Used Pickup Help

shorthairman

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Hoping a few of you guys can help me out. I'm looking for a new to me used pick-up to pull a 19' glass boat and or a 30' camper. Not pulling both in tandem. I'm not an engine guy, so that is why I'm putting it out to you experts. I don't want to be just skimming by on power, but I also don't need to go overboard the other way. I have a daily driver, so this would pretty much just get the nod for pulling duties. Looking to spend around 15k. Found a 2005 6.0 F250 with 155,000 miles on it that is in pretty good shape, but I've heard some not so great things about the 6.0s...any truth to that? Thanks for the help.
 


Weekender

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I had a 2006 F250 with the 6.0 in it. Was a really good/fun pickup until the head cracked on it. They can be reliable if you put the money into them to make them "Bullet-Proof". I'd personally stay away though unless you have some extra spending money and knowledge of diesel engines.
 

BRK

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Heard of many 6.0's imploding out of nowhere.
 


Taylorman55

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If it is "bullet proofed" then it is now one of the more reliable engines out there, and I wouldn't be so concerned. Non bullet proofed I would stay clear of it. And this is coming from a die hard Ford guy.

If you're set on a diesel, keep an eye out for a clean 2007 Duramax, or a clean 2000-2003 Ford 7.3 Powerstroke. The 5.9 Dodges are pretty sought after also and hold their value extremely well.

If you're O.K with a gasser that will pull anything, consider a 05-10 ford V10 with 4:10 or 4:30 gears. The earlier V10's up to and including 2004 (what I Have in an F350) also do very well with some gears behind them, just a little less power. I know a dozen or more people with V10s and they pull them hard, with zero issues. Unloaded expect 12-15 mpgs driving nicely, and loaded heavy in the 8-10.5 mpg range. $15,000 would put you in a very low mileage V10 F350 crew cab.
 

eyexer

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do not buy a 6.0 unless your capable of working on it yourself and enjoy absolute frustration. Bullet proofed or not. There are things with the 6.0 that you can't bulletproof lol.
 


SLE

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If it's not your daily driver, and your not traversing the country and towing more locally, I'll echo one of the best bangs for the buck is the Ford V10. the 05's and up are little more desirable as they came the 5 speed auto, 4.10 gears were standard with optional 4.30s, and they got the 3 valve heads and a bit of a hp and tq bump. I have a 2003 that'd I've owned since 2004. It's been dead reliable and although I'd lover more power on occasion, it always gets the job done, and generally done well. They like a little rpm, and gears definitively help. I run slightly oversized tires and have 4.56 gears installed along with a custom tune from 5-Star Tuning and a slightly modified exhaust. I've pulled tandem with a 30' fifth wheel and 19 ft boat, currently it's used to tow our 41' fifth wheel, the enclosed car trailer, and on occasion an equipment trailer. As it's currently set-up, it does well up to a GVWR of about 22k lbs. More than that and it struggles, less than that it just gets easier. It in no way compares to the newer 3/4 & 1 ton diesels, they just tow so effortlessly, it's actually quite amazing.
 

shorthairman

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Tman55 and SLE sound like the guys I need to learn a few things from...! Engines, liters, gears, rpms, torque, tuning, GVWR, etc, etc, etc...I got lost at liters! :)

And since Tman came out and admitted to being a Ford guy, I'll admit that I fall in that category as well, I didn't want to come right out in my OP and face the ridicule of the ford haters...I didn't want someone to hurt my feelings...:)

Seriously though, Thanks to all of you guys for the help!
 

BrokenBackJack

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All the makers of pickups make good pickups and also make junk. What works for me might be a piece of crap for you.
Long box will ride better than a short box too.
Good luck in your search and guessing you want a 4 door crew cab?
 

Chas'n Tail

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If you're hooked on a pickup, disregard this, but we have had good luck after picking up a mid 90's model suburban with a 5.7. Been around 2 of them now and both have outlasted any pickup, going well over 200K miles on them and have no problem pulling boats, enclosed trailers, wheeled fish houses, etc... Nice thing about them is the removable third row seating and keeping your stuff dry and warm. Bad thing is if you're also interested in pulling a four wheeler, or something that requires a box. JMHO
 

Skeeter

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My pulling rig is a 2007 chevy2500 hd crew cab with a LMM duramax. Fully deleted with EFI live programmer makes it a whole different pickup. 20 mpg empty and 13 pulling a 38ft camper and 20ft boat. If you are just going to use it to pull I strongly recommend a diesel. Since you are a ford guy I’d look for an early 2000’s 7.3 liter power stroke. Best engine ford ever put in their pickups. Stay away from the ford 6.0 and 6.4 diesels, they had a lot of issues. My daily driver is a 2016 f150 ego boost so I’m not just Chevy biased. How far are your camping trips? Buying a V10 gas and getting 6 to 8 mpg on a 50 or 60 mile trip could get spendy after a few trips verses a diesel at 10 to 12mpg.
 
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5575

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For 15k look for a clean v10 and you'll be happy.
I'm on my second, have had them for 15 years and have never seen a shop.
The other guys are dead on about the 6.0 and the v10.That big 8.1 liter Chevy with the Allison tranny is a good rig as well.
Can't go wrong with a clean 7.3 either but getting harder and harder to find. Go with a tonner of you can, you'll usually get lower gears. Take your time and wait for a good truck, don't buy anyone's junk.
Retired folks is where you wanna find your next truck.😉
 
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dgully

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I’ve had good luck pulling with chevys 6.0 vortex gas engine or the 6.2 gas engine
 

shorthairman

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Thanks guys! All great information. I would prefer a pickup over a suburban, although my wife had a Nissan Armada for a short time, and that pulled my old boat pretty dang good. Enclosed back ends aren't all that great for hauling around dirty hunting dogs that sometimes find a skunk though...
Looking for at least an extended cab if possible, but not necessary, and the closest camping would be 60 miles so a bit of a pull, and hills are involved North, South, and West...
 

Petras

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Honestly, if a crew cab is not a necessity, I'd be looking for an older dodge 3/4 or 1 town with a 5.9 cummins. They pull very well and are very reliable. In all reality though, if all your doing it pulling a camper OR a boat and not both at the same time, any v10 or diesel truck (except a non bulletproofed 6.0 or the horrendous 6.4 (both from ford)) will do. I had an 02 ford f250 with the v10 in it and it was a great truck... absolutely SHITTY fuel mileage, weather pulling or empty didn't matter, it sucked, but it pulled just fine.
 


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