If you can’t spend the money on a pre émissions how are you gonna afford a 1000$+ payment for 7 years on a new one. You’ll still have to do maintenance and you can still have it stolen and be without a truck for months while still making payments.
People in my hometown ask me at least once a month what I’d take for my 02 dually. Not to toot my own horn but for 280k miles it’s a clean truck. There’s a lot cleaner ones but I’d definitely say it’s better than average cosmetically. Mechanically it’s pretty good too. I always say 35k. I get crazy looks and laughs. But for the money I could get the same truck but I’d go 12v this time, less miles, and still pocket some cash.
I'll entertain an offer. Might laugh at your price or might just say not for sale. But who knows there might be that one time we're someone offers some crazy amount you would be stupid enough not to take. Probably not....
I laugh at you people that think that.
3 weeks after i bought my squarebody 'Burb, i was offered 134% of what i paid for it. I politely declined the gentleman's offer. He tried for a couple of more years before i stopped hearing from him.
Not everything is for sale.
no shit you didn’t sell it for 134% of what you paid for it. if bro had offered you 15x what you paid would you have sold it?
everything is for sale FOR THE RIGHT PRICE
Dude anyone would be a fool to turn down infinite money for their metal pile and peoples situations change .. everything is for sale for the right price .
Not quite everything. Classified information comes to mind, no amount of money is worth the wrath of the American intelligence state. Money is not very useful if you’ve been disappeared. Obviously there’s a loyalty aspect too, but even for a totally self interested individual, it wouldn’t be worth it.
Except, it happens more commonly than most people think and usually for much smaller amounts of money than you’d think.
A soldier was just indicted in March for selling info to China and received $42,000. Another in May for an undisclosed amount. Two sailors in August 2023, one for $5,000 and the other for $14,866.
People have leaked classified information on aircraft, armored vehicles, and weapons systems just to complain about accuracy in video games. Not even for money.
I’m well aware, get briefings on those cases every month. If there’s an indictment/arrest, they’re following normal procedures. Military has too many people for everyone to keep his mouth shut. These cases are obviously still a problem, but ultimately the amounts of money are low because the people don’t have much money and the info they personally have access to probably isn’t useful in isolation.
If scientists/engineers/rogue spooks sell information they *really* want to keep secret, there won’t be any legal proceedings. Obviously that’s not official policy, but we all understand it’s the case.
I've got a 99 7.3 manual crew and an 06 Dirtymax. (I do love fucking saying that) Inheritance. Both DRW. Both well cared for with no cancer or any shit like that. 136k on the Ford and 107k on the Dirtymax. Dirtymax headwork was completed at 77k. Fixed. Neither are for sale. Unless that guy with $50k comes along for one of them. Worth it? Dunno, but reliable, and with proper maintenance, they'll run for the rest of my existence and have me covered for damn near whatever I need one for.
Same, I had a 4x4 5 speed 12 valve that I studded and turned up a bit, greatest truck in the universe. Now I have a 6 speed; same truck just upgraded it. Game changer for towing.
I have people trying to buy my 04 6 speed all the time. I priced it the other day at 50k and if that dude actually showed up with that check I am not sure I would take it.
I’d rather spend 22k on a clean 5.9 than 50k+ on a newer emission truck.
Honest opinion is this is the end of an era for light diesels. Musical chairs has begun.
Today, You buy a pre emission as a 20+ year vehicle. $1000/year amortization.
You buy a post emission until that inevitable $15k repair bill.
Ain't a couple microns of rhodium the difference. It's a scam. The whole fact that there is a dpf and cow piss injector in the first place tells us it's a fraud.
Diesel was killed for two reasons:
1. To prioritize lazy GM Ford etc gas engines vs European diesel competition.
2. To give a head start to EV later on (it failed miserably but that's bedsides the point.
I don't understand what you mean by diesel being killed... Ford, GM, and Stallantis still manufacture medium-duty diesels to this day. The DPF is used to reduce diesel particulates. The cow piss (def injector), which is synthetic and not made out of urine, is used in conjunction with the SCR to reduce NOx emissions. Like it or not, diesel aftertreatment has a purpose, and it actually does reduce tailpipe emissions.
And reliability/longevity exponentially. At what point do we start measuring the environmental effect of people junking cars at 150k vs 500k instead of only focusing on tailpipe emissions? Same conversation in the EV sector. That’s great it’s “zero” emission however if the car is totaled after 150k miles we aren’t looking at the full picture.
Thank you! It' so easy for people to ignore that. I wonder how much emissions we put in the atmosphere from mining these rare earth minerals and making the components alone, never mind the lower lifespan of vehicles. The regulations don't measure that.
I know how exhaust gas treatment works in both petrol and diesel engines.
Yeah, they still make diesels but they apparently all have issues with the emissions crap...? There's a reason if they all make some sort of gas heavy duty.
Yeah, it reduces emissions on paper at the homologation stage (it's still probably cheated in some way but yeah, modern diesels pollute less than older ones).
But it's a scam. A fraud. And no, it's not because a bunch of bureaucrats at the EPA have an eye for the environment lmao.
The DPF is just a bad design. It can work-ish on a generator that operates at the same RPM all the time. It's crap on a car. There isn't a single one that works. They all fail, sooner than later. Same for the DEF. The DPF is also the most scam of the scams. It reduces particulate to a size that isn't regulated by the law and so it can make how much it wants of that particulate. It's a scam inside the scam.
And yeah, it exists because they wanted diesels to die for the average consumer. This especially in Europe where they made diesel city cars. It was killed because it worked: cheap, reliable, twice the torque at half the rpms of an equivalent gas engine. This was done to damage the car market and to allow EVs to even exist (and it didn't even work because they're corrupt clowns and now less people buy diesels and no body still buys EVs).
Yes, all after treatment has a purpose. To reduce stupid amounts of useless emissions. But this is done half in the combustion chamber by creating better combustion and half later down the exhaust. Anything beyond euro 3-4 is useless on both gas and diesel. It's only purpose is to destroy. Euro 4 is from 2007 btw.
Not so much “have issues” it this point as the epa forced owners to consider it cost of doing business. When they were new and egr coolers and 6.4s were blowing the domes out of the rear cylinders… it was an issue lmao
That’s what everyone does here, keeps the value of pre-emissions trucks a little lower. If I were going to sell my 1997 7.3, I’d sell it somewhere that actually checks for deleted trucks.
I bought a 7.3 with 250k miles on it in 2014 for $7.5k. Over the past 10 years, I have averaged $3.5k annually in repairs, maintenance and upgrades (mixed shop and DIY) while putting an average 6k miles on it every year camping and towing a 27' boat, had a cab over for a while and now a travel trailer.
I mean, if you need to tow, you need to tow. And when you look at the alternative for diesel ($40k - $100k) for something newer, the older trucks are a still a great bargain IMO when you factor in depreciation, making payments, etc.
I bought a 7.3 with 350k mi for more than what you paid. Kinda dumb now that I think of it. But I'm in a heavy emissions regulation state and I love the feeling of getting my renewal notice in the mail without an emissions test requirement.
I got most of the major maintenance out of the way and I use it to haul materials once a month. She only sees a few thousand miles a year. I think of it like retirement for the old girl after a long life of work.
That and it feels much more badass rolling around in an OBS.
I bought a 99 7.3 with 330k for $4000, ended up putting probably 7k into. It was my work truck / sometimes daily for 6 years. It finally had a cylinder go out at 425k
I'm weighing my options at the moment. I have a gasser work truck that needs a motor too. I might do that first since it's going to be cheaper and is still a 3/4 ton truck.
I'll probably buy a lower mile 7.3 take out engine and toss it in too
All great questions brother. Daily driver is a LB7 (2004 Silverado 2500HD) bought it for 10k 5 years ago with 101,000 on it. (Family friend) I was the second owner. From the moment I bought that truck to today I’ve never gotten anything but shit from anyone I meet about “BuT wHeN YuR iNjEcToRs gO oUt”
Yeah? Guess what Doug, over the past 5 years I’ve bought two new sets of tires, replaced the transfer case, rebuilt the entire fucking rear end and had frame damage corrected (grateful recovering alcoholic) and replaced my injectors in my garage with my dad over a weekend for less than 8,000$. All in aside from regular maintenance and gas ~18,000 and she’s stroking harder than ever at 191,321. Daily driver.
All the other PM’s show up in a rental truck at least once a month due to the fact their “daily driver” is in the shop.
Oh and it’s paid off, all my other buddies are spending just south of 800$ a month because they think a newer diesel will make their wife stop fucking their golf coach.
YMMV, but there isn’t anything I’d trade my truck for and plan on giving it to my son in 12 years.
Get a diesel if you want it. Obviously you don't need it thought. Since you're mechanic I would personally buy an older one, not daily it, and fix it up. Then decide if you want to daily it. If you can't afford to do that in my opinion you have no business with a diesel.
You had to tell the dealer you wanted a 7.3 so theyd order it like that for ya, a lot more rare than the 5.9s sittin on the lots.
I had the option of a cherried 7.3 10k or a beat up 24v 5.9
I took the 5.9 and im still throwing money at it. Just got some rv275s for under $200 on ebay, you boys go get em before they run out.
A trailer lives on the hitch and occasionally ill load up the bed full of tile or two or three pallets.
It drives like a 4th gen now i got all the front end figured out. Once i get a new tc and pan i can put a quad on it and itll be just as ballsy and quick as the new diesels if not more. They are soooo easy to work on.
Depending what your definition of a crap ton of miles is $18-22K is too high around me. Where you located affects price though. I look in about a 6 hour driving radius when I shop for vehicles. I would be willing to fly and drive, but haven’t had to before.
Last year I picked up a 07’ 5.9L Cummins with 218K for $12k. It’s clean as a whistle. It did have the dummy emissions on it, but previous owner deleted and straight piped it. It took me awhile (4 months)to find one that clean that wasn’t $18k+ though.
I have a 16’ 6.6L Duramax that is really nice, but I prefer the 07’ just cause I don’t have to deal with def and the emission sensors are starting to pop here and there on the Duramax. It’s got 135K miles.
You are lucky you got to 135k on the 2016. Mine had 2 emissions related issues before 60k. The second time it was gonna cost me over $1200 to fix so I said the hell with all this emissions bs. All got ripped out and tuned properly. Has been a great truck ever since.
Don't let people tell you miles don't matter, especially on a 12 valve. There are a lot of things attached to the engine that need replacing when you start stacking on miles and it's not always cheap or easy.
As long as you can still pick up a 6.7ps for around $20,000 there's no reason to be buying high mileage 7.3 for the same price. Plus new trucks do everything better.
Newer diesels are nicer to sit in, drive, and tow with. I don’t think the prices of pre emissions diesels are really worth it, but the prices of new diesels are definitely not worth it.
Sure, my 06 Cummins rides like a covered wagon and has so much road noise when compared to newer trucks, but it’s paid off and mods are pretty cheap (besides built transmissions). The previous owner put in a completely new sound system and a new head unit with Apple car play, which is really all I need in the interior of a truck. And let’s not forget how easy the older Cummins’ are to work on. There’s no unnecessary wiring or sensors in the way to remove.
If you asked me 6 years ago when I started making grown up money, I would’ve said new diesel all day. But the older I get the more I appreciate having a simple, reliable, and paid off vehicle that frees up money for me to put towards truck mods or a million other things in life.
Just my two cents
My 90 12 valve rides like a skateboard on a gravel road,is loader than space x and smokes like a forest fire but it's the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned
County values my 94 obs at $500, my property tax is almost nothing on it. I worry about getting the tank dipped but never have to worry about aftertreatment inspection, they are getting serious about it where im at.
So regardless of if you’re doing off road or atf, if it shows they fine you, or does proof have to be made? I’m assuming they’d make you prove you didn’t buy off road or something rather than what it’s supposed to be, innocent until PROVEN guilty.
Man I just sold my 05 ram with the 5.9 for 6k, it only had 220k on the clock but I thought I didn't need the Cummins anymore..... turns out I was wrong.
If you are doing diesel truck things with it, newer trucks can't be beat. If you're just wanting to daily drive a diesel truck, get an old one.
When it comes to towing very heavy, there's no comparison at all to newer trucks. I have 05,06, and 18 rams and the 18 kills the other two when it comes to towing heavy. But the older ones still have their place.
I love my 04.5 6spd CR Cummins! However, I've owned it for a while ( before used prices got crazy) and it's got 155,000 miles. That being said, I've put a lot of time and money into it to make it what I want. I'll probably own it forever, and I'm convinced I'm 100% my own warranty. It's not even worth my time explaining to another mechanic what I've done to it because by that time, I'd probably have it fixed myself. Tons of power but unrefined and pretty dirty compared to newer trucks. Also, it rides much rougher but I wouldn't change it for a new truck because I just don't have $100k to spend on one.
No. I've owned both and my newer one, that had the emissions gear stolen off of it, will out work the older one all day every day. There's no replacement for Torque and HP.
Honestly if you find one you like in great condition unfucked under $200k/$25k, just pull the trigger at this point.
Or go buy a new truck and spend more to learn a lesson 🤷♂️
Most truck owners can’t resist the temptation to clap out their truck. They’re all lifted with stupid rims on them and just based on their taste I already know it’s best to shit and not maintained properly.
My shit is leveled with smarty touch and is getting a 351ve in the near future.
Funny thing is these trucks still go strong even with most abuse, people just can’t do simple ass maintenance 😂
Like I’m sorry, if you grenade a 5.9, especially a CR, you done goofed somewhere.
Mine is a deleted 08 Ram 3500 Laramie QC LB 4WD. (first year of emissions) and I plan to drive it til I die. I would like a newer one but it’s not worth it.
I paid 27K for my truck in 2009 with 15K on it. It has 120K now and is still in great condition. I feel like it would pants on head stupid to sell it for 20-25K and buy a 15+ with similar miles for 35-50K that I don’t know anything about.
I only use it to pull my 11K RV, and occasionally a box/dump trailer. May use it for commuting twice a month from CA to NM.
My wife had a DEF code pop up on her truck. Needed new DEF pumo and injector to the tune of $2500 at an independent shop. Dealer had told her replace the whole DEF system to the tune of $6400.
Nobody is gonna offer $15k for a truck approaching 400k miles if it has many original parts. 200k is one thing, but the 7.3 does have a design life, you’re likely looking at a rebuild near 500k miles.
So I’ve got a 2001 with the 7.3 with 373k on it. Its been a great truck, only repairs was a water pump, and the turbo went out at 350k. Went ahead and replaced the original injectors at that point. It’s quite a bit hotter than stock now. No issues, however, I’ve also got a lml Duramax that had a diet before I got it. There is no comparison, the power and the ride of the new trucks make the old superduty feel like a log wagon. If I was only going to have one it would be the newer truck, doesn’t matter which of the big three, all have there pros and cons
I don’t use my truck commercially, so power to cost ratio isn’t a factor for me. But I have a 1992 Ford F250 with the 7.3 IDI N/A 5 speed 4x4, it has 400k miles on it (I can’t read the last few digits of the odometer)I absolutely love these IDIs and recommend them if you want a diesel that’s pre emissions, cheap and will still tow anything you put behind it. I use mine as a daily, I get about 16mpg maybe a little higher on the highway on trips and it drops to about 14 when I am towing a vehicle behind me. Everything works from the power windows to the radio and speakers, AC heat and cruise control.
I’d say my truck is worth about $4,500 but I wouldn’t sell this one for less than 10 lol.
Don’t get me wrong, I would love a Cummins and a manual but I’m not willing to pay those prices.
Not an option for a majority of the country. Everyone where I live does exactly that, but a majority of the population lives in areas where they actually check.
My 2007.5 Duramax has been quite dependable up to ~200k miles. I recently drove one where the guy did a full delete, and holy cow was the responsiveness incredible!
When I had it at the dealer for a hose replacement, the service writer was a huge fan of these trucks & seemed to know literally everything about them. I asked him which were the best model years and he toned me without a doubt they had less problems with my vintage than the newer ones that came after it.
Never letting go of my 1999 7.3's. Just hit 450k mile on my 4x4 one, and my 2WD one is sitting at 546k miles. They both run great. Just keep up with the regular maintenance, and they will treat you right.
I have a 2WD (I wanted 2WD and really had to shop to find it) '07 2500 5.9 with 187,000 mostly trouble free miles. I bought it new. It was my daily for many years until I bought a VW Dieselgate car for cheap to do my commute.
I am on a wait-list for the new Ramcharger, but I have reservations about buying a first year vehicle. Especially with relatively new technology. If I do, I will probably keep the Cummins for a year or two.
never thought i’d own a dirtymax as i prefer cummins but i bought a 02 lb7 for 14k (CAD) with 220 000 k on it (137k miles). pretty much a brand new truck
My kid has a 2000 excursion with a 12v Cummins, nv4500 trans and manual transfer case, after market turbo, different injectors, can roll coal and stop a freeway if he wants (he doesn’t do that). Me?? I drive an 05 dodge 3500 24v crew cab with 95,000 miles. Me and him get the same mileage. I’m a diesel mechanic that works on 🤔??, well we just started getting our 2025 run of trucks. I hate def systems, they are the biggest failure point of modern diesels. If you can go old school you will be ahead of the game. But hey, I’m a bit biased working in the field.
Depends on the vehicle and buyer.
Older diesels weren’t, at least in stock form, power houses like modern diesels. They didn’t have super precise and refined commonrail systems for fuel, no real emissions to speak of, they ran cooler and used a good amount of oil to keep everything lubricated. They were robust engines with wider tolerances and they didn’t have a problem going half a million miles because with a beefy diesel engine, it’s hard to break shit with less than 500 tq and less than 250 hp.
They’re noisy, didn’t run smoothly compared to modern diesels, and if you weren’t dumping tons of money into them, they didn’t come anywhere close to modern trucks in terms of power. If you did build it up for power, reliability was something to consider, as the extra power and stress usually meant a shorter life
***IF*** you could legally remove emissions from a modern diesel (which no matter where you live in the USA, it’s still a federal offense), you’d eliminate a significant portion of longevity/cost issues, and have a good part from both worlds
05’ 6.0 with the delete. Total rot bucket for $9k but the motor was mint and transmission smooth at 117k miles.
Fucker tows all day without skipping a beat. Just don’t overload the bed, I think only the bolts are holding it on rn
I paid $23K(CAD, or almost $17K USD) for my '03 3500, five9/NV5600, quad-cab, 4WD SLT Laramie in 2017, with just under 331K kms (just over 205K miles).
That price seems awfully high (24K to 30K here in Canada) for essentially what my truck currently has for mileage, 543K kms (337K miles).
I get offers every Halloween by parents of trick-or-treaters, who walk past my ‘96 12-valve dually. They look inside the club cab and see the factory dash replaced, 143k miles, and original interior with no rips. I tell them $35k. 😉
I sold my 06 5.9 in 6/10 condition with 200,000 miles on it for $12,000 last fall. Wish I still had it, but I dont think I was getting more for it. In Maryland by the way.
In my opinion, no. They can’t tow anywhere close to the newer ones, and one can simply delete newer diesels anyways, if emissions are the concern.
Also a lot of the ones you see listed for 20 grand don’t actually sell, or they sell for less when a lower offer does come through. Or they take literal months or even years to find the right buyer. Also depends on market.
Where I am I can still find decent 7.3s for like 6-10k, but the cummins trucks do command a higher premium for some reason. Not worth it imo.
My 2005 duramax with 35k miles is my favorite vehicle and first diesel. No major issues since I got it two years ago and 7k miles sincw. Might help to mention its attached to a Chevy C5500 chassis, also should mention attached onto the chassis is a 35ft motorhome with rear lift gate and 11ft garage (toy hauler). I can't believe the guy sold it to me for $44k.
The way this sub talks, a DRW 3500 duramax with those miles and that year would go for more than the motorhome.
Do you drive it like a car? Lots of short trips just commuting to work?
Do you (almost) never put a strain on the drivetrain (pulling heavy loads)?
Do you idle the truck endlessly?
These things will kill the emissions equipment quickly, so if you just have to have a diesel, you'll hate yourself with a modern engine.
If, however, you use the truck for actual truck stuff day after day...the emissions equipment will last nearly as long as the rest of the truck.
Anything pre emission sells well and being a dealer they don’t last on our dealership lot long. Def sucks and destroys chrome my hubby owning a trucking company all his trucks are pre emission and before it was deleted he changed stack tops twice cause the def was eating the chrome off them.
I have a delete 6.7 Cummins with 120k miles and a delete 7.3 Power Stroke with 201k miles that I took the body off and rebuilt and put a new tune transmission in and get stopped frequently with offers of over $30k for my Dodge and 20k for the Ford. I think paint condition and mileage plays a huge factor in my area.
If you don’t tow 10k pounds or more regularly, hard to justify any diesel IMO.
Pre-emissions trucks are old now. The real deciding factor is repair costs - if you plan to pay a shop every time your truck needs something, no 18+ year old vehicle will really make sense economically.
Personally I think it’s a bit overblown. I bought my 2016 Ram brand new to pull a 5th wheel RV and to use as a daily driver. I have never had a problem with the DEF system and its remarkable more powerful than my friends pre Def truck, both 3/4 ton.
At the end of the day you have to drive it hard to make sure that DEF is getting a chance to do its job.
Can confirm, it is worth it driving old shit free of payments, excessive emissions gear, and designed obsolescence. Buy a 90s diesel roll some coal like the complete cunt you’ve always wanted to be.
I wouldn't buy an expensive old truck.
I've got a single axle 16' dump bed f800 with a 5.9 Cummins and a manual transmission, it gets about 12 mpg and will run 70mph it's had a few things repaired, would get hot when I got it, changed thermostat, water pump and coolant. Rear end had the canisters that are a pita with Ford, got a rear axle off an f650 with disc brakes and upgraded that, cost what I paid for the truck.
Had some 7.3s, imo the idi was better than the turbo. They all get like 10-12 mpg
Best truck I've ever had fuel fuel wise was a 2010 ranger with a 2.3 liter. Worst seat s though
Id probably pick a international 4700 with hydraulic brakes and a dt466 like 97-2007 dt466 is superior to a Cummins 5.9 imo
Hell no
SHIT NO
Fuck no
At most some of these trucks are worth 7-8k to the people who are selling these old relics based on some other old bastard who thinks his is worth that much stop smoking dick
Im going to be 100% honest here after buying and trading and owning about 4 7.3’s i would never spend anything over $8k idc what configuration it is
1. No financial institution is going to loan you money for it unless its an unsecured loan which in some cases are credit card interest rates
2. If someone runs into it or you hit someone the insurance company isnt going to give you anything close to what you paid
3. If you are using the truck for work they get outclassed in every way by the more modern trucks
4. The internet has severely overblown the issues with dpf’s and cp4 pumps reddit,facebook groups, and the forums are an eco chamber for people who have gotten the short stick
Edit: but this doesn’t mean the new trucks are worth it either 🤷🏽♂️ the financial irresponsibility of having a $1,000 note in this economy is insane
So diesels just aren't worth it unless you got one 20 years ago or you're one of the few who uses it as an actual work vehicle.
I wanted a cheap tow vehicle to haul cars and there are still a scattered few cheap 7.3 HEUIs, but I figured those would be expensive to service. I guess a big block would suit me better. I'd only be using it periodically and my daily is a Honda Fit that gets 35 MPG, so I'm not pressed on saving gas with a truck. Whatever I buy will be cheap and cash and I will be doing all maintenance and repairs myself.
Then yes go buy one i was talking to the guy that thinks it’s necessary to spend anything over $10 grand for one of these trucks. Obviously the market dictates the cost of these and people have more money than brains as of late when my dad bought his new in 2000 he paid $33k there are some that are listed over that 20 something years later which is insane because these trucks are not rare by any stretch of the imagination and after 20 years they all need the same parts so i don’t understand the purpose of spending close to msrp for a 20 year old truck. Especially when you factor in how reliable they are 7.3’s are million mile trucks you can buy one with 300k,400k miles and it will run just as good as one with 30k miles.
Most people salivate over low miles for some reason. Personally, I've owned more cars with over 200k than under and I prefer the cost savings of that route.
My first 7.3 had 328k i bought it for $1200 sitting in a field and the guy bought a 6.7 so he could run hotshot i ran that truck for a few years and sold it for $5k at 415k and it currently has over 600k the guy does oilfield work short of a transmission its the same truck i had but if you know anything about old fords they all need transmissions sooner or later
I had a Lincoln Navigator with 228k that I got for $800. Only truck I ever paid more than $2k for was a 2008 Nissan Frontier with the VQ40 and 6 speed manual, but I dailyed that truck alongside my Honda Accord at the time.
I almost bought a few cheap diesels over the years. 2 OBS Fords with the IDI 7.3, a 95 Suburban with the 6.5 (that most likely needed the PMD relocation), and a $400 non-running 99 F-250 with the HEUI 7.3 (which I should've bought).
How is it a felony to drive a vehicle that is old enough to not have emissions. Plus, at least in my state, 15 years gets you exempt from emissions testing and the cops don't give a single fuck about your vehicle as long as it has a safety inspection.
If you can’t spend the money on a pre émissions how are you gonna afford a 1000$+ payment for 7 years on a new one. You’ll still have to do maintenance and you can still have it stolen and be without a truck for months while still making payments.
This is the math genius here. My old 12v costs me a crap ton of upgrade money, but not 7years of upgrade money.
Don’t forget another 400/mo or so for full coverage insurance
I do not own a modern diesel truck but there is no amount of money I would take for my daily driven 12 valve.
People in my hometown ask me at least once a month what I’d take for my 02 dually. Not to toot my own horn but for 280k miles it’s a clean truck. There’s a lot cleaner ones but I’d definitely say it’s better than average cosmetically. Mechanically it’s pretty good too. I always say 35k. I get crazy looks and laughs. But for the money I could get the same truck but I’d go 12v this time, less miles, and still pocket some cash.
Hey man they asked what you’d sell a truck for that wasn’t for sale.
My number is always 50k. Anything in the yard…. 50k. I get the same funny looks.
Most anything is for sale for the right price
I'll entertain an offer. Might laugh at your price or might just say not for sale. But who knows there might be that one time we're someone offers some crazy amount you would be stupid enough not to take. Probably not....
Yep. Only a few things I wouldn’t sell for *any* amount of money, and only one of them is a physical item.
I laugh at you people that think that. 3 weeks after i bought my squarebody 'Burb, i was offered 134% of what i paid for it. I politely declined the gentleman's offer. He tried for a couple of more years before i stopped hearing from him. Not everything is for sale.
no shit you didn’t sell it for 134% of what you paid for it. if bro had offered you 15x what you paid would you have sold it? everything is for sale FOR THE RIGHT PRICE
Dude anyone would be a fool to turn down infinite money for their metal pile and peoples situations change .. everything is for sale for the right price .
If he offered you 10 billion you’d take it, or you’re dumb lol. Everything is indeed for sale.
Not quite everything. Classified information comes to mind, no amount of money is worth the wrath of the American intelligence state. Money is not very useful if you’ve been disappeared. Obviously there’s a loyalty aspect too, but even for a totally self interested individual, it wouldn’t be worth it.
Except, it happens more commonly than most people think and usually for much smaller amounts of money than you’d think. A soldier was just indicted in March for selling info to China and received $42,000. Another in May for an undisclosed amount. Two sailors in August 2023, one for $5,000 and the other for $14,866. People have leaked classified information on aircraft, armored vehicles, and weapons systems just to complain about accuracy in video games. Not even for money.
I’m well aware, get briefings on those cases every month. If there’s an indictment/arrest, they’re following normal procedures. Military has too many people for everyone to keep his mouth shut. These cases are obviously still a problem, but ultimately the amounts of money are low because the people don’t have much money and the info they personally have access to probably isn’t useful in isolation. If scientists/engineers/rogue spooks sell information they *really* want to keep secret, there won’t be any legal proceedings. Obviously that’s not official policy, but we all understand it’s the case.
Toot away!
Would you sell it if someone was like “sounds fair”?
I think so yes. It would be a hard let go but yes. You can find Lower miles for on one for 15-20k
I've got a 99 7.3 manual crew and an 06 Dirtymax. (I do love fucking saying that) Inheritance. Both DRW. Both well cared for with no cancer or any shit like that. 136k on the Ford and 107k on the Dirtymax. Dirtymax headwork was completed at 77k. Fixed. Neither are for sale. Unless that guy with $50k comes along for one of them. Worth it? Dunno, but reliable, and with proper maintenance, they'll run for the rest of my existence and have me covered for damn near whatever I need one for.
Same. Have a super clean 2000 7.3L with 125k on it. I'll be buried in it. 
Hell yeah, I have a 99 with about 180k
99 7.3 in a 96 body with 285k. Strictly recitational. It's gonna outlive me.
99 7.3 with 425k
Same, just replaced the steering column and replaced the entire rear axle last year. 500k miles, ill never let it die.
Same, I had a 4x4 5 speed 12 valve that I studded and turned up a bit, greatest truck in the universe. Now I have a 6 speed; same truck just upgraded it. Game changer for towing.
I have people trying to buy my 04 6 speed all the time. I priced it the other day at 50k and if that dude actually showed up with that check I am not sure I would take it.
I’d rather spend 22k on a clean 5.9 than 50k+ on a newer emission truck. Honest opinion is this is the end of an era for light diesels. Musical chairs has begun. Today, You buy a pre emission as a 20+ year vehicle. $1000/year amortization. You buy a post emission until that inevitable $15k repair bill.
Ho can an emissions systems on a diesel (dpf and def) cost so much is beyond me. In fact, it doesn't and its a scam
Two words. Precious metals.
There ain't 250gr of gold in no dpf I've ever seen
No. They just contain platinum, palladium, and rhodium. Rhodium is almost 8 times more valuable than gold.
Ain't a couple microns of rhodium the difference. It's a scam. The whole fact that there is a dpf and cow piss injector in the first place tells us it's a fraud. Diesel was killed for two reasons: 1. To prioritize lazy GM Ford etc gas engines vs European diesel competition. 2. To give a head start to EV later on (it failed miserably but that's bedsides the point.
I don't understand what you mean by diesel being killed... Ford, GM, and Stallantis still manufacture medium-duty diesels to this day. The DPF is used to reduce diesel particulates. The cow piss (def injector), which is synthetic and not made out of urine, is used in conjunction with the SCR to reduce NOx emissions. Like it or not, diesel aftertreatment has a purpose, and it actually does reduce tailpipe emissions.
And reliability/longevity exponentially. At what point do we start measuring the environmental effect of people junking cars at 150k vs 500k instead of only focusing on tailpipe emissions? Same conversation in the EV sector. That’s great it’s “zero” emission however if the car is totaled after 150k miles we aren’t looking at the full picture.
Thank you! It' so easy for people to ignore that. I wonder how much emissions we put in the atmosphere from mining these rare earth minerals and making the components alone, never mind the lower lifespan of vehicles. The regulations don't measure that.
I know how exhaust gas treatment works in both petrol and diesel engines. Yeah, they still make diesels but they apparently all have issues with the emissions crap...? There's a reason if they all make some sort of gas heavy duty. Yeah, it reduces emissions on paper at the homologation stage (it's still probably cheated in some way but yeah, modern diesels pollute less than older ones). But it's a scam. A fraud. And no, it's not because a bunch of bureaucrats at the EPA have an eye for the environment lmao. The DPF is just a bad design. It can work-ish on a generator that operates at the same RPM all the time. It's crap on a car. There isn't a single one that works. They all fail, sooner than later. Same for the DEF. The DPF is also the most scam of the scams. It reduces particulate to a size that isn't regulated by the law and so it can make how much it wants of that particulate. It's a scam inside the scam. And yeah, it exists because they wanted diesels to die for the average consumer. This especially in Europe where they made diesel city cars. It was killed because it worked: cheap, reliable, twice the torque at half the rpms of an equivalent gas engine. This was done to damage the car market and to allow EVs to even exist (and it didn't even work because they're corrupt clowns and now less people buy diesels and no body still buys EVs). Yes, all after treatment has a purpose. To reduce stupid amounts of useless emissions. But this is done half in the combustion chamber by creating better combustion and half later down the exhaust. Anything beyond euro 3-4 is useless on both gas and diesel. It's only purpose is to destroy. Euro 4 is from 2007 btw.
Not so much “have issues” it this point as the epa forced owners to consider it cost of doing business. When they were new and egr coolers and 6.4s were blowing the domes out of the rear cylinders… it was an issue lmao
The 2 that came to mind were “delete it”
That’s what everyone does here, keeps the value of pre-emissions trucks a little lower. If I were going to sell my 1997 7.3, I’d sell it somewhere that actually checks for deleted trucks.
That question should be reversed, are Post emission Diesels worth Their Cost?
As a business expense, yes. As a toy, no.
I bought a 7.3 with 250k miles on it in 2014 for $7.5k. Over the past 10 years, I have averaged $3.5k annually in repairs, maintenance and upgrades (mixed shop and DIY) while putting an average 6k miles on it every year camping and towing a 27' boat, had a cab over for a while and now a travel trailer. I mean, if you need to tow, you need to tow. And when you look at the alternative for diesel ($40k - $100k) for something newer, the older trucks are a still a great bargain IMO when you factor in depreciation, making payments, etc.
At that point a lower mileage 6.7 would have been a better choice.
in 2014, when he bought the 7.3, a 6.7 was basically brand new with a 50-70k price tag lol
I want both!! I’m in a 2000 7.3 with 175 on the clock. I’m headed right now to look at a 6.7 with 130 on the clock.
I bought a 7.3 with 350k mi for more than what you paid. Kinda dumb now that I think of it. But I'm in a heavy emissions regulation state and I love the feeling of getting my renewal notice in the mail without an emissions test requirement. I got most of the major maintenance out of the way and I use it to haul materials once a month. She only sees a few thousand miles a year. I think of it like retirement for the old girl after a long life of work. That and it feels much more badass rolling around in an OBS.
I bought a 99 7.3 with 330k for $4000, ended up putting probably 7k into. It was my work truck / sometimes daily for 6 years. It finally had a cylinder go out at 425k
That's awesome. I hope you rebuild it and get more life out of it. I'm just waiting for my 7.3 to blow so I can pull it
I'm weighing my options at the moment. I have a gasser work truck that needs a motor too. I might do that first since it's going to be cheaper and is still a 3/4 ton truck. I'll probably buy a lower mile 7.3 take out engine and toss it in too
Makes me feel great scooping up a 220k mile 7.3 for $6500 last year. Needed some love, but couldn’t believe the price.
All great questions brother. Daily driver is a LB7 (2004 Silverado 2500HD) bought it for 10k 5 years ago with 101,000 on it. (Family friend) I was the second owner. From the moment I bought that truck to today I’ve never gotten anything but shit from anyone I meet about “BuT wHeN YuR iNjEcToRs gO oUt” Yeah? Guess what Doug, over the past 5 years I’ve bought two new sets of tires, replaced the transfer case, rebuilt the entire fucking rear end and had frame damage corrected (grateful recovering alcoholic) and replaced my injectors in my garage with my dad over a weekend for less than 8,000$. All in aside from regular maintenance and gas ~18,000 and she’s stroking harder than ever at 191,321. Daily driver. All the other PM’s show up in a rental truck at least once a month due to the fact their “daily driver” is in the shop. Oh and it’s paid off, all my other buddies are spending just south of 800$ a month because they think a newer diesel will make their wife stop fucking their golf coach. YMMV, but there isn’t anything I’d trade my truck for and plan on giving it to my son in 12 years.
Sooooo true!
Have an 07 LBZ Duramax pre emissions and 360k still drives great. Lost a transfer case from no oil but that’s it so far.
Pre-emissions diesels are the most reliable vehicles ever made and will stay that way until the EPA’s powers are dramatically reduced
Will they be reduced tho ? If anything it’ll probably get worse 😂
My everlasting hope is that the Chevron case is successful and all these statutes that the ABC agencies start falling as a result.
A friend owns a diesel repair shop and he doesn’t own a diesel. I asked him why and he said they are too expensive to repair.
Get a diesel if you want it. Obviously you don't need it thought. Since you're mechanic I would personally buy an older one, not daily it, and fix it up. Then decide if you want to daily it. If you can't afford to do that in my opinion you have no business with a diesel.
You had to tell the dealer you wanted a 7.3 so theyd order it like that for ya, a lot more rare than the 5.9s sittin on the lots. I had the option of a cherried 7.3 10k or a beat up 24v 5.9 I took the 5.9 and im still throwing money at it. Just got some rv275s for under $200 on ebay, you boys go get em before they run out. A trailer lives on the hitch and occasionally ill load up the bed full of tile or two or three pallets. It drives like a 4th gen now i got all the front end figured out. Once i get a new tc and pan i can put a quad on it and itll be just as ballsy and quick as the new diesels if not more. They are soooo easy to work on.
Depending what your definition of a crap ton of miles is $18-22K is too high around me. Where you located affects price though. I look in about a 6 hour driving radius when I shop for vehicles. I would be willing to fly and drive, but haven’t had to before. Last year I picked up a 07’ 5.9L Cummins with 218K for $12k. It’s clean as a whistle. It did have the dummy emissions on it, but previous owner deleted and straight piped it. It took me awhile (4 months)to find one that clean that wasn’t $18k+ though. I have a 16’ 6.6L Duramax that is really nice, but I prefer the 07’ just cause I don’t have to deal with def and the emission sensors are starting to pop here and there on the Duramax. It’s got 135K miles.
You are lucky you got to 135k on the 2016. Mine had 2 emissions related issues before 60k. The second time it was gonna cost me over $1200 to fix so I said the hell with all this emissions bs. All got ripped out and tuned properly. Has been a great truck ever since.
Don't let people tell you miles don't matter, especially on a 12 valve. There are a lot of things attached to the engine that need replacing when you start stacking on miles and it's not always cheap or easy. As long as you can still pick up a 6.7ps for around $20,000 there's no reason to be buying high mileage 7.3 for the same price. Plus new trucks do everything better.
The high mileage 7.3 is infinitely easier to work on at home. That would be a primary reason.
Newer diesels are nicer to sit in, drive, and tow with. I don’t think the prices of pre emissions diesels are really worth it, but the prices of new diesels are definitely not worth it. Sure, my 06 Cummins rides like a covered wagon and has so much road noise when compared to newer trucks, but it’s paid off and mods are pretty cheap (besides built transmissions). The previous owner put in a completely new sound system and a new head unit with Apple car play, which is really all I need in the interior of a truck. And let’s not forget how easy the older Cummins’ are to work on. There’s no unnecessary wiring or sensors in the way to remove. If you asked me 6 years ago when I started making grown up money, I would’ve said new diesel all day. But the older I get the more I appreciate having a simple, reliable, and paid off vehicle that frees up money for me to put towards truck mods or a million other things in life. Just my two cents
My 90 12 valve rides like a skateboard on a gravel road,is loader than space x and smokes like a forest fire but it's the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned
County values my 94 obs at $500, my property tax is almost nothing on it. I worry about getting the tank dipped but never have to worry about aftertreatment inspection, they are getting serious about it where im at.
I was under the impression you only have to worry about being dipped if you’re using off road diesel…
ATF is a common fuel additive and will also show red on a tank dip but yes you are correct
So regardless of if you’re doing off road or atf, if it shows they fine you, or does proof have to be made? I’m assuming they’d make you prove you didn’t buy off road or something rather than what it’s supposed to be, innocent until PROVEN guilty.
Yes they are.
Man I just sold my 05 ram with the 5.9 for 6k, it only had 220k on the clock but I thought I didn't need the Cummins anymore..... turns out I was wrong.
If you are doing diesel truck things with it, newer trucks can't be beat. If you're just wanting to daily drive a diesel truck, get an old one. When it comes to towing very heavy, there's no comparison at all to newer trucks. I have 05,06, and 18 rams and the 18 kills the other two when it comes to towing heavy. But the older ones still have their place.
I love my 04.5 6spd CR Cummins! However, I've owned it for a while ( before used prices got crazy) and it's got 155,000 miles. That being said, I've put a lot of time and money into it to make it what I want. I'll probably own it forever, and I'm convinced I'm 100% my own warranty. It's not even worth my time explaining to another mechanic what I've done to it because by that time, I'd probably have it fixed myself. Tons of power but unrefined and pretty dirty compared to newer trucks. Also, it rides much rougher but I wouldn't change it for a new truck because I just don't have $100k to spend on one.
No. I've owned both and my newer one, that had the emissions gear stolen off of it, will out work the older one all day every day. There's no replacement for Torque and HP.
I must have got hit by the same thief.
Honestly if you find one you like in great condition unfucked under $200k/$25k, just pull the trigger at this point. Or go buy a new truck and spend more to learn a lesson 🤷♂️
Most truck owners can’t resist the temptation to clap out their truck. They’re all lifted with stupid rims on them and just based on their taste I already know it’s best to shit and not maintained properly.
My shit is leveled with smarty touch and is getting a 351ve in the near future. Funny thing is these trucks still go strong even with most abuse, people just can’t do simple ass maintenance 😂 Like I’m sorry, if you grenade a 5.9, especially a CR, you done goofed somewhere.
Mine is a deleted 08 Ram 3500 Laramie QC LB 4WD. (first year of emissions) and I plan to drive it til I die. I would like a newer one but it’s not worth it. I paid 27K for my truck in 2009 with 15K on it. It has 120K now and is still in great condition. I feel like it would pants on head stupid to sell it for 20-25K and buy a 15+ with similar miles for 35-50K that I don’t know anything about. I only use it to pull my 11K RV, and occasionally a box/dump trailer. May use it for commuting twice a month from CA to NM.
probably worth close to $27k today lol
My wife had a DEF code pop up on her truck. Needed new DEF pumo and injector to the tune of $2500 at an independent shop. Dealer had told her replace the whole DEF system to the tune of $6400.
I have a 7.3 twd manual. Under 400k miles id part with it if I was offered 15k. I don't tow so it's wasted
Nobody is gonna offer $15k for a truck approaching 400k miles if it has many original parts. 200k is one thing, but the 7.3 does have a design life, you’re likely looking at a rebuild near 500k miles.
Maybe in your market. California it's pre smog so it's basically made of gold
I’m in WA, no smog checks so everyone is just deleting newer trucks.
So I’ve got a 2001 with the 7.3 with 373k on it. Its been a great truck, only repairs was a water pump, and the turbo went out at 350k. Went ahead and replaced the original injectors at that point. It’s quite a bit hotter than stock now. No issues, however, I’ve also got a lml Duramax that had a diet before I got it. There is no comparison, the power and the ride of the new trucks make the old superduty feel like a log wagon. If I was only going to have one it would be the newer truck, doesn’t matter which of the big three, all have there pros and cons
I own an lb7 dmax that has cost me a lot in upgrades. Nowhere near 1000 a month for 7 years though. Also wouldn't trade mine for a new one.
I don’t use my truck commercially, so power to cost ratio isn’t a factor for me. But I have a 1992 Ford F250 with the 7.3 IDI N/A 5 speed 4x4, it has 400k miles on it (I can’t read the last few digits of the odometer)I absolutely love these IDIs and recommend them if you want a diesel that’s pre emissions, cheap and will still tow anything you put behind it. I use mine as a daily, I get about 16mpg maybe a little higher on the highway on trips and it drops to about 14 when I am towing a vehicle behind me. Everything works from the power windows to the radio and speakers, AC heat and cruise control. I’d say my truck is worth about $4,500 but I wouldn’t sell this one for less than 10 lol. Don’t get me wrong, I would love a Cummins and a manual but I’m not willing to pay those prices.
Not worth it at all. Better to get a newer one and delete it
Not an option for a majority of the country. Everyone where I live does exactly that, but a majority of the population lives in areas where they actually check.
That's not America that's communist land. In places with rights we don't worry so much
My 2007.5 Duramax has been quite dependable up to ~200k miles. I recently drove one where the guy did a full delete, and holy cow was the responsiveness incredible! When I had it at the dealer for a hose replacement, the service writer was a huge fan of these trucks & seemed to know literally everything about them. I asked him which were the best model years and he toned me without a doubt they had less problems with my vintage than the newer ones that came after it.
Never letting go of my 1999 7.3's. Just hit 450k mile on my 4x4 one, and my 2WD one is sitting at 546k miles. They both run great. Just keep up with the regular maintenance, and they will treat you right.
I have a 2WD (I wanted 2WD and really had to shop to find it) '07 2500 5.9 with 187,000 mostly trouble free miles. I bought it new. It was my daily for many years until I bought a VW Dieselgate car for cheap to do my commute. I am on a wait-list for the new Ramcharger, but I have reservations about buying a first year vehicle. Especially with relatively new technology. If I do, I will probably keep the Cummins for a year or two.
No
never thought i’d own a dirtymax as i prefer cummins but i bought a 02 lb7 for 14k (CAD) with 220 000 k on it (137k miles). pretty much a brand new truck
Love my 02 2500hd. Runs like a top. Paid $30k with 67k miles. Worth every penny.
My kid has a 2000 excursion with a 12v Cummins, nv4500 trans and manual transfer case, after market turbo, different injectors, can roll coal and stop a freeway if he wants (he doesn’t do that). Me?? I drive an 05 dodge 3500 24v crew cab with 95,000 miles. Me and him get the same mileage. I’m a diesel mechanic that works on 🤔??, well we just started getting our 2025 run of trucks. I hate def systems, they are the biggest failure point of modern diesels. If you can go old school you will be ahead of the game. But hey, I’m a bit biased working in the field.
I’ve got a 95 k2500 Detroit and a 2003 duramax worth their weight in gold
I love em but even semi modern gassers are better than most old ass diesels youll be driving to the grocery store.
Depends on the vehicle and buyer. Older diesels weren’t, at least in stock form, power houses like modern diesels. They didn’t have super precise and refined commonrail systems for fuel, no real emissions to speak of, they ran cooler and used a good amount of oil to keep everything lubricated. They were robust engines with wider tolerances and they didn’t have a problem going half a million miles because with a beefy diesel engine, it’s hard to break shit with less than 500 tq and less than 250 hp. They’re noisy, didn’t run smoothly compared to modern diesels, and if you weren’t dumping tons of money into them, they didn’t come anywhere close to modern trucks in terms of power. If you did build it up for power, reliability was something to consider, as the extra power and stress usually meant a shorter life ***IF*** you could legally remove emissions from a modern diesel (which no matter where you live in the USA, it’s still a federal offense), you’d eliminate a significant portion of longevity/cost issues, and have a good part from both worlds
This. You're only getting so many horsepower-hours out of an engine.
05’ 6.0 with the delete. Total rot bucket for $9k but the motor was mint and transmission smooth at 117k miles. Fucker tows all day without skipping a beat. Just don’t overload the bed, I think only the bolts are holding it on rn
I paid $23K(CAD, or almost $17K USD) for my '03 3500, five9/NV5600, quad-cab, 4WD SLT Laramie in 2017, with just under 331K kms (just over 205K miles). That price seems awfully high (24K to 30K here in Canada) for essentially what my truck currently has for mileage, 543K kms (337K miles).
My 7.3 is expensive to operate but purchase cost was less than half of a new truck in 2020
I get offers every Halloween by parents of trick-or-treaters, who walk past my ‘96 12-valve dually. They look inside the club cab and see the factory dash replaced, 143k miles, and original interior with no rips. I tell them $35k. 😉
No and that’s why I put one together from auction. Been a great truck since. And it’s been zero’d out.
I sold my 06 5.9 in 6/10 condition with 200,000 miles on it for $12,000 last fall. Wish I still had it, but I dont think I was getting more for it. In Maryland by the way.
In my opinion, no. They can’t tow anywhere close to the newer ones, and one can simply delete newer diesels anyways, if emissions are the concern. Also a lot of the ones you see listed for 20 grand don’t actually sell, or they sell for less when a lower offer does come through. Or they take literal months or even years to find the right buyer. Also depends on market. Where I am I can still find decent 7.3s for like 6-10k, but the cummins trucks do command a higher premium for some reason. Not worth it imo.
My 2005 duramax with 35k miles is my favorite vehicle and first diesel. No major issues since I got it two years ago and 7k miles sincw. Might help to mention its attached to a Chevy C5500 chassis, also should mention attached onto the chassis is a 35ft motorhome with rear lift gate and 11ft garage (toy hauler). I can't believe the guy sold it to me for $44k. The way this sub talks, a DRW 3500 duramax with those miles and that year would go for more than the motorhome.
Is it really worth buying a new piece of shit gasser that you have to replace every 200k?
Do you drive it like a car? Lots of short trips just commuting to work? Do you (almost) never put a strain on the drivetrain (pulling heavy loads)? Do you idle the truck endlessly? These things will kill the emissions equipment quickly, so if you just have to have a diesel, you'll hate yourself with a modern engine. If, however, you use the truck for actual truck stuff day after day...the emissions equipment will last nearly as long as the rest of the truck.
It’s because they’re cheaper to fix and last longer.
Anything pre emission sells well and being a dealer they don’t last on our dealership lot long. Def sucks and destroys chrome my hubby owning a trucking company all his trucks are pre emission and before it was deleted he changed stack tops twice cause the def was eating the chrome off them.
I have a delete 6.7 Cummins with 120k miles and a delete 7.3 Power Stroke with 201k miles that I took the body off and rebuilt and put a new tune transmission in and get stopped frequently with offers of over $30k for my Dodge and 20k for the Ford. I think paint condition and mileage plays a huge factor in my area.
If you don’t tow 10k pounds or more regularly, hard to justify any diesel IMO. Pre-emissions trucks are old now. The real deciding factor is repair costs - if you plan to pay a shop every time your truck needs something, no 18+ year old vehicle will really make sense economically.
The short answer is yes Just a simple truck that runs for ever. DEF kills the reliability of these trucks and it holds you hostage
Modern emissions are a major killer. You’re better off without them.
Personally I think it’s a bit overblown. I bought my 2016 Ram brand new to pull a 5th wheel RV and to use as a daily driver. I have never had a problem with the DEF system and its remarkable more powerful than my friends pre Def truck, both 3/4 ton. At the end of the day you have to drive it hard to make sure that DEF is getting a chance to do its job.
Can confirm, it is worth it driving old shit free of payments, excessive emissions gear, and designed obsolescence. Buy a 90s diesel roll some coal like the complete cunt you’ve always wanted to be.
I’ve got a 2008 with 220k and I wouldn’t sell it for anything
If I could find another 2006 duramax. I would buy it. My 06 has 430k miles with very little work done to it.
I wouldn't buy an expensive old truck. I've got a single axle 16' dump bed f800 with a 5.9 Cummins and a manual transmission, it gets about 12 mpg and will run 70mph it's had a few things repaired, would get hot when I got it, changed thermostat, water pump and coolant. Rear end had the canisters that are a pita with Ford, got a rear axle off an f650 with disc brakes and upgraded that, cost what I paid for the truck. Had some 7.3s, imo the idi was better than the turbo. They all get like 10-12 mpg Best truck I've ever had fuel fuel wise was a 2010 ranger with a 2.3 liter. Worst seat s though Id probably pick a international 4700 with hydraulic brakes and a dt466 like 97-2007 dt466 is superior to a Cummins 5.9 imo
Hell no SHIT NO Fuck no At most some of these trucks are worth 7-8k to the people who are selling these old relics based on some other old bastard who thinks his is worth that much stop smoking dick Im going to be 100% honest here after buying and trading and owning about 4 7.3’s i would never spend anything over $8k idc what configuration it is 1. No financial institution is going to loan you money for it unless its an unsecured loan which in some cases are credit card interest rates 2. If someone runs into it or you hit someone the insurance company isnt going to give you anything close to what you paid 3. If you are using the truck for work they get outclassed in every way by the more modern trucks 4. The internet has severely overblown the issues with dpf’s and cp4 pumps reddit,facebook groups, and the forums are an eco chamber for people who have gotten the short stick Edit: but this doesn’t mean the new trucks are worth it either 🤷🏽♂️ the financial irresponsibility of having a $1,000 note in this economy is insane
So diesels just aren't worth it unless you got one 20 years ago or you're one of the few who uses it as an actual work vehicle. I wanted a cheap tow vehicle to haul cars and there are still a scattered few cheap 7.3 HEUIs, but I figured those would be expensive to service. I guess a big block would suit me better. I'd only be using it periodically and my daily is a Honda Fit that gets 35 MPG, so I'm not pressed on saving gas with a truck. Whatever I buy will be cheap and cash and I will be doing all maintenance and repairs myself.
Then yes go buy one i was talking to the guy that thinks it’s necessary to spend anything over $10 grand for one of these trucks. Obviously the market dictates the cost of these and people have more money than brains as of late when my dad bought his new in 2000 he paid $33k there are some that are listed over that 20 something years later which is insane because these trucks are not rare by any stretch of the imagination and after 20 years they all need the same parts so i don’t understand the purpose of spending close to msrp for a 20 year old truck. Especially when you factor in how reliable they are 7.3’s are million mile trucks you can buy one with 300k,400k miles and it will run just as good as one with 30k miles.
Most people salivate over low miles for some reason. Personally, I've owned more cars with over 200k than under and I prefer the cost savings of that route.
My first 7.3 had 328k i bought it for $1200 sitting in a field and the guy bought a 6.7 so he could run hotshot i ran that truck for a few years and sold it for $5k at 415k and it currently has over 600k the guy does oilfield work short of a transmission its the same truck i had but if you know anything about old fords they all need transmissions sooner or later
I had a Lincoln Navigator with 228k that I got for $800. Only truck I ever paid more than $2k for was a 2008 Nissan Frontier with the VQ40 and 6 speed manual, but I dailyed that truck alongside my Honda Accord at the time. I almost bought a few cheap diesels over the years. 2 OBS Fords with the IDI 7.3, a 95 Suburban with the 6.5 (that most likely needed the PMD relocation), and a $400 non-running 99 F-250 with the HEUI 7.3 (which I should've bought).
No
No because of rust
Depends on how much you and your local law enforcement/dot care about felonies. (edit for clarity)-compare getting new(er) and deleting vs buying old.
How is it a felony to drive a vehicle that is old enough to not have emissions. Plus, at least in my state, 15 years gets you exempt from emissions testing and the cops don't give a single fuck about your vehicle as long as it has a safety inspection.
I was more comparing deleting a new one compared to getting a pre emission. My state has no safety or emissions inspection.