Looking at high mileage 3500

[cris dahlgren]

Hi everyone. I have driven a ford diesel for the last 16 years. First a '99 f250 then a '02 F350 both with a 7.3 powerstroke. I learned to work on that engine pretty well. I am now considering a different truck having just bought a gooseneck trailer rated at 18,000#. I have looked around online casually and have found a very interesting RAM 3500. It is 2015 and has about 325,000 miles. Thats 1500 miles a week each and every week since the truck was purchased. It has been parked since December. 3.73 gear. It has the Aisin transmission high output cummins. They claim that it had "regular" service. It should have had 20 oil changes, 10 transmission services, 2 coolant flush, 10 changes of axle lube. I was told it had a head gasket replaced. The truck is in the far west south and was used as a hotshot truck hauling gooseneck trailers with I am told not heavy but voluminous loads. Am I crazy for considering the truck. I am 1200 miles away so looking at it would only come with the purchase. I guess I could bring a code reader to check it out.
Thanks in advance for suggestions.

 

[p-Bar]

Your crazy. No warranty no nothin' . They know when to retire them

 

[cris dahlgren]

I've run my F350 for the last 7 years with no warranty. It had 225,000 miles when I bought it. So you are saying a cummins power ram is junk at 325,000 miles? Plum worn out at 4 years old? IMHO a warranty is only to protect you from a Junk vehicle. I have a '16 F150 that has a warranty and only used a couple times. Our most used warranty vehicle was a Nissan Pathfinder....

 

[CoastyAV8R]

Hotshotting is not an easy life for a truck. If the seller has verifiable service records showing all the maintenance was done, and the truck was in fact not run at max gross it's entire life and driven by someone who actually cared about it then maybe but otherwise I'd be leery of any hotshot truck with that many miles on them.

 

[AH64ID]

Hotshotting is not an easy life for a truck. If the seller has verifiable service records showing all the maintenance was done, and the truck was in fact not run at max gross it's entire life and driven by someone who actually cared about it then maybe but otherwise I'd be leery of any hotshot truck with that many miles on them.

It depends on the driver. Hot shotting has led to some very high mileage trucks/motors. High average load and high average speed are not bad things for these motors, if they are properly maintained and driven.

 

[Larry Sciblo]

Blown Head Casket??? Doesn't that usually mean it was over heated at some point, and then neglected and still driven, until it had water in the oil. ?????????? Yikes.

 

[lpennock]

Blown Head Casket??? Doesn't that usually mean it was over heated at some point, and then neglected and still driven, until it had water in the oil. ?????????? Yikes.

More likely VGT hung mostly closed. Then ....

 

[Wiredawg]

this has nothing to do with quality of the brand, I would not buy a used hotshot truck period. There are plenty of great buys out there to be had. You asked for our opinions and we're giving them to you. Go find a GOOD used truck.

Cheers, Ron

 

[CRodi]

Talk about timing,

This one was just posted.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/64-100-mile-2007-5-9-3500-dually.266413/

 

[AH64ID]

Talk about timing,

This one was just posted.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/64-100-mile-2007-5-9-3500-dually.266413/

Just a little on the high side of price.... 5.9's are holding their value well, but they are all at least 12 years old and the 13+ emissions have been as flawless as late model 5.9's, so they have dropped in value some.

 

[cris dahlgren]

this has nothing to do with quality of the brand, I would not buy a used hotshot truck period. There are plenty of great buys out there to be had. You asked for our opinions and we're giving them to you. Go find a GOOD used truck.

Cheers, Ron

Well, Ron thanks for your response. I understand your position. If I was simply worried about a good used truck I certainly can just pay for it. I don't mean to offend. I could find a great low miles truck for say $50k. I could find a good '15 for what I see around $39k or take a chance on this one at maybe$15-$20k. You can chance a lot of repairs for a $20k savings potential. My 02 ford was at 225k miles, 10 years old. I have done brakes, starter, injectors, glow plugs, 4 corners of bearings and u-joints and ball joints. To me just maint items. A 325k ram would suit me fine if the engine isn't junk nor the trans nor the rear end. I was pretty much looking for known high miles issues like say "all dog are junk @ 275k" or "your exhaust manifold will crack at 300k". I've always said that my '02 super duty can go forever as long as the body and frame are good. Engines, transmission, exhaust, axles are all fairly cheap. Thanks for the opinions. Keep them coming.

 

[mwilson]

Hi everyone. I have driven a ford diesel for the last 16 years. First a '99 f250 then a '02 F350 both with a 7.3 powerstroke. I learned to work on that engine pretty well. I am now considering a different truck having just bought a gooseneck trailer rated at 18,000#. I have looked around online casually and have found a very interesting RAM 3500. It is 2015 and has about 325,000 miles. Thats 1500 miles a week each and every week since the truck was purchased. It has been parked since December. 3.73 gear. It has the Aisin transmission high output cummins. They claim that it had "regular" service. It should have had 20 oil changes, 10 transmission services, 2 coolant flush, 10 changes of axle lube. I was told it had a head gasket replaced. The truck is in the far west south and was used as a hotshot truck hauling gooseneck trailers with I am told not heavy but voluminous loads. Am I crazy for considering the truck. I am 1200 miles away so looking at it would only come with the purchase. I guess I could bring a code reader to check it out.
Thanks in advance for suggestions.

The duty cycle doesn't bother me if it was taken care off and the price is crazy low...I'll put up with a lot for cheap money...

But the fact that they parked it in December concerns me a little...did they get a new one and put it on the road before end of year?? That would make sense for taxes...

 

[mwilson]

High mileage put on in a short period of time is not a bad thing. Motor is always warm and running at designed temps with a load.

100,000 miles showing with most of it being 10 mile round trips back and forth to the coffee shop is a lot harder on a Cummins...

 

[cris dahlgren]

It depends on the driver. Hot shotting has led to some very high mileage trucks/motors. High average load and high average speed are not bad things for these motors, if they are properly maintained and driven.

I want to think this way. If the hot-shoting was many highway miles with a decent driver I would guess it would be like 3:1 in comparison to local driving. The 12 mile round trip I make to work every day across town beats the crap out of my 7.3 DRW. A 50 mile drive on a good highway would be much easier. How 'bout a north south trip through central PA? That's surely got to be 4:1 worse than a trip across Texas? Pot holes, hills, winding roads, railroad tracks, etc add to wear n tear compared to a trip across texas? Not to be argumentive but it only makes sense.

 

[Wiredawg]

Well, Ron thanks for your response. I understand your position. If I was simply worried about a good used truck I certainly can just pay for it. I don't mean to offend. I could find a great low miles truck for say $50k. I could find a good '15 for what I see around $39k or take a chance on this one at maybe$15-$20k. You can chance a lot of repairs for a $20k savings potential. My 02 ford was at 225k miles, 10 years old. I have done brakes, starter, injectors, glow plugs, 4 corners of bearings and u-joints and ball joints. To me just maint items. A 325k ram would suit me fine if the engine isn't junk nor the trans nor the rear end. I was pretty much looking for known high miles issues like say "all dog are junk @ 275k" or "your exhaust manifold will crack at 300k". I've always said that my '02 super duty can go forever as long as the body and frame are good. Engines, transmission, exhaust, axles are all fairly cheap. Thanks for the opinions. Keep them coming.

My apologies, I meant to go back and tone my response down. I just don't know anyone who purchased a HIGH mileage hotshot truck who didn't have regrets. A friend's two sons did it and got wore out trucks they had to constantly fix. My BIL has a fleet truck that is driven hard and idles a lot. It must be an awesome deal to travel 1200 miles to get it. I checked on what I suspect had been a hotshot 1st gen on Oregon, but when i asked seller if it was up to the drive back to TX, he said he wouldn't.

So, again I apologize for my tone. Better to just give my opinion and leave out the rest.

Good luck deciding and keep us posted on your decision.

Cheers, Ron

 

[AH64ID]

How many hours on it?

 

[JR]

I d be requesting LOTS of pictures to try and help determine condition, inside and out, top and bottom. Engine hours as John mentioned would be of importance also .

Is the truck stock? Deleted? Do you have emissions testing where you live? The DPF and SCR catalyst have a life span that is impossible to determine....until they plug off or crack. If it's a requirement where you live these repairs will add up FAST. There have been recalls on these components so depending on when/if they were done you may not have quite as many miles on them as the truck .

 

[JR]

Just a little on the high side of price.... 5.9's are holding their value well, but they are all at least 12 years old and the 13+ emissions have been as flawless as late model 5.9's, so they have dropped in value some.

I'd say just a little!

I paid a good amount less for my 14 3500 2.5 years ago with less miles.

 

[DonFitzwater]

I'd say just a little!

I paid a good amount less for my 14 3500 2.5 years ago with less miles.

Swinging for the fences at 35k. He's hoping for somebody that just "has to have" the 5.9................I'm over the 5.9 common rails after owning several 6.7s. The only old engine I still lust after are 12 valves.

 

[DHayden]

Mechanical shape aside, someone has pretty much LIVED in your truck since it was new. Showers may have come every few days (or less) and probably a lot of food and drink spills. It may be in great shape but just "food" for thought. I have been around a few work trucks that had people in them for long periods (not as long as your potential truck has been lived in) and let me tell you, thats a smell that doesnt come out. You may clean it good and make it bearable, but its there forever.