Buying used Diesel truck

[outnabout]

Looking at buying a used diesel. Seem most say having 100k miles is no big deal if well cared for. What about transmissions, rear ends, wheel berings etc. If I find a truck with 130K would I be wise looking at it? Thanks

[JoeTee]

99-03 Ford
2011+ Ford
06+ GM
2003-2007 Dodge


Best years I think, everything else is common sense, just check it over.


If it fits your budget go get a new base model 3/4 ton if it meets your tow rating. They usually cut close to 10 grand off the price if you wheel and deal a bit.

[Perrysburg_Dodg]

wintersun wrote:
Diesel repairs are very expensive. A new set of injectors costs more than a complete engine rebuild on a gas engine. The pre-2010 diesel pickups as a whole had lots of reliability problems. I would look for a 2010 pickup from any of the three companies over almost any of the older trucks. One possible exception is the Chevy 2006-2007.5 (Classic) trucks which had an unusually trouble free engine. Now this is the funniest thing I have seen in a long time! Per 2010 diesels have "reliability problems" really :h Do tell please, BTW I would not buy any diesel with a CP4 injection pump and that is any Ford/GM 2010? and up!


A friend bought a 2002 Chevy diesel earlier this year with 120K miles on it. It had recently had the fuel injectors replaced at a cost of $4500 so it was a good buy. Had he bought the truck for the $22,000 he paid and then later had to spend another $4500 on the new injectors it would have not been a good deal at all.

Lots of diesel forums that are easy to find and a very few sources of repairs information that is much more difficult to find. Appreciate that with 20,000 trucks sold of a particular engine model and year that probably 10,000 of the owners sold their trucks before the trucks needed to repaired and so they will speak in glowing terms about how great the truck was. There are both owner repair surveys and ones done of repair shops that cover the different makes and model years and none of the big three look good for the 2001-2009 years as a whole. Got any links to these "surveys" as I posted earlier I replace parts BEFORE they break always have so I guess my truck must be junk then :h

I found when I looked for a used diesel pickup with less than 60K on the odometer in 2011 that all the ones for sale were priced at over $35K as their owners had paid much to much for them when new. I ended up spending $42K and getting a brand new GM Duramax truck instead with the full warranty.
So you to spent to much then right?

[wintersun]

Diesel repairs are very expensive. A new set of injectors costs more than a complete engine rebuild on a gas engine. The pre-2010 diesel pickups as a whole had lots of reliability problems. I would look for a 2010 pickup from any of the three companies over almost any of the older trucks. One possible exception is the Chevy 2006-2007.5 (Classic) trucks which had an unusually trouble free engine.

A friend bought a 2002 Chevy diesel earlier this year with 120K miles on it. It had recently had the fuel injectors replaced at a cost of $4500 so it was a good buy. Had he bought the truck for the $22,000 he paid and then later had to spend another $4500 on the new injectors it would have not been a good deal at all.

Lots of diesel forums that are easy to find and a very few sources of repairs information that is much more difficult to find. Appreciate that with 20,000 trucks sold of a particular engine model and year that probably 10,000 of the owners sold their trucks before the trucks needed to repaired and so they will speak in glowing terms about how great the truck was. There are both owner repair surveys and ones done of repair shops that cover the different makes and model years and none of the big three look good for the 2001-2009 years as a whole.

I found when I looked for a used diesel pickup with less than 60K on the odometer in 2011 that all the ones for sale were priced at over $35K as their owners had paid much to much for them when new. I ended up spending $42K and getting a brand new GM Duramax truck instead with the full warranty.

[BigToe]

The gems are out there. Single owner, older owner, used diesels that haven't beem mucked with, and have low miles.

A friend of mine decided after one trip that his F150 was not enough truck to tow his new light Lance trailer. Budget constrained, he was looking for used diesels. After much research, he concluded that the 7.3L was his safest bet, despite the relatively lower prices of 6.0/6.4 trucks that were newer and had fewer miles.

It took him about 8 months, including the time lost when the first one he found got away. But to help the OP, let me describe the one he missed (because a dealer 500 miles away swooped in over the weekend, paid the private party seller 20K in cash, and flipped the truck for 24K on his lot).

The truck was a 2002 F250 crew cab short bed, pristine, single owner, garage kept, bone stock, only 70K miles, which works out to about 7K miles per year.

My friend was fairly discouraged after having that truck bought out from under him, but he kept looking. Eventually, an even better deal for his family turned up... a 2002 Excursion. It had low miles also, but for a different reason. It had a lift kit that was so tall, it wasn't practical for a daily driver.

And this is where my friend was wiser than I would have been... he bought it anyway, despite the thing looking like it belonged on a monster truck TV show. He was so embarrassed by the sight of the thing in his driveway, that he had another friend store the Excursion offsite while he gathered parts to execute his plan.

With all new front and rear springs, shocks, ball joints, steering linkage, steering gear, wheels, tires, ring and pinion gears for a ratio change, etc gathered, he brought the Excursion back home, stripped the lift kit and tires, restored the truck to optimum towing ride height with new factory parts, and then sold the lift kit, wheels and tires to offset his restoration.

His net cost for the low mileage 7.3L Excursion was about $17K. New, it was $50K+. Despite the monster lift kit and 5.13 gearing, the engine was left stock, and the transmission was already upgraded. So in essence, there was a good value used diesel hidden behind the outlandish running gear modifications.

The take away is that it might be cheaper to buy new parts to restore an older model year truck with a reliable drivetrain, than it is to buy a newer model year truck with an unreliable drivetrain. Something to think about.

[Vanished]

I agree with proper maintenance there shouldn't be a problem, but the question is if I'm feeling 'lucky' enough to gamble on a $15k diesel vs a $4k gasser replacement...

[Andymon]

I recently bought a '99 F250 super Duty with 7.3 diesel. 170K miles. Had it checked out from top to bottom and it is almost like new. Runs great. A friend of mine had an old F250 with 700K on it!!

[phenrichs]

IT'S ALL ABOUT HISTORY!
Buying a 300,000 mile truck wouldn't be that big of a concern if you hve the proper maintenance record.
Most diesel trucks on the market today with proper maintenance and care can easily go to 200K - 300K miles. I bought my 06 Dodge with 176K miles on it. It was a one owner, all service done at local dealer, truck traded back into that same dealer which is where it was originally purchased. I have put one injector, changed oils. I know trans will need rebuilt as the bands have no adjustment left but I have been told that can be done for under $2K. The thing to look for is any sign that it has been modified with aftermarket power stuff. The items are good if they are properly installed and properly used. If they beefed it up and went to truck pulls that is different.

[DerekV]

I bought an 08 ram 3500 last sept. it had 37,000km (25,000 miles) on it when I got it now we are at about 35,000 miles and had to do the ball joints on it. I upgraded them toa greasable joint so hopefully they will last longer. I also still have a year of powertrain warranty left. The truck was a private sale and was about 2/3 the cost of new.

[rhagfo]

atvanish wrote:
Just curious - Am I the only one that's "Afraid" to buy a late model used diesel for $25k-$35k without any warranty knowing the 'what if' the $15k engine would go? We all know it doesn't happen often but its still a chance...

Well to me there are signs. A couple years old low miles, likely a lease return, i would likely stay clear, unless the warranty transferred.
One owner 5 to 10 years old with 15, to 20K miles a year, in a heart beat!

[rightyouareken]

atvanish wrote:
Just curious - Am I the only one that's "Afraid" to buy a late model used diesel for $25k-$35k without any warranty knowing the 'what if' the $15k engine would go? We all know it doesn't happen often but its still a chance...

+1 and not just with diesels. Paying ~75% of new price for a vehicle with so many miles with no warranty keeps me buying new for not much more $.

[Vanished]

Just curious - Am I the only one that's "Afraid" to buy a late model used diesel for $25k-$35k without any warranty knowing the 'what if' the $15k engine would go? We all know it doesn't happen often but its still a chance...

[BigToe]

"if you find a stock 7.3 at 200K and it isn't leaking fluids buy it."

And if you find a stock 7.3L that IS leaking fluids, buy it anyway. Unlike the 6.0 and the 6.4, the leaks in a 7.3 can be fixed with a $15 0-ring kit, not a $15,000 "bulletproofing" rebuild.

[mike_mck]

outnabout wrote:
Looking at buying a used diesel. Seem most say having 100k miles is no big deal if well cared for. What about transmissions, rear ends, wheel berings etc. If I find a truck with 130K would I be wise looking at it? Thanks

I had a F350 DRW 7.3 IDI with 175K miles and pulled a 37 foot enclosed car hauler. Worked that trucks A** off and it never complained. Sold it and bought my 1999 F550 to get the powerstroke with 7.3 6 months ago with 225K miles on it and now at 238K Fluid change and oil changes every 5000 miles or so. Runs like the day it left the lot.
Of course the six 19.5 245 70's were a little pricey. Son has a 2002 F250 7.3 with over 300K. Runs great and gets 18 mpg hiway. 3.73 gears. If you find a stock 7.3 at 200K and it isn't leaking fluids buy it. The 7.3's are 500K motors. If it's a 6.0 the price will be attractive but run don't walk away. Potential for Hi dollar issues will be high. A reasonable priced 6.7 ford (does that exist)? No problem.
As you may have noticed I drive fords.

[john_bet]

I been putting a key in a used one since Feb.5,'04. Drove it off the dealers lot with 19 miles on it on Feb.2,'04. Been to dealer 3 times,once for a recall,once for some minor warranty work and once for a water pump. Now has 153k and counting and its ready for a big trip in Oct. after a new set of shoes. JME.