New Owner Operator from the Ground Up: 2005 6.8L V10 vs 2003 7.3 diesel ford f450 dump trucks

[GoodFellers]

I just ventured out on my own 3 months ago and I need to upgrade from my 07 chevy express v6 van with my dads trailer. My goal is to have a dumper truck and modify the dumper walls into a chipper truck and haul a chipper (which I don't have yet but hoping for a 12"). I want to keep it all under the CDL limits fully loaded and towing the chipper. I set a budget of $15K for the truck. I could lease something newer and $$$ but I want to stay small and sustainable. Part of not wanting to lease something is I do not have a lot of confidence as a new business owner. (Workers comp also wants 10K up front to hire a second guy and I just bruised my ribs and pushing back jobs this last week so monthly payments sound scary without having build a level of robustness to my operation)

Anyway, both dumpers have 215K miles and both going for $10k. Gas v10 looks really clean but has crew cab (will be nice to store some ropes and small gear maybe a saw in there but maybe its better to have more bed and the ability to haul more chips?). The diesel is 2nd owner and has been fleet maintained with records for the last 10-15 years. Not as mint but seems to be in good shape and is a regular cab.

Both engines seem to have stood up to the test of time (o5 v10 is the 3V) but with significant miles I'm assuming repairs will be needed within a couple years at most. v10 will be much cheaper to maintain, but is known to really guzzle gas especially towing day to day. 7.3 will be a bit better but will still be over a $1 more per gallon and with a good portion of the year -F degrees I'll need to spend $ on fuel additives.

Anyway, I'm pretty torn but I think with dumper and chipper I can really strive to save up for a legit employee, get my CDL ($4K minimum w new changes??) build business credit and my job pipeline and hopefully upgrade to a bigger chipper, bucket truck, mini skid... whatever the next production upgrade would be.

Any advise to help pull the trigger on a truck would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Jed1124]

All other things being equal get the 7.3

 

[blades]

well having owned both, the V10 is a gas hog but will do just about everything the 7.3 will. down side is 7-10 mpg on the v10. 7.3 has a few quirks also but does better fuel wise when loaded down- 7.3 maintenance is about double of the V10 dollar wise. Besides the fuel cost difference you will need to run anti iceing/ water additives into the diesel fuel at each fill up. for me the costs running both of these engines the v10 came out slightly less than the 7.3over the long run.

 

[GoodFellers]

Okay good to know!

Update: I got ahold of the driver for the diesel and the office guy was mistaken... its a 6.0. Within the last 10k miles they put in new injectors, new hpop, new tires, new alternator and batteries and has been regularly maintained by a fleet maintenance company for the past 15 years. Hoping they will return my call/email for those records to see everything. I'm going to see it sat am and I asked the guy to not plug it in or warm it up so I can see how/if it starts cold. I also talked to a mechanic guy who told me about deletes and bullet proofing things to make sure have been done but I still have to look into all of that.
Only down side I know of so far is the tabs are expired.

I checked out and test drove the v10 today and it was really clean and ran smooth. I think I'm leaning toward the 6.0 but I think the v10 would be a real nice good looking truck too.

I just need to figure out what to do with all the ropes, rigging equipment and saws if I have the regular cab and bed full of chips... Anyone have ideas for that? add side compartments or mounts?

 

[Jed1124]

Okay good to know!

Update: I got ahold of the driver for the diesel and the office guy was mistaken... its a 6.0. Within the last 10k miles they put in new injectors, new hpop, new tires, new alternator and batteries and has been regularly maintained by a fleet maintenance company for the past 15 years. Hoping they will return my call/email for those records to see everything. I'm going to see it sat am and I asked the guy to not plug it in or warm it up so I can see how/if it starts cold. I also talked to a mechanic guy who told me about deletes and bullet proofing things to make sure have been done but I still have to look into all of that.
Only down side I know of so far is the tabs are expired.

I checked out and test drove the v10 today and it was really clean and ran smooth. I think I'm leaning toward the 6.0 but I think the v10 would be a real nice good looking truck too.

I just need to figure out what to do with all the ropes, rigging equipment and saws if I have the regular cab and bed full of chips... Anyone have ideas for that? add side compartments or mounts?

6.0 is a whole different animal. Yes, they can be “bullet proofed” and some guys will swear by them afterwards, but I wouldn’t touch one.

 

[blades]

I have a 6.0 260xxx miles f250, 04 swear at it and by it. it is deleted and studded and no Cat. If I keep it much longer it will need a turbo and maybe an FICM. Everything else has been replaced at least once. I have one sticking injector at present- still I get 18mpg on the hi-way with it. Which is why I still have it.

 

[sonny580]

7.3 was JUNK from the factory!!! Got a 97 here, (F-350) the truck is excellent cause the motor never ran long enough to wear out the truck! 7.3 is a 60,000 mile motor and mine is on the second one I was told. It just turned up 120,000 and injectors are shot, glow plugs have to be replaced every year and they eat the harness in the valve covers every chance they get!
Just replaced it with a 96 F-350 with 80,000 miles and a 5.8 gas motor and it will drag the 97 backwards with the brakes locked! --- not bad on gas as long as you run 55 and not above OR below.
I pull a sure-trac 14' dump trailer with it and it dont faze it. The 97 would only pull it 35 mph and struggle doing that!
Still looking for a 5.8 and a 5-speed to put in the 97!

 

[capetrees]

V10 over the 6.0 all day long. I have a 2005 v10 and LOVE it. I've driven and owned diesels (not a 6.0 but have stayed away from them) and compared to the v10, much less to maintain cost wise and gas is cheaper than diesel. I'm about to put a new body on my one to as it has rotted away and the engine runs like new.

V10 all the way. 100 HP more and only 100 ft lbs of torque less

 

[GoodFellers]

I did end up going with the v10 crew cab! Everyone I've talked to that has/has had one loves them. Every diesel fleet mechanic I called said, 'if you can haul/tow what your need to with the v10, go gas.' I'm getting 6.7mpg, but in every other aspect I'm loving it! The compromise in mpg for lower maintenance costs seems well worth it. It can haul/tow well over what I can legally do until I get a CDL anyway.

I took out the back seat and it fits all my gear and a couple saws. I built a simple rack for pry bar, axe, Big Shot...etc., side box under the dumper fits my fuel/oil/saw maintenance and a few straps. I'm currently building up the dumper to have more of a chip box that I can still remove to load 9' logs with the skid. Should be a great truck to ramp up my business.