Is this a good truck choice.

[Montana2Manila]

Trucks are at a premium now. Expensive.

What do you think of this? I’d like to test drive this unit.

I have zero truck savvy. I’ve never owned one.

I know there are caveats with years, models..

I’m looking to buy a 27-30’ bumper pull trailer.

Thanks everybody


T

 

[kayakterp]

That will definitely pull any 30' TT (and more).
However you need to ask yourself if you want diesel vs gas, there are pros & cons to both. Will you use the truck other than pulling a Travel Trailer??
I prefer the gas (easier & cheaper to maintain) but most people hauling prefer diesel for pulling.
Also noticed this is a manual transmission. I have bad knees so automatic only for me.
Any 3/4 ton should work unless you want to go larger with your trailer (like a 5er).
Good luck

 

[Rich W.]

Probably not. That motor was plagued with head stud failures, and emission, intake, and fuel system component problems. Unless you are a very skilled, capable, and competent mechainc, you can expect break downs, being stranded, and thousands in repairs, especially with that milage.

My son has one and he has pulled the cab twice to change head studs. He has mastered all the other weaknesses in the system, but he is also a certified aircraft mechanic. He also detuned his a bit to give it more reliability and durability. He pulls a 28’ 5th wheel. Its reliable now, but it has been problematic on at least three trips far from home.

So while an F350 is typically a good rig, and diesel is generally better for towing, and milage is less of an issue with them, this particular model era is one to steer clear of unless its really cheap AND you are prepared to go throuh a lot of down time and incur a lot of expenses.

Im sure many people have had good experiences with them, and if its made it 151k miles, that could be a good sign, but plenty of people have had significant problems with them, and for a towing rig I’d choose something else.

I had a 2003 F350 Lariat just like that one (but automatic which I would recommended) but it was an early 2003 with last of the 7.3 PSD. That truck was wonderful and trouble free, and if you can find one in good shape, it would be a great choice. I sold mine with around 150k on it to a friend for $10k and he has put another 100k on it as a work truck. It will probably never quit. So while it looks like the same truck, the 6.0 makes the one for sale stand out as one to avoid.

Also that is an XLT, probably used as a work truck, has vinyl floors instead of carpet, and is in snow country so you can expect rust. Even in today’s crazy used vehicle market, that one seems over priced. And since it has a tuner, it has probably been driven hard and over-stressed, not good for any engine, and a very poor idea for that problematic 6.0.

 

[Montana2Manila]

Thank you Rich and Kayak. Great info. I would use a truck very little. I have a vacation rental and wouldn’t go far from home …

 

[High Desert]

Do not buy a 6 liter diesel from Ford. They had nothing but problems with them. Also, $18K is pretty high for a 2003 with that many miles.

 

[billnourse]

The 6.0 nearly drove Ford into bankruptcy, and caused a split between Ford and International. I would never consider a used one, or a new one for that matter.

 

[Joe Hogan]

The Ford 6.0L Diesel has its issues but there is a good aftermarket cure:

Bullet-Proof Your Ford 6.0L

HOW TO BULLET PROOF YOUR 6.0L FORD We have provided this easy-to-follow Road Map to Bullet Proof Diesel products that leads to Reliability and Peace-of-Mind for you and your 6.0L Ford. The First Step in Reliability: Address These Five Pattern Failures These five pattern failures are the main...

bulletproofdiesel.com

 

[Russellvh]

When I was looking for a used truck I used this website.

RV Towing Guide & Towing Calculator | Camping World

Ensure your new or used RV is capable of being safely towed. Use Camping World's vehicle tow rating calculator to learn if your car can tow your camper.

rv.campingworld.com

You can put in a VIN and get the tow rating for original equipment. I used this as my first check then moved in from there.

 

[Rich W.]

The Ford 6.0L Diesel has its issues but there is a good aftermarket cure:

Bullet-Proof Your Ford 6.0L

HOW TO BULLET PROOF YOUR 6.0L FORD We have provided this easy-to-follow Road Map to Bullet Proof Diesel products that leads to Reliability and Peace-of-Mind for you and your 6.0L Ford. The First Step in Reliability: Address These Five Pattern Failures These five pattern failures are the main...

bulletproofdiesel.com

My son did all this stuff but he’s good with a wrench. Im sure you’d pay nearly 30 hours or more in labor to get it all squared away. The cab had to come off to do the head studs.