Lets start with thismy first truck was a XL reg cab 1997 f350 4x4 with 5.8, auto, 4.10, tow and plow package. Man did i love that truck! So i had two kids so i got my 2004 in my sig, but i never forgot my first love. So lately for some odd reason ive been seeing allot of 95 to 97 F350 around. And i dont mean state work trucks im talking about clean drivers. So ive been looking online for another 97 F350 and im thinking of selling my 04 and going back to the 97. This time i want at least an ext cab or crewcab and i wanted some opinions on it?

 

If you have payments to pay on the 04, and can get/pay off the 1997...DO IT......

 

Not only would I do it but I had a new 4x4, did it and now have a 95 and a 96. Much happier. I can work on these and I have no payment.

 

If your making payments and want to get out of them, then I'd say go for it. If you happen to have a lil extra cash laying around after all the expenses you have, and the room, I'd say keep the '04, and save up enough to buy the '97. That way you have both of em and can do whatever you want to either.

 

I would second this, if it was me I would keep the 04 around (assuming its a single cab?) and get the 97 in extended or crew, or if the 04 was extended or crew keep that so if the 97 was a single you would still have the ability to transport the family...either way if you can keep/get both DO IT!

 

I JUST went through something similar! '04 crew cab 6.0 diesel. I still had payments on it but it fit my fam of 6 real nice. We're moving back to CA in the next 1-4 years and I modified it (EGR delete when the cooler blew at 125K miles, exhaust, etc) so it is no longer Kali compliant. Was a great truck but overkill for here in HI. Sold it to a neighbor who's moving to OK (no smog BS) and has a growing fam himself. Paid it off and had enough left over to buy a '95 F-150 Ext cab 4x4, 5.0L, auto. LOVE it and the whole situation. I actually like driving the '95 better, it fits all 6 of us AND NO PAYMENTS. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Oh yeah, I've gotten more compliments on the '95 since I've owned it (10 days) than I ever did on the '04 in almost 4 years. MUCH easier to work on too. The 6.0 was a nightmare under the hood & I'm a DIY guy...

 

I went from an 08 F250 CC FX4 to a 92 F250 XLT 4X4. Just wanted to get back to a basic truck.

 

I have a 1997 F250 HD 2wd with a 460, auto 3:55. I live in Wi. and I will not sell it. I love my truck,looks new,doesn't cost me anything but gas.Best vehicle I have ever owned. Good luck with your choice.

 

Well for arguments sake I'm gonna say NO.

I think the 99 up superduty's are an overall better truck. Better transmissions, more avail axle ratios, solid front axle, MAS air controled engines, V10 gets better mpg and has more power than the 460 ever did, better dash layout and more durable interior.

 

You sir have driven a V10 that was very different than the two i've driven

I just sold my 2001 dodge Cummins to buy my 1989 F350 in my sig. I used to have a 1990 F250 and I loved it. I bought this one 4 months ago and I love it just as much as the '90. I guess sometimes you can go back home

Point is the Cummins was better in every way on paper but after owning it for 5 years I just never liked it as much as my old Ford.

 

I went from a V10 01 F350 Reg cab, SRW 4x4 to a 97 same configuration and a 460 and don't regret it for a second. The SD rode better, got a little better MPGs and was just a touch faster but the 97 it a beast. There's no comparison between the MOD motors and the 460; it could out pull the V10 any day of the week. I love the Dana 60 instead of the Dana 50 and unit-bearing time bomb in the front and the truck just fits me, my needs and my personality so much better.

I'll +1 on keeping two vehicles if you can justify it finically. When I was single I always have two tagged and insured. I learned this in high school and they haven't always been nice rides. I had a rusted out 65 Mustang as a daily driver but in reserve I kept a 78 Courier willed to me from my Grandpa. The Mustang was my pride and joy but really was a POS. My grandpa's old truck saved my butt more times than I could count. Neither vehicle was worth more that $500 but to me they were both priceless. Now that I'm married we keep the same philosophy and it has served us well. We have gone though a couple combinations but have never had less than three vehicles in the yard for more than a few weeks at a time. Now I use my 350 as a daily driver and, since we're lucky enough to be able to carried two car payments, my wife has her 10 Mustang and we have a new Jeep in reserve and for kid hauling duties (though with the ND winter the Jeep gets more miles on it than the Mustang).

So again if you can do it, it's a great idea. Like you've seen, there are great deals to be found on older trucks so one could make a good, cheap second (or third) ride. Plus you've had one before so you know how great these trucks are. Good hunting

 

I had a 99 V10 (275hp/410tq) and a 05 3V V10 (362hp/457tq) Both with 4:30 gears. That's the secret with the V10's they need to breathe and rev. Majority of the V10's sold off the lots were 3:73's and later 4:10's.

Sold my 05 for a 2007 Dodge 6.7L. That truck hauled!! The 05 was the best overall "truck" but the Dodge had the power.

 

V10 Man if you like the V10 so much why do you have a 5.4. I'm not trying to start anything just curious. You might get better mpg with a V10 but I will argue the better stuff. I just did my trucks first tune up, changed the original tires,shocks,tranny fluid and coolant flush. The only thing it has cost me is fuel,oil changes and tire rotations.My truck 1997 F250HD with 98,000miles. I have a friend with a V10 good trucks but had plug problems.

 

Well life happens. Like I said, went from a 2005 F350 and a 8000# travel trailer to a 12,000# toyhauler & Dodge cummins. Cpl yrs later wife and I get divorced and my income was instantly reduced by 60%. I could no longer afford those huge payments so all of it went away via tow truck. Lost 7K on the Dodge and 13k on the toyhauler. So, with my credit on the rocks I was at the mercy of any dealer I could get financing with. I could not find a used, low milage V10. I was able to find this 07 with options I wanted and only 43K miles and approved financing. So for now I am back in a Ford and happy. I have found 1 F250 with only 26k miles since and was about a day late (at the same dealer) from looking at it.

 

There has to be a secret because the two i've driven were both dogs. The main one was a ranch truck that was my work truck. 2001? I think, crew cab dually, had $3,000 of Banks performance work done to it with a sticker on the windshiled that said it wasn't even legal to drive in Oregon

When unhooked and empty it was fairly quick but hook it to a trailer and it made a lot of noise for not much power and I kid you not it got 4mpg's every tank for the couple of years the ranch had it, empty or loaded in town or cross country trips it didn't care. The last money they spent on it was a custom made fuel tank that held 60 gallons of fuel