High Idle Hours - Should I buy this truck?
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2nd Gear
Joined: Sep 2025
Posts: 2
Likes: 3
High Idle Hours - Should I buy this truck?
Hey all,
I’m new here. Hoping to get some direction. I know I want an F-250 with a 6.2. One popped up for sale locally to me that has piqued my interest.
The specs:
2018 F-250 6.2
4x4
SuperCab short bed
128,000 miles
6700 total hours
4000 idle hours
I have test driven it twice, and I’ve pulled the CarFax on it. It drives really nice. It was a single owner fleet vehicle, used in Oklahoma in the oil industry. Purchase price would be $17,000 - $18,000, which is several grand underpriced for my area. The body is very clean, with only two small dents. Needs a new front bumper. Clean title, no accidents. The high idle hours are what concerns me. Is this something that should keep me from buying it? Carfax shows oil changes every 8k (I would hope synthetic oil, but don’t know). It has a centrifuge in the back floorboard, that would be worth up to $2,000. Selling this would help lower my purchase price. However, if high idle hours are going to cause me problems, I don’t want it, no matter how good of a deal it is. I’d be looking to put 50k - 100k miles on it before upgrading. Your thoughts are appreciated. Thanks!
I’m new here. Hoping to get some direction. I know I want an F-250 with a 6.2. One popped up for sale locally to me that has piqued my interest.
The specs:
2018 F-250 6.2
4x4
SuperCab short bed
128,000 miles
6700 total hours
4000 idle hours
I have test driven it twice, and I’ve pulled the CarFax on it. It drives really nice. It was a single owner fleet vehicle, used in Oklahoma in the oil industry. Purchase price would be $17,000 - $18,000, which is several grand underpriced for my area. The body is very clean, with only two small dents. Needs a new front bumper. Clean title, no accidents. The high idle hours are what concerns me. Is this something that should keep me from buying it? Carfax shows oil changes every 8k (I would hope synthetic oil, but don’t know). It has a centrifuge in the back floorboard, that would be worth up to $2,000. Selling this would help lower my purchase price. However, if high idle hours are going to cause me problems, I don’t want it, no matter how good of a deal it is. I’d be looking to put 50k - 100k miles on it before upgrading. Your thoughts are appreciated. Thanks!
SPONSOR
Joined: Jan 2025
Posts: 501
Likes: 307
From: White Bear Lake
It's a risky buy I feel. So weird thing about the 17+ Fords is they track idle hours with the key on regardless of it actually running. I found that out on a 19 F550 where we couldnt figure out how the hell the hours kept going up when the truck was very rarely idled. The biggest red flag here is the oil service interval. 8k is a bit high but probably fine for a truck that has a lot of highway miles. Think how much this thing idled in that 8k miles. These oil trucks drive down dirt roads, through fields and around the oil companies property usually pretty slowly. Or they get the absolute **** beat out of them there is no in between. Look at the time between oil changes. It averaged around 18000 miles a year so that's 2ish oil changes per year on average just going by miles. Things to ponder but you may get lucky and it lasts 300k plus without issue but are you willing to take the risk on having to dump several grand into a truck. FYI a Ford reman 6.2 is 6k dollars plus somewhere around 15 hours of labor.
-Dan F
-Dan F
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,482
Likes: 4,974
Idle hours on a gas engine are not so concerning as if it was a diesel with its emissions intact.
But, as stated, with very high idle hours the oil change interval should have been taken down even lower than 8K, more like 5K.
Were it me, I would keep looking.
But, as stated, with very high idle hours the oil change interval should have been taken down even lower than 8K, more like 5K.
Were it me, I would keep looking.
4th Gear
Joined: Sep 2025
Posts: 4
Likes: 1
I'll throw in my two cents... I literally just did what you are pondering. I purchased a 2019 CCSB 6.2 gasser with 160k miles for $20k knowing full well I could get 250-300k miles or 165k miles out of it. The difference is knowing a remanned engine and trans could be had for under $10k. I also have a ford tech that works for smoked meat and rolling rock. That difference has me taking the chance vs a $35-50k truck with 50k miles on it. Other things to consider would be your usage. This truck for me is only used for camping/towing vacations and the occasional homedepot run. I can deal with it being down if repairs are needed. Also, I know plenty of folks that don't maintain **** knowing they will be trading a car in at 60k miles in 3 years.
Thread Starter
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2nd Gear
Joined: Sep 2025
Posts: 2
Likes: 3
Thanks all! I’ve decided to pass on this particular truck due to the idle hour concerns. Found a ‘14 for a very good price that I’m hoping to look at tomorrow. It’s been privately owned. Whatever I buy will be my daily, for use in my business. I don’t need a problem truck. I prefer the 6R140 of the steel duty anyway. Thanks for your input!
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 10,181
Likes: 1,378
From: Chaz
At 33mph, per most manuals, that is 221,000 miles.
I bought one with 90k on it once that had almost 11,000 hours. 6.2 2011. Was cheap, ran it for a few jobs doing delivery’s and traded it to a framer for labor. Tired but ran fine.
Had to cut a hole in the ac box and clean it out with a hose. Lots of taco fumes been through there, if only it could tell a story.
I bought one with 90k on it once that had almost 11,000 hours. 6.2 2011. Was cheap, ran it for a few jobs doing delivery’s and traded it to a framer for labor. Tired but ran fine.
Had to cut a hole in the ac box and clean it out with a hose. Lots of taco fumes been through there, if only it could tell a story.
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