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thinking of buying 6.5

T

tcihla79

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Location
chillicothe il
hey guys been looking around on here for a bit trying to decide if a 6.5 is what i want.

i have found a 93 3/4 4x4 reg cab long bed that is very clean. farmer owned used to pull cattle trailer. only has 97000 miles with auto trans.

this truck will not be a daily driver or plow truck or an off roader. it will simply be used to haul an atv in the back or pull my 21 foot aluminum trailer carrying atv's. i am mechanically inclined so i am not afraid of working on something but i don't want to spend all weekends on it either, nor do i want to dump a bunch of money into it either. i have owned a 03 7.3 so i am familier with the maintenace that comes with a diesel. my last truck i was averaging about 4000 miler per year.

let me know what you guys think, will the 6.5 be money well spent or should i just be looking for a 5.7 gasser. how is the durability of the 6.5 and the trans as well.

thanks for all your help
 
In my opinion the 92-93s are the best years of the 6.5 because of the mechanical fuel injection. Much less to go wrong. The 4l80e transmission is a very good tranny. Many with 300,000+ miles on them.
 
Consensus around these parts is that the 6.5 is a very good Diesel for exactly what you describe your use for it will be, depending how deep your wallet is, we have one member that manages to run 158 mph on the salt with his, several of us pull 18K#+ loads with ours after spending some time & $$$. How much for this rig you are looking to buy, some people get wrapped emotionally to their rigs and ask more than they can be insured for, so you need to separate emotion from fact with condition on these.

My truck in Blue book maybe $3500 due to age & miles, but with all work I have into it, I could not part with it for any price someone would be willing to pay for it, as I'd be asking used Dmax prices for it, and would be wasting my time trying to get that much. I like the 6.5 so much I'm thinking about adding a 3rd one to my stable of rides
 
I think 6.5's of all years are great. I like the more modern interior styles of the vehicles 96+, maybe 95? myself. I have not had ANY db4 (computerized) injection problems after relocating my PMD with a new one outside the engine bay, which is an absolute must.

With only 97k on the clock, you really don't need to do any preventive work this year, aside from a complete fluid change which is good advice on any vehicle. The following year a fresh set of injectors would probably restore lost power. Could do that this year, but don't need to IMO. Glow plugs you would have to depend on how well it starts once it gets cold.

I really like my 6.5 and honestly wish it would last forever.

Whatever you do, danger zone for temperatures begins around 210 - 220df, NOT 260 like the gauge reads.

Ask the previous owner how hot it gets when towing. Try to be creative with it, for example ask him how close to the 'red' zone he lets it get, knowing that once its there thats way too late.

Up in the stickies there is a good link of what to check for good health new to you vehicle.

I would recommend a 6.5 to anyone, and everyone.

The banks also value these vehicles alot higher than street prices, so it may be easy to get a loan for one, if thats the case.

Modification parts are really cheap too. A new exhaust is only a few hundred and would help it breath, 4".

I would also throw a few gauges in there too. Fuel Pressure, Boost, and EGT (pyro) are a must.

Aside from that said, nothing else is different than your basic used car techniques/questions.

This is also the absolute best place for 6.5 info, not many vehicle classes have such a dedicated group of enthusiasts, whose basis seem to be longevity / reliability, and then porformance too.

Hope you buy one.
 
i am going to look at it the morning with my dad. from the picture the seller has sent me the truck appears to be in excellent shape. i am sure it has scrathces and such. he is asking $5000 for the truck. fresh batteries, glow plugs, and a few other maintenance things. i am hoping to walk away with about $4500 in it but we'll see. used trucks around are hard to find and are going for crazy money. i'll let you guys know tomorrow what i decide. thanks again for all your help.
 
$5000 for a 93 is pretty steep. $3500 -4000 if extreamly clean and maintaince records and new tires.
 
tcihla79 said:
this truck will not be a daily driver
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what we all said at one time. :D

My ole girl IS my daily driver.....and she was a real farm truck (still is to some extent). She has barb wire scratches/creases on the sides, stump dents on the bottom side of the bed (in front of and behind rear wheels)....and skid plates that actually did their job (I've gotta take some pix of those one day - the transfer case skid plate is totally deformed. Book value on my truck is probably less than $1000.00 - I've got right at $3500.00(including the $700.00 I paid for her). Everything works, tuck pulls good and rides really nice for a 2500 4x4.....not to mention, once you get bit by the turbo whine bug - you're hooked!

Had to drive my mint, 01 Z71 the other day....felt like such a sissy.

Something about these 6.5's....... it WILL become your new obsession....I think all but one here will back me on that.

$5000.00 is VERY steep but, if it runs good and has some cool mods like a turbo master, big exhaust, bigger/free flowing air intake, boost gauge, etc. these things add up.
Where are you located?
Smitty
 
im in central il. trust me guys i have been truck shopping within 300 miles of my area for 6 weeks and there is nothing out there. rusted out beater trucks in our area have been going for $2500. find a clean mid 90's chevy around here and you are gonna pay. used trucks and suv's around here have gone up in value in the last 8 months.

the guy who has this truck for sale also has a 98 ext cab long bed 4x4 with 108000 miles its just a w/t, also pretty clean and he is asking $7000. thought about it but really want a straight cab LB.
 
I wanted another truck for similar purposes as what you state. After looking for a couple years, I stumbled across a '93 GMC 3500 4x4 auto with the 6.5. I only paid $2,000 for it, but it had over 300,000 miles and the tires were marginal. As stated, I looked for a long time for a low mileage 4x4, but couldn't find one with under 100,000 miles for less than $7-8 grand. I don't always get the best deals on stuff, and probably paid too much for the '93, but in my opinion, if it looks good, has good tires, has the proper type hitch you need, everything works, and you know a little of its' history, I'd say buy it for full price before someone else gets it. One word of advice from personal experience, do a little reading on the warm start issues regarding the mechanical pump in the '93's, and inquire if that has been dealt with.

One big bonus to owning a 6.5 is that you'll be in good company here at The Truck Stop.:thumbsup:
 
A vehicle for sale is worth what somebody else is willing to pay for it. Not a penny more, not a penny less.

There are cheaper trucks out there. If this one is the one, and you are happy to pay 4500 for a healthy rig. By all means.

Just keep in mind. When you want something, you think everyone else wants it too... Can't hurt to pull out a wad of 3500 cash and tell him thats all you have.

Give him your name and number if he says no, tell him to give you a call if he changes his mind. If no bites in a few days, tell him you came up with another 500. Feel him out.

Or if its worth it, buy it for asking price. Some trucks are worth it.
 
Somewhere on this site is a "pre-purchase checklist." Print it out before you go looking. Good luck.
 
fwiw around me to find a solid 95 up 4x4 2500 6.5 truck with under 150k for 4500 bucks would be a steal, so that much for a 93 really isnt that bad if its in good shape.
 
tcihla79 said:
im in central il. trust me guys i have been truck shopping within 300 miles of my area for 6 weeks and there is nothing out there. rusted out beater trucks in our area have been going for $2500. find a clean mid 90's chevy around here and you are gonna pay. used trucks and suv's around here have gone up in value in the last 8 months.

the guy who has this truck for sale also has a 98 ext cab long bed 4x4 with 108000 miles its just a w/t, also pretty clean and he is asking $7000. thought about it but really want a straight cab LB.
Click to expand...

You can thank that idiot in the white house, and the cash for clunkers crap, :mad2::mad2::mad2: $5K is steep to maybe better your position check the loan value from a bank, and also check with your insurance agent to see how much you would get if it were totaled out in a wreck, if you pay much more than that for it you'll be upside down in it. Mine with all I've done to it with age & miles probably $3500, I can't sell it for what I would want for it if it was for sale. I have emotional attachment to mine plus a lot of elbow grease to just give it away in my evaluation system.
 
I just sold my 93 for $7600 and the buyer got a steal IMO. It all denpends on the truck.
 
ok so i went and checked it out. i wrote down some pointers i had gotten from here on things to check and look for. first off the truck is real clean. it was ziebarted when purchased and i think it helped. the interior is super clean, like new. started good little puff of smoke, cleared right up. high idled for a few minutes and kicked down. ran right up to speed no hesitation, let off and idled right back down. stopped and shut it off let sit for 10 minutes and fired right back up. full running boards, DMI bumper, two tone red and silver, fifth wheel. clean fresh antifreeze. new fuel filter, batteries, straight piped.

few things that need attention: cab corners are just starting to bubble, oil cooler lines are starting to leak where the aluminum is crimped to the rubber hose.

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what do you guys think?? thanks for all you guys help!!!!!
 
Around here thats a $3000 truck max. If it were ext or 4 door cab $3500-4500
Good luck.

Leroy
 
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