Buying a high miles 7.3 powerstroke?
So I'm looking at this truck i want to buy. Its a 1999 ford f350 powerstroke diesel crew cab long bed. It looks like its in amazing condition. No rust other than the front bumper. He wants $7000, but the catch is that it has 305000 mils on it. I'm a diesel guy so i know diesels last forever. 500,000-600,000 miles if kept in good condition. If i have a diesel mechanic look at it and its in good condition, is it a good deal? I'm only 20 years old. Its my first truck i'm going to buy on my own so i don't think its a bad investment. I will be doing work with it. For a first truck it isn't that bad i don't think. Any advice or mechanics input?
To answer your question, no it is not a good deal. 305,000 miles is still a lot for a 7.3 or pretty much any truck(gas or diesel), and there's no guarantee that the owner took proper care of it like he should have. Did you ask for maintenance records? What about parts replaced? What about preventive maintenance? People have an awful tendency to run those trucks in to the ground and then sell it for a high price because of the engine behind it. Some of them are absolutely worn to pieces but the owners some how believe that a truck that is close to 15 to 20 years old with 500,000 miles is worth $10,000 alone. If that is not delusion, I don't know what is. Even if the truck were in immaculate condition, the price is still too high for that many miles.
I will add this though: If you do not have the money or effort to put into a diesel, don't even waste your time considering one. Especially if this is going to be your first truck. At the end of the day, I have seen people go absolutely dead broke(more specifically younger people) trying to afford a diesel truck only to turn around and sell it after something major goes wrong and the money isn't there to fix it. A part time job taking orders at McDonalds will not cut it. Even if you are to do the work yourself, most people know that there's a limit to what can be done unless you are a mechanic yourself.
300,000 miles is a lot and 7k for that year and that many miles is about 3k to much unless the transmissions been rebuilt and it has no leaks but that's doubtful where I live I can't drive a diesel because it gets to cold diesal +cold means problems keep that in mind Diesel engines require more maintaince but do generally last longer buying somthing with that high miles is scary even if it is diesal so defintly bring someone who knows what they are talking about with you
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