If I had the cash, and the time, I'd go out and buy a 7.3l F250 and build it up.

Been watching powerstrokehelp (or something like that) on youtube, and come to a conclusion that the 6.0 and the 6.4 are problem child engines and you better have money to blow at them to fix them right. I think the guy mentioned something to totally fix a 6.0 to make it bullet proof, you'd need to spend 8k on it -- and that's just the engine. And then the front end death wobble and to fix it you need the BD caster adjustment welded on...

With all this money, it sounds like a nice down payment on a new SD with a factory warranty.

Not sure how the 6.7 is.... but I've driven them before and they do seem rather nice. But I'm talking apples to oranges here.

 

Death wobble is NOT a 6.0 problem. It's any 4x4 solid front axle problem. And, I have never expirenced it.

And you don't have to spend 8k for a 6.0 to be reliable. That's just freaking ridiculous. In that case, any vehicle would HAVE to be "bullet proffed". That's the stupidest thing I've heard all damn week.

 

Never said the death wobble was strictly speaking, a 6.0 problem.

I'm just saying... that's what that dude on from the pshelp or whatever it is said.

That is the stupidest thing too, I totally agree, however, people do shell out $8k to bullet proof their truck. If you got the money, the ambition, and the love for the truck, then why not. But not everyone has an unlimited cash flow. So you do what you have to do to make it live another day.

But to digress, anyone can find something wrong with any thing if you look deep enough. It's whether it's going to be the thing that puts you on the side of the road is the question. And that's like that with anything, not just trucks.

 

Well ya, that was point. Haha

Let's get some numbers together to bullet-proof a dodge. Built tranny and the entire front end. That would be 8k or more right there!

 

Well ya, that was point. Haha

Let's get some numbers together to bullet-proof a dodge. Built tranny and the entire front end. That would 8k or more right there!

All of the newer engines have issues with emission systems too. Problem is, the newer engines cost a lot more to delete than a 6.0. The cost of repair is a lot more at 200k miles than a 6.0. But damn those newer super dutys are nice!

 

Ahh, you have to remind me of Dodge... now here's an issue I'll never forget:

A while back (maybe 3 years ago), I bought a '02 2500 with the 5.9 with 188k on it off eBay and it had all kinds of problems. I drove it home from Florida to NY (home). Broke down in MD, and had to get it towed. Blew out a tranny line, and it screwed up the transmission. I had a Dodge dealer fix the line, and limped it the rest of the way home and then it started spewing blue/black smoke out of the exhaust after getting on I81 into Binghamton. The seal on the turbo gave out. After figuring out my dilemma on cost to repair it, I sold it to a local diesel mechanic, and he dumped a lot of money into it to get it working right. Not quite sure if he bullet proofed it, but I'm sure, knowing him, he knew what he was doing. He wound up showing me all the stuff it just needed and it was somewhere close to $5k -- just in parts, because he did the labor in his off time in the shop.

It was a nice sounding truck, but gee golly, the cost for everything to get at least fixed on it was a horrendous price tag.

I lost so much money on the deal... but it was a life lesson. Sometimes learning from mistakes is the best way.

 

^ Your lesson should be that you don't buy a used vehicle without 1. Seeing and driving it in PERSON, 2. Having it inspected by a 3rd party mechanic, 3. 1 and 2 are 300% more important for a diesel

 

Now where was this obvious advise when I did this silly little deal? (Being naïve is what caught me off guard.)

Since then, friends bring me to look at potential purchases. Because I treat everyone selling me a car or someone else a car, as if they were the same people that sold me that mistake.

I tend to scare dealers and private sellers by looking over everything with a fine tooth comb and bringing in friends that are mechanics to look it over with me. Since then, every time I'm on a lot or someone's lawn, I change my style, a total 180 degrees; I'm like a totally different person and I've been told this too.

It's funny to see how someone who goes from, "There's really nothing wrong with it..." to "Well, it needs this and that... and I know that the rad is leaking and the tranny is slipping... blah blah". I've also found that some people have a little tough skin than others, but most are thin skinned and scared. I've even told them after them saying that, "Were you really going to sell my good friend a piece of crap?". They usually come back with, "Well, it's used, what do you expect?". I usually say so long to them...

And I find the best scare tactic is smile/grin a lot while looking, especially with a flashlight. It absolutely drives people insane man... it's funny.

But the best thing to do is like you said... and patience. It's not like the world is going to end if you don't get that exact vehicle.

It sure is interesting though.

 

I was lucky enough to have parents that take vehicles to get inspected and bring mechanic friends and neighbors with them, and that they involved me in their buying processes (when I kept my opinions to myself ). Then I work at a huge dealership that ships vehicles all over the country, and world. So I've seen what vehicles are good, signs for how they've been cared for, ability to spot repainted panels, etc. But the biggest thing for me was a scare similar to yours. When I was looking for the truck I own now, I was THIS close to buying a truck with an unreported accident and substantial frame damage. Lucky for me, my parents made sure it was inspected before I bought it. So we're both fortunate that we had experiences that made us much more intelligent and diligent car shoppers. You just had the pleasure of the experience being hammered home by severe pocket-book damage

 

Thank you all for your help. My truck is just fine and as we speak dealer if fixing head gasket, egr cooler and other problems that are issues with the 6.0 at no charge to me. the best part is the Mechanic is a good friend of a friend so I know it will be done right. The other best part is My business takes care of the dealership owners swimming pool. so if I have problems he has problems, LOL. It is all good and when I get my truck, I know I will be happy.

 

Are they using the known to fail factory parts? Or are you getting to put in upgrades?

Adrianspeeder

 

They are putting in factory parts. I don't feel like spending the extra money to upgrade parts when I have a bumper to bumper warranty for 3 years. From what I understand it is when you start tuning them is when the problems start. She will be just fine and before the warranty is up I hope to be able to purchase a new Truck
Thanks

 

That's not a bad plan if your getting rid of it in 3 years anyway then.