Ford F250 Purchase Advice

I'm looking into a 2003 F250 with only 30,000 miles on it. It is a 6.0 SuperCab with a long bed. I've never owned a diesel before, so what should I look for and consider when purchasing a diesel truck over gas?

 

Make sure the odometer, is original to the truck.

 

search youtube for powerstrokehelp

many many videos about ford diesels from 7.3s to the new 6.7

some of the failure vids are mechanically gruesome.

 

Pull the cab & change the head gaskets now, before they fail. Or wait a while and pull the cab & change the head gaskets WHEN they fail.

A local shop here has a $5,000 special to do it for you.

 

6.0 had problems

 

I'm no diesel expert, in fact, the one I own now (2011 F250 6.7) is the first diesel that I've ever owned, but the 6.0 had many issues and is certainly one to stay away from. The next generation (6.4) was better, but still had some issues. I'd suggest going with an older 7.3 or the new 6.7.........YMMV

 

The 03 was the first year for the new 6.0. They had the most problems with head gaskets and high pressure oil pumps, plus some other issues. The HG is not cheap to fix.

With 30k miles, assuming that is accurate, this truck would be a great candidate to send for a Bullet Proof treatment (Google Bullet Proof Diesel).That is if you can buy it for a good price. This will fix most of the problems and should make this a 200k mile truck.

 

You should also consider $80-100 oil changes every 6000-8000 miles. $150 fuel filter changes every 10-12k miles. 13-15 MPG of $3.50- $3.80 per gal.
These are not cheap for daily drivers if you are not using it for its intended purpose, ie hauling heavy loads, pulling 8-10k lbs plus trailer regularly.

 

Correct about the early model 6.0s... I have a stock 07 (last year of the 6.0) with 90k and it still looks & runs like new. The numbers above are dead on, and if taken care of then the rig will run forever. I would avoid 03-05 models, but if you must get one then the studs & egr/oil cooler mod are essential. Chek the Diesel Garage forums for some good info...

 

saw this today


15 used cars to avoid


Ford F-250 6.0 Diesel


Research all Ford F-250 models

Tempted by that big Ford F-250 diesel? Take a step back. The 6.0-liter Navistar diesel engine has a long list of issues, including loss of power, oil cooler failures, blown head gaskets, warped head bolts and more. Even worse, engine repairs require the entire cab to be separated from the vehicle. Repairs are time consuming and expensive. Stick with a gasoline engine option and you should be good to go.

 

My friends father had a 6.0 with the bullet proofing done to it shortly after buying it new. The truck had 500,000km on it when he finally got rid of it and used it as a daily driver/landscaping work truck. I'm not sure what else he had to replace during that time but it seemed to do him well over the years.

Now the same buddy bought a new 6.7 is constantly at the dealership. They're a die hard ford family for some reason lol.

 

Check above the fan guard in the engine bay to see if the recall service sticker is there. Look at the interior and see if it looks like a 30,000 mile seat, carpet, etc.
If you don't drive like an idiot you will get 16.5 MPG stock.
Other than an exhaust and cold air intake I wouldn't mess with too many mods on that specific truck, but it's your money.

 

Where did you read that yahoo?

 

I had the diesel talk with a buddy of mine , he's sold ford trucks for 30+ years

His advice was the 7.3 is the one to have , when the 6.0 came out it was nothing but big issues and his advice to his customers at the time was either wait a few years or buy the Duramax until ford fixes the issues ....


His loyal customers waited some bought a Chevy and thanked him for the advice , the man knows trucks especially Ford's

 

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/15-used-cars-to-avoid

 

If I were the OP... if the price was right you can get an easy 250k+ out of the truck with not much drama if you keep it stock. If you start adding aggressive tunes then be prepared to pay the piper. A AAA card is highly recommended & a competent wrench (not a dealer) familiar with those engines. Also you have to use quality filters... not cheap quik lube stuff.

Also those motors can blow white smoke when a cooler or oring fails... but it takes ALOT to blow the headgaskets.

 

is your friend a diesel dalai lama??

 

Exactly.
I've put 60K on my '05 in 4 1/2 yrs. Probably 50 of that is towing.
Not 1 issue until 3 mos. ago (EGR cooler started leaking). Did the delete and now I trust it even more. :up:

 

I'm kinda shaking my head in disbelief at the idea that 200k is an acceptable lifespan for a diesel...