1302
Location: California | I'm mainly leaning towards a Dodge. I am not apposed to the Chevy's. I need a 3/4 ton or 1 ton, either or. Engine wise I have no preference as of right now because I do not know enough. Looking at 2004/05 or newer at this point. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 762
Location: NC | After just buying an 06 chevy 3500 dually i can tell you no matter where you buy it from take it to a mechanic!!! Doesnt matter if your buying local or buying 300 miles away. We didnt, bought it and brought it home to find out they had straight-piped it. Oh and 3 days after buying and bringing it home (from pa) the hydro-boost went, which meant i lost all power steering fluid as well as almost losing breaks.
Mine has 154k and is in good shape otherwise.
Oh and dont buy black.... keeping it cleans a pain ;) |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1302
Location: California | Racer4eva - 2014-07-21 5:16 PM After just buying an 06 chevy 3500 dually i can tell you no matter where you buy it from take it to a mechanic!!! Doesnt matter if your buying local or buying 300 miles away. We didnt, bought it and brought it home to find out they had straight-piped it. Oh and 3 days after buying and bringing it home (from pa) the hydro-boost went, which meant i lost all power steering fluid as well as almost losing breaks. Mine has 154k and is in good shape otherwise. Oh and dont buy black.... keeping it cleans a pain ;)
I have been looking locally and in Texas. I have a mechanic both places and definitely plan on having it looked at. I loveeee black but I do own a black car and it is definitely a pain! lol |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 656
| If u find something u like do research on that make and model to see what problems people have had a lot of problems with 06 fords we had problems with 08 dodge until removed emissions had great luck with 06 dodges and my friends have too |
|
| |
|
 Guys Just Wanna Have Fun
Posts: 5530
Location: OH | Do not buy a Ford with the 6.4 diesel in it, we have one and it has been a nightmare. |
|
| |
|
 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | 7.3 Powerstroke or a 12v Cummins. Easiest things on the planet to work on, and will last you forever. |
|
| |
|
 Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | I am married to a diesel mechanic... we have an 05 Chevy 3500 with the LLY engine. It's got 234,000 miles on it and still running strong!!! My husband will not look at the 6.0 or 6.4 Ford's. He likes Chevy's first and the dodges with the 5.9 or the 12 Valve. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1302
Location: California | I have a 7.3 with 255k miles on it. Still runs and pulls strong but I have spent a lot of money in replacing everything in it. I do not wanta lot of mainenance which is why I am not sure how many miles is too many. I wouldn't buy a Ford again at this point and I have heard some issues were in the 08 and 09 dodges which is why I ask. I really like the 06 dodges and I have found a couple 07-09 chevy's. |
|
| |
|
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Murphy - 2014-07-22 7:30 AM
7.3 Powerstroke or a 12v Cummins. Easiest things on the planet to work on, and will last you forever.
True on the 12 valve cummins, last year was early 1998. My fathers work truck is a 1996, has hauled two full slip tanks of fuel down horrible roads as he builds roads.
The truck has over 500k miles on it, the engine has never been worked on, replaced 1 clutch, redone the electrical twice, the front end twice, fuel pump once, then just maintenance on the truck. Sadly the body has rusted out beyond repair.
Had a mechanic say my father could easily get 5-10 k for the engine alone.
Parents went to a farm sale, there was a 12v dodge sold for 20k
Father also has a 1993 and 1998 12v both also have over 500k miles on them.
|
|
| |
|
Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | cheryl makofka - 2014-07-22 2:02 PM Murphy - 2014-07-22 7:30 AM 7.3 Powerstroke or a 12v Cummins. Easiest things on the planet to work on, and will last you forever. True on the 12 valve cummins, last year was early 1998. My fathers work truck is a 1996, has hauled two full slip tanks of fuel down horrible roads as he builds roads. The truck has over 500k miles on it, the engine has never been worked on, replaced 1 clutch, redone the electrical twice, the front end twice, fuel pump once, then just maintenance on the truck. Sadly the body has rusted out beyond repair. Had a mechanic say my father could easily get 5-10 k for the engine alone. Parents went to a farm sale, there was a 12v dodge sold for 20k Father also has a 1993 and 1998 12v both also have over 500k miles on them.
Cummins prices in your area must be high. You can buy 12V engines all day down here for cheap, cheap. It's not uncommon to find 12v trucks for 6-7k that are in great shape. Those trucks are just common down here.
|
|
| |
|
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| little_bug - 2014-07-22 11:08 AM
I have a 7.3 with 255k miles on it. Still runs and pulls strong but I have spent a lot of money in replacing everything in it. I do not wanta lot of mainenance which is why I am not sure how many miles is too many. I wouldn't buy a Ford again at this point and I have heard some issues were in the 08 and 09 dodges which is why I ask. I really like the 06 dodges and I have found a couple 07-09 chevy's.
08 dodge the problem is with the computer, there is a bog when you depress the accelerator, there is a class action lawsuit regarding this.
If you cut the cadolic convertor and put the chip in the bog goes away, you get better fuel mileage.
I have an 06 dodge diesel love the engine, but the transmission is a little weak. I replaced mine at 200k, had a cylinder replaced at 225 on warranty.
My dream truck would be the 12v or 5.9 with the 08+ transmission without the computer problems. |
|
| |
|
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| little_bug - 2014-07-21 8:25 PM
Racer4eva - 2014-07-21 5:16 PM After just buying an 06 chevy 3500 dually i can tell you no matter where you buy it from take it to a mechanic!!! Doesnt matter if your buying local or buying 300 miles away. We didnt, bought it and brought it home to find out they had straight-piped it. Oh and 3 days after buying and bringing it home (from pa) the hydro-boost went, which meant i lost all power steering fluid as well as almost losing breaks. Mine has 154k and is in good shape otherwise. Oh and dont buy black.... keeping it cleans a pain ;)
I have been looking locally and in Texas. I have a mechanic both places and definitely plan on having it looked at. I loveeee black but I do own a black car and it is definitely a pain! lol
I would get the "car fax" see what has been done, I would also get the truck plugged into the computer to see what codes show up.
Also take the truck to an independent mechanic, not their or one at the dealer if that is who you are going through. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1857
| My advice is to figure out exactly what you are looking for, the price you are absolutely not willing to go over, the term(60, 72, etc), and be willing to walk away from any vehicle that doesn't stay within that criteria. I never answer the sales vultures when they ask me "what do you want your payments to be", haha nice try!! If you see any faults on the truck make sure you point it out to them... If it needs new tires, tell them and use that as part of your negotiations. When you test drive it, drive it like you stole it and listen carefully, anything that might sound off make a note of it and you can have your mechanic look at it over for you. I also ask that they through the TT&L in, sometimes I get lucky sometimes not! Also the end of the month is the best time to try and get good deals(not like buying a car is ever a good deal but it might be a better deal) |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1302
Location: California | FlyingJT - 2014-07-22 10:16 AM My advice is to figure out exactly what you are looking for, the price you are absolutely not willing to go over, the term(60, 72, etc), and be willing to walk away from any vehicle that doesn't stay within that criteria. I never answer the sales vultures when they ask me "what do you want your payments to be", haha nice try!! If you see any faults on the truck make sure you point it out to them... If it needs new tires, tell them and use that as part of your negotiations. When you test drive it, drive it like you stole it and listen carefully, anything that might sound off make a note of it and you can have your mechanic look at it over for you. I also ask that they through the TT&L in, sometimes I get lucky sometimes not! Also the end of the month is the best time to try and get good deals(not like buying a car is ever a good deal but it might be a better deal)
Thank you! I do have an exact price range as I already got the approval for a loan and know my payments ect. I only use it for hauling and I haul a 4 horse Elite with a large dressing room, usually loaded down, and we live in the mountains so there are some grades. I think most trucks can haul it just fine. I have my dream body style but they are a little higher than I want to spend.
Also any opinions on dually vs not? |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Lost in the corn of Iowa. | Mighty Broke - 2014-07-22 7:22 AM
Do not buy a Ford with the 6.4 diesel in it, we have one and it has been a nightmare.
We just took our deisel in to have fixed and the shop was telling us the same thing, that Ford designed the 6.4's as a throw away motor. And they are the test shop for a nationwide magazine. They said the 7.3 is good, they even like the 6.0 (once it's been upgraded with the EGR delete and all the other stuff) and the new motors that Ford has out they really like..I wanna say they are 6.7s but am not for sure on the liter size. I know a guy that took his 6.4 into the shop because of a knock and now he's on his 2nd motor with less than 500 miles on it!! The first motor was replaced and now the replacement motor is a busted mess as well. Just and FYI. Good luck. |
|
| |
|
Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | Girls_Gotta_Jet - 2014-07-22 3:02 PM Mighty Broke - 2014-07-22 7:22 AM Do not buy a Ford with the 6.4 diesel in it, we have one and it has been a nightmare. We just took our deisel in to have fixed and the shop was telling us the same thing, that Ford designed the 6.4's as a throw away motor. And they are the test shop for a nationwide magazine. They said the 7.3 is good, they even like the 6.0 (once it's been upgraded with the EGR delete and all the other stuff ) and the new motors that Ford has out they really like..I wanna say they are 6.7s but am not for sure on the liter size. I know a guy that took his 6.4 into the shop because of a knock and now he's on his 2nd motor with less than 500 miles on it!! The first motor was replaced and now the replacement motor is a busted mess as well. Just and FYI. Good luck.
We are diehard Ford people and like the 7.3, 6.0 (gasp), and the 6.7. I don't think I would personally buy a 6.4, but there are Ford guys out there that love them and know how to work them. We know how to work on 6.0's, so we aren't opposed to them. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Lost in the corn of Iowa. | Murphy - 2014-07-22 2:07 PM
Girls_Gotta_Jet - 2014-07-22 3:02 PM Mighty Broke - 2014-07-22 7:22 AM Do not buy a Ford with the 6.4 diesel in it, we have one and it has been a nightmare. We just took our deisel in to have fixed and the shop was telling us the same thing, that Ford designed the 6.4's as a throw away motor. And they are the test shop for a nationwide magazine. They said the 7.3 is good, they even like the 6.0 (once it's been upgraded with the EGR delete and all the other stuff ) and the new motors that Ford has out they really like..I wanna say they are 6.7s but am not for sure on the liter size. I know a guy that took his 6.4 into the shop because of a knock and now he's on his 2nd motor with less than 500 miles on it!! The first motor was replaced and now the replacement motor is a busted mess as well. Just and FYI. Good luck.
We really like our 6.0, I know they are the bastard child of Ford. But my husband is die hard Ford. I'm die hard anything that is dependable. LOL!! We have the 6.0 with a manual 6 speed behind it. So that makes a world of difference. Plus when we start the 6.0 it doesn't sound like we're winding up a freight train :) |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1302
Location: California | I will not buy a Ford. I am not apposed to the newer ones but they aren't in my price range. Craigslist and Autotrader are LOADED with all the Fords. From the looks of it they can't even give them away. |
|
| |
Folks on-line