Hey all, long story short wife took off and I'm now a single father. All that aside, I've got to get out of this mini-van I'm driving and back into a truck.

I'm trying to stay around the 13-15k price range and have narrowed it down to the following three choices.
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1) 2007 F350 XL CCLB SRW 6.0 PSD Auto 2wd 78400 miles - Asking $13995

This truck has zero, and I mean zero options on it (other than auto I guess). Crank windows, vinyl floors and seats, ect. All of which I'm ok with. I don't need the leather and nav the min-van has.
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2) 2006 F350 XLT CCSB SRW 3V 6.8 V10 Auto 2wd 87051 miles - Asking $14995

This truck is your basic XLT package, blah blah blah... Power windows, ect. Cloth buckets up front, ect. Its clean.
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3) 2000 F350 XLT SCLB DRW 7.3 PSD 6 Speed 4wd 128065 miles - Asking $13995

Truck looks clean. Has a few interior flaws, but nothing that would bother me. Biggest reason I'm even looking at it is its a 7.3 w/ a 6 speed. It also has a nice complete BOSS plow set up with it. I already have a guy I work with who said he'd buy it for about 2k if I bought the truck.
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Anyways, those are what I'm considering. I need a truck that can last me a minimum 6-8 years with regular maintenance and no major repairs. I can do all the work, I just don't want to replace or rebuild a 9-12k engine. Hence the V10 as an option. I know that engine fairly well and the last one I drove, although it was a 2V 6.8, was over 300k miles in a E350. That being said, I've been reading the late model, 06-07's, 6.0's were good engines so long as you do an EGR delete and oil cooler upgrade. Some also say head studs, but I don't want to get that far into it to be honest. I like the 7.3. Being a 2000, it should have forged rods. Problem there is I need to fit a rear facing car seat and I'm not sure the super cab will fit it. Also, like I said, it has a nice plow. That is nice, but it also means it could be beat from plowing. Should 128k miles worry me about this? A friend of mine just put a window in his 2002 7.3 PSD block and it wasn't tuned up at all. 100% stock at 180k miles. The Jasper crate engine was over $10k installed. to replace it btw.
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Truck is going to be used for daily driving, has to be able to fit a car seat for my 14 month old son, and to pull from time to time. Loads will vary, but most constant will be my Rock Crawler Jeep (supercharged with 1 ton axles, linked suspension on 38's). The combo weighs more then you'd think. Once you add up all its 3/16" and 1/4" armor, skids, hefty axles, heavy tires, ect. plus the spare parts and tools that go with it... well you get the idea. I would also like to have the option of being able to throw a second rock rig on the trailer as well. Other use would be the possibility of pulling farm equipment, ect.
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I'm basically looking for what you guys think the advantages and disadvantages of each would be. I would like to have the newer crew cab diesel, but the 6.0 concerns me. I wouldn't be able to do much for mods to it at least until the end of the year. Even then, it would only be the EGR/Oil Cooler, maybe exhaust and intake mod combined with a MPG tune and gauges. Honestly, I would never want or need anything else. Everything would be more centered on better MPG's then more power. The 7.3 is alright, but it’s also 11 years old now and I'm not sure how the banks will work it. The 3V 6.8 is a tossup really. I feel it would be more reliable than the 6.0, maybe?, but I'd like to have a diesel. Also, with concern to the 6.8 and 6.0, how does that auto hold up? I really don't want a $3k repair bill in a few months from a busted auto.
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Sorry for the long post turned rant. Just looking for others opinions.

 

I would stay away from the truck with the plow on it if your not intending to use it. Plows wear on a front end and you will be replacing things sooner than later its also hard on the transmission.

I vote for the V10.

 

x2 on the V-10. Better for the daily grind. Should tow you're combo just fine.

Sorry about the wife thing. Take care of that son.

 

women will come and go but a good truck will allways make you happy between women....yup go for the 6.8 the plow on a all ready heavy truck with the 7.3 that beinng said if you sell that plow and get the front end fixed................. BUT if you are not driving 20miles to work that oil buners not gonna do that near as well as that 6.8..... the gaser is cheaper to maintain ... and 4 tires are cheaper than 6

 

Sorry to hear about your old lady....I'll further ken kenmnedy's point by saying that women come and go, but one of the few things that'll be there no matter what, is your truck.

If this is a right now, right now situation, I'd vote for the 2006 V10...

I say that becuase you're looking for something that requires very little maintenance and is relatively trouble free with no major repairs needed. A 7.3 would also suit you well as it's a touble free motor that requires only minor maintenance; but not the one described in your post as you need the crew cab.

Moving forward...

The 2006 V10 is the newer 3 valve design with the torqshift behind it. If you see 4 switches just below the radio, you also have the tow command system as well. The V10 should suit your needs, but be forewarned, average mpg is 10-12 mpg city and 13-16 (rare) highway.

If you're looking for a truck that gives decent fuel economy, hold out for a 7.3 CCSB 4wd. You'll find one, you just have to be patient...

 

The auto on the 2005+ trucks are great. No worries there.

I agree, the V-10 sounds like the best bet IMHO.

As for your new relationship status, I was also a single father for a number of years. Once I got over feeling sorry for myself, I had a lot of fun with it. Single moms will bend over backwards to..........um.....help you.

 

Thanks for the kind words. Not to get too far off topic with the truck talk, but she literally took off and left the kid with me. I would not have it any other way considering though. My son's well-being is all that matters. She is signing to voluntarily terminate her parental rights and also to settle all divorce matters without any problems. I think she just wants a different life...

Anyways, back to the trucks. You guys are basically saying everything I was already thinking. V10 in an 05+ platform. That said, I was looking tonight and found a clean looking 2000 Excursion 7.3 with 127k miles. I know it doesn't have a truck bed, but I think it would be nice to have honestly. I also own a big 115lb Boxer who would really like the extra room (yet another reason I don't need a SC, just saying) and I honestly don't see myself every pulling a 5th like I used too. I just don't know how well the auto would hold up? If I got it I would eventually want to do a 4" TB, CAI Mod, Guages, and a mild chip for better MPG's. I figure a bigger transmission cooler can't hurt either. They are asking $14500 for it, which I though was decently priced. Also, if it matters, it is a Limited with all the toys installed.

 

I love my X and my kids love the X because it has a "TV".

 

You're VERY lucky, situations like this can be absolute hell...

I've seen some of my friends go though it and I myself narrowly dodged a bullet. That's why I steer clear of this whole marriage business and keep it like a country song: Me, My truck, and my dog...

Although you're missing the truck bed, this would be better suited for your situation. Plenty of room for you, your son, and your dog. They'll practically have their own area/zip codes...

Depedning on how it looks inside and out, I'd take a closer look at this truck as opposed to a Superduty. I myself own one and in the 10 years and 319K I've had it, I've never had a problem with space, hauling something (trailer or payload), or the truck in general.

 

Over the last six years that I've had my '350 I've also had a very ordinary Dodge minivan with luggage racks on top. It was really great for carrying stuff in the rain, and for transporting lumber longer than maybe 12 feet. Couldn't carry a pallet of concrete mix or a yard of dirt, but it was great for most anything else!

 

I vote #2, V10 and Crew Cab = good. 2wd is bad, but I don't know where you live, it's a maybe bad.

 

I think the v10 2wd will be the least expensive option maintenance-wise. Other than the increased fuel cost, it's going to be reliable. The low mileage and better transmission (Torqshift) are a big plus too. You're already familiar with the v10 so you'd know what you're getting into.

That's my vote, unless of course that Ex will suit your lifestyle better.

 

I'd vote for the v10; although, that will be one of the spark plug problematic years though. If/when you get the spark plugs changed and one or more break in the heads, it's not fun. Think of it as one expensive maintenance item every 100k miles though; as opposed to every oil change, fuel filter, batteries, etc being more expensive.

As far as the excursion, it's useful, and if you don't miss having the bed right now with the minivan, I'd definitely say go for it. When I had mine I've had to rent small uhaul trailers to move things that just didn't fit in the X because of an odd shape - like a king size mattress, or a pool table that was 1 inch too wide.

 

Don't forget the warm glow it emits....

 

^ yeah it helps keep an eye on the kids when its dark out.


Just wanted to mention that my X is a 2wd. I specifically looked for a 2wd for a lots of reasons but a few good ones. No 4X4 maintenance, better gas mileage, easy driving. I owned a 4x4 truck for 10 years before getting the X, I used the 4wd once a year while driving out to the storage shed just to lubricate it.