Getting a new truck instead of commuter box

[DrDusty86]

I have been looking long and hard at the Focus ST, but will be getting a 5th wheel soon, then building a house. I'm now considering selling the zx2/6L PSD and getting a DRW 4x4 6.4 truck, as they are a few years old and can be had cheaper than a $55k 6.7PSD.
I don't drive as much any more so fuel wouldn't kill me.
Getting a newer truck now would be better in the sense I'd only have 1 vehicle to service.
I'd have it where I live so I could haul couches etc when ever I need to.
I believe the trucks durability is far greater than a car.

How are the 6.4L PSDs? It would be a 4x4 dually. Bodies? Interior durability? Axles/T-case? any real weakness in the 8-10' Super Duty?
Dusty

 

[Chevys_n_Hawgs]

Atta boy! Way to man up!

 

[DrDusty86]

hhhuuuuuu???\

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: DrDusty86
I have been looking long and hard at the Focus ST, but will be getting a 5th wheel soon, then building a house. I'm now considering selling the zx2/6L PSD and getting a DRW 4x4 6.4 truck, as they are a few years old and can be had cheaper than a $55k 6.7PSD.
I don't drive as much any more so fuel wouldn't kill me.
Getting a newer truck now would be better in the sense I'd only have 1 vehicle to service.
I'd have it where I live so I could haul couches etc when ever I need to.
I believe the trucks durability is far greater than a car.

How are the 6.4L PSDs? It would be a 4x4 dually. Bodies? Interior durability? Axles/T-case? any real weakness in the 8-10' Super Duty?
Dusty


RUN AWAY FROM ANY 6.4 DIESEL AS FAST AS YOU CAN! They are, if anything, WORSE than the 6.doh. basically: it was an orphan from day one...EVERYONE working on it knew that Ford would be getting their own diesel (the equally-bad 6.7) soon. Never thought I'd ever say this but: you are better off with gas power. Diesel has jumped the shark.

 

[NHGUY]

Actually I believe the national age of the fleet is slightly older for cars as compared to trucks.So,I would say cars last slightly longer over the road.....trucks when they rust too bad to get inspected become farm trucks or yard plow vehicles and drop out of the registration files.Of course some cars disappear ahead of time thanks to built in rust areas.....Escort front suspension mounts,Subaru rear crossmember,Geo/Chevy Metro rear suspension mounting points,3rd generation Chrysler minivan strut towers,all GM (and Ford Focus,Chrysler "cloud" cars) rocker panels,....etc

 

[DrDusty86]

My buddy who owns a 08' 6.4 with 175k miles says get a 6.4 SD, sell the 6L and keep the zx2.

 

[Rand]

if you address the problem areas on the 6.4 its a fine engine.

wasnt that the one that had excess sand in the block and bad radiator caps that caused boiling?

 

[JHZR2]

Why not just keep the 6L psd and do all the pm and known weak things on it. Still cheaper than the hit you'll take selling the one plus more depreciation on the newer truck. Plus the risk with the engine and all? Yuck.

 

[bullwinkle]

Or get an older Cummins or Duramax without DPF and drive it until the BODY FALLS OFF!

 

[DrDusty86]

Bullwinkle, the dodge body is HORRIBLE, I had one..it sucked. and Chevy IFS 4x4 blongs in a Honda civic

 

[Jarlaxle]

If you're set on Ford, either get a gas Super Duty, or save your money and when the 6.doh blows up, repower with a 5.9 Cummins. The 6.4 is a toilet. Ford hasn't built a decent diesel truck since 2003.

 

[97f150]

I can only speak for the 6.4 liters at my job site. We have 2, an 08 and a 10. Both of these trucks have the 6.4, both are field trucks that are drivin by various people throughout the day. The are treated to 8-10k oil changes and are beat on day and night, with extended idle times and almost every take off at WOT, tow overloaded gooseneck trailers are are generally treated like…well a field truck. One has 78k the other has 40k on it. The biggest problem we have has with these trucks is the DPF due to the extended idling and they both blow exterior lights like I've never seen. Te 08 had to have a radiator replaced. That's all I can say about them, our previous fleet of 6.0s have blown head gaskets by this time in their existence. They are both F350 DRWs.

My boss has an 11 F250 with the 6.7. He has 55k on it and never any real problems. It seems that he always has a service message on though, coolant additive, exhaust fluid etc.

 

[M1Accord]

OP,

Are you already a retiree and will be traveling a lot, alone or with family? It makes a big difference in which vehicle is best suited for you. In Texas, weather isn't too bad and most of the time it is the heavy rain in some region that may need a vehicle with either a AWD or high clearance. So a jacked up 2x4 5th wheel would be great. Since I'll be retiring in either Texas or Florida, or at least Nevada (most likely El Paso or Las Cruces though) in 20 years I will be owning a Bronco or some crossbreed SUV/truck type like the Avalanche or a rebuilt Crown Victoria for its body on frame design. The reason is that I'll be spending most of my time in Mexico for lower cost of living and want a vehicle large enough to be comfortable in and survive in case of an accident. The same can be said for driving in Texas.

While you guys don't have deer accident like we do here due to lack of wildlife and I can spot them from miles away instead of under 50 yards (way too many trees and corn field here), you guys have very high speed highway with very little traffic so a high speed collision with wildlife or some other vehicles are best done when I am inside something big. Overall, it feels safer driving in that part of TX and NM than here since your drivers are mostly doing speed limit and are aggressive until I-10 near the border where half of the motorists are uninsured and unsure of where they're going. They spend more time watching and avoiding driving in front of cops than they do for the traffic.

Of course, I'll be sure to keep a conversion or even a camper in Mexico when I come visit.

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: 97f150
I can only speak for the 6.4 liters at my job site. We have 2, an 08 and a 10. Both of these trucks have the 6.4, both are field trucks that are drivin by various people throughout the day. The are treated to 8-10k oil changes and are beat on day and night, with extended idle times and almost every take off at WOT, tow overloaded gooseneck trailers are are generally treated like…well a field truck. One has 78k the other has 40k on it. The biggest problem we have has with these trucks is the DPF due to the extended idling and they both blow exterior lights like I've never seen. Te 08 had to have a radiator replaced. That's all I can say about them, our previous fleet of 6.0s have blown head gaskets by this time in their existence. They are both F350 DRWs.

My boss has an 11 F250 with the 6.7. He has 55k on it and never any real problems. It seems that he always has a service message on though, coolant additive, exhaust fluid etc.


That's pretty minor stuff given the abuse. Those things really are tanks.