To be honest I hadn't really considered a Ford, had some bad experiences with a couple of late 80's gas motors. In the past few days I have seen some nice looking 7.3's floating around craigslist, seeing as you have one any opinions? How about the 6.4 that replaced the 6.0? I doubt I'll be able to afford the newer 6.7.

HAHAHA You did say just take the Rennlist approach and drop $60K. I think I'm in the same boat you are, I wish I had that kind of money to just throw around. Like I said most of the diesels I'm seeing aren't too much more than the gas trucks I'm looking at and with the extra power and better fuel economy I think it would even out. But at the end of the day I still need to find a truck I like and can afford so we'll see.

Good luck, this is one hunt I'm not really into either. Thankfully my truck still works ok so no rush.

I think you can find a good GM diesel for 15-20k if you are ok with some miles. Really nice engine/trans with all the power you need. Ford 6.x issues are real, if you go that route read up and spend $$ on the fixes. Then cross your fingers.

I like the idea of 90% of the parts on a gas truck on the shelf at autozone. I like that a gas long block is about the same cost as a set of diesel injectors. I also really like the bigger brakes and suspension on the 3/4t. Helper spring on my 1500 were a good upgrade, bigger brakes require bigger wheels and I'm ok being careful the ~15% of the time I'm maxed out on weight. I dont mind not being able to fly up a hill pulling 15k lbs either, never had an issue with the power of my 'little', gas 5.3 keeping up with traffic. But yeah, if $$ didnt matter, new 2500 diesel. :)

i like the 7.3. good honest motor without all of the emission complications that the new motors have. it will last for an incredibly long time if you change the oil consistently. otherwise there are very few failure points and very little maintenance. can be tuned to make good power. sounds great with open pipes and Ford’s high flow intake. the vehicles are getting old though, 2003 was last year.

i have heard good things about the 6.4 but have not owned one.

i often get the feeling that many people with diesel motors never really use them anywhere near capacity. for hauling a heavy load, i like a diesel. when you pull a 13k load of steers crammed like sardines in a gooseneck, jostling and fighting for position, your truck shuddering from the movement, it’s nice to have the power of a diesel to keep things going. really don’t need it though for running to the grocery store. for that, subaru outback or similar....

If u can find a comparable diesel for $3-4K more than gas, that would be a great deal. I see 06-07 GM products with less than 60k miles asking >$35K

To me the early emission stuff was fine. It is DEF required engines which is used to burn the deposit in the exhaust that significantly increases repair cost and regeneration headaches. I do not when Ford went to DEF since I have no desire to pick up a 6 or 6.4 engine. RAM cummins started using it after 2013 MY and GM started using it in 2007.5, after LLM

If u can find a 7.3 Ford that has less than a gizilion miles or rusted, it is a good find, but expect to pay a premium. I am not into deleting, so 6 and 6.4 are definitely out and I have no idea if delet solves the problems with those engines

Do your research boy-o! ID what year make models fit your needs. Then shop the interwebs for them at local CarMax. Test drive till you find the one you like. Then shop for best deal.

I like our '02 F150 Supercab a lot for the last 120K miles. Crappy towing MPG at speed but easier to live with then newer high bed side models. IIRC 9.5K towing cap. w/2WD, 5.4 motor and auto.

you really can’t go wrong with an F150 w/gas motor for most jobs or uses.

And it's easier to live with on a daily basis compared to a F250.