Howdy all, first post here after reading for the last several months. I started off my search looking for a work truck. I own a gardening company and I'm also an Extension office Master Gardener so I'm frequently hauling heavy loads of soil and mulch.
I have a Lincoln sedan as my daily but its gettin long in the tooth at 150k and 13 years old. After hauling 30 bags of mulch in it last month (3 trips) I decided it was time to stop just reading and get serious with my truck buying.
I decided at first to get just a work truck.. something in the 5-8k range and started looking at the 7.3L from 2000. Problem is they sell for 12-15k (or more.. saw one on craigslist for 24k w/ 60k miles). Anyway, over the last few months and the more reading I've done the more the 6.7L 2011-2013 have been appealing to me. At prices of $35k or more I'd be using it as my daily driver and getting rid of the car. That means I'll be driving this truck for the next 10 years or more averaging 17k miles a year (based on past history). I don't really "commute" much so 'daily driver' isn't the right term but I do plenty of deliveries around town in mixed traffic and trips half hour or so in length (empty) aren't uncommon, though not the general rule.
So.. after all my research, the one question I haven't been able to answer is: Is the 6.7L the right truck for what I need?
Now, we all know that pure need is only so much of the purchasing decision, and 'want' makes up the other part. I'm the first to admit I love the turbo whistle on a big diesel and well, it just makes me happy. I do haul heavy loads in the back but if I'm honest with myself its once or twice a month for 6 months of the year. Towing is 4-6 times a year, and it is unlikely to be more than 10k lbs.
So, I'm forced to admit that I really don't need the 6.7L diesel's power. What I really do need is something reliable that will last me for 10 years or more.
I'm OK with DEF and more expensive oil changes of a diesel vs gas, and MPG is a minor, but not a major concern. What really has me stumped is the long term reliability of the truck that is almost certainly going to be out of warranty in light of a requirement it last me 10 years. Rounding up to 20k miles a year that means if I buy it with 50k it needs to run well to 250k miles. I'm always good on maintenance and obviously anything running 10 years will need work here and there, including all of the 'consumables' like tires, brakes, etc, so that isn't really what I mean. I'm more interested in the big mid-4+ digit repair problems.
Well.. any of you fine fellows that have read this far and would have any advice to share, I'd sure appreciate it.
Thanks very much.
I have a Lincoln sedan as my daily but its gettin long in the tooth at 150k and 13 years old. After hauling 30 bags of mulch in it last month (3 trips) I decided it was time to stop just reading and get serious with my truck buying.
I decided at first to get just a work truck.. something in the 5-8k range and started looking at the 7.3L from 2000. Problem is they sell for 12-15k (or more.. saw one on craigslist for 24k w/ 60k miles). Anyway, over the last few months and the more reading I've done the more the 6.7L 2011-2013 have been appealing to me. At prices of $35k or more I'd be using it as my daily driver and getting rid of the car. That means I'll be driving this truck for the next 10 years or more averaging 17k miles a year (based on past history). I don't really "commute" much so 'daily driver' isn't the right term but I do plenty of deliveries around town in mixed traffic and trips half hour or so in length (empty) aren't uncommon, though not the general rule.
So.. after all my research, the one question I haven't been able to answer is: Is the 6.7L the right truck for what I need?
Now, we all know that pure need is only so much of the purchasing decision, and 'want' makes up the other part. I'm the first to admit I love the turbo whistle on a big diesel and well, it just makes me happy. I do haul heavy loads in the back but if I'm honest with myself its once or twice a month for 6 months of the year. Towing is 4-6 times a year, and it is unlikely to be more than 10k lbs.
So, I'm forced to admit that I really don't need the 6.7L diesel's power. What I really do need is something reliable that will last me for 10 years or more.
I'm OK with DEF and more expensive oil changes of a diesel vs gas, and MPG is a minor, but not a major concern. What really has me stumped is the long term reliability of the truck that is almost certainly going to be out of warranty in light of a requirement it last me 10 years. Rounding up to 20k miles a year that means if I buy it with 50k it needs to run well to 250k miles. I'm always good on maintenance and obviously anything running 10 years will need work here and there, including all of the 'consumables' like tires, brakes, etc, so that isn't really what I mean. I'm more interested in the big mid-4+ digit repair problems.
Well.. any of you fine fellows that have read this far and would have any advice to share, I'd sure appreciate it.
Thanks very much.