*sorry this forum is kind of really confusing didnt know where to post this*

so im new to the world of ford and im looking for a truck. my buddy grabbed a 2003 F250 SD 7.3L power stroke and said its absolutly amazing.

im looking into them more and more and i absolutly love what i see. now i dont know to much about trucks.. well vehicles in general. what would be some key factors to look for in trying to find a well kept diesel truck?

 

Please see this thread.
You might be able to use the search feature as well.
Happy hunting and hope you find a good truck.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...questions.html

(phantom reps to Mike for a such a helpful post..rep police has my number today)

 

Welcome to FTE. Here are a couple links with good info. Hope they help.



https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...questions.html


1999 - 2003 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel Used Truck Buyers Guide .: Articles

 

Welcome to a great place.The fellas have some links for ya.Look them over and ask us all you want.

 

Welcome to FTE scrub. The links to Mike's thread are good reading and advice to follow. My wife had an 01 she bought new, but traded it in for a F150. When she decided she wanted her 7.3 back, I got to search for a good used vehicle.

My advice to you after looking at these myself is don't let anyone start the truck but you. If the engine is warm to the touch when you get there let them know you'll want to come back for a cold start.

Based on what I saw in my search, the absolute first thing I would look at is the air intake. There is a plastic lid on top of the air filter that has little tabs on one end and 2 metal clasps on the other end. Look for any broken pieces on the lid. Now unhook the clasps and remove the lid. The filter sits inside the box below the lid. Ignore that and look inside the lid. Do you see any signs of dirt or dust around the edge of the box? Look inside the plastic tube going back to the turbo. Do you see any signs of dirt or dust going back to the turbo? It should be spotless inside there. If you see dirt, you need to worry about the turbo being dusted. If you see a K&N sticker on the box, triple check for dirt. Too many stories about a drop in K&N dusting a turbo or engine.

If that all checks out, follow the advice in Mike's thread. I actually saw grass fall out of one airbox when I removed the lid (fell out from above the filter).

One last piece of advice, don't be afraid to trust your gut. There's a difference between, "These diesels sure seem different" and "That just doesn't sound right"

If it doesn't sound right, come back here and ask questions. We'll help you out.

 

Thanks, guys, for those first links. I will keep them with me when i check out trucks.

I will deffinatly check those out, F350-6.

I'm very much excited for my truck. I'm being super picky about this truck being EXACTLY what I want so I'm having a hard time finding ones to look at.

 

What exactly are you looking for? Keep in mind that half the fun is turning the truck into exactly what you want AFTER you get it. So many things can be done with these trucks that your buddy will soon be asking you "how'd you do that?" Find you a good solid truck, then make it yours. The one my wife ended up getting was a work truck you could still see the sign letters in the paint on the door if you looked close enough. Now it turns heads everywhere she goes and no one believes how old the truck is or how many miles it has.

 

well heres what i want:

2003 F250 SD 7.3 PSD w/ a Supercab and 8ft bed with the roof clearence lights, step bars and cloth interior. Truck color: either in Black, Grey or dark blue.

thats pretty much what im looking for haha. i will put a few extra things on it after i get it aswell but to buy, thats it.

 

Check this one out. Yea its the wrong color.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...y-big-red.html

 

You might want to expand your criteria to include SRW F350 trucks as well. That is the most likely way to get cab lights.

I am lucky enough to have cab lights on my F250 but that option isn't too common on the F250s but I think they are more common on the F350 models.

 

its a very nice truck. im just not a fan of the double wheels in the back :x

i see cab lights on just about every 250 ive seen *scratches head*

 

Any particular reason not to consider other year models? Sure the newer they are might sound nice, but I passed up a 2002 F250 with 80,000 miles because it was in worse shape than the 2001 F250 with 170,000 miles we ended up buying for my wife. Remember the F350 is also available in the same configuration with a single rear wheel (so it looks the exact same as an F250) You can add those yourself pretty easy. We can walk you through the how to. Another easy DIY project after you buy it.

 

tbh, it never even crossed my mind that i could add those myself... well atleast the clearence lights. and about the year. i dunno i guess like you said its just newer..

 

These trucks are the best! With care they will take care of you very very well for years to come! Goodluck with your search.

IMO I wouldn't be to concerned about the cab lights, thats a mod you can do yourself and theres threads on here to help, and alot of guys on here that love to help out every chance they get, (including me).

Plus before you know it you'll have PMS like the rest of us, and you'll never want to quit doin mods to your new PSD!.......just when you think your done, think again! haha

 

The '03s are quieter in the cab than the '02s and so on. If a little engine noise doesn't bother you, then don't be afraid to consider other years if the truck is right for you.