New to Me Truck

[metalspinner]

All this jibber jabber about 7.3's got me in the mood for a new truck. My buddy is downsizing and I've been test driving this one for a few days. Just about ready to pull the trigger.

The plan is... My son will inherit my '04 F-150 (240,000 miles) we will sell his '04 Nissan Frontier (180000 miles), and I'll move into this '03 F-350 (180000 miles).

My only hesitation is that this will be my daily driver. Of course, we don't really have to sell anything and I could drive one of the other trucks???

How many of you use the F-350 for your daily driver - meaning just running around town?

Interestingly, the F-350 has better fuel economy than my F-150.



 

Here's a list of new stuff that's been done to the truck recently. Doesn't seem like there's much more to do!?!





It also has after market airbags on the rear. And a gooseneck hitch in the bed. 

[firefighter ontheside]

I had a 2002 F250 with a 7.3 as my daily driver for 6 years.  Then I had a 2008 F250 diesel for 8 years as my daily driver.  Now I have a 2017 F350 6.7 diesel as my daily driver.  You just have to realize you can't always park as close as you'd like.  We do usually take my wife's car when the family goes out on the town.  I loved the 7.3.  Its a great motor.  The biggest issue I had was the cam sensor going out on it.  I knew it was an issue with the truck and carried one around with me.  Changed it out on the shoulder of the road and back in business.  If that one has the original, I would at least carry one around with you or just replace it.  It takes a 10mm wrench I think, so make sure you have one with you.  180,000 is really nothing for that motor.  I had a friend who had around 750,000 on his.  I think the biggest concern would have been transmission, but that is fairly new.  Assuming its an automatic, the 4R100 is not known for being bullet proof.  That being said, I had no trouble with mine, but I sold it at 140,000 miles.

[Nebraska]

268000 on mine, (2001 F350) pulls like a dream. I would keep the  Nissan and grind it to death as your cheap daily driver.  Buy it the save  that big Ford for working. Nice ones are tough to find. Keep it in good shape and it will last a long time. 

[Gere Flewelling]

If you live anywhere  that uses salt on the roads, look the oil pan over for rust.  My son had an 02 F-250 with that diesel in it.  An excellent vehicle except for the rusty oil pan.  He was told the engine had to be removed to replace it due to frame interference.  He ended up trading it for one of the new aluminum f-150"s.  I suspect he will say it was not one of his best decisions as he looks back in life.  I would love to find another just like it and just replace the oil pan.

[metalspinner]

Made a repair on the truck today. Couldn't find any info on youtube, so I put this little video together...

https://youtu.be/BaZRfHRhif4

[farmfromkansas]

I bought a 05 F-450 last year, 191,000 miles, and mine had a lot of dirt in the rocker panels and cab corners, which I cleaned out.  Also found dirt build up on the floor right under the thresholds on both sides of the cab under the doors.  They have clips that hold the plastic down to the floor, you just pry them up, and if they are rusty you can get new clips from auto body supply stores. Mine had no rust in the rocker panels and cab corners, was a little on the passenger side on the floor.  I just steel brushed and scraped, and painted the cleaned area with spray paint.  

[firefighter ontheside]

I got an email from dealer/salesman who sold me my new truck 3 1/2 years ago.  They are trying to get people to trade in vehicles, because supply is very low right now.  That made me wonder what my truck was still worth according to KBB.  Trade in value of my truck is right at what I paid for it.  Private party value is a little higher.  That sounds great until you find out that there are very few new trucks to be had.  Those they do have are selling at basically MSRP.  For a minute I thought I might get a new truck, but even though I can get back what I paid, it's not as good of a deal as it sounds.

[hedgerow]

Had several 7.3 diesels non turbo models and then two power stroke ones a 97 and a 2000. Put one cam sensor in the 97 carry one in the 2000 and it was still in the glove box when I sold the truck in 2005 with 140,000 miles on it. The 7.3 always treated my good.  It was a F-350 dually single cab six speed manual. Wanted a four door dually so a bought a new 2005. Big mistake 6.0 motor was a bust they put three engines in it in 40,000 miles. Traded it in 2011 and went back to gas F-350. Probably won't own a diesel pickup again. Just don't do a ton of trailer towing miles any more. My F-150 gets most of my miles.