Hello all
I have been a member of the FTE for 10+years now, and have spent all this time driving Excursions - 7.3, 6.0 and now a v10. I am looking to switch over to something more modern with tech and creature comforts. My usage of these trucks are 90% is a people mover, I like to drive them big trucks, and 10% for the reason they were built that way. IYKYK

I've been searching for 2020+ (preferably) F250 with the 6.7. Lariat or higher trim. I took a '24 F250 with the Lariat Ultimate trim and 10 speed for a spin. This was the first time I have drive a 6.7, and I was completely floored by the truck. The only downside I could find with this truck was that it already has 58K miles which means the 3/36 warranty has expired, and the 5/60 warranty is almost gone.

While I am fairly familiar with the 4R100/5R110 transmission on the Excursions, I have no experience/knowledge of the 6 and 10 speed transmissions on the newer trucks. I was chatting with another senior FTE forum member a couple of days ago, and he suggested that I should be looking at the 2017-19 model years with the 6 speed as they are more proven than the 10 speed. I am looking for advice on which one to pick. Pros/cons of each.

Then comes the DEF story. I have generally heard and read about the good and bad of DEF and impacts on the emissions systems. I'd say the opinions are generally split 50-50. But, what do y'all collectively think about this.

As a rookie with pickups in general, and the 6.7 in particular, what should I watch for when buying one?

TIA. PFA of the truck that I test drove.

 

The one good thing about DEF is it allows for less EGR volume so IMO that's a big plus.

 

consider a 2023 and newer one just for the 9th injector in the DPF system. Faster regens

 

I think the 5r110 was the best heavy duty automatic transmission Ford's ever put in their super duties so far. The 6r140 is a pretty close 2nd, and I think your friend is offering good advice to consider the 17-19 trucks. The 23+ 10R140 I'd put in 3rd place, with the 20-22 off the podium because of CDF drum problems. Either version of the 10 speed is notorious for noticeable quirky behavior. From 3-4 shift flares, lurching when starting, hard shifts into gear when moving between reverse and drive.

Things were also done better pre-covid, and IMO some cut-corners that came about during covid are probably still there. I much prefer the interiors of the 23+ trucks and on the diesel the 9th injector and revised CP4 are in their favor. However since you're people moving I think transmission behavior still wins. I'd shop the 17-19 in your shoes.

 

Hey Donald, been a while since we chatted on the Excursion pages. I remember the white 6.0 that you were driving then. FYI, It was Razzi, @Toreador Red , who advised me to look at the 17-19 trucks with the 6 speed. I will steer clear of the 20-22. Thanks!

 

I’ve had really great experiences with 23+ trucks. I love the 10spds and the new interior, 58k isn’t bad for miles as I’ve got 53k on mine now with no issues. Definitely Lariat trim if you want power folding mirrors standard (I think XLT has it as an option but pretty rare) and heated/cooled seats. The only thing I wish I would have got was pro trailer (not because of the trailer part but it comes with electric steering assist). I don’t have that on the Lariat but I had a 23 Tremor and 23 STX with it which was so much better driving with than without.
I miss my Tremors power tailgate too but that’s just being spoiled lol.

 

For what it's worth - the ride of the 23+ seems much more refined than the 19 and the 20 I owned and operated. Might just be the seats. If you are moving people as primary use-case, it is a consideration.

 

I agree. Even my 2021 rides better than my previous 2018.

 

My 2024 feels better towing than my 2017, but I think that has more to do with the 6.7 than anything else. When compared to a 6.2 it performs better in everyway. As to comfort, I call it equal. My wife likes to say the King Ranch seats in the 2017 were better, but I don't think so. She is getting hung up on the King Ranch Aura despite me telling her this Lariat Ultimate is almost the same, just doesn't have the badging. I like the lower bed too, my 2017 was easliy 2" higher in the rear. I much prefer the stance, and accessibility, of the 2024.

 

Well, a diesel Superduty probably isn't the best choice just to carry people around but that's a different subject.

With regards to your question, I'd go with a 2020+ because the extra power and the 10spd make a big difference in towing performance........if you aren't towing anything ever, that may not be a big deal to you.

As far as DEF goes, I think it is a positive thing for the emissions systems because there is less EGR required....the only issue is the software and sensors that potentially shut the truck down if the DEF levels are getting low or the computer thinks they are...
My 2022 uses almost no DEF when not towing heavy; I've gone almost a full year without adding any. Based on the discussions here, the newer trucks use more DEF, particularly the HO trucks.

happy shopping.

Dave

 

The 5r110 was a good transmission but IMO the 6r140 is better in terms of towing performance and reliability/durability. Hands down better and many transmissions with +700k miles to prove it. The one thing I wish I could do is to lock out 1st gear when not towing.

My $0.02

 

Alright since everyone else is too polite to be that guy, I'll stick my neck out and be the Negative Nathan here, if it's 90% people mover, is the other 10% REAL heavy towing? If not, would you consider a 7.3 F350? For the price of a 2-3 year old PSD you can get a brand new 26 or 27 7.3 truck that has all the 10R140 issues sorted out and no DEF, DPF, fuel dilution, etc to worry about. You can even go down to 4.30 gearing that makes the truck real lively when moving humans around.

 

Anything 6RXXX is at least 7 model years old now. If you're looking at a 2024, why would this even be a consideration?

The 10R140/100 has been in use almost as long as the 6R140/100 was so I'd argue saying the six speed is "more proven" is someone giving advice without experience.

 

I think you've stepped right on top of the point without picking it up. Time in production is not the same thing as proven in the field. The 6R has 15 years now in the field. You aren't finding "is your 6R acting up too?" threads in the relevant forums now, it's still a common topic for 10R equipped vehicles. The 10R series is only just starting to come around with the 1st round of factory revisions addressing failure points like anodizing the CDF drum and machining a stop for the bushing that liked to walk out of position. There's a small handful of 10R examples past 300k where as Fish pointed out, there are many examples of the 6R past 700k.