Anachronistic

[Tesoro]

"belonging or appropriate to an earlier period, especially so as to seem conspicuously old-fashioned."

My wife and I have decided to sell out and go full timing for a while, possibly forever, chasing nice weather and warm water. We have rv'd probably 1/4 of the time in the last 12 years so nothing novel for us.

I am going to shop for another 5'er but beforehand I want to concentrate on a truck to tow it with and which will also be our daily driver.

I am a westerner and my daily driver for the last 50 years has always been a 4x4 pickup of some flavor.

My initial thought was to pay the 35k premium for a low mile garage queen 06-07 LBZ and only worry about swapping out the occasional $300 water pump and belt. But then my LBZ driving truck mechanic buddy told me to think 17-19 100k mile range Powerstrokes, so I started looking at pretty trucks with king ranch leather for just another 10k. And then I start reading about fuel pumps and lift pumps and fuel additives and recalls and electronic issues etc and my innate KISS policy started kicking me back towards the LBZ.

I know too many people with 400k LBZ's who have never had serious issues and I know zero 400k powerstroke owners.

I feel like the initial attraction to the new is more about the glitz and glamour than common sense. Am I crazy?!

 

[brycesteiner]

I think your first inclination is correct.
I've seen too many of the late models diesels with massive amounts of carbon buildup in the intake. Too many problems with DEF and DPF. KISS is my thoughts. My 2004 RAM has no problem pulling the our 5th wheel. I don't speed at all - not looking to get into accidents.

 

[Tesoro]

I think your first inclination is correct.
I've seen too many of the late models diesels with massive amounts of carbon buildup in the intake. Too many problems with DEF and DPF. KISS is my thoughts. My 2004 RAM has no problem pulling the our 5th wheel. I don't speed at all - not looking to get into accidents.

So you have the quintessential 6bt Cummins common rail! Assume you know why? Most think the want the 04.5-07.5 'High output'

Yes i think the LBZ is 'Z; because it is the final gen. I am not sure where powerstoke is at on the 'gen list'. Maybe at 5 and still having problems?

 

[jsb5717]

Keep an eye on all that is changing at the EPA. The onerous, damaging environmental overreach is being dialed back on many fronts. It's looking like it might even be possible for the OEM's to produce trucks without all of the current emissions. It's not all settled yet but many EPA standards have already been removed or set way back to common sense thinking.

All that to say that the rules are changing which might play a part in which truck to buy.

 

[Tesoro]

Hopeful and possible but I will still refuse to pay 100k for a pickup! Kenworth just quit making their famous truck a week ago due to epa bs. There will probably be some elon type hyrdogen engine that will replace today's diesel.

 

[LeftOverParts]

If you’re going to get one of the heavier 5ers (16.8K lbs GVWR), you might check towing capacity on the 06-07 GMs/Chevy trucks - could be wrong but it might be around 12K lbs even for a 3500. Maybe check fuel tank capacity too (but that can be fixed with an aux tank). A quick search looks like there are plenty of low mileage trucks out there so 400K-150K=250K “left”. I suppose the remaining life depends on how often you’ll pull up stakes.

Why did your buddy recommend the Ford? The newer trucks do have the towing capacity and more torque. If you bump up to a 2020, you can get a 10 speed vs. a 6 speed. From discussions on this site about pump failure, been using diesel additive in our ‘21 F350 regularly. IMO, the additive, is a minor inconvenience/tradeoff (adds about 5 cents a gallon) for the power and towing capability of the newer trucks.

 

[Monte421]

I kinda wish I would have kept my LB7, nothing wrong with one of them if you could find one that has had injectors changed recently. I hear of a lot of high mileage Duramaxes never of a high mileage Powerjoke.

 

[mlh]

If you really look into which truck to buy what you will fine is what make someone drives is the one that recommend. It’s the best because that is the one they chose. If something else was better they would have bought that.
Shop around and buy the best truck for you not someone else.
Lynwood

 

[DutchmenSport]

Well, they can build a motor and a transmission that can still run circles around a brand new vehicle, even after it reaches 1 million miles and will probably continue running for another 30 years for another million.

But .... the body will rust out in 10 years!

You may have the engine and the transmission, all the power, and all the glory... but those windshield wipers will only last a couple years! The individual parts may keep you broke over the next 30 years of ownerships..... but dang! That engine sure runs great!

 

[Bourbon County]

Keep an eye on all that is changing at the EPA. The onerous, damaging environmental overreach is being dialed back on many fronts. It's looking like it might even be possible for the OEM's to produce trucks without all of the current emissions. It's not all settled yet but many EPA standards have already been removed or set way back to common sense thinking.

All that to say that the rules are changing which might play a part in which truck to buy.

I wouldn't look for diesel pickup manufacturers to react to that change. They have spent years and billions of $ designing and developing the modern engines. I believe they will be very reluctant to scrap that because of one stroke of the pen when another stroke of the pen can change it back in <4 years.

I worked for an auto maker for >30 years and change doesn't come quickly in that industry. They have to look at design, tooling, processing, parts support and associated logistics, warranty claims, technician training, and possible recalls; it's a lot more in depth than it appears on the surface.

The old Ford 7.3 was pretty much bullet proof other than being so cold natured, but it was built by Navistar, Ford now makes their own 6.7 liters. Even if they could resurrect it, what chassis changes would be required to make it fit in this generation trucks? General Motors uses Isuzu engines; who knows, they might have an engine sold in other countries less the emission controls that might drop in a Chevy or GMC. Cummins may still have the plans and tooling for their previous generation that can be dusted off and put back into production, but then again, will it fit the new chassis without major changes.

That announcement made a good sound byte in a press release, but I highly doubt will amount to anything.

 

[Tesoro]

If you’re going to get one of the heavier 5ers (16.8K lbs GVWR), you might check towing capacity on the 06-07 GMs/Chevy trucks - could be wrong but it might be around 12K lbs even for a 3500. Maybe check fuel tank capacity too (but that can be fixed with an aux tank). A quick search looks like there are plenty of low mileage trucks out there so 400K-150K=250K “left”. I suppose the remaining life depends on how often you’ll pull up stakes.

Why did your buddy recommend the Ford? The newer trucks do have the towing capacity and more torque. If you bump up to a 2020, you can get a 10 speed vs. a 6 speed. From discussions on this site about pump failure, been using diesel additive in our ‘21 F350 regularly. IMO, the additive, is a minor inconvenience/tradeoff (adds about 5 cents a gallon) for the power and towing capability of the newer trucks.

I figured out that my mechanic bud recommended the 17-19 ford because he was has his souped up LBZ for 9 yrs and wanted a new ride! Plus his shop strips n tunes and he dosent travel out of state.

Coincidentally my current fulltimer 'rv neighbor' here in lake Havasu has an 07 LBZ that he bought new, along with his 38ft mobil suites pig that weighs easy 18k. he has pulled this combo with ease all over the west with no issues. His truck has 385k on it. Only thing he has done other than for normal wear and tear is put in reman injectors and new hp pump around 300k.

I would opt to go newer-used but no way I want a diesel strangled by emissions with a warranty that expired at 80k. I can easily strip it all off but I plan on travelling all over the us and the further east you get the less chance you have of finding a good shop that will touch your truck if it has been stripped. Thats my logic. As far as over gcvwr I was over back in 2014 when I bought a new 2013 powerstoke f350 and a new loaded up 34ft AF 5'er. I am over right now with my ram1500 (stripped and tuned!) 4x4 diesel and a 22ft camp trailer.

If I break down in bumfk baja with an older duramax I will be able to get it running. If my emmissions goes south in my 2019 F350 in th same spot then I am in a world of hurt! KISS

 

[Monte421]

Well, they can build a motor and a transmission that can still run circles around a brand new vehicle, even after it reaches 1 million miles and will probably continue running for another 30 years for another million.

But .... the body will rust out in 10 years!

You may have the engine and the transmission, all the power, and all the glory... but those windshield wipers will only last a couple years! The individual parts may keep you broke over the next 30 years of ownerships..... but dang! That engine sure runs great!

They don't rust out if you keep them out of the salt. Even a Fraud might survive.

 

[ep4me]

dmaxes

I have 3 series of dmaxes an 2007 lbz, 2013 lml and the new lp5. They all have been good trucks but the 2 older ones cannot compare to power and towablity of the new one i think the new frame design and the 10 speed trans is where most of it comes from. Compared to the new truck the lbz seems like half ton and its my favorite truck I will never get rid of it. if you do get an older truck for your new 5th wheeler i would get a dully, jmho. It was stated above that you will be able to make the new trucks happy again in the near future.

 

[Creeker-MOC]

I had an 07 LBZ for 9 years. At the time, the Allison transmission paired with that engine were worlds ahead of Ford and Dodge. Nobody will ever convince me otherwise. It was the most reliable, trouble free truck I've owned and the only truck I regret selling. I put it on Craiglist and it sold sight unseen the next day. Should have kept it.

 

[Tesoro]

Well i've had a few days for me to test my logic when I first wake up and re-read thru these helpful comments. So in order of priority:

1) Safety towing
2) Safety towing
3) Reliability
4) Power & payload
5) Ability to find the config, trim and color I want.
6) Cost

I think that what makes the most sense for my situation is to find a cherry just out of warranty 2015-2016 one owner steel body Ford f350/250 and then give it the operation so it no longer forced to eat its own poo and then de-constipate it. I am not scared of the epa police and all my current and other vehicles over the last 15 years have had the same treatment. The only time one would need to go to a dealer mechanic is for warranty, which I wont have, or to diagnose and fix emission probs, which I also wont have. So if my water pump needs replacing while driving in Vermont, then I'll find the mechanic who fixes the cartel Escalades in the back of town. My spanish is pretty decent lol.


ps: interestingly the 2015-2019 F250 vs 2500HD LBJ in crew cab short box 5'er towing is rated at 15,100 vs 14,200. About the same. But the F250 has 30% more torque and gets about the same economy.

 

[foldbak]

EPA might allow (Delete) For how long?

 

[jsb5717]

EPA might allow (Delete) For how long?

Fair question. This is all running through the Senate so the changes are becoming federal law, standardizing the new EPA standards to all states. Probably take another Senate vote to change it.