I'm looking for a truck to tow an aprox, 10k pound horse trailer. I found a private party selling '03 2500 SLT V10 4X4 4 door automatic with 116k miles on it that I could get for $8k.
What's the consensus here? Too many miles? I'd likely be hauling only 5 or so times a year, and realize the V10's are gas suckers. Are there other concerns I should consider?
Thanks in advance.

Gary

 

The miles aren't bad for the age of the truck but that V10 is definitely a gas sucker. I would have a mechanic check it out before I bought it but I think the price seems good for what it is as long as everything works. I would buy it

 

For what it's worth, that horse trailer would be handled just fine with the V8. 4.10 or 4.56 gearing would make quick work of it and save you a bunch of gas for the other 360 days a year. There's just not the big frontal resistance you see with RV's etc. If you really want the V10, that sounds like a decent price if it's in good shape but I don't know what prices are like in your area. I know these things are often cheaper since people can't afford to run them.

 

Thank you for responding.
I'm in the Kansas City area and it's been hard to find any 2500 from '03 - '09 under $12k, except a few that have 200k+ miles on them. For example, there's an '04 2500 SLT V-8 Hemi Laramie not far from here with 127k miles listed for $14k, and that seems to be one of the better deals I've been able to find. I'm not necessarily looking for a V10, I just like the price of this one, and wondered what issues the '03 V10 might have. As for mileage, my '07 V-8 1500 SLT hasn't spoiled me with 12-14mpg around town.

 

Can't help you with issues tho. I've only known one guy with one and he loved his and never had any issues until it was sold a few years ago. He never got more than 8-10mpg in the city on a good day and considered his overall average to be 10-12...so it was expensive. His kid had a hard time selling it since most who want that kind of power will opt for the CTD. Could explain why it's so much cheaper in your area as well.

 

Thanks, again. I don't understand the allure of diesel. Noisier engine and the fuel's more expensive and not always easy to find, plus maintenance is more expensive. Better mileage and longer lasting, yeah, but buying a used one with 150k+ miles makes me wonder how well it was maintained, as everything costs more to fix- or so I've been told.

 

Diesel engine don't get "broken in" until about 100k where as on gas engines I think it's around 10k. Diesel is usually the same if not cheaper around me then the 93 I put in my truck due to my tuner which a lot of us have. The maintenance is the only thing more expensive on a diesel in my mind. But for more MPGs and possibly cheaper fuel and an engine that has been proven multiple times to go past 1 million miles I would take it anyday.

 

That's a rare bird there.

 

My vote is buy it! Thats a rare truck there

 

But this is not a diesel, it is a V10 gas engine with 116,000 miles on it. Were V10s built to be longer lasting than the V-8s? Assuming one owner, no accidents and reasonably maintained, how much life is likely left? How well would the tranny hold up to all that torque? The low price wouldn't be much of a deal if I had to start rebuilding this truck in another 20k miles.
Just looking for opinions, not guarantees.