Ok guys i'm looking at gettin a new truck. i was really hoping for newer truck but i'm scared of the 6.0 horror stories. what i'm asking is do you think i should go for a lil older like a 7.3, or should i go newer 6.0 i can't afford the 6.4's. or should i just look into a 5.4 with a 5 speed. i will be using the truck for hauling i have a firewood business and haul alot of trailer loads of wood. also i will be trying to get a plow for it cause i have a few folks wanting to sub me out this coming winter. just wondering what you anyone had to offer on the v10? i don't know of anyone with one. and was wondering what they ran like?

Thanks

 

I would stay away from the 6.0's, the cost of maintenance and fuel will be much higher than a gasser. I have heard nothing but good things about the v-10. If you buy a used ford you can get the vin number and have an oasis report printed from your local dealer telling you it's past repair history before you buy.

 

Feels like another gas vs diesel war is getting ready to get set off again!!!!!!!! Watch out for a

 

If your going to do what you've described, I vote 7.3L PSD. But it all depends on how much those trailers weigh to determine if there is a savings to be had for a diesel or a gas truck.

What are you using now to haul wood? does it work well for you, or do you need more capacity?

V10 will provide more capacity, but MPGs will suffer. PSD will keep alot of it's MPG's loaded, but Higher maintenance will be seen. How much maintenance?, well people usually say twice what it costs on a gas truck, but thats new vs. new. Old vs. old is anyone's guess. Lower mileage is a must for the gas truck, since the life of the engine is normally less than a diesel.

Unless you don't mind going slow, steer clear of the 5.4L. Good engine, IMO, just not enough for towing day in, day out, business duty. Over a given distance, you may be able to haul another load per day with more wood aboard.,(Less cost per cord of wood) and do it faster ( time is money) with a V10 or PSD.

That ought to be enough fuel. ( diesel for me, haha)

I am now going to sit back and fan the fire for a while..........

 

Both the v-10 and the 7.3 are good options. You can get the v-10 cheaper, but it uses way more gas. Our family has also had good luck with the old 460 gas engine, but it did suck the fuel!

 

Sorry that I can't be a whole lot more helpfull, since we haven't put our V10 to "work" yet, but thought I'd just say that we love our truck.

 

Let me offer some unbiased advice since I own one of the early 2003 6.0s.

For your use, a diesel will do you just fine. Maintenance will cost you more than a gasser...but compare fuel mileage figures between the gasser and a diesel...you might be surprised.

Next, before you buy ANY truck, get the VIN and go to a Ford dealership service department and sweet talk them into running an OASIS report for the truck. This report will tell you any warranty work that was done to the unit. If the report comes back with repeat powertrain issues that didn't get fixed right the first time...I'd keep looking. If the issue was repaired and the issue went away, you're probably ok.

As I mentioned earlier, I have one of the real early 6.0s...you know the ones that everybody loves to bash! Mine is number 812 off the line...I bought it used in 2007 with 34K miles on her. I even bought an extended warranty..."just in case". I wasted that 1400 bucks! Today the truck has 109K miles on it and it's my daily driver (even though I kept my 1992 F150)...and outside of routine maintenance it's been to the shop three times...the first time for paint protectant when I bought it, the second for the deer between the headlights, and the last time to replace the dash cluster because the fuel gauge wasn't reading right. The bottom line is "DO YOUR HOMEWORK", then you don't have to worry about problems.

Good Luck and let us know what you decided on!

Joe

 

But do you agree that 7.3L PSD have a better rate of success?

 

No, I don't. I have a co-worker that has her 7.3 in the shop more than mine is...but hers is older...has more miles on it and is used very differently than mine is.

Again, folks need to do their home work to determine what is the right model engine is right for them.

As for me...I'm perfectly happy with my 6.0!

Joe

 

Yeah but you cant just look at hers or just a small group, I was talking about overall. 7.3L was around for awhile and has years of service and engineering. Oh by the way I am referring to later 7.3L engines that had the benefits of history.

 

well i'm glad to see people havin good luck with the 03's and i think that the 6.0 is a screamin machine. i've drove a 7.3 n when it comes to off the the line. the 6.0 is just like an animal compaired to it. and i use now a 96 f-150. i think someone had a truck camper on it cause it sags bad but it runs great never have any issues and the body has held up great. but i guess i am just wondering how well of a truck the 6.0's and 7.3;s are and what do i need to look for when i go to look at one as far as something they may give away that it has had problems. and i will be sure to get the oasis report

 

Good luck on your search and future purchase first of all.

Second, The bodies of the 1999-2003 are somewhat better than the OBS trucks. ( like your 96). Chassis is definitely stronger, as is most of the running gear. (brakes are WAY better) If you have a e40D in your 96, then the 4r100 should run just fine for you. Avoid 2001-mid 2002 automatics unless you know the trans is a rebuilt. ( search "Mechanical Diode") The bodies can still have a problem with rear fender rust and ext cab rust, as mine is just starting to bubble on the pass. rear fender. But, It's now 11 years old. My previous OBS's rusted WAY faster than this has. I'm in IL, so lost of SALT in the winters.

 

Entering the ring in full pads, here's my .02:

7.3L
1. Great engine (yes, I'm a little biased).
2. The "newest" ones you'll be able to get are 6 1/2 years old. That means high miles on the engine AND truck and that means $$$. Even if it's been taken care of things need replacing after awhile...ball joints, HPOPs, injectors.
3. Yes they get better fuel economy than a gasser, but they are more expensive to maintain (as mentioned earlier). Your choice: pay at the pump or pay at the auto parts store (4 GALLONS of oil per change for example).
4. Performance dog (250HP/525lb-ft torque which is low for diesel standards of today) compared to others. It can be remedied by using a performance chip, but then you are injecting steroids into an older truck so you reap what you sow...

6.0L
1. The early ones ('03-'04) were hit and miss. Some have had great success (like msgtg) and a lot haven't.
2. The engine got a bad rap early, but it's a nice powerplant. A few mods and you can "fix" some of the issues that plagued the engine.
3. Hot rod of the two diesels. Even though the '03 started with not much more torque (550lb-ft), it jumped to 325Hp and put the 7.3L to shame.
4. One of the key elements of a happy 6.0L is a maintenance regimen. From what I understand, you need to stay on top of it to keep the engine happy (the 7.3L is a little more lenient...to a point).
5. The changes to the engine in '05 seem to have been for the better and been better out of the box.

6.8L (V-10)
1. Guys that have it are fanactical about their superiority . Most people that have it, love it.
2. In '05 switched designs to a 3V from a 2V. The 3V is the way to go from what I understand (solves the spark plug spitting issue IIRC).
3. Lower gas mileage, lower maintenance costs, lower noise, lower smell.

That's what I know about the 3 engines. Each one has it's advantages and drawbacks. In my experience, you have to want to own a diesel. I did and I love it. Others may not like it so much. My injectors are noisy, my truck smells and I always carry a spare gallon of oil in the back just in case. Some people call me crazy, some people think I'm trying to compensate for inadequacies. It's probably a little of both.

You can't really compare reliability ratings of the diesels since the 6.0L was around for 4 1/2 years, the 6.4L was around for 3 years and the 7.3L was around for 1 billion!

The gas or diesel choice is yours to make. Rattle or rumble. Fuel cost or maintenance cost. It all comes out in the wash whichever way you go. Most of it boils down to needs and wants.

As for what to get, my opinioin is get something '05 or newer. You will get a good price for not too many miles and will get either the redesigned V-10 (3V) or "fixed" 6.0L. Not to mention that they redid the suspension (coils in front instead of leafs) and interior starting then too.

 

That is a great comparison, Brian42.....

I will add that having the coil spring front end provides a much improved turn radius, and ride quality. If your gonna have this truck up in the trees when you getting your wood, you'll appreciate the tighter turning. Not going to compare with your F150 though, it's still tighter.

 

I would go with the 7.3 PSD. They more power than you will need and gas mileage isn't all that bad.