08 F550 V10?

[3500DIESEL]

I was driving by the ford dealer and a truck cought my eye its a used 2008 Ford F550 reg cab with 9ft dump it also comes with a 9ft fisher X blade for $28,000 I priced on of these truck on the web and its a $40 truck its got 12,000miles and a 6 speed stick shift does anyone think its a good deal and is the V10 a good motor for the F550?

 

[Diamondpilot]

The V10 is a very good motor but a bit of a gas hog. My uncle has one in his 05 F-350 with a auto. It gets 12 mpg best and usually around 10. He has 4.10 gears and its a 4x4 and he has a Boss V plow on it. He had a 2002 F-250 I believe with the same motor and he has never had a single problem with either.

There were reports of guys blowing the spark plugs out but I think that is all hype. Probably a few idiots cranked down on the wrench and stripped the threads then popped the plugs. The diesel would be my first choice in any truck but the Ford V-10 has good power and torque and has proven itself a reliable bullet proof power plant. And with the prices of diesels going up and up along with the fuel I will consider a V-10 on my next F-350 purchase.

Chris

 

[dodge man]

I have also noticed the price of used, smaller dump trucks being pretty low. The must deprciate pretty quick. I have seen ones that are 10 years old, with maybe less than 50,000 miles, selling for around $10,000 or less. Diesels seem to command a little more money. I thought about buying a lower priced one just to have around, but I think the maintance, insurance, license fees etc scared me off more than anything else.

 

[deereguy]

3500- you asked if it was a good deal- it sounds fair depending on the condition of the bed and plow. Does either show heavy use? For being a year old- neither should show much wear depending on your location and how busy the guy was. I wouldn't consider a stick shift for plowing parking lots, plowing roads is different. The previous owner of this unit may not have been able to make it fit into his operation or his company just didn't do enough business to keep the truck. You may be able to get an "honest" salesman to tell you who the previous owner was or maybe the service dept can tell you more about the truck. A V-10 isn't a bad engine, just doesn't pass many gas stations, the 12 MPG seems resonable- I have read the V8 does about the same MPG w/o the torque.

You could call a local truck equipment shop and find out what that plow and bed sells for new, then figure what the cab/chassis sells at the dealer and go from there.

 

[Builder]

There were reports of guys blowing the spark plugs out but I think that is all hype. Probably a few idiots cranked down on the wrench and stripped the threads then popped the plugs. The diesel would be my first choice in any truck but the Ford V-10 has good power and torque and has proven itself a reliable bullet proof power plant. And with the prices of diesels going up and up along with the fuel I will consider a V-10 on my next F-350 purchase.

Chris

Chris, give it a break, it's more than just a rumor. Take the blue oval sunglasses off, read this article and tell us "it's just a rumor" Everyone knows Ford didn't machine enough threads in the head for the spark plugs.

A Reputation Wrecked

The mighty F-series once enjoyed a reputation as solid work trucks that were dependable and capable of almost any task.
Ford truck owners, however, continue to tell ConsumerAffairs.com that the V-10 and 5.4 liter Triton V-8 are so poorly designed that the spark plug in the number three cylinder of both engines can -- and often does -- blow right out of its socket.
Some Ford truck owners have experienced the problem more than once. Some have replaced the expensive all-aluminum cylinder head only to have the plug blow out again down the road. Others have had the same problem in more than one vehicle.
"I have a 1999 F-150 and just blew a second spark plug on December 31, 2005 while traveling to Nevada," Paul wrote. "I was shocked to learn that my truck will cost $2,800 per head."
Ford refuses to stand behind the product, even when the owner has purchased the expensive extended warranty. Ford insists the problem is with the spark plug and says that spark plugs are not covered by the extended warranty.
Todd heard that explanation from his Ford dealer in Ohio.
"The local Ford dealer told me that there is no problem with the design and my extended warranty does not cover spark plugs so it would cost me $3,850 to put a new head in," Todd wrote. "What I do not understand is the fact that the spark plug did not break, it blew out of my engine! How is that not covered?"
Groovy? Not Quite

Mechanics who have worked on Ford engines damaged by blown spark plugs say there are too few threads machined into the number three cylinder spark plug hole inside the aluminum cylinder head.
The mechanics report that there are sometimes as few as three revolutions of grooves and that is probably not enough to hold the plugs when they are under stress.
"I have a 2000 Ford F-150 5.4 Triton with approx 85,000 miles on it," John wrote us from California. "It has launched a spark plug from the right rear cylinder and there are no threads left."
Ford dealerships are charging between $2,000 and $5,000 to repair the damage caused by the blown spark plug, according to consumer information and complaints.
Despite a petition detailing the issue, federal regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have declined to address the problem.
Other than to deny the warranty claims, Ford has no comment on the issue either.
A federally mandated recall would have devastating financial implications for Ford because 17 million SUVs, pickups, Crown Victorias and Mustangs are potentially involved.
Recalling the vehicles to fix the cylinder heads would generate the largest, most labor intensive and perhaps most expensive recall in automotive history.

Source: Consumer Affairs. com

 

[Diamondpilot]

Believe what you want. All I know is there are more F-150 sold each year than any other vehicle, most with 5.4L engines, and if that were the case you would see the road sides lined with them. I have owned F-150's since 1996 with 5.4 engines, 5 total all worked very hard. My dad and brother-n-law have had another 8 F-150's or Expeditions and my friends have owned probably another 25 total and never one problem. The only common failure is the #? has had the COP go out due to it being located very close to the exhaust and heat kills them at 45,000 miles or so on the early trucks.


Again this is all internet hype. I could get the same type of negative info on any engine though google, even your beloved Dmax, in 10 seconds.

Again another vehicle/engine you have never owned that you are now a expert on.

Chris

 

[swines]

There is a LOT of misinformation on the V10 Triton on the Internet. Rather than believing one negative post I'd suggest you go to this site Modular V10 (6.8l) - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

And then post some questions to people who actually own and use trucks with the motor in it. They'll be more than glad to discuss the pros and cons of the motor - and more to the point, they can do it from actual experience.

 

[Builder]

There is a LOT of misinformation on the V10 Triton on the Internet. Rather than believing one negative post I'd suggest you go to this site Modular V10 (6.8l) - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

And then post some questions to people who actually own and use trucks with the motor in it. They'll be more than glad to discuss the pros and cons of the motor - and more to the point, they can do it from actual experience.

Wouldn't one think that opinions registered from a "Ford truck enthusiasts" website might be just a bit slanted in favor of Ford?

I would trust findings from a "consumer affairs" based forum over the opinions of a Ford truck enthusiasts forum.

I actually like the V-10, but it definately has a documented plug-spitting problem.

 

[Builder]

Again another vehicle/engine you have never owned that you are now a expert on.

Chris

Why does someone have to own something to be an expert or have knowledge on it?

You said yourself that you've owned a bunch of Ford Superduties, but it took me, a GM truck owner, to teach you what front axle was in your truck.

So are you an expert on your own truck? No, you most certainly are not.

Again this is all internet hype. I could get the same type of negative info on any engine though google, even your beloved Dmax, in 10 seconds.

Right, but we're not talking about other engines, we're talking about the V-10. Your denial that the Triton V-8 & V-10 spit plugs is making you look like you're in denial.

Are you telling us the Consumer Affairs article is pure BS?

 

[Diamondpilot]

Why does someone have to own something to be an expert or have knowledge on it?

You said yourself that you've owned a bunch of Ford Superduties, but it took me, a GM truck owner, to teach you what front axle was in your truck.

So are you an expert on your own truck? No, you most certainly are not.



Right, but we're not talking about other engines, we're talking about the V-10. Your denial that the Triton V-8 & V-10 spit plugs is making you look like you're in denial.

Are you telling us the Consumer Affairs article is pure BS?

My confusion of the front axle was just that. I have owned 3 Ford SuperDutys at one time, all different. When I made that mistake I confused my 2006 F-350 with my 2007 F-150. Either way there was a difference between the 2004 and the 2006 SD front axle. Shoot me, I made a mistake.

I am not in denial on anything. I know they have had a few spit plugs but I know my uncle works both of his very hard and has had zero issues. He pulls 25,000# with his current truck, gets 5 mpg doing it, but works it hard. Never pulls that load more than 30 miles.

I don't claim to be a expert on anything, there is always room to learn. I have owned 5 F-150's, 3 F-250/F-350's, 1 GM 3500 Dmax, and 1 Dodge 2500 Hemi. All the HD trucks were from 1999 to current and the F-150's go back to 1997 models. bought the first in 1997. So I have been around the block with this generation of trucks.

Chris