I've got a 2000 f250 with a v10 and have 140,000 miles on it. Someone in my area listed a 2005 2500 Cummins with 200,000 up for a trade. I've been looking to get something to better my gas mileage while keeping a decent sized truck for medium duty work. But I also don't want to be needing a new truck again in a couple years. Can I get some opinions or suggestions on what to do? Much appreciated.

 

welcome to FTE.
the cummins is a smokepot wrapped in a turd.
the truck if not already falling apart will start leaving a trail of body parts along the side of the road within the next year or so.
i would stick with the ford.
think of it this way. if that dodge was the gold plated wonder of the world the owner claims it to be, why is he willing to "downgrade" to a ford gas guzzler?

 

If you can learn to accept 10 mpg in town, 13 combined, and something better(~15-17) on the highway, the V10 is a great engine.

 

agreed. if you can keep your foot out of the throttle the V-10 is not that much worse than a cummings.
even though they all swear on a stack of bibles on top of their mothers grave they get 76 mpg while making 3000 hp.

 

I own a 99 Dodge V10 with 90,000 miles & its by far a better truck than any Ford full size I have ever owned. The 05 is a third gen truck. The 5.9 Cummins is hard to beat. I have seem a few with over 800,000 miles the truck was anything but falling apart. I have a friend with a 99 Ford V10 and he is working on it all the time.
Asking about a Dodge vs Ford on a Ford forum you cant expect anything but a bias opinions. Fords last good trucks were 1979 & older.

 

but you are in Nevada where trucks do not turn to rust dust in 5 years Craig.
the original poster is from New Joisey, where they coat the roads with rock salt or salt brine year round to make trucks turn to dust in 5 years to keep the car dealers in business.

 

My 86 F250 4x4 rusted out the fender-wells & rockers & it was a west coast truck. So we get rust but not like back east. My 99 Dodge shows no rusting out & it was bought new in Denver & was there 10 years. I bought it in CA from the original owner in 2011.

 

My friend just got rid of his 06' 5.9l because the fenderwells started rusting. My other friend has an 06' 5.9l and he has fender rusting too. That is on top of needing front end work on them all the time.