Thinking of picking one up and wanted to see if people still think it’s a good idea. What’s the consensus on reliability, cost of ownership, and general performance these days?
Yes, I did… but I bought mine a year ago.
Tan said:
Yes, I did… but I bought mine a year ago.
Automatic or manual?
Tan said:
Yes, I did… but I bought mine a year ago.
Automatic or manual?
Automatic. I’ve posted pics of it—it’s an '03 F350 XLT crew cab single rear wheel.
I’m planning to buy more than one…
I got my 7.3 this year with 260k on it. I’ve driven it across the country and couldn’t be happier.
Price matters.
The 7.3s are good (I own one), but don’t assume things won’t break.
It’s definitely worth it compared to buying a new truck. Honestly, we should all boycott these insane new truck prices and keep fixing up older ones.
Noel said:
It’s definitely worth it compared to buying a new truck. Honestly, we should all boycott these insane new truck prices and keep fixing up older ones.
My dad called me an idiot for buying a '97 F350 Crew Cab long bed. It didn’t run—bad high-pressure oil pump. I paid $1,000 for it and spent another $900 on an Adrenaline HPOP. Now I’ve got a basically bulletproof diesel truck for $2,000 all in. You can’t even use that as a down payment on anything newer than 2003. Plus, it’s simple enough for me to work on.
@Daniel
That’s an absolute steal. Rock on, man! Mine was on the other end of the price spectrum, but I found my '97 at a tiny dealership of all places.
San said:
@Daniel
That’s an absolute steal. Rock on, man! Mine was on the other end of the price spectrum, but I found my '97 at a tiny dealership of all places.
Mine’s rough around the edges—needs a new driver’s seat, and the bed’s completely rotted. But the frame and body are solid, and I’m using it as a work truck, so I’m happy with it.
@Daniel
Mine’s pretty close to mint, just needs a few touch-ups. Check out my posts to see it when I bought it. She’s going to be my project car hauler and work truck. Just a few minor mechanical and cosmetic things left, like new headlights and manual hubs.
@San
Wow, that thing looks clean!
@Daniel
I’d buy 40 of those $2k OBS trucks before I’d spend $80k on a new one. Then again, I’m cheap and a mechanic. I trust my '99 more than any new truck with all the unknown problems and dealer reliance.
@Noel
Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have a newer diesel. My neighbor has a 2017 Denali HD 2500, and it’s amazing how powerful and comfortable it is. But the price of new diesels is ridiculous, and I don’t want to deal with emissions system problems. Around here, they do frequent spot checks for deleted vehicles.
Noel said:
It’s definitely worth it compared to buying a new truck. Honestly, we should all boycott these insane new truck prices and keep fixing up older ones.
You’re right, and that’s exactly why I’d rather buy an old, reliable truck.
@Hollis
I’ve owned two 7.3s—a '96 OBS and an '01. They’re reliable enough, but when they do break, it’s usually not too expensive to fix.
Monroe said:
@Hollis
I’ve owned two 7.3s—a '96 OBS and an '01. They’re reliable enough, but when they do break, it’s usually not too expensive to fix.
I’ve put 100k miles on mine, and it’s only left me stranded twice. Once when the Super Chip failed and another time when the fuel bowl heater went out.
Monroe said:
@Hollis
I’ve owned two 7.3s—a '96 OBS and an '01. They’re reliable enough, but when they do break, it’s usually not too expensive to fix.
What caused the issues? Asking because I’ve got a 7.3 too.
@Zander
Oil cooler failure. It was partly my fault because I noticed a leak a few thousand miles before it gave out. And a couple of crank position sensor replacements.