Official Tennessee Thread

Happy birthday @14Tacos4me

 

Happy birthday!

 

Touring around Maine Bar Harbor area.

 

Did some impromptu Dirt Devil today.

 

Say what you will about Dave, but the man knows how to build a sexy truck.
And that is a fact.

 

Thanks everyone, it’s been a good one.

 

Thanks, I just have a vision and execute it. Lucky for me it usually works out. #blessed amirite?

 

Happy birthday @14Tacos4me

So guys I've been thinking.

I found a really good deal on a stock 2006 f250 6 speed manual with ~120k with a 6.0

It's a pretty clean and solid truck that's never been touched I don't think. I'm thinking about picking it up as a service truck/tow rig. Won't be driven a lot just to tow the runner around and as a tool truck.

I know the 6.0 has a bad (terrible) past about it, but from what I've saw, most of the problems come from people trying to chip them and crank some more power out of them and the emission systems can't handle it and the heads can't handle the extra boost and temps and most turbos failures are from soot build up and stuff.

I just have a hard time spending the same amount on a 7.3 with 300k+ miles on it that's been dogged on since day one and is most likely douched out.

What's everyone else think? Should I just jump off a cliff?

 

Gallatin.

 

Welcome to the party

 

What’s your budget?

The 6.0 has a handful of issues that just are going to be a problem no matter the condition or tune. FICM, injectors, EGR cooler, oil cooler, and turbo. If you’re mentally and financially prepared to deal with those issues, you can pick up a 6.0 for cheap.

There are deals out there on 7.3 trucks still, the prices are coming down now that people realize you can buy a common rail truck for not a whole lot more money than what the 7.3/12v/24v trucks were bringing. I scooped mine up for $15k, bone stock SCSB with zero rust and 99k from a dealer in Lexington

 

Yeah and that's another thing, prices are coming down some but a lot of people in this area are picking them up and trying to flip them and make a crazy profit off of them. Even dealerships.

With the 6.0 having the horror stories it does and stuff I can get the 6.0 I'm talking about for ~$12,500 out the door. The same place has a 7.3 automatic with 220k for $16,900.

Edit: As far as budget goes, I'm open to a good deal, I'm just not up for $40k+ on something that's a few years old with 100k+ miles on it haha

 

I'd say a hard pass on both honestly. That's too much money for a 7.3 at that mileage and too much money for the 6.0 no matter the mileage...

Are you set on diesel or a particular brand? What are you towing?

 

No I'm not set on a diesel by any means, I've also found a few chevy 6.0s and some 8.1s but most of them aren't 4x4.

Just for pulling my 4Runner around and a service bed would be nice for service calls and stuff. Plus they make packing up for trips a breeze. I'd prefer a manual but I can live with an automatic.

 

I was part owner in a business through the 90's and early 2000's. We bought and sold used farm equipment. We had as many as 6 trucks with gooseneck trailers that were used to haul tractors, etc.... 1 was a 6.0 Ford (mistake) the rest were Dodge. Loved the 24V diesels, but loved one truck in particular...A Hemi gasser. automatic, quad cab, long bed 2500. It was CHEAPER to operate (per mile) than the diesels. The diesels got SLIGHTLY better mileage, but gas was cheaper. Where the big rub was at was the cost for routine maintenance on the diesels. The diesels would out power the hemi on big hills on the interstate, but that hemi would hang with 'em on normal driving.

When the trucks started wearing out (Around 300K miles) it didn't matter diesel or gas....The diesel might go a million miles, but the rest of the truck was worn out. we had one diesel auto....Mistake. The auto did great behind the gas.

So....NOT a huge fan of diesels. They have their plusses, but they have their negatives too. Consider initial cost, give me a gasser every time.

 

All of these should fit in your price range and pull a 4Runner on a trailer just fine

Gas
-5.7 Tundra
-5.3/6.0/6.2 GMC/Chevy 1500/2500
-3.5 EB/5.0/6.2 Ford 150/250

Diesel
-7.3 Ford, just have to keep an eye out for deals...they are out there.
-LBZ Dmax trucks, higher initial price but they are rock solid aside from rust
-5.9 common rail Dodges

-I'd stay away from 12/24v trucks if you want 4x4. The front end is just not up to the task unless you like changing parts every 15-20k. 2wd ones are a pretty decent buy right now with values falling.

-Stay away from 6.0's and 6.4's unless you have an extra $10k in the bank for repairs.

-Same with LB7 and LLY Dmax trucks except its just about $4-5k in the bank. (Injectors on the LB7 and HG's on the LLY)

-08+ diesels will need to be deleted at some point because of DPF or DOC issues too.

 

I have had to deal with every one of those issues listed. 2007 4 door 6 speed manual 6.0 with 200k on it now. Under factory warranty Ford rebuilt our engine 4 times; we tow quite often and ran a Hypertech tuner so our problems were amplified. We did the bulletproof EGR cooler which failed a year after installation so as it sits the truck has no EGR crap. It also has ARP studs, new gaskets, coolant filter system and a couple more things to alleviate the 6.0 problems. We have done the FICM twice too. I hate that thing with a passion BUT a $750+ a month payment on any new diesel is way worse than the cost of keeping the 6.0 running. Its a shop truck now but I would still lean towards a 7.3 or even an 2003/2004 Cummins. From what I have seen the 6.4 Ford was not much better; Chevy had decent success with the LBZ series but I don't think there is a perfect diesel engine out there, just some with less issues than others

 

Yeah, a lot of good points there. Everything has its good and bad. Cummins is good but dodge front ends not so much.

I've been towing with a 5.7 tundra that's my dad's but I've just been thinking about picking up a service truck and letting it pull double duty. As far as chevy/gm goes, I'll probably pass on a 5.3 unless it's a really good deal. I've found a lot of 6.0 2500 for cheap but they tend to be 2wd.

 

I'll attest to this. The 6.0 (especially Lucas's) is a piece of shit. If anything gave me the amount of trouble that this 6.0 has given him, I'd have put 40lbs of tannerite in it and sent her to the moon.

 

Alright so I guess I'm going to pass on the ferd 6.0

Thanks guys

I found a 5.4 that's pretty nice with low miles but I have a feeling it's been worked hard. Haven't got a chance to look at it though.