Help with making a good decision...

[65coop]

This is my first post here and I hope someone can chime in and help me make the right decision...

Today i found a 2003 F250 4x4 6.0 with 173k miles, the truck is in "decent" shape and needs a lot of TLC.. Its all there, but appears that the owner simply put fuel in it and drove it.. He actually told me he couldn't remember the last time he changed the oil or even cleaned it for that matter...

However.. The looks is not my concern.. When I drove the truck, it seemed to be a little underpowered on take off, but as I accelerated, the turbo did spool up and pull pretty good - are all 6.0's sluggish from a dead stop? My 7.3 was a little, but it seemed to have a lot more than this 6.0

Here are a few questions that i need help with to decide whether to buy it or not -

1) The Battery light is on, on the cluster - he claims it came on when the orig battery went bad and he replaced it with a battery out of his boat - I think the alt is bad - what do you think?
2) There is a red light on the dash that looks like the cab with all the doors open - he said it has a bad pin switch that is causing this, but I never looked to see if the dome light was working or not - could this be possible without a door chime going off?
3) When i was driving it, I noticed it "held" the gear a little longer than it should and it seemed to "stutter" before it shifted, almost like a rev limiter, but it was under 2k RPMS while doing this - he claimed it always does this when its cold (it was snowing here in Houston today - as crazy as it sounds, it was!) but said once it warms up, it shifts fine - it never warmed up after about 15 minutes of driving in 35 deg weather - bad trans / bad filter / something else?
4) While driving it, I noticed the steering was a little sloppy.. he said he just replaced "the little stick things in the front" (Tie rod ends) and had it aligned, but it wasn't tight like my 2wd 02' 7.3 - any idea what would cause this?

The trans is really my only concern as an alternator and or a battery and some front end work can be done in my garage by me...

The KBB price on this truck is $14k on the low side and i can drive it home for $7000.00 - Its a fully loaded Lariat FX4 4x4

$7k seems like a sweet deal if I don't have to put out a bundle on a new trans... what do ya think?

[Banshee34]

Don't know much about the 6.0 l so ...

[m-chan68]

As someone once told me, "too good of a deal is NEVER a good deal". I DEFINITELY think that applies here. In other words, run like Mike Tyson is on steroids with the intent on murdering you.

[scagmanf350]

Send me the vin #. Personally I don't consider any truck built from 2003-2004. There's al ot of these 'supposed' deals on these year(s) trucks but you end paying for it later when the heads, boots, and turbos keep going.

[65coop]

Originally Posted by scagmanf350

Send me the vin #. Personally I don't consider any truck built from 2003-2004. There's al ot of these 'supposed' deals on these year(s) trucks but you end paying for it later when the heads, boots, and turbos keep going.

I left the vin at my office, I'll send it in the morning..

I'm going back in the morning to get a closer look, like I said.. it was snowing and I really didn't get a chance to do anything but drive it and pull the oil cap to see if it was blowing oil...

anyone have an idea on the trans issue?

[corey.beggs]

dont do it sounds like your just gonna waste your money spend a little more and get a good truck with lower miles

[65coop]

Well... I went back and took another look... this time, while driving, it stuck in first gear I walked away with my money still in my pocket

Thanks everyone for the advice and info - this deal is done and he still has it!