HELP GM - Don't make me buy a Ford

[Diesel Cruiser]

I drive 40k+ highway miles a year. I had a '01 Silverado extended cab, duramax and loved it, but changed jobs two years ago and had to go to a car for a people mover. I hate it and I can't carry 7' plus things that need to be secure and covered. I've been waiting and waiting for the Burb/Dura Max package and it's obvious it's not happening. The last two days I was at the Sunbelt Ag Expo and looked at the Allison-Dura Max display, the transmission fitting isn't the problem, that's a fabrication. It might be availability and more than likely it's the Clinton liberals signing the new anti-diesel pollution regs that will change all our lives. So on the way home I stopped at some Ford dealers (still can't wash off the bad vibes), but the Excursion and new 6 litre does do what I want and it sounds and feels like what I think a Burb/Dura Max would be like. MY QUESTION? - Other than being anti-Ford all my life, are their technical reasons that I shouldn't buy one of these? 8ft Crew cabs with caps are out; just too big, no security. Gas Burbs are out, been there, done that, still paying the credit card gas bills. HELP! Facts guys, not opinions please..........

[DURA-MAX3]

Hope what you are hauling is not important, the 6.0 powerjoke is having all kinds of problems. My wife works for a very large ford dealer in Texas and they are covered up trying to fix the problems with that engine. They ordered two new 04's to replace some customers 03 because they could not get them fixed and had been in the shop over 10 times...Be careful in what you choose...

[Heartbeat Hauler]

Well DieselCruiser here is a good technical reason not to buy an Excursion....it is being discontinued after the '04 model year. If you gotta have a diesel Burb, look for an older 2500 model, or you could convert an older 1500 to a 6.5. There are guys out there that sell 300 horse diesel crate motors, or you can do what I did....I placed my order for an '04 2500 with the 6.0 and 4l80e trans. It ain't perfect, but it ain't a Ford either. Just for the record though, I think the Ford dually looks pretty cool.
JP

[tysmith]

Do not rule out the 6.5 Suburban. You can still find '99 model year with low miles, and many upgrades are available. They can be had in both 1500 and 2500 trim, with very little differences between them. (Suspension mostly.)
At the same time, Ford has made a quality product for years, and if you can't admit that, that's too bad. Sure there have been problems, but for every bad one, I'm sure there are many more good ones. I've romped down the interstate alongside a 6.0, and it moved!
FYI, the Excursion is a HUGE beast, and even with the diesel, I wouldn't expect stellar fuel economy. In that arena, I think the older 6.5 Burbs have the Ford boys beat.
Of course, if money is no option, get an Excursion, swap in a cummins and the Escalade or Denali interior, and you've got the baddest SUV on the block. tongue.gif

Good Luck,

Ty

[hill1430]

I have driven suburbans for years. My 01 Z-71 burb didn't pull my boat as well as I like so I decided on a 3/4 ton burb but drive too much to feed an 8.1. I drove five differant new diesel excursions. All scared the s#@t out of me when I tried to pull into traffic. Absoloutly nothing for about 3 sec. Bought an 04 crew cab short box w/ a duramax, and love it. Just my 2cents.

[Trip]

Check out the F**d forums. Last time I checked, most of the posts were about problems and how the dealers had a heck of a time getting parts...let alone fixing them. 03 was the first year for the 6.0 and it seems they have had alot of problems w/o solutions. You said an 8' CC and cap was too big? How about an 8' x-cab and a cap?

[BlueOx03]

I think you already have your answer. The bone heads at GM stopped making Diesel burbs and you said you don't want the CC pickup. GM isn't the only one building quality american trucks and cars. Ford, a family owned a operated company does as well. If you want to see a an Excursion take a beating, go to a coal mine some time. last time I was home thats all they ran for SUVs. It's no accident that they build just over half of all diesel trucks and all the diesel SUVs in this country. If you're worried about the 6.0, don't ask about it here or even on a ford forum, you'll only get biased answers. Take a look on this sight, there's more bad than good about the dmax here. Find a couple fleet diesel mechanics and see what they have to say. You might be surprised. I think in the end you'll buy and be happy with the Ford.

Ox

[D-max Man]

Of course there is more bad than good here. The same goes for similar sites for the competition. People who are having issues with their trucks come to these boards to try and get some answers.

People who are not having any problems are not in the habit of posting their good fortune because if their truck is running fine, they don't need any help.

I have spent the past 2 weekends at the AQHA World Congress in Columbus, Ohio. You will find many diesel pickups there of all makes. I talk to people all day long there and I hear both good and bad about all the trucks but the vast majority of the people I talk to are not having any problems with their Duramax

[NETMINDER]

If you wanna see problems with the 6.0 check out this site. http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=107 Whereas we're mostly talking about how to get more HP/TQ their talking about having Ford buy back trucks, leaky this, leaky that. Broken this broken that. I'm saying that the Dmax is perfect but it appears to me that most of our growing pains are over ...

[ratlover]

What about a hummer? They still come with the 6.5. :cool: And I dont mean those goofy H2's

Yeah.....GM needs to build a oil burning SUV :mad:

[Road Kill]

Hey Cruse: The rethugs control both houses of congress, the Presidenty, and the supreme court, might be time to think about blaiming someone besides liberals fof your problems. Where is Rush when I need someone to tell me what I think? lol Hell, Dean is driveing Fords, can't be all bad. lol

[Mark Heiken]

Ford is having some severe issues with the 6.0 now. A buddy had one bought back by Ford. I hope his new one is better. When they run they do run good. Bottom end and starting from a stop is much improved in this one. That said I would check out the Ford sites. The word is that around the first of the year they should have an updated version of the 6.0. If that's true I'd wait and get one of them.

[wangotango]

Diesel Cruiser:
I think you'll find that there is a lot of technology being directed towards the diesel engine these days. You'll also find that many auto makers are developing diesel engines for future use. The diesel engine isn't going anywhere.

Clinton has been gone a long while though.
Try something new.

Good luck and I hope you find something that fits your needs.

w/t

[Sneaks]

Ford had a fairly big air cooled diesel in 1981 when Ford competed for the HMMWV contract. ('Hummer won') I saw it and even rode it it. Anybody know whatever happened to it?

[Greg Watkins]

I bought a used Excursion. 2002 Limited 4x4 PSD. It is my wifes daily driver. We traded a 2000 k1500 Suburban for it. I was GM all the way, but I have to admit the Excursion is very nice. I get better mileage on the Excursion then we did with the Suburban and I can pull our travel trailer with ease now.

I too was waiting for GM to get their heads out of their butts and put a Duramax in the Suburban, but it doesn't look to good.

And BTW, good luck finding a late model Suburban with the 6.5 engine. Few and far between.

IF/WHEN the general decides to build a Suburban with the same Duramax/Allison combo as my truck, I will be the first one in line to get it :~>

greg

[McRat]

Ford has released a new version of the 6.0 with some significant revisions. MAKE SURE if you are looking at the Ford 6.0, that the "smog sticker" says 2004, not 2003. All Excursions that are being produced right now have the improved engine. Safest bet is to order one.

[Bigwheel]

I'm considering a 04 Dodge Cummins, as my buddy has a early 03, he is in business ( construction ) for himself, and I've seen the brutal punishment he has given his dodge, he has never been broke down, and awesome pulling milage, that's why I'm considering trading, but after I've heard the bad news with re-sale, they wanted $6,500 even up for my 02 Dmax with 11,000 miles on it, for an 04 Cummins. So I don't know if I will spend that. I know a couple of friends with the 6.0 Ford issues, but I got my rear'end handed to me from a new 03 6.0 ford, he went by me like I had the brakes on, if there were injector probs like they've had, he should'have broken down on how he got on it........ my govenor shut my truck down and he was gone...... :rolleyes: :eek:
I know they all have their problems, but I've seen 3 personal friends with pulling, regular running, tests that they have never been broke down, and had excellent customer support at the dealer.

[Diesel Cruiser]

Thanks for the responses, both positive and negative, but not for the ones that were just blowing smoke.
I've decided from these comments, and from other research, that I'm ordering an '04. I don't like the poor tactile feeling from the FORD tongue.gif interior parts, but if the drivetrain will hold together I can live with that. Just heard too many comments from several sources that the Excursion will be dropped this spring and we all know that GM isn't doing what the customers want so if I want a full sized SUV with a diesel, it's got to be now.