Buying a Truck

[iego]

Hi,

I couldn't find the general automotive thread.

Is this a good deal on a truck?

https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/aurora-99-f250-73/6826845134.html

Very close to me, and at a price I can afford.

I kind of feel I should wait, and get my perfect truck, but an F250 for $8000 is a pretty good deal, no?

Thanks

-John

[sniper7]

I’ll preface by saying I’m a Chevy guy, but being as this is a 7.3 motor I’d say it’s a pretty good deal on one of the best engines ford ever made. Stay far away from the 6.0. People will say anything to sell them and some diehard will defend it, but it is the biggest POS ever made.

I’d caution with the pipes and emissions if you are in a testing area, see if it has been chipped, I’d highly guess it has.
See when the recent alignments has been done, and front end work. Lifted trucks will have alignment issues more often and harder on the front suspension as well.

[iego]

Yup, thank you. When I saw it was a diesel, too, it just sounds like the truck everyone wants. I'm a single guy, so I can live with the single seat arrangement.

Think I will throw him an offer. Thank you.

-John

[ray1970]

200,000 miles might not be excessive for that engine but keep in mind unless it was well maintained everything else on the truck may be in rough shape.

Also, just food for thought, but if the mileage is correct that means this truck was driven less than 10K miles per year. Diesels in general don?t like a lot of starts and stops and short trips where the engine doesn?t get up to operating temperature.

I?d be less worried about a five year old truck with that kind of mileage because at least you know most of it would be longer trips and highway miles.

Good luck.

[Great-Kazoo]

Ray beat me by a few minutes.


Here's the first warning sign
Fun ( as in he liked to off road the shit out of it?) good truck has a 8 inch lift on 37s haven?t had any problems with it (was he expecting any)?

IMO NO. I am real leery of any vehicle that's been lifted and also the mileage. While that diesel still has many miles on it, the chassis, drive train etc is @ the 200 K mark

Was the lift done at home, or a shop. is the drive line angle correct, how about the alignment not that it's been offset (if it has) by the lift. Maintenance records, are there any. I am amazed how many people sell vehicles with absolutely zero service records. Do they not save them, or has the vehicle been neglected mechanical wise.

[iego]

I called the guy, and he was in Oklahoma. Said he just bought a new truck, and didn't need this truck (basically fed me what I asked him.)

Said he would call me when he came back to Denver, but, this story doesn't jive with his craigslist story, so I guess this is a no.

Thanks, ya'll.

-John

[ray1970]

Also, just more to think about.

If that lift has been on there for a long time the actual mileage could be greater than the odometer shows. The larger tires have a larger diameter and thus travel further with each rotation. Unless it was regeared (which I doubt) the actual mileage could be up to 25% higher (based off a factory 31? tire versus a 37? tire in regards to the difference in circumference). That would mean the actual mileage would be over 250,000.

[Great-Kazoo]

I called the guy, and he was in Oklahoma. Said he just bought a new truck, and didn't need this truck (basically fed me what I asked him.)

Said he would call me when he came back to Denver, but, this story doesn't jive with his craigslist story, so I guess this is a no.

Thanks, ya'll.

-John

Another CL scam. I found a good deal on a 4x Tacoma. 1st reply sounded good. Then the, i'm stationed on the mainland, scheduled to rotate back overseas. I have a shipper lined up and bank than can handle the paperwork set alarms off like crazy.
Which came after i asked, where in the Prescott area you located?

[Wulf202]

I own the same truck in green. Without all the bolt on bullshit with about the same miles

I could tell you tons about it but it's so cheap it screams scam. There's tons in aftermarket parts I see. The power stroke badges are missing, notice the holes on the fender?. The truck has been repainted. If it's an early 99 engine it's worth much less. If it's got blowby in needs rebuilding. The interior on 99s are slightly different than. The other years, his dash looks a bit different from mine on the center console area. These trucks are hard on front end components and a lifted one is worse.

I've been seeing tons of ads in heavy equipment for sale where its half of what it should be price wise but when you contact them they can't meet because of some bs and you just need to send a check

[iego]

Yup, the one thing I think I have learned about buying a truck, is that there are a bunch of trucks out there.

if a deal isn't perfect, forget about it.

-John

[brutal]

200,000 miles might not be excessive for that engine but keep in mind unless it was well maintained everything else on the truck may be in rough shape.

Also, just food for thought, but if the mileage is correct that means this truck was driven less than 10K miles per year. Diesels in general don?t like a lot of starts and stops and short trips where the engine doesn?t get up to operating temperature.

I?d be less worried about a five year old truck with that kind of mileage because at least you know most of it would be longer trips and highway miles.

Good luck.

I'd agree with your assessment of diesel (or any ICE for that matter) not liking short runs. However, perhaps the 80/20 rule applies here as well with regards to age and mileage.

My 2004.5 has 68K on the clock. Very few "short" trips where it's not up to operating temp for some reasonable time. Most of the miles are minor road trips, probably 3/4 of that towing the camper. Only once has the truck been more than one or two states out. It's not a daily driver.

Oil changes twice a year (time not mileage), small problems get repaired quickly.

Recently, I installed an exhaust brake that helps warm things up quicker at idle too so my wait time for warmup is less. He also stays plugged into an automated outlet when it's going to be cold so the engine block heater runs. If I was ever looking to buy a truck, I'd try to find a similar use case.

No, it's not for sale. Probably gonna be buried in it.

[brutal]

I own the same truck in green. Without all the bolt on bullshit with about the same miles

I could tell you tons about it but it's so cheap it screams scam. There's tons in aftermarket parts I see. The power stroke badges are missing, notice the holes on the fender?. The truck has been repainted. If it's an early 99 engine it's worth much less. If it's got blowby in needs rebuilding. The interior on 99s are slightly different than. The other years, his dash looks a bit different from mine on the center console area. These trucks are hard on front end components and a lifted one is worse.

I've been seeing tons of ads in heavy equipment for sale where its half of what it should be price wise but when you contact them they can't meet because of some bs and you just need to send a check

Found a cheap laptop on CL. When I asked about the Win10 activation. Crickets.

[Wulf202]

So if you're considering the 7.3 a few things I can add. there are no 98 7.3 trucks. 99 was the first year of superduty and is a transitional year, early 99 has the 97 motor and axle. My 99 has the 99 engine and 97 axle. the dash and rear seats in a 99 is slightly different than other years. There is also a non superduty 99 f250 gas truck, which is just an f150 with a few extra leafs. Overall I'm quite happy with my truck, coming from a small block chevy getting 8-14 i get 14-20 unless i'm towing heavy which can get into the single digits but I can plan around 10mpg with 14k on the highway. If you don't do your own oil changes, call you shop and ask the price. 19qts to change it if you drain the HPOP doesn't come cheap. I shopped around alot and found mine locally pre dented for about what the price above with 145k on it. Since then I've added a few dents, done a bunch of front end work and had a crazy ex key it.

[iego]

Found a cheap laptop on CL. When I asked about the Win10 activation. Crickets.lol, Brutal :)

[ray1970]

Your truck is probably the exception more than the rule, brutal.

And, I have a feeling if yours hit Craigslist it likely wouldn?t be priced at $8K.

I do agree with your post.

[iego]

So if you're considering the 7.3 a few things I can add. there are no 98 7.3 trucks. 99 was the first year of superduty and is a transitional year, early 99 has the 97 motor and axle. My 99 has the 99 engine and 97 axle. the dash and rear seats in a 99 is slightly different than other years. There is also a non superduty 99 f250 gas truck, which is just an f150 with a few extra leafs. Overall I'm quite happy with my truck, coming from a small block chevy getting 8-14 i get 14-20 unless i'm towing heavy which can get into the single digits but I can plan around 10mpg with 14k on the highway. If you don't do your own oil changes, call you shop and ask the price. 19qts to change it if you drain the HPOP doesn't come cheap. I shopped around alot and found mine locally pre dented for about what the price above with 145k on it. Since then I've added a few dents, done a bunch of front end work and had a crazy ex key it.

If the guy is good with his advertised truck, which I am thinking he is not, then I will double check your advice.

Thank you.

-John

[Wulf202]

I'd agree with your assessment of diesel (or any ICE for that matter) not liking short runs. However, perhaps the 80/20 rule applies here as well with regards to age and mileage.

My 2004.5 has 68K on the clock. Very few "short" trips where it's not up to operating temp for some reasonable time. Most of the miles are minor road trips, probably 3/4 of that towing the camper. Only once has the truck been more than one or two states out. It's not a daily driver.

Oil changes twice a year (time not mileage), small problems get repaired quickly.

Recently, I installed an exhaust brake that helps warm things up quicker at idle too so my wait time for warmup is less. He also stays plugged into an automated outlet when it's going to be cold so the engine block heater runs. If I was ever looking to buy a truck, I'd try to find a similar use case.

No, it's not for sale. Probably gonna be buried in it.
I run mine as a daily, including tons of short trips. I only plug it in when it gets below 0. Or when my glow plug relay went out. The only thing short trips will cause is some fuel in your oil. I change mine more often than spec because of this during those periods. I've dealt with small problems for years. I've run both my 7.3 and my 12v back and forth across the country. I do try to start it and let it idle up to temp whenever possible, EGT guage to avoid shutdown and cooking a turbo.

To each their own.

[Irving]

He also stays plugged into an automated outlet when it's going to be cold so the engine block heater runs.



My neighbor plugs in his gas truck when it drops below like 40 degrees and it drives me crazy.

[brutal]

My neighbor plugs in his gas truck when it drops below like 40 degrees and it drives me crazy.

Mine fires with a robot based on outside temp.

[iego]

I am thankful my car does not need to be plugged in.

Sounds like a pain in the ass.

-John

[COcz]

The last 7.3l I saw locally for that price had 400k miles. Good condition low miles ones go for 15-25k.

[Griff79]

Take it to a diesel shop for a ppi, $100-$200 good money spent before a purchase.
Griff