After much consideration from reading this forum and RV.net, I’ve decided to upgrade our f150 to a 350. No way I can buy new. I’m hoping those with expertise and experience in used f350 diesels can offer some advice on what to watch out for. I’ve got my eye on a 2014 King Ranch edition with 96,000 miles for $39,900. I could go newer and less miles, but the price jumps $6,000-10,000 depending on how low the miles and how new the truck. For example, I found a couple Lariats (2014-2015) with about 60,000 miles for $47,000. What do you diesel owners think about buying one with 96,000 miles on it? I’m going to be using it to pull a 35 foot travel trailer that weighs about 8000 lbs when loaded. I worry that 96,000 is too many miles, but I also am under the impression that a diesel will run forever if maintained well. Any advice here would be much appreciated.

 

96,000 is nothing!!! These trucks are going 3-400,000 regularly. I have seen “pictures” of odometer readings of over 800,000! I put it in quotes because they were on the internet. And we all know how that is.
Personally, I would look for a 2015+ at a little more cost because of the upgrades. (Bigger turbo, exhaust brake,etc.)
Also, the diesel can be very expensive to repair if that does happen!! Don’t necessarily rule out gas engines.......these new gassers will run a LOOOONG time also, and are not as expensive to repair; but finding one with the right gears is going to be tough, (especially used), so buying one then re-gearing adds to the cost. Good luck in your search.

 

depends... on the tow/camper package...

what will the Truck "Carry"... 4x4 and diesel can LOWER what a truck can carry...

100,000 miles is NOTHING.. for GAS or Diesel...

my 6.2L Gas carries 1,500 pounds in its Bed AND Tow 9,000 pound trailer... 2,000 miles at a time...
and my 2012 F 250 truck has 156,000 miles..

fyi, Flatbed-Ed on this forum... his Gas 6.2L just failed at 418,000 miles... he had Ford install a new engine and a week later he is back hauling again...

best of luck in your Search.
I know I am not helping with your decision.

 

Both of you have been helpful. The thing I am most concerned with is the mileage, but sounds like that is no big deal. Also, I like the advice about looking 2015 to get the exhaust brake and larger turbo. Thanks for that.

Chuck - on this particular 350, the payload capacity is 3270 (and that is from the door jamb sticker on the truck). So should have plenty of carrying capacity even if I want to upgrade to a 5th wheel.

And thank you for the advice on the gassers. The reason I settled on the diesel is I like the extra tow rating for my travel trailer (which according to what I read on ford’s website is 14,000 lbs and 1400 tongue weight). Our camper fits well into that, but we have thought about upgrading to a toy hauler, also we’ll need the extra tow rating the diesel provides.

 

from my experience, the magic number to buy a used ford diesel is less than 84K miles......only if you want to buy an extended warranty AND the truck you are buying does not already have an extended warranty. At 85K miles, you cant buy an extended warranty.

Diesels have become less mechanical and more electronic with cheap sensors and other gagets that go blink and leave you on the side of the road....so keep a charged cell phone with you and get AAA coverage.

There is a laundry list of things that you can do to help your EPA choked diesel survive.... and im not taking about tuners and deletes...more like enhanced fuel filters, enhanced oil filters, coolant by pass filters, methanol injection, running bio fuel or using fuel additives like opti-lube, anti gelling agents, etc.


while it may be true that diesels in general could last a half a million miles....we're talking engines that are not epa choked and using high sulfer fuel. todays diesels are 150K miles throw away engines.

metro guys suffering moreso than urban drivers do to not being able to get the engines up to temps to boil out contaminants in the oil system.

and be weary about oil change distance kings who are happy to take a new engine to 10K or more miles on an oil change becuase after the warranty is up, its a trade in and someone else will have to deal with the worn engine.

 

I would go 15+.
I'm sure hoping speakerfritz is mistaken about "150K miles throw away engines". That's new to me.

 

Just my 2 cents

i have a 2000 f250 SD 4x4 v10 I pull a landscaping trailer every day and on weekends our Mobil trailer is 7000 pounds.

I bought it use and today I have a little over 250,000 miles on it....and i have done nothing to it....other than air filters and such...

here lately i was going to replace it, but after looking at new ones, Ive repaired many things on it.. seat covers and such....

its been a good one. And I’m looking to drive it another 12 years...

again, just my 2 cents worth.

Best of luck in your decision

 

I would not own a modern diesel without a GOOD warranty.

 

fyi, my opinion

diesel is going thru what Gas went thru in the late 1970's and the 80's...

learning exhaust control and cleaning.. dependability and easy replacement... (Price)

main reason for extended warranties...

DEF is not a good idea , long term.. and mistakes are big dollars.

 

Thank you all for the words of wisdom! I appreciate it. Think I'm gonna work to find a 2015 in good shape for a decent price. Wish me luck! haha!

 

Time to do the timing chain and tensioners before they fail.

 

Where is the truck at that your planning on buying it from ( little car/truck lot at a Ford or other big dealer?) if it is at a little lot, pull a carfax or car proof on that VIN and see where that truck came from little dealers buy at the auction and they dont put too much into them because it is buy low and sell high and do as little as possible to any vehicle they buy to max out profit.

If this is anywhere but a Ford Dealer, then ask the seller to allow you to take it to a Ford Dealer and have them inspect it. Get Ford to look under and over the truck and inspect everything and then have them check out everything with IDS on the engine, compression, injectors, boost, temps etc It may cost you a couple hundred to have a dealer inspect and test it but it could save you thousands down the road.
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Is the 6.4l a half a million mile engine...dont think so

is the 6.4L a 375,000 mile engine???

Well according to Navistar (who makes the 6.4L) its a 375,000 mile engine if ran on B50.

source is

Power Stroke Diesel Specs | 7.3L, 6.0L, 6.4L, 6.7L Power Stroke Resource


Keep in mind that even B5 has better fuel lube value than any diesel fuel additive you can add to low sulphur #2, so B50 has a very high lube value




can you run b50 in a 6.4l, well I guess so according to navstar...probally if you dont have an emissions system.

im running B30 and have been for about a year (2 winters and 10K miles) so far no ill effects. In theory, my nitrix oxide levels should be higher..but I passed emissions testing twice using B30.

I did get a fuel pressure rail high pressure warning at 75 MPH once...but that might have been due to some tranny fluid I threw into the fuel tank.

 

[QUOTE=rhetthughes;17625774]After much consideration from reading this forum and RV.net, I’ve decided to upgrade our f150 to a 350. No way I can buy new. I’m hoping those with expertise and experience in used f350 diesels can offer some advice on what to watch out for. I’ve got my eye on a 2014 King Ranch edition with 96,000 miles for $39,900. I could go newer and less miles, but the price jumps $6,000-10,000 depending on how low the miles and how new the truck. For example, I found a couple Lariats (2014-2015) with about 60,000 miles for $47,000. What do you diesel owners think about buying one with 96,000 miles on it? I’m going to be using it to pull a 35 foot travel trailer that weighs about 8000 lbs when loaded. I worry that 96,000 is too many miles, but I also am under the impression that a diesel will run forever if maintained well. Any advice here would be much

 

No warranty no buy.
Diesel repairs can be very expensive.