Buying higher mileage diesels....?

[Svtkidd23]

I know diesels very very well and I work on them, but I have this argument with one of my buddies on here all the time saying it's stupid to buy a 150k truck for mid 20's even though it's immaculate and fully loaded when you could have a new one for 45-48k


I personally have owned 3x 6.0's and one had 88k minor issues and the others had 120k+ and both spotless and I would of bought them again.


Lbz/lmm service mileage isn't till 500k even though half the other stuff will fall off prior haha

 

[oldmodman]

I would only be concerned with a few things.

Has it been in a serious accident. Dent and repaint doesn't count.

Has it always been maintained properly. Most concerned with correct oil and filters. especially fuel filters.

Has it had the correct DIESEL COOLANT used in it? And has it been changed at the proper intervals. The wrong coolant (passenger car gas engine type) can destroy a diesel engine in a surprisingly short period of time.
Not actual corrosion. But the hypersonic cavitation caused by bubbles forming and collapsing on the outside of the cylinder walls.

 

[Svtkidd23]

I would only be concerned with a few things.

Has it been in a serious accident. Dent and repaint doesn't count.

Has it always been maintained properly. Most concerned with correct oil and filters. especially fuel filters.

Has it had the correct DIESEL COOLANT used in it? And has it been changed at the proper intervals. The wrong coolant (passenger car gas engine type) can destroy a diesel engine in a surprisingly short period of time.
Not actual corrosion. But the hypersonic cavitation caused by bubbles forming and collapsing on the outside of the cylinder walls.

CAT ELC coolant is where it's at

 

[allister]

Me and my spouse were just talking about this. I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that a small used car lot had a Ford Excursion ( I forget what year) with 330k miles and was asking $10k for it. At least a decade old, and I'm sure it's spent the whole time on our sweet salty roads in the winter. Part of my brain explosion was the fact that we bought our Excursion from our parents for only $1k. Granted, it's not a diesel, and I knew they gave us a steal, but still. It only had 110k miles at the time. Been looking to buy a used Excursion Diesel but if I were going to pay $10k on anything used it better have less than 100k miles and be from below the Mason Dixon line. So in other words, looks like we wont be buying a diesel lol

 

[97ReoCobra]

One consideration would be how many miles/year you plan on putting on it. If you put a crapton of miles on /year starting out at 150K might be a concern. If you don't put so many on each year 150K isn't bad. Also, if the PO bought a diesel they were likely pulling a big load around. Was it a big camper they only pulled twice a year, or a bobcat trailer that was a daily thing.

 

[4u 2 nv]

This could heavily go either way. I could care less about certain models being high mileage. Almost all duramaxs are ok to me sans the LB7 injectors needing to be done for me to bite. With that though..ive had a 140hp tuner on mine (LMM) for coming up on 85k miles on a stock trans. I dont beat on it. Never been down the strip...but clearly it takes a toll on things. I dont want to buy a new to me used truck to only find out the hard way its had a VERY large tuner on it for a bit of miles and was removed when sold etc.

You have had diesels so you know the signs and what to look for. EGR deletes, tuners, stock trans abuse, maintenance, which years to stay away from. Each brand is great and sucks depending on years. I have no biased towards brands but to me the Duramax since its introduction has prob been the safest bet without having to nit pick years.....yet the negative is you get an IFS truck...etc etc.

 

[SonicDTR]

I would only be concerned with a few things.

Has it been in a serious accident. Dent and repaint doesn't count.

Has it always been maintained properly. Most concerned with correct oil and filters. especially fuel filters.

Has it had the correct DIESEL COOLANT used in it? And has it been changed at the proper intervals. The wrong coolant (passenger car gas engine type) can destroy a diesel engine in a surprisingly short period of time.
Not actual corrosion. But the hypersonic cavitation caused by bubbles forming and collapsing on the outside of the cylinder walls.

Pretty much this. But it can apply to any vehicle. Bought a BMW with 103k on it, bought a 92 Gas F250 with 265k on it and a broken odo, bought my current powerstroke with 140k on it and zero major issues with any of them related to mileage. Its all in understanding the expected failures and getting the right price for them. BMW needing a cooling system so I replaced it, '92 was a rust bucket, but I paid $1,000 and it was mechanically sound with working AC. Current 6.4 was a bone stock "work" truck that was in good shape, could tell it was a foreman's truck or something.

My biggest thing with diesels is that I don't recommend them to hardly anyone. Worst decision a non gearhead can do is go out and buy a diesel truck for a weekender or toy. I strongly advised my brother in law to get a gasser for his new truck, and he is happy as can be with his 2012 6.2L F250, lifted on 37's even. My friends might see me out racing the diesel and want one, but they don't see the thousands and thousands I pay for parts, repairs, and maintenance.

 

[Badbob2121]

My early 04 F250 6.0 PSD has over 214,000 miles and still has factory head bolts and gaskets. Runs like a champ. Just get a good monitoring device and let the truck tell you what it needs.

 

[4a7191a]

On the diesel coolant.
I inherited a 7.3 1999 model f250. I have no idea what it has inside of it but I did add the hyper brand coolant additive. Think it'll be safe or due for a change ? It tested fine on the lith strips for freezing and additive package but I have never heard of a specific coolant to run.

Asdides that I did the trans pan drop and filter change. Fuel filter and ran t6 in it. The differential is next when I get around to it. Levels fine but 124k miles and age.

 

[SID297]

I don't think I'd buy any used diesel that has over 100,000 miles and a DPF on it. The exception to that may be a Duramax, because I have heard they have a 9th injector post-turbo to get around in-cylinder dosing during regen.

 

[4u 2 nv]

I don't think I'd buy any used diesel that has over 100,000 miles and a DPF on it. The exception to that may be a Duramax, because I have heard they have a 9th injector post-turbo to get around in-cylinder dosing during regen.

I believe that is the LML only...so 2011 and newer. My LMM does not have that..but...its been deleted since 11k miles.

 

[4u 2 nv]

Pretty much this. But it can apply to any vehicle. Bought a BMW with 103k on it, bought a 92 Gas F250 with 265k on it and a broken odo, bought my current powerstroke with 140k on it and zero major issues with any of them related to mileage. Its all in understanding the expected failures and getting the right price for them. BMW needing a cooling system so I replaced it, '92 was a rust bucket, but I paid $1,000 and it was mechanically sound with working AC. Current 6.4 was a bone stock "work" truck that was in good shape, could tell it was a foreman's truck or something.

My biggest thing with diesels is that I don't recommend them to hardly anyone. Worst decision a non gearhead can do is go out and buy a diesel truck for a weekender or toy. I strongly advised my brother in law to get a gasser for his new truck, and he is happy as can be with his 2012 6.2L F250, lifted on 37's even. My friends might see me out racing the diesel and want one, but they don't see the thousands and thousands I pay for parts, repairs, and maintenance.

I agree with the newer gas trucks. Im at 89k miles now. When i get to 150k..im trading it in for a 1/2 6.2 truck from GM or see what the new Ford has to offer. I tow my boat and cars I buy and sell but all are prob 8k and under...my boat is 3k lbs lol. Any new 1/2 will easily do that...and not have 10+ quart oil changes...$40 fuel filters 1-2 times a year. etc etc.

I enjoy a mildly quick truck but look at what the gassers are doing. GM has already gone 13s bone stock in 6.2 8 speed trucks...and livernois just posted their 2015 EB numbers....bone stock but a 93 tune their test truck made 386/462 on a damn tune only...thats insane. My days of "lifting" trucks are long gone lol. I am just fine with a nice set of 20s or 22s and a set of 33s.

 

[SID297]

CAT ELC coolant is where it's at

I'm a fan of Rotella ELC.

Me and my spouse were just talking about this. I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that a small used car lot had a Ford Excursion ( I forget what year) with 330k miles and was asking $10k for it. At least a decade old, and I'm sure it's spent the whole time on our sweet salty roads in the winter. Part of my brain explosion was the fact that we bought our Excursion from our parents for only $1k. Granted, it's not a diesel, and I knew they gave us a steal, but still. It only had 110k miles at the time. Been looking to buy a used Excursion Diesel but if I were going to pay $10k on anything used it better have less than 100k miles and be from below the Mason Dixon line. So in other words, looks like we wont be buying a diesel lol

I considered buying a gas Excursion and building a manual trans diesel rig out of it. Unfortunately, by the time I would have time in my schedule for a project like that the internal combustion engine will probably go the way of the dinosaur.

Pretty much this. But it can apply to any vehicle. Bought a BMW with 103k on it, bought a 92 Gas F250 with 265k on it and a broken odo, bought my current powerstroke with 140k on it and zero major issues with any of them related to mileage. Its all in understanding the expected failures and getting the right price for them. BMW needing a cooling system so I replaced it, '92 was a rust bucket, but I paid $1,000 and it was mechanically sound with working AC. Current 6.4 was a bone stock "work" truck that was in good shape, could tell it was a foreman's truck or something.

My biggest thing with diesels is that I don't recommend them to hardly anyone. Worst decision a non gearhead can do is go out and buy a diesel truck for a weekender or toy. I strongly advised my brother in law to get a gasser for his new truck, and he is happy as can be with his 2012 6.2L F250, lifted on 37's even. My friends might see me out racing the diesel and want one, but they don't see the thousands and thousands I pay for parts, repairs, and maintenance.

Truth

 

[nxhappy]

the 6.0 is a huge POS. Lots of probs with that motor.

 

[Badbob2121]

the 6.0 is a huge POS. Lots of probs with that motor.

Haha, I love 6.0 haters. Uneducated and probably has never owned one.

 

[4u 2 nv]

Haha, I love 6.0 haters. Uneducated and probably has never owned one.

While i understand the direction you are going in...saying they arent problem prone isnt realistic either.

 

[greenscobie86]

I just picked up a 2003 Excursion v10 for dirt cheap. All 7.3's are commanding insane money, and the 6.0's are as well. the 6.0 can be a good engine if maintained properly, or bulletproofed. Doesnt make sense to buy diesel unless you are towing ALL of the time IMO. Usually the lower cost of maintenance and fuel for a gasser will be a better bet. Like said above, the diesel's may get better mileage and be more rugged but the maintenance and scare stories(especially on the 6.0 powerstroke) just don't always make sense to buy an oil burner these days.

i looked long and hard at getting a diesel powered Excursion, but in the end a mod motor just made more sense financially, practically, and from a mileage standpoint as per the OP's original post.

 

[mc01svt]

Haha, I love 6.0 haters. Uneducated and probably has never owned one.

yeah its so misunderstood. It only had the highest warranty cost of any modern day engine ever. :smmon:

Warranty cost so high in fact that there was a $2,000,000,000 lawsuit filed by ford against navistar.

 

[ImThatGuy]

I would think a diesel with over a 100,000 miles is just getting well broken in as I've contemplated it several times, for car hauling and Diesel fuel is cheap here.