Thinking About This Truck… Good Deal or Huge Mistake?


That price makes it seem like someone’s trying to dump it fast. The early 6.0s can be a pain, but most of the issues can be fixed. How many miles? How many owners? Have you checked the VIN history?

Some Ford dealerships will let you pull an OEM OASIS report, which shows warranty and recall work done at Ford shops—worth checking.

Also… have you owned a 6.0 before?

@Emerson
Says 189k miles.

That price is way too low. Be careful—there’s nothing more expensive than a cheap 6.0 or 6.4.

Either spend more on a better truck or be ready to put serious money into bulletproofing and repairs. There’s no such thing as a reliable 4x4 diesel for 5 grand.

I put about $5k into my ‘03 6.0 just to fix all the factory issues 15 years ago. No clue what that would cost today with inflation, but it wasn’t cheap.

The early 6.0s had a lot of problems. I still like mine, but only because I know how to fix them and what to look for.

Since you’re new to diesels, I’d honestly say pass on this one.

@Zeek
I bought an early ‘03 with 182k miles for $9k about six months ago. So far, I’ve spent about $13k total.

It’s stock except for an EGR block and new injectors. I’ve replaced the water pump, belts, turbo, manifolds, and a bunch of other stuff. Still need to delete the EGR and do some gasket work.

I really hope I can get another 100k miles out of it without major problems, but who knows. If you don’t mind working on them, they’re great trucks—but be prepared to spend money.

@Devlin
A few guys near me snatch these up if they’re cheap enough. Mine has been a tank since I got rid of all the factory junk Ford and International fought over putting in these things.

@Devlin
Good luck finding front covers for these anymore. Almost impossible.

@Zeek
I bought my ‘03 with 180k for $10k pre-COVID. I’ve put in about $5k for injectors, a new turbo, and some other repairs. Now it’s at 213k miles.

The only issue? My oil smells like diesel bad. I change it often, but I suspect that’s why the previous owner sold it. If you check this truck out, do the oil cap test and smell the oil—diesel in the oil is not normal.

Something doesn’t add up. Even an un-bulletproofed 6.0 should be worth more than this.

I know McAllen isn’t exactly a hot market, but this is still too cheap. No way someone lets it go for half price unless there’s something really wrong with it.

I’d keep shopping.

That price is a red flag… I’d look for a 7.3 or 6.7 instead.

Unless you have deep pockets or mechanical skills, stay away. Pre-’06 6.0s need a lot of updates to be reliable.

That’s not even including ‘bulletproofing.’ Honestly, I’d avoid any diesel in this price range.

That price is way too low. Looks clean, and 185k miles isn’t that high. A truck like this would be listed for $15k+ where I live.

Also, the seller dropped the price by $2k in six days? That’s suspicious. Worth checking out, but be ready to walk away if something seems off.

@Remington
For a 7.3, yeah, $15k would be fair. But for a 6.0? That’s a different story.

6.0s are known for expensive failures, so they don’t hold value like the 7.3s do.

That said, this would be a solid candidate for a Cummins swap—though that would cost way more than just bulletproofing the 6.0.

@Remington
It’s a 6.0, it’s not worth much, especially at 185k miles.

Just get a 7.3.

Cab-off repairs and one of the worst diesel engines Ford ever made? Hard pass.

And this is coming from a diesel mechanic with 30 years of experience and my own tools.

If it was a manual, it’d at least be a good candidate for a 12V Cummins swap.

6.0s are junk.

Phoenix said:
6.0s are junk.

Only slightly better than the 6.4.

Source: I had one until the engine blew up on me.

Arun said:

Phoenix said:
6.0s are junk.

Only slightly better than the 6.4.

Source: I had one until the engine blew up on me.

Way better than the 6.4. At least you can fix a 6.0 with aftermarket parts.