Opinions wanted on Heavy duty trucks

[ThomC]

If your going to buy used you need to take in consideration the owner and wow he drives. I would never buy a lifted. chipped. oversized tired etc from a young person. Try to buy a truck from an old man who didn't hardly drive it off road. All manufactures make fairly good trucks. One persons experience doesn't make any difference. Don't buy anything the first year it is out, it takes about three years to get the bugs out. With that in mind look for what tickles your fancy. Then wait and look for sometimes a year to find what you like. Then maintain it properly, drive it easy, and you will be happy.

[More D]

My first diesel was a used 6.4l F250 with 35k miles. I drove it for just under 40k miles. I sold it because it ran out of warranty and I got nervous. The truck had two issues during that time:

1st-A/C compressor went out. I do not consider that to be a truck specific issue, any A/C can go bad……I did not care much as it was covered under warranty.

2nd- the DPF went out. It was covered under warranty, because I have an AWSOME service advisor at the dealership. The filer was not defective or anything like that. A PACK RAT in unit 32 while hunting javies was to blame. The dang rat ate the wiring insulation and caused the EGT sensor to fail which caused the DPF to go out. I paid a bit less than $100 for the sensor if I remember correctly.

 

That’s it! I towed only a few times a year, maybe 1k miles, all hunting/camping related. I also insist on keeping my vehicles completely stock and dealer serviced. The last two only add to reliability and resale value.

 

I sold my 2008 6.4 in 2013. I asked my service advisor and dealer mechanic their opinions on the new 6.7 and I only heard great things. The service advisor said he had a customer who at the time already had one 6.7 with 100k+ miles with ZERO issues, only oil, filer changes. It was used for towing 4-12k pounds EXCLUSIVELY. The mechanic said “I hate them….I don’t make any money on them. All we have to ever do on them is oil changes.

 

I was sold. I bought a new F250 with a 6.7 less than 30 days after I sold the 6.4.

 

The new one is much stronger and has a smoother tranny shift wise.

 

Another difference I will say about the two.... the air filter had to be changed after only 15k miles on the new 6.7. On the 6.4 I never had change the air filer in the 40k miles I owned it. The filter cost for a 6.7=$17 delivered. The 6.4 costs=$60 delivered. So not really a negative.

 

 

More D

[yotebuster]

If we are talking "trucks" then peterbilt is the way to go.

 

If we are talking "pickups" then Ford with 6.7 is the way to go.

[MattMan]

If you want the truth, talk to the fleet mechanics for some outfits running a decent number of the size truck you're looking for. Find the fleet manager or equipment manager if he'll talk to you.

 

Most should be able to tell you exactly what repairs are common and what they cost, what the unit actually costs to own, operate, and maintain... down to the penny, and what it's expected residual value will be at end of service.

 

When making a $60-100k purchase, this type of hard dollar information is far more valuable than some guy's opinion on an internet forum.

 

I know for a fact our fleet guys can tell you which diesels puke injectors, injector pumps, and turbos on a regular basis. And I can tell you that EVERY unit acquired in the last two years lighter than 1 ton has been a gasser, based on the acquisition and operating cost information I'm telling you to look for.

[lancetkenyon]

I am having to do only my second work to my 07 6.0. First was an EGR cooler under warranty. Now, an FICM for it at 97+K. Good thing my son-in-law is a Ford mechanic. Those are pricey.