# Buying a new truck **URL:** \ **Category:** Buying/Selling\ **Tags:** selling, excursion, ford\ **Created:** [February 1, 2011, 4:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746 "2011-02-01T04:05:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![n2alaska](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/db5fbb/32.png) [@n2alaska](https://community.cartalk.com/u/n2alaska)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 4:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/1 "2011-02-01T04:05:47Z")
I am looking at buying a 2001 Ford Excursion with the 7.3L powerstroke turbo diesel in it. It has about 96,000 miles on it. Any thoughts or suggestions? I’m a student at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and I plan on taking this truck from duty station to duty station for as long as it will last, hopefully 10-15 years. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 4:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/2 "2011-02-01T04:16:31Z")
Any reason you need a truck this big. Good luck getting 15 more years out of it. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 5:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/3 "2011-02-01T05:49:03Z")
It’s 10 years old with almost a 100k miles on it. While the mileage is not high for an '01 there is just no way of making a prediction on an aged vehicle like this. It all depends on how it was driven and maintained. Changing the oil once a year and towing a heavy trailer for 60k miles of that total could mean the equivalent of 200k miles. If you’re single and don’t move a lot of stuff around, etc. I don’t understand the need for a big cubic inch land yacht like this. ---
**Author:** ![mleich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@mleich](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mleich)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 1:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/4 "2011-02-01T13:14:47Z")
I would buy one of these instead: > **[School bus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_bus)** > > A school bus is a type of bus owned, leased, contracted to, or operated by a school or school district and regularly used to transport students to and from school or school-related activities, but not including a charter bus or transit bus. Around the world, various configurations of buses are used; the most iconic examples are the yellow school buses seen in the United States and Canada. In North America, school buses are purpose-built vehicles distinguished from other types of buses by design c... ---
**Author:** ![n2alaska](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/db5fbb/32.png) [@n2alaska](https://community.cartalk.com/u/n2alaska)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 1:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/5 "2011-02-01T13:16:44Z")
No need ---
**Author:** ![edb1961](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/edb1961/32/122_2.png) [@edb1961](https://community.cartalk.com/u/edb1961)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/6 "2011-02-01T14:47:40Z")
At 10 years and 100k, expect things to wear out or break occasionally no matter what shape it’s in. I have a 2000 Blazer with 116k miles, it’s no longer a daily driver (at least until my daughter gets her permit), but things still need to be fixed. I’ve got my money out of it, but it’s best years are past. At this age, vacuum lines start to rot out and leak (always fun to troubleshoot), electrical switches and connectors may have corrosion, and parts just die of old age (i.e. radiator at 99k, starter at 110k, exhaust at 115k, etc). I’ve been lucky with the 4wd so far, only have had to replace a $70 vacuum switch after several hours of troubleshooting. If you can do your own wrenching and the Excursion is dirt cheap, it might be worthwhile but don’t expect 10-15 years, maybe 5 or so. If you have to pay someone else to do the work, it’s going to be a money pit. Good luck and thank you for serving our country, Ed B. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/7 "2011-02-01T17:42:29Z")
I once owned a 1974 Chevy Suburban, Cheyenne Super 10 with a 454 engine. I too am crazy but I learned a valuable lesson. Never do what you want to do, you deserve better. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/8 "2011-02-01T18:06:45Z")
I will say that if you feel you want an Excursion, a diesel would be my first choice. At that age too, if you find it’s not worth the headache or commitment, you won’t have that much invested. Just make sure a good independent checks it out so you’re not in for too many surprises. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 6:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/9 "2011-02-01T18:24:29Z")
N2Alaska, you better HOPE they don’t send you to Alaska…And the LAST thing you would need there (or anywhere) is a half worn out diesel tanker… ---
**Author:** ![n2alaska](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/db5fbb/32.png) [@n2alaska](https://community.cartalk.com/u/n2alaska)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/10 "2011-02-01T20:12:12Z")
I’m surprised no one noticed the engine that it has in it, the PowerStroke 7.3L diesel is possibly the best diesel engine ever bolted onto a consumer truck. To try and answer all the questions, I’m getting this to haul toys, I’m also in the market for a snowmachine and atv, so i need something that can haul a trailer. My dad and two uncles all have this same engine in their trucks and they all run like a champ, and you would be scared silly to see what they do to them! My dad’s has over 240,000 miles on it and still going strong, still has a couple years left easy, so 95,000 miles is hardly broken in for this thing. I guess with this conversation I was trying to see if anyone had one or maybe knew of some of the quirks of the Excursion that they could tell me before I spend the money. ---
**Author:** ![n2alaska](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/db5fbb/32.png) [@n2alaska](https://community.cartalk.com/u/n2alaska)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/11 "2011-02-01T20:12:53Z")
i’m from AK, so I’m going to try to get back there my first tour of duty. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/12 "2011-02-01T20:58:47Z")
No. You’re determined to buy this truck even if we tell you the truck was designed and built by Yugo. So, go buy it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![n2alaska](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/db5fbb/32.png) [@n2alaska](https://community.cartalk.com/u/n2alaska)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 12:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/13 "2011-02-02T00:21:14Z")
Yeah, I was going to buy it basically no matter what, I just wanted to see what I could get from people in terms of experience with the vehicle. But thanks for the advice anyways, always appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 3:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/14 "2011-02-02T03:07:19Z")
Would there not be a bit of ridicule if the OP showed up in AWD Mini-Van? ---
**Author:** ![n2alaska](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/db5fbb/32.png) [@n2alaska](https://community.cartalk.com/u/n2alaska)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 3:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/15 "2011-02-02T03:13:26Z")
I prefer to call it a tank ---
**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/16 "2011-02-02T04:53:46Z")
Here’s what a few other owners have to say about it: [http://www.edmunds.com/ford/excursion/2002/consumer-reviews.html?sub=diesel&ps=used](http://www.edmunds.com/ford/excursion/2002/consumer-reviews.html?sub=diesel&ps=used) Sounds like the engine may still be running after the body has turned to rust. ---
**Author:** ![n2alaska](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/db5fbb/32.png) [@n2alaska](https://community.cartalk.com/u/n2alaska)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/17 "2011-02-04T15:20:36Z")
all of you who tried to turn me from this truck will be happy to hear that i did not buy it. we had a mechanic look at it and it is what we in AK call a “slope truck.” it had low miles, but the engine had obscenely high hours on it, one of the cylinders wasn’t firing and it needed replacing. when it gets really cold, it is usually better just to leave it running all the time instead of turning it off, hence the high hours. ---
**Author:** ![edb1961](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/edb1961/32/122_2.png) [@edb1961](https://community.cartalk.com/u/edb1961)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-truck/60746/18 "2011-02-04T15:38:05Z")
Thanks for posting back. Sorry the truck wasn’t what you hoped it would be, but kudos to you for getting it checked out and the good sense to walk away. Keep a level head and you will find the right vehicle at the right price. Good luck, Ed B.