Make the switch or not!

[pruittncrv]

Just looking for your opinions, my current TV is a 99 F250 CC 2wd V10 with 107k miles. Our TT is 32 ft and around 8k miles loaded and on beach trips we do haul our golf cart in the bed as well. Our dilemma, we are a family of 5, as our two oldest kids get older they desire to take friends along, my truck only seats 5. So, the way I look at it is I have 3 options.
1. Drive another vehicle on those trips when friends tag along
2. Buy a 2500/ excursion and leave the golf cart behind
3. Keep the truck and add a front bench seat and just be cramped up for the trips with extra people.
I do have a guy wanting to trade me his 1999 2500 suburban-4x4 122kmiles 7.4- he would give me $1500 boot but afraid I would hate the IFS.
Can anyone respond who has made the switch from SUV to truck or truck to SUV and what are your thoughts. Even with 5 in my truck we are cramped so the large SUV sounds nice in that aspect. To stay in the same price range I would only consider v10 excursions. Thanks. for your thoughts and input!

[jspringator]

Instead of the golf cart, get a front hitch motorcycle/scooter carrier and get a dual sport motorcycle or scooter. I have a Yamaha XT 225 that is easy to load.

[pruittncrv]

V10 !!!

[TECMike]

Perhaps I missed it, but does the 03 Excursion have 6.0L engine or the 7.3L engine? Makes a big difference as to value and dependability.

[Lantley]

I went from a Excursion to a 5 seat crew cab Because we decided to get a 5'er. The5'er has been great but we still miss the passenger space of the Excursion.
Nevertheless my family fits fine in the crew cab, it is a bit snug but we manage even on long trips.
There is an issue when friends want to come, once or twice a year we may take a second car to bring extra people. However as long as my immediate family fits I have no intention of changing vehicles to accommodate others. Since your family of 5 fit in your 5 seat crew cab, I'm not sure why you need to get the X or Burb?
Now if you just want a change or would like more passenger space I understand but that is a want and there is no need to seek approval from the peanut gallery!
In the end I went from a TT to a 5'er simply because I wanted to not because there was a rational reason to make the switch.
If you are willing to give up the golf cart go for it, The X has all kinds of passenger space. Keep in mind the X makes a great TV in terms of enclosed passenger space but it lacks the versatility of a pickup bed. Especially for items you do not want inside the truck like: gas cans,grills, camping mats, wet stuff etc.

[Engineer9860]

mudfuel07 wrote:

trail-explorer wrote:

mudfuel07 wrote:
I will never own another IFS piece of junk. I replaced countless CV boots and shafts on the couple of bowtie's that I owned a very long time ago.

Doubtful they "are a piece of junk". That's describing them a bit harshly.
This thread isn't about an IFS vs Solid Axle thread.

Well, it actually is since he is debating swapping or keeping the current vehicle. To make an informed decision, you need to consider all aspects. You say harsh, I say experience.

Then I guess all of the Ford F-150, and Ram 1500 4x4 buyers would be wise to heed your sage advice.

[pruittncrv]

Thanks Wes for the thoughts and info!!
I have decided I am going to trade, just have to decide which vehicle i will be trading for. I had a guy contact me this evening with 03 Excursion, 2wd, 3.73, Eddie Bauer, 130k miles. He is asking about $800 more than I am but I may be able to get a even trade!!! Now I need to look thru all the Excursion vs 2500 threads!!

[mudfuel07]

trail-explorer wrote:

mudfuel07 wrote:
I will never own another IFS piece of junk. I replaced countless CV boots and shafts on the couple of bowtie's that I owned a very long time ago.

Doubtful they "are a piece of junk". That's describing them a bit harshly.
This thread isn't about an IFS vs Solid Axle thread.

Well, it actually is since he is debating swapping or keeping the current vehicle. To make an informed decision, you need to consider all aspects. You say harsh, I say experience.

[Wes_Tausend]

...

I think the pick-up books higher because of the current trend to crew cabs. One truck is not necessarily better than the other otherwise. The 454 is a well established engine, quite durable and possibly cheaper to replace if it comes to that.

The leaky main on the GM is alarming unless they are noted for that and it is an easy fix and not related to overall engine wear.

The coil packs probably means a sparkplug change is due unless you already did that at 100K as spec'd. I have seen recommendations to change at 60k to reduce this. The gap has increased so much at 100k that the required voltage to fire the plugs has built up to where the pack insulation can break down. FYI, all spark plugs fire at the least voltage they can, and that variable is determined by the plug gap along with the resulting psi of compression. As an example, at idle all engines are compressing a near vacuum (easy to fire) and at wide open, low lugging speeds, all engine are compressing a full atmospheric charge of air (may miss). High speed, wide open again compresses less air because of difficulty in cylinder filling, and a miss may disappear. The result is that old point ignitions sometimes failed to build enough voltage to ever fire the spark whereas modern EPA ignitions build to horrendous levels, if they must, to prevent miss-fire. They are capable of fatally high voltages (to themselves) which is why it is not recommended to let a modern plug wire dangle with no easy place to fire.

So one truck needs a main seal and one perhaps needs plugs. You must realise that the Ford engine, as durable as they are, do sometimes blow out new plugs because the aluminum head design has very few, rather fragile, threads. Plug replacement must be done perfect and no Ford dealer I know will even guarantee success. There are several kits out there, a cottage industry, to repair aluminum threads for this engine and some others. And I am sure several on here will say they had no trouble. The local Ford dealer did my V-10 Excursion for the previous owner and it did blow at least one plug for me ($800) after several thousand more miles. I say at least one plug because I noted an odd coil pack at this time, and another damaged CP. Part of the $800 replaced all three coil packs with Ford OEM.

The 2500 Burb is becoming rarer since they no longer make them. The CC truck is becoming more common as new CC's are quite popular and somewhat displacing SUV's. Down the road there is a distinct possibilty that the 2500 will be worth more if HD SUV's retain any desirability at all.

Food for thought.

Wes
...

[Chuck_thehammer]

like others have said. yours will not be going as often in a couple of years. at lease not all of them.

pick YOUR comfort . not your or other kids. or age of kids. that will change yearly. but NOT YOU.

[trail-explorer]

Or tell the friends "there isn't room, you can't come.... truck is too cramped."
That's the easiest solution.

[pruittncrv]

What about the value of the Sub? specs on both

1999 2500 4x4 122k miles 4.10 posi rear LT model with all options, clean paint and body with no damage, typical leather driver seat issue, carpets clean and a/c system recently replaced but needs recharging. Tires ok, i would probably upgrade those, has a slight rear main leak and steering seems a little loose.

1999 F250 CC 2wd V10 107k miles XLT 5 seater, I have replaced 5 or 6 CP's, good tires and updated front end, 4.10 and posi rear, no leaks, radio needs replacing and a couple of other minor things need attention.

I would say condition wise they are even, kbb says a $3k difference in m favor but the Sub would come in handy with the family

[TECMike]

Keep the truck and as mentioned. The Ford V-10 is a tough and dependable engine. Put a little money in it, perhaps a camper shell for extra covered space.

[FishOnOne]

carringb wrote:
Or have it stretched by Tim:

That's hideous... Right up there with the Mega Cab.

[BigBaron]

carringb - Who did that stretch?

I'd swap if you want a 'Burb. More comfortable all around.