Hey everyone,
I’m looking at buying an older Ford diesel and wondering—how many miles would you consider too many? I know things like rust, body condition, and price all matter, but generally speaking, when does the mileage start becoming a big concern?
Would love to hear your thoughts!
I’ve got a ’92 IDI with an E4OD and 289k miles on it. I use it almost daily for my construction and landscaping business. I regularly pull 7k-10k with my dump trailer, haul my tractor (around 8k with implements), and carry loads of Hardie siding on a car hauler.
No major issues so far—just replaced the gearbox at 270k and the brake booster at 230k. I also swapped out the fuel selector switch recently, and both tanks still work fine. I even converted the A/C, and it’s holding up great. I wouldn’t hesitate to drive it cross-country, as long as I’ve got some extra oil handy. I’ve thought about adding a turbo for better towing acceleration, but I don’t want to risk the truck’s reliability.
I’m looking at a 7.3 Powerstroke to use as my daily driver for my masonry business. I’ll mostly be doing light towing and hauling pallets of brick, block, and mortar to job sites. The seller said the transmission was replaced about a year ago and has receipts, but I haven’t seen them yet.
I’ve always been a Ford guy—my dad was too—so I’m really leaning toward it.
@Milan
It’s all about how well it was maintained. Mine made it to around 320k, even though it was abused most of its life.
It really depends on how it was used, where it’s from, and how well it was cared for. Once you’re past 150k miles, you might start running into transmission issues. Honestly, I’d suggest getting a loan and looking at a Dodge instead. But if you’re set on a Ford, start stockpiling parts like pumps, alternators, and steering components—you’ll thank me later.
@Shai
No way—Dodge transmissions were worse than Ford’s back then. If you’re talking about newer trucks, Ford had their transmission problems solved by ’03.
Willow said:
@Shai
No way—Dodge transmissions were worse than Ford’s back then. If you’re talking about newer trucks, Ford had their transmission problems solved by ’03.
Yeah, but Ford’s engine problems started in ’03 too. The older 7.3 Powerstrokes were bulletproof compared to what came after.
@Shai
Dodge auto transmissions are garbage. I wouldn’t recommend one, lol.
Is it a Powerstroke or an IDI? I’ve got a 7.3 IDI with 250k miles that runs great. What transmission does it have? The ZF5 is solid for stock power, but the E4OD has its weak spots. I’ve heard good things about Brian’s Truck Shop for building durable autos, though.