New daily driver

[OldRedFord]

Eventually I will be looking to replace my Ranger with something that is a bit more towing capable. With the 900 lb trailer, and the 1100 lb mower and a few other odds and ends totaling no more then 2500 lbs of trailer weight...it falls flat on its face above 50 mph. If you are familiar with interstate driving around here, if your going 50 you are going to get run over. Also with this trailer I am getting less then 15 mpg towing.

Right now I wish I still had that F250 around. The Ranger has been a good truck. Put 100,000 miles on it and its sure been used and abused, and asks for more.

So I am thinking of saving up and getting another used F250. Maybe a little newer then a 1986 but not real set on that. I do want one that is a auto this time around and I dont really need 4x4. Air conditioning is almost a requirement tho. I want diesel. Not gas.

I thought about trading in towards a new one. But then decided against it. I dont like how the new diesels are being chocked down with all the new smog stuff. That and I am leery of the new engine Ford has.

What do you guys think?

[hazelnut]

IMO dont buy anything newer than a 7.3, Easy to get to what ever needs fixing and has been proven to be good motors. 6.0s had to many problems and everything is jamed under the hood plus it wasnt out long, dont waste your money on one or it will break you, Ive been their. 6.4 wasnt out long, and no room to work on anything. Ive got a 99 F350 7.3 w/6 speed thats 16,000# most days and will put a tractor on a trailer behind it and still have plenty of power. Trucks got 265,000 on it and still going strong and feels like its got 150,000 left in it. Best advice i can give you is look under the hood and see how hard it would it be to change the belt, or pull a valve cover. The longer it takes you the less money your going to make plus your going to have to work longer to make up for lost time from working on it.

[guerra]

I agree with hazelnut. my 97 F-250 7.3 4x4 has 285000 miles on it with no trouble at all. it still pulls good. it showes no signs of wanting to give up. i did however this year have to replace the trans. pump and torque converter. but thats ok i'am not mad at it. its been to good a truck..

[cdeal28078]

I don't keep up with diesels at all and know little about working on them but I was at the local Fod dealer getting my wife's 07 Mustang stereo replaced under warranty (warranty is the only reason I would go to a dealer) and I saw a very new looking diesel being worked on. I could not believe all of the stuff crammed under the hood on that thing. It looked like every space available had some kind of cooler, fan, or radiator crammed in there. I would not own one of those things at all unless I was just filthy rich. Own one and have a problem you just about HAVE to take it to a dealer the way I see it unless you have every kind of tool, test equipment and schooling available.
I am not the normal person though.
My wife drives an 07 Mustang but when it is paid off I am thinking very seriously of buying and rebuilding her a 1970 Monte-Carlo like she had when we first met and getting rid of anything newer than a 95. Here 96 and above have to be emission tested. After 35 years old there is no inspection at all and the taxes are very low.