Buying an F350

[bad news]

I would also suggest Fluid Film. It works well and doesn't have the environmental consequences of spraying your truck in oil, which really isn't the best.

 

[blades]

Fluid film = Sheep wool squeezings ( base material)

 

[firefighterjake]

Fluid film = Sheep wool squeezings ( base material)

I can believe that . . . they put some FF on the underside of one of the fire engines the other day and the trunk smelled like a locker room after a long weekend of tournament action. Very stinky.

 

[bad news]

Yup, it's a lanolin base. Smells like a sheep orgy.

 

[Clydeburner]

I think undercoating is a waste of your money at that mileage and if you only want 6 more years out of it.

You'd get more life out of the truck putting MORE mileage on it. Sitting is what kills vehicles.

Agreed got an 03 Diesel sits more then driven maybe 6k a year mostly dragging our 35 TT. Got a company service truck that I'm in 6 days a week 30k+ a year on that lol. Great trucks but need to be used or they'll rot out quick. The spark plugs on the 5.4 can be a pita and costly some over $1k, my buddy's father had an f150, great truck but when it was time to do plugs he was gonna lose his shirt. Traded it in and went to GM, never looked back. I can't decide what emblem I want on my next flower box....

 

[OhioBurner©]

The spark plug issues were fixed, I think '08, so you'd still have the 2-piece plugs that can break off in that one. There was a tsb though, if you follow that you have a much better chance of not having an issue. I think it involved heat cycling and spraying with penetrating oil over a couple days or something like that. I think the majority of the issues are because garages don't want to spend a bunch of time and just go at the plugs with the wrench and break em. If you're smart about it many have been able to change them without issue, especially if you pull them early and use anti-seize or whatever. The automatic tranny was another weak point of the earlier Super Duties (the 4r100) but I think it was '05 they changed to the heavier duty 5r110 which was a much better unit. Personally I think the '05-07 were great trucks and probably looked the best of all the SD's. The 5.4 while no diesel has never had problems in any of my families many Super Duties around the farm, I was always impressed what the 5.4 could do pulling the big gooseneck hauling tractors and such around. I wanted an '05-07 but couldn't find any used local configured the way I wanted so ended up ordering a new 09 truck. Not the greatest looking truck but I like the utilitarian look rather than something flashy and sporty looking. Was going to get 5.4 but the 6.8 upgrade was literally pocket change and I couldn't resist. I just crossed 100k miles this week actually, and haven't had to do any unscheduled maintenance except lube some caliper slide pins, had a caliper stick a few times. I have new plugs but still haven't got around to putting them on.

 

[Treacherous]

Not a pickup but I think the 302 (5.0L) in my old '96 Explorer AWD will outlast the body

 

[Backroads]

Dunno if you ever picked this up or not. But +1 on the Fluid film once a year and avoid the undercarraige was at the carwash. As for undercoating any vehicle that's not "new". IMO you're just sealing in the rust that's already taken up residency and never sleeping.

 

[brenndatomu]

As for undercoating any vehicle that's not "new". IMO you're just sealing in the rust that's already taken up residency and never sleeping.

That's why I like oil spray better, rust may never sleep but you can sure make it groggy for a long time with a proper oil spray.

 

[Bad LP]

Sitting kills them.
Ford brakes and steering components kinda suck. The spark plug issue and manifold leaks are well documented.

My plow truck is a 2003 F350 but my daily drivers for a very long time have been 2500HD's. I change the oil and buy tires for them. at near 70K miles they are traded in. Never put a wrench to any of them.

Re-read the first sentence.

 

[mark cline]

My 2000 F350 crew cab 4x4 7.3L diesel has 315000 miles on it . I take it from New York state to Fort Stockton TX for the month of November , hunting ,well over 5000 miles and it has never let me down. 5K oil changes and routine maintenance , will make it last a long time. I spray it down with Carwell rust proofing every Oct. , it still looks like the day I drove it home from Texas in 2007.