Tow rigs

My 2 cents
I have an 03 f250 4x4 extra cab with the 6.0. I use to dd it 3 yrs ago and loved it but just added a 4runner for my interstate travel for work. Bought it with 150k miles for 11k back in 08 drove the wheels off did ball joints brakes etc. Oil every 5k and it's been a trooper. In 2012 I had to do the hpop, cooler, egr delete and exhaust but no studs or headgaskets. Running a 120hp tune. Don't listen to the naysayers they can be great rigs, but they just need a little love to the tune of about 4-5k lol i have around 190k on it now.
 
shawn said:
Ah, yeah, that's a bit different.

But seriously... Do the TCO for your theoretical truck. Figure up how many miles per month you'll be driving it, calculate the fuel cost, maintenance cost, etc. Depending on your situation, the math could flip either way.

Me? Sometimes I wish our 03 CTD was a dually, sometimes I wish the back seat was bigger, but more often than not, I wish we had a second one just like it.
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You want two so you and Cydney can have matching Jeep's and tow rigs?
 
I get the diesel craze. They are the coolest thing since sliced bread right now. But, the "need" is usually not warranted. I really don't get people that want to pull 15k 75mph down the highway.

We have a 1999 F-350 w/ 5.4L 2V that will pull anything within it weight rating. It's not a medium duty truck and will never be. Your paying a premium price for a truck because that's what the market will bear. Most folks are paying too much money for a truck they don't truly need.

You pull a wake boat 30 miles twice a month. Probably don't need a diesel.
You pull a Jeep 200 miles 4 times a year. Probably don't need a diesel.

You pull a construction trailer at 10k every day. Probably need a diesel.
 
BigBody79 said:
I get the diesel craze. They are the coolest thing since sliced bread right now. But, the "need" is usually not warranted. I really don't get people that want to pull 15k 75mph down the highway.

We have a 1999 F-350 w/ 5.4L 2V that will pull anything within it weight rating. It's not a medium duty truck and will never be. Your paying a premium price for a truck because that's what the market will bear. Most folks are paying too much money for a truck they don't truly need.

You pull a wake boat 30 miles twice a month. Probably don't need a diesel.
You pull a Jeep 200 miles 4 times a year. Probably don't need a diesel.

You pull a construction trailer at 10k every day. Probably need a diesel.
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I find this funny (nothing personal meant by that either) but I find it hard to believe there is a 'need' for the above mentioned boat and jeep, so why single out the poor truck as the luxury item here? Other than those on here who use their truck for work, all our collective fleets are really just want stuff. I can't justify any of my crap. I try sometimes and my wife just laughs at me.
 
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BigBody79 said:
I get the diesel craze. They are the coolest thing since sliced bread right now. But, the "need" is usually not warranted. I really don't get people that want to pull 15k 75mph down the highway.

We have a 1999 F-350 w/ 5.4L 2V that will pull anything within it weight rating. It's not a medium duty truck and will never be. Your paying a premium price for a truck because that's what the market will bear. Most folks are paying too much money for a truck they don't truly need.

You pull a wake boat 30 miles twice a month. Probably don't need a diesel.
You pull a Jeep 200 miles 4 times a year. Probably don't need a diesel.

You pull a construction trailer at 10k every day. Probably need a diesel.
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Definitely don't need a diesel with a boat or jeep, but it sure is nice to set the cruise in 6th and never have to downshift. Also when it comes time to resale it and upgrade, it is easier to sell a diesel with 300k miles over a gas.
 
I say buy what you want if you can afford it. But may not want to listen to me. I'm currently looking for a class 8 truck to use to pull a new camper.
 
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benmack1 said:
I find this funny (nothing personal meant by that either) but I find it hard to believe there is a 'need' for the above mentioned boat and jeep, so why single out the poor truck as the luxury item here? Other than those on here who use their truck for work, all our collective fleets are really just want stuff. I can't justify any of my crap. I try sometimes and my wife just laughs at me.
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I get it too. But, lots of folks justify the diesel truck as need because they tow a boat or a jeep. Really it's just a want and they have cash.

To be completely honest when I dream about trucks it's a Denali HD w/ a Duramax or a King Ranch w/ a power stroke.

But, it seems silly to buy a 300,000 mile truck just because you want a diesel.
 
Speaking from experience...do you NEED a diesel, NOPE. Do you WANT a diesel, Probably.

I owned my 02 7.3 6spd F250 extended cab shortbed when I lived in the mountains and towed up and down a mountain just to get to/from home. The 4 wheel disc brakes with my brake controller were awesome and I was never concerned about stopping whatever was behind the truck. The extra braking power and pulling power was a no brainer where I had to drive every day or where I went to go wheelin. I now live in the flatlands and own a 99 3500 24v Cummins Auto truck simply because I got it in a package deal with my rig. The PO did all the necessary work to it like trans, lift pump, VP44, gauges etc. or else I would never have owned an older automatic Dodge. It is overkill for what I need and I know it. Its just a matter of convenience and it was the right deal. Before I came into this truck I was looking primarily at lower mileage 6.0 and 8.1 Vortec trucks. They pull the average wheelin setup well and don't come with as stiff of a Brodozer Tax as the diesel trucks do.
 
My mirrors flip out? Didn't know that.
My exhaust smoke should be annoying and excessive? Weird.
Here I have been towing safely and successfully for going on 20 years now
 
When I bought my diesel, I was towing the jeep probably only 6 times a year. I was looking at buying a 1 year old Tundra, but found my Cummins at the same price, just a few years older. So I bought the Cummins, even though I didn't really need the diesel. Now, I haven't towed the jeep in over a year and half due to work, so I really don't need the diesel (hell, I really don't need the Jeep either since I haven't gotten to use it in so long).
But, my truck is paid for, so I'll stick with it.
 
cgm147 said:
My 2 cents
I have an 03 f250 4x4 extra cab with the 6.0. I use to dd it 3 yrs ago and loved it but just added a 4runner for my interstate travel for work. Bought it with 150k miles for 11k back in 08 drove the wheels off did ball joints brakes etc. Oil every 5k and it's been a trooper. In 2012 I had to do the hpop, cooler, egr delete and exhaust but no studs or headgaskets. Running a 120hp tune. Don't listen to the naysayers they can be great rigs, but they just need a little love to the tune of about 4-5k lol i have around 190k on it now.
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Plus just from looking at prices they are 10-20k cheaper than other makes. To me the fact that pretty much everybody and their cousins brothers use them as work trucks in so many different fields is more than enough validation of there durability.
 
I went with a new cummins. My truck stickers for 52k with all the rebates got it for 41k. I looked for a while and have always dealt with diesels and just couldn't see spending 30k plus for a used diesel with 100k miles
 
adam greene said:
I went with a new cummins. My truck stickers for 52k with all the rebates got it for 41k. I looked for a while and have always dealt with diesels and just couldn't see spending 30k plus for a used diesel with 100k miles
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MSRP was 52k?
 
Yeah. Got it from kville dodge in September 2012. I highly recommend kville dodge to buy from. I do not recommend that anybody even carry there lawnmower there for service though. There service department is a joke.
 
YotaOnRocks said:
Yeah. Got it from kville dodge in September 2012. I highly recommend kville dodge to buy from. I do not recommend that anybody even carry there lawnmower there for service though. There service department is a joke.
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Ive got a few friends i trust at my local ram dealership for work, but that Dodge dealership you mentioned is where I've found a few i like.
 
Whatever you do stay away from Peters automall in high point. I have heard a lot of horror stories, and have a friend that is a mechanic there and he will tell you flat out don't buy their vehicles. They get the repo and seized vehicles and do the bare minimum to move them quick.
He says the salesman push them out the door before they can be properly checked over and or repaired because they dont won't the cost to effect their commission.
 
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