Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Which/why? Used Diesel 3/4s….

Not quite sur3 I’m ready to pull the trigger, with market and fuel$ lately, but I have a ‘deal’ comparison for the experts:

Truck #1: 2012 F250 King Ranch 4X4, 6.7 diesel and only 168k miles, $32,9xx

VS

Truck #2: 2010 dodge 2500 TRX package 6.7 diesel, 4x4 203,9xx miles. No mechanical issues. Rust on rocker panels.
$21k

Rust on rockers aside (or assume it’s negligible/easy to address), and assuming no mechanical or other shortcomings, which is really the better deal?

Why?

I think the trx is the base model. 203k is getting up there and I would expect to be doing some work on steering, transmission, etc. That generation cummins is pretty simple to delete, should that be of interest. The motor is likely fine, although the epa has done their best to kill it. My 08 has probably been my best truck, but it hasn't been maintenance free.

Dont know much about the ford except there will be nicer options. That may be a plus or a minus as it's at the age where electric doohickies tend to fail and cost money to fix. Too rich for my blood for that kind of mileage and age. I'd consider the dodge, but to be honest that is just because it is what I know.

Whichever one you pick, plan on spending another $5000-$7500 to fix whatever the reason is those trucks are for sale.

If you want to fix the rust on the Ram you are easily looking at $1500 plus to do it correctly. That is assuming it is just the outer rockers and not inners as well.

If you don’t truly NEED a diesel, I would probably avoid buying one, especially one equipped with the DPF and SCR/DEF systems. Pre DPF trucks are getting old enough that you are likely to have to put substantial money into the rest of the truck, even if the power plant is still ok. You pay your money and take your chances regardless.

I have a 2004 Dodge 3/4 diesel, had to rebuild front end, couple water pumps, 217,000 miles, runs great. If you buy a Dodge the front end is 2000.00 to have it rebuilt.

I’m not going to tow a lot, but I’ll need to tow a lot of weight on occasion. SUPER difficult to find bigger gas burners right now, it seems. I’d prefer a gas burner, for cost of ownership….at least that’s my thoughts.


I’ve also run across a 2011 2500 6.6 Chevrolet with 260k, in better shape than the dodge, for $15k…..that might pan out vs maintenance, maybe. It’s also a crew cab long bed, which is likely more useful for hauling/towing and true truck stuff than the shorter beds. I’m planning on keeping my ‘04 Tundra for as long as it lives. . I can daily drive it and/or rotate between them.

This will be for my small farm, tractor, travel trailer, and equipment hauling for trips, working, etc. my tractor bumps 8k#, before I add trailer and other gear.

Forgot to add….the Chevy has had a DPF delete. Don’t think it’s had any tune, CP3 conversion, EGR delete, etc, but I’ll check.

Best advice you'll get. I wanted a diesel to use as a daily driver just cuz'. I have an aquaintance that is the shop foreman at Bulletproof Diesel here in Mesa (AZ). He sat down with me and we went through the pluses and minuses. Unless you're going to tow or carry a big load, You're much better off with a gas motor (especially with the fuel prices). As others have said, repair and maintenance costs can be pretty high.

That's interesting coming from BPD. There will still be some teeth gnashing here from die hard diesel peeps.

Well, what SHOULD I be looking for in used gassers that will tow all I need, AND be reliable?

If my tractor is nearly 8k#, and I add a trailer, bush hog, box blade, etc. then I’m looking at 10k#, minimum….on a swag. If I’m looking at even more weight as a possibility, even if it’s only a dozen to two dozen times a year, what gas burner is made for that?…..especially considering I won’t likely buy anything newer due to cost. Probably 2008-2017 year models, to be in my $ range.

6.0 or 6.2 GM

6.2 Ford.

Ran a lot of miles with skid steers, small asphalt roller, mill head and a bucket all sitting on a trailer.

3/4 or 1 ton. GM or Ford. It's not the going that's the bitch, it's the getting stopped quick fast and in a hurry if need be.

Get a Tekonsha brake controller even if the truck is equipped with a factory brake controller. The aftermarket controller is next level over factory.

I’d be looking for an 11 to 16 model Ford with the 6.2. If you happen to find one that came with 4:30 gears it would be even better when you tow.

Company I work for has a fleet of them and they’re trouble free, get 14mpg, and will pull what you need it to. They don’t pull like a diesel but they will get the job done.

Very few like that available in my area, it seems. Also, most have as many miles as their used diesel counterpart, for similar $. I had also been looking for dodge 6.4s. Once I started considering I’d likely only be driving this vehicle maybe 5k a year, and likely a lot less, I couldn’t see where there was much difference in maintenance or fuel costs between gas and diesel. I also started thinking about potential drivetrain wear on 100k + vehicles….with mileage while towing being far less stressful to the diesel before I would own it, than the gasser. I’ve got a gasser for a daily driver. If it goes down, I’d get another daily driver. This vehicle is for towing/hauling enough that I never have to worry about anything I’m liable to hook up to it.

6.2 vs 6.0 vs 6.4 reliability, towing, etc?

I’ve historically had better luck with GM stuff, bad luck with Ford stuff, and not much experience with Dodge.

I have a 2007 Dodge Ram 2500, Big Horn addition. Bought it with 102,000 miles on it, now has 163,000. I have had the transmission rebuilt, (was rebuilt before I got it, lousy job) Front end rebuilt, injectors replaced,( month ago) ,u-joints, water pump, and probably a fewt things I am forgetting. Was thinking about selling to buy a used low mileage Tacoma, but now thinking since so many rebuilt/new parts, might keep it.
As others have said, if you dont need the diesel, forget it. I do pull a 24 ' Northwoods travel trailer, so works great for that.
Also for any off-roading , even a little mud or snow, forget that too. This thing would get stuck on a slippery banana peel!
Miss my Toyota 4wd's for that.
Forgot to add I have the 5.9 , no DEF

I have no experience with the Ram 6.4. But have a 6.2 as well as experience with a fleet of them at work. They’ve been the most trouble free engine transmission combo the company has ever used according to our fleet mechanics.
Friends have 6.0 GMs they have had good luck with as farm and work trucks.

I’ve found a few 6.0 chevys and 6.2 fords around the 100-160k mile mark. I’d expect they’d go to 300k or more?

The thing for me on the 6.2 is the cam phasers they run for variable valve timing. I had a 2000 F250 with the 6.8 gasser. The cam phaser were starting to rattle at startup. This is due to the timing chain tensioners going bad. That motor had 225,000 miles on it and I did all but 2 oil changes on it. I usually did 5000 mile changes or before I left for an extended towing trip. If phasers need replacement the need to be genuine Ford parts.
I don't know if Ford came up with a fix for the 6.2 so I may be talking out of my ass but be sure to listen to a cold engine start up if you can. Listen for rattling at the front of the engine.

Not sure on the years but the Ram 6.4 had some engine issues. Rods, wrist pins maybe?

The 6.0 GM and 6.2 Ford are solid. The 350 I drove had other issues, the 6.2 engine was good.

Hard to beat the design of the LS series of GM engines. A lot of longevity in these engines.

As TheKid says, if going Ford get the 4.33 gears, Mine had 3.73 and while I did regularly pull 12-14k it was a struggle getting started.