Hey everyone. I currently have a '85 F-150 work truck and a '98 Ranger everyday truck. With a baby on the way I am planning on consolidating to one truck that will fit the new family and I am thinking about a crew cab 2000-2003 F-250 7.3L Lariat with either a short bed or preferably a long bed. Most of the trucks I have seen have around 130,000-200,000 on the odometer. I know that the 7.3L is solid and can easily handle twice that mileage but how concerned should I be with other things like ball joints, U joints, trans etc with a truck of that age and mileage. Thanks for any info that can help me firm up my buying decision.

 

kefrko,

You can't go wrong with a 2000-2003 7.3. As long as you find one that has been maintained properly, you will get many more miles out of it. All the diesel trucks have heavy duty parts which are made to last. I would look for one that is bare bone stock...you can do the mods later and make sure they are done correctly.
The truck in my signature has 198000+ miles and I would not hesitate to drive it to Alaska.

Good luck

 

My .02 ...the parts are a lot more expensive for the superduty and fuel economy is roughly the same as any modern 150 series pickup (although, obviously we all love them) so scale your need for a diesel. I have the CC long bed, and it's miserable to park anywhere that isn't in Texas. Recommend considering a shortbed unless you actually do a lot of hauling in the bed of the truck. A flatbed trailer for the odd times you actually need to move stuff is a lot more convenient and do-able with my truck.

 

Thanks for the input guys. I was leaning toward the diesel because my buddy has an '02 and we converted it to run on WVO and I was thinking about doing the same. That is also the reason for the long bed because the 40 gallon WVO tank takes up part of the bed. The crew cab would be to fit the dog and the baby in the back but I probably could get away with the extended cab. Although I think both of them might like the ability for the window to be put down.

 

I had a 99 f-350 DRW flatbed 7.3 6 speed crew cab it was the most reliable truck I ever owned and had 279,000 miles on it when I sold it. It was big and heavy and hard to park, so I downsized to a f-250 super cab short bed that still has the 7.3 and 6 speed because you just can't beat that for reliability. The old truck was driven from southeast Texas to northern California twice after it had over 200,000 miles on it with no problems at all. If you get a truck with an automatic transmission, budget money for a rebuild because they are not quite as strong as the later models.

 

the 4r100 trans is the "weak" link for the 99-03 7.3L Superduty. nothing I'd personally lose sleep over, but it's out there in the realm of broken stuff horizon

Have you considered an Excursion? it's 75% the same as a F-250/350. exactly same drivetrains (no stick ever offered)


things to remember that I'm sure you already know all about: age = fun repairs. These trucks are at the absolute newest, 10 yrs old. I have a 2002 model in excellent mechanical condition with 88k on her. I'm still fixing stuff...while not daily, it is weekly. Luckily for me it's just simple 5-10 minute fixes.

But what about a vehicle with 150-200k on it and wasn't taken care of? The motor might be great, but the rest of the truck can nickel/dime you to death. Just points to ponder. The 7.3 is a great motor, but limiting yourself to it can cause headaches. If the budget supports, I'd highly suggest a 05-07 model gasser or 6.0. The creature comforts are better, they ride better, and they make more power with probably the best transmission Ford has ever built IMO: the 5R110.

 

I bought my 2000 SC SB 4x4 lariat 6 years ago with 100k. It now has 156k I do have other cars to drive but I always go with the superduty for long distance road trips. Just crawling around underneath, it starting to show some rust in the support brackets for the vinyl side steps. Im noticing some rust flaking on the oil pan. I replaced the diff cover due to rust. New ball joints and steering link this week. There is nary a scratch in the exterior paint and the leather has held up nicely. My michelin ltx's have about 5/16's tread with about 45k on them. These are great trucks, and at 13 yrs old, you must have some mechanical skill.

 

DON'T DO IT!!! If you want the crew cab get it. I settled for a ext cab when I bought mine and kick myself everyday for not getting the crew cab. Just MO.

 

I have a CC LB and it can be a chore to find a parking spot, but it is worth it to have the room and cargo capacity. I recently went to the beach for vacay and the rear was loaded and the cab was stuffed and my son and wife were as comfortable as could be. I could not have hauled all that stuff in an extended cab short bed.

Confucious once said, " It is better to have and not use, than to need and not have". Get all you can for the money.

 

IMO it depends on the frequency that the family will be with you in the truck. I bought a supercab w/ long bed but we don't use it a lot for the family. We drive it to the river and camping with 2 kids and sometimes the dog in the back of the cab. I thought the kids would complain a lot but they have enough room to get by. If they will be with you a lot or you will be using a child seat much I would look for a crew cab. CC w/ LB= need a football field to do a u turn and good luck in parking lots...

 

The crew cab is so much more convenient than the supercab to load and load and get in and out of.