After much thought and deliberation, my wife and I have decided to upgrade from our current travel trailer to a 5th wheel. We've been towing our current setup with an 07 5.7 Tundra, but with the kids getting older and the need for more space, we've decided to upgrade since I'm not thrilled with the idea of a 30' bumper pull.

​​​​​​So with the decision made for a new towable, we're inclined to look for a new to us truck that would provide better options for what we tow. I could tow a 5th wheel with the Tundra, but we'd have very limited options to choose from and even then run the risk of putting it over weight quickly.

I've been eyeballing a couple of trucks that aren't terribly far away. They're both in spectacular condition on the inside and out, so I would hope that the care shown cosmetically was also passed on mechanically - both are stock trucks (no deletes, lifts, tunes, etc) with the 6.4. One is an 08 F250 and the other an 09 F350 dually and both have 150'ish k miles on them. My last Powerstroke was an 03 7.3 Excursion, so I'm aware of getting OASIS reports for either truck and consider myself adept at my own preventative maintenance to keep things ship-shape. My driving habits are for daily use - 35 miles to the office each way, 55-65mph the whole way and if our current travels are any indicator, we'd tow once a month on average. I'd like the diesel for travels towing in the mountainous (comparatively speaking) areas in the north GA/Western NC/eastern TN areas as well as anywhere else we might go.

My brother is a fleet mechanic in the area I grew up in and he's telling me to go for them - they still have 6 higher mileage 6.4's that run well (others were phased out for newer 6.7's) and haven't had anything especially crazy with the higher mileage. However I read about nightmare scenarios here and $10k fuel systems, etc that can scare most anyone. Like many (I'd say most) people, I don't have $10k laying around for rainy day use, other than what is stashed in retirement funds, so I have to ask - has anyone investigated any of the companies offering extended warranties from companies like Endurance, etc? I'd want it for the big ticket items that could fail, so a higher ($1000 or even $2000) deductible I don't think is unreasonable, but I do want to make sure that I'm covered. Unfortunately, a 2011 6.7 or newer isn't really in the cards and if the 6.4 combined with a good warranty isn't going to work, then I will be looking into gas options.

Thoughts?

 

 

Gotta do it Fritz..............

I'm a die hard 7.3 owner that bought a 6.4 2008 f350 with 110k on it.

Things the bomb! A small learning curve on the upgrade from the 7.3 but absolutely doable. I now have 130k on it and aside from replaceing the radiator and updating the hoses (a known R@R item), I have yet to find a flaw. (I knew the rad had a weep and the hoses etc needed updates by the TSB's prior to buying it, no deal killer).

It will outrun. Outpull. And turn circles around my beloved 7.3 (which I still have for my right hand).

The absolute most capable truck I've ever driven. I'm aware of the painful stories that some have been unfortunate to dwell with, but as I look thru multiple sites for forums in the diesel world the 6.4 is the smallest for problems I can find. The complaints I see (in large part) are because they're used industrial and not maintained and bought off by Jo blow who thought they were getting a great fleet maintained truck, or they just plain old have the snot abused out of them and the owner is crying poor me/junk.

Do your research, do your maintenance (heavy schedule even for a daily driver), and enjoy the riches of the 6.4 platform. I tow a 10k boat, a 29 ft 5'r and am absolutely amazed at the ride (in a 1 ton) and the ability to roll up a 5 pct grade in Cruise heavily loaded.

Granted, there are stories out there about a monster unit that has been cast aside along with the payments to kick a hole big enough to bury the memory. I'm 2 years into a new to me diesel that has me walking by it with a duster and a rag of respect.

Do your shopping, but give those that have had failures an ear. You'll be able to pick up pretty quickly that there are key maintenance points that require a (Lil) more attention.

Keep us posted!!!

Denny

 

^^ Couldn't be said better ^^ (referring to speakerfritz post)

If you buy a 6.4, budget to change the engine out at some point, and then be very surprised if you don't have to.

 

I just have to do it because there are so many questions in terms of the 6.4's reliability and endurance. Starting a thread that probably has been done before, but lets go.

Denny