OBS 350 as Platform?

[amgvr4]

It totally depends on your wants needs. If you only read this thread you would think the 7.3 PSD is the most unreliable pile ever produced! Everyone has their experiences and opinions, I have owned my 96 F250 for 7 years and put 120k miles on it. I have had to replace items and things have broken for sure, but including purchase price I have about $15k into it. It gets 13-15mpg with bigger injectors and turbo, makes 300hp and tows pretty good. I also have a 2000 excursion with a 7.3 and it has been very reliable and enjoyable as well. Both trucks have 37” tires and get used and abuse the way a truck should. It really comes down to two things as I see it. Budget and comfort. Newer trucks are crazy expensive now so if you have the same amount of money to spend either way you can have a very nice and reliable OBS truck built the way you want for the $40k a newer gas truck will cost you. If it’s a value proposition, you are not going to get the same reliability and features for less money out of an OBS. It will never be as comfortable or have as many features as a new truck, but it will cost less to insure, hold its value the way a new truck never will, and have the classic look and feel that also adds value to the ownership experience.

The advice to look at and drive several generations and configurations of trucks is well worth heeding. In the end it’s your truck and the things that are important to you will be more clear once you get some time behind the wheel of a few trucks.

 

[pappawheely]

It totally depends on your wants needs. If you only read this thread you would think the 7.3 PSD is the most unreliable pile ever produced! Everyone has their experiences and opinions, I have owned my 96 F250 for 7 years and put 120k miles on it. I have had to replace items and things have broken for sure, but including purchase price I have about $15k into it. It gets 13-15mpg with bigger injectors and turbo, makes 300hp and tows pretty good. I also have a 2000 excursion with a 7.3 and it has been very reliable and enjoyable as well. Both trucks have 37” tires and get used and abuse the way a truck should. It really comes down to two things as I see it. Budget and comfort. Newer trucks are crazy expensive now so if you have the same amount of money to spend either way you can have a very nice and reliable OBS truck built the way you want for the $40k a newer gas truck will cost you. If it’s a value proposition, you are not going to get the same reliability and features for less money out of an OBS. It will never be as comfortable or have as many features as a new truck, but it will cost less to insure, hold its value the way a new truck never will, and have the classic look and feel that also adds value to the ownership experience.

The advice to look at and drive several generations and configurations of trucks is well worth heeding. In the end it’s your truck and the things that are important to you will be more clear once you get some time behind the wheel of a few trucks.

I will probably own my OBS forever. I can rebuild it over and over again. The bones will never wear out, and I don't have to worry about rust!

 

[bigeyedfish]

And you probably got 6mpg with a tailwind lol. I think it's a stretch to say the V10 will tow better than the 7.3 Powerstroke OBS, it really depends on which flavor of Super Duty and its rating (dually or not etc). I've had a V10 F350 Super Duty, OBS 7.3 and now a Super Duty 7.3. I will say V10 is a value right now. Because its so thirsty. Great engine, popped a valve at 175k and grenaded the engine. It was a really cheap long block though. Sold my OBS 7.3 with 327k. No blow-by but the entire truck was falling apart around it. And I mean every handle in the vehicle broken. Including tailgate latch. Probably replaced the CPS four times, fuel bowl rebuild every 100k, injector wiring harnesses every 150k. etc.

Nope. 10.5 mpg. That includes pulling the empty trailer there and the full trailer back. That was a pretty good mix of rural/steep highways and interstate. Honestly, I thought it would be worse. No drama whatsoever.