experience with Ford excursion diesels?

[bilede]

I am looking for a cheaper tow rig and sold my duramax http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif I have run across a few excursion diesels with the 7.3 powerstroke. other than it being a ford does anyone have any experience good or bad with these. main purpose is towing and family trips..

thanks!

[Alss]

I am shoppping for one now. I have a 99 Ford 7.3 dually that I love..need a stable mate for family use. Stay away from the 03 6.0's..lots of problems.

ALbert

[mudjnky]

As long as it is a 7.3 you will be fine. Very few problems. My wife drove one for 2 years, I have a F250 with 7.3, no problems.

[396L35]

I have a 2003 F250 with 7.3 automatic and no problems. I just hit 60,000 miles last week and have towed a few cars back from up state NY, and Berger Chevrolet... I know where ther is an extended cab 2001 4x4 dully for sale if your interested I can pass you the number... Stay away from the 6.0's the early ones had problems and they get worse fuel mileage then the 7.3... Mark

[Chevy454]

Ditto all of the above...my buddy's wife drives one and they love it...wish GM would've put the Dmax in a Suburban, but that's another gripe for another thread. You could also look for a Suburban with the 8.1L in it...that's what my wife drives, and I love the thing to death...they're very reasonably priced, are cheaper to maintain than the diesels, and will be easier to find also...mileage will be in the low-to mid teens but it's rated to pull a 12k pound bumper trailer, and it would flat run and hide from any Excursion you run across... http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

[Late BrakeU2]

This is a great site for info.Unbiased owners ratings note the hits the thread at the top has recieved.
http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=107

7.3 was a great motor but a gross polluter that's why the canned it.Brace yourself when you need injectors though

[rsatz28]

I've got an 02 F-250 with 120K, and its been a good truck/engine combo. Other than normal maint, no problems.

I plow with it and it pushes snow with no sweat.

This is another good site.
http://forums.thedieselstop.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?Cat=0

[DarrenX33]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a 2003 F250 with 7.3 automatic and no problems. I just hit 60,000 miles last week and have towed a few cars back from up state NY, and Berger Chevrolet...

[/ QUOTE ]

Bring all that up here at the end of August. Bet you can't tow my car to Collinsville and back? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[396L35]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I have a 2003 F250 with 7.3 automatic and no problems. I just hit 60,000 miles last week and have towed a few cars back from up state NY, and Berger Chevrolet...

[/ QUOTE ]

Bring all that up here at the end of August. Bet you can't tow my car to Collinsville and back? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Darren I dont have access to a double trailer or I would do that for ya bud... I planned on bringing the Z to the track so bring yours and maybe we can run them???? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[DarrenX33]

Kidding of course...

I have everything arranged. My 70 will be there.

[Chevy454]

Here you go, Bill, this guy over at one of my diesel hangouts is thinking about selling his '02 496 Suburban...

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82372

[bilede]

thanks guys for all the info and links. I have owned a couple suburbans before and one would be my standby but loved the diesel torque and mileage and the excursion seems to be the only available. wishing for duramax suburban.. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[tom406]

My wife's uncle has a diesel Excursion 4x4 he uses to tow his boat. He's been happy with it for the most part. It had a bad tie rod end or ball joint or something in the front end when he got it. It took all your concentration to keep it on the road, since this joint was tight and wouldn't let the steering center itself. That's been fixed, but it took a sharp tech to figure it out.

He was really underwhelmed by the performance (and mpg) at first, and several other farmers told him to "put a chip in it". So he bought the programmer (SuperChips, I think) and reprogrammed the computer, and has been super pleased since. His mileage went up 3 or 4 mpg and he must have found 50hp (Went from a pig to having a guy in a new Duramax corner him to find out how his Ford pulled away from him on a hill). Obviously the tune on them is overly conservative, but rumour has it that its to protect the tranny. Check the boards to see if this rings true. Good luck.

[lzdick]

Yes, the early ('03) 6.0 diesels had problems. I have an '04 and it's great. It gets 21.5 mpg on the road, 13.0 mpg hauling, and 14.41 on the 1/4 mile. I put a K&N breather on it and a SuperChips programmer...the best truck I have ever owned. Certainly beats the gas-powered '97 GMC big block in both economy & performance. If you can find a deal on an '04, IMO you should at least check it out. Happy shopping!

[Chevy454]

Just took a 4-day trip to central Texas in my buddy's diesel Excursion...I'll have to say I was pleasanly surprised. With 4 couples, all of our luggage, a luggage toter on the roof, and a rather *brisk* pace down/back, we got right at 18mpg. Luckily his rig is heavily loaded, so the leather & dvd made the trip a LOT easier...only complaint was from a couple of the girls who got stuck in the 3rd row with the bench seat that doesn't extend all the way to the driver's side, and my wife said her stint in the 3rd row was a bit "cramped" in the legroom department (she's 5'9"). It did seem a bit more pitchy/rolly at times than I care for, but I wasn't sure if it was just the sensation from sitting towards the rear of the vehicle or the fact that my buddy added just a *tad* more tire to the rig? Just didn't seem quite as planted as our 3/4 ton Sub. The thing's had a SuperChips thrown at it, so it screams...and the mileage is rediculous for a rig of this GIRTH.