We had a few LN7000 Fords with International diesels (as International Motors of Brazil, not related to International Harvestor) All except one went over 500K without total rebuilds. The one I was dissapointed with threw a rod at 380K.
I have had no experience with Ford pickups with diesels, but had 3 F250 with 351 (one Windsor, 2 Cleveland) all were good trucks. There was always too much plastic on GM picups for my taste, but they do build descent trucks. My experience is that generally that people tend to perpetuate the stories there father's had rather than real life experience. Neither Ford, not GM could have sold as many as they have if the built trucks as poorly as the stories would have you believe.
FWIW, International Motors of Brazil builds one of the best small engines today, the 2.8 TGV Powerstroke, a Variable geometry Turbo, 2.5 liter. Any engine producing over 100 lb/ft of torque per liter is a good measure in my book.

Not super high mileage on mine yet, 125,000, but so far I'm not complaining.

I did have the transmission go at 51,000, NOT covered by warranty. Ford knows the torque convertors are bad. They have a TSB out telling their techs about it, but they have never done a recall on it.

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Pictures of the MB: http://s230.photobucket.com/albums/ee41/EricandRobyn/1981%20Mercedes/

1981 300 SD with a Goldenrod water block and Injetor line heaters. EGR is missing

1999 F-350 with HP X-over, Dahl 100 Fuel Filter, Coolant by-pass filter, CCV mod, Tymar intake.

Both on single tank WVO blend

I would NOT get a Ford! The diesels have been having problems including the 7.3 Powerjoke. One thing no one here is mentioning is that these powerjoke Fords get terrible fuel economy for a diesel! Do you really want to go in debt for a fuel guzzling Ford that has been having turbo, headgasket and bent crank issues? If you want a decent truck that gets good fuel economy, I'd go with a Dodge Ram! The Cummins engine was designed to be a diesel from the start and mine has been dependable as hell. On Biodiesel, expect about 23 to 25 MPG at freeway speeds empty, and about 15 to 18 MPG loaded, and 13 to 15 MPG pulling a 40 ft. Holiday Rambler 5th wheel! I believe the Dodge Durango now comes with a Cummins Diesel engine option. Just my thoughts, why get a heavy V8 when a Cummins 24 Valve inline 6, ( the best diesel configuration) will do the same job on 1/3 less fuel and with more reliability?

I will never buy another Ford product. Total garbage IMHO. All the FORD jokes were true for me. You know...Fix Or Repair Daily, Found On Road Dead, Fault of Research & Developement. Found Often @ Recyclers Dump, and the one that was for me was FORD backwards....Driver Returns On Foot.


I have friends that just love Ford and have had good results with them. It's all a matter of personal preferrence. I have had good results with GM and Dodge, but the best I had has been with Nissan and Toyota. My MB has not been very problematic. Would I buy a new one? Probably not until they get their priorities staight and make reliable cars again.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

I don't know how good the GM diesels are, but there trucks are the best on the market today, IMHO. Well those guys and Toyota, if you don't want a diesel and are willing to pay the upfront price Toyota's are pretty sweet.

My buddy bought a new GMC 2500 HD two years ago, its been flawless and still looks like new. He didn't get the diesel, I don't know if the diesel is really worth the premium if you don't tow a lot on a regular basis. I think he paid mid $30k's every option but leather, and the diesel would have put it well into the $40k range. Fully loaded they get pricey. But he did get the biggest gas engine they offered, 6.2 V8 think. It has tons of power and it will tow his boat which has to weigh a bit over 5k pounds like its nothing. You can pass on the highway with the boat hooked up and it doesn't even down shift, truck has a ton of torque.

I don't think the diesel is really worth it unless you tow 10k boat or trailer on a regular basis. Its a truck so fuel consumption sucks as expected, but the premium of the diesel up front is quite large so its about a wash I bet.

If you want comfort features that you have grown used to on the MB's I'd go with a GMC, they offer things like dual climate control, heated seats, ect ect. The stock sound system sucks big time though.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

If we're going about this advising based on heresay and made up reliability accounts such as: "well, I've had brand x, and have had good luck with them, so Ford can't be that good; my friend that has a friend that's Father had one, and he said..." then here's mine:

I've seen quite a number of dead Toyotas, Nissans and Hondas littering the sides of the interstates-- they must be absolute crap, right? I've never seen a Cummins, a PowerStroke nor a DuraMAX broken down on the side of the road-- they MUST be better than Japanese sedans.

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http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1...Untitled-1.jpg

While its true the cummins get better MPG, my dads cummins gets 25mpg hwy but he has a manual. The Ford isnt that bad either, and the ford we have is automatic. It averages 22MPG hwy. 20mpg pulling the boat.

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Current:
05 E320 CDI
07 GL320 CDI
08 Sprinter
05 Dodge Cummins
01 Dodge Cummins

Previous
2004 E55 AMG
2002 C32 AMG (#2)
1995 E300
1978 300D
1987 300D
2002 C32 AMG(blown motor :[
1981 300SD
1983 300SD
1987 300SDL
2002 Jetta TDI
1996 S420
1995 S500
1993 190E 2.6
1992 190E 2.3
1985 190E 2.3 5-Speed

GM's Isuzu diesel would be decent IF it's didn't have aluminum heads.

While Toyota's are nice, I priced a Tundra at the stock show last month at $47,000! That's enough to get the diesel option from the big three with some change left over for an option or two.

Well in the first place, I can't see the logic in going to a Benz forum to ask about Ford diesels. You could also go to the local Honda dealership and expect the same array of answers.

Wouldn't it make more sense to go to a forum that deals primarily with Ford diesels? ........folks with first hand experience?

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Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

guess no one liked my sprinter option He did say he wanted a bigger passenger carryin ability Excursion like Seems Sprinter fits that bill with a mercedes engine

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commercial fisherman diesel in my blood in my boats trucks and Dear old Dad has had me drivin them since i got my first license in 1968
1986 300 SDL 427654
1999 Chevy Crew Cab Dually 225423
1986 300 SDL 287000 Dad's
1987 190 Turbo 158000 Mom's (my inheritance)

Been there done that and what kind of answer do you think I got? I need honesty and this is where I usually get it.

I don't really want or need a pickup. If I did, it would have to be a double cab. What I really want is an Excursion. And if I'm going to get something that big it has to be a diesel. I don't really trust the older GM suburbans with the diesel.

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

Nice vehicle. ALOT more utility than sport. Not enough ground clearance for those hunting trips.

http://www.fl-sprinter.com/Pass/features.html

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

If I were to buy one, I would stick with the 7.3. Ford did not put out many with the 6.0 after the issues were resolved. The 7.3 is a good engine. Tons of them in all applications, not just ford. I believe it is also known as the DT444E in other applications.
Every vehicle has issues. If you want that kind of room I would do it. I love my 350 crew. But being that big both are really not off road vehicles. Nothing 20+ feet is good off road.

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83 300SD Dark Silver Dark brown inside

My neighbor bought one and hates it! Unfortunately he can't take it back now. It's been in the shop for many different repairs all under warranty, but even those end sometime! He says to expect to get about 8 to 9 MPG at best and it costs him about $100 to fill it up and he does it 2 times a week or more! Do you really have that kind of money? The Jeep Cherokee has a diesel option and will do about 25 MPG and the Dodge Sprinter is a real decent option with a diesel that will do about 28 MPG. Rick, my neighboe wishes he'd gone for the Jeep Cherokee now.

I would very much like to hear a rational reason why anyone would want or need a vehicle the size of an Excursion.