Ford: Buying a used truck, ford diesel, chevy 454

Question
I am interested in buying a used truck, that I'd like to keep for a long time (I tend to drive the into the ground) and one that can be used to haul maybe 8-9,000 pounds (like a tag-a-long trailer). I tend to be a Ford man, but I'm open. I don't want to buy anything new because I really can't see paying $15-20,000 or more. Any suggestions on a used model that will hold up mechanically, doesn't cost an arm and a leg (say under $10,000) and will pull my trailer?

I currently drive a 95 Ford F150, 6 cyl, that I bought new, and it still drives and handles well, but it won't pull a trailer for any distance. Especially up a mountain. I'll retire in 6 years and was looking to get something that we could travel in. Any thoughts on this subject would be helpful. Bob.

Answer
Bob,
To get a truck that will pull your 8-9000 lb. trailer you should look for a diesel in an F250 or F350. It will have the trailer towing power you need plus the longivity you are looking for. The problem you are going to run into is finding one in the price range you have set. I wouldn't be afraid of a Ford diesel with over 100,000 miles if you get the truck checked over and everything else is in good shape. I know people with over 400,000 miles on their diesel truck and they are very happy.
If you go with a big block engine like the Ford 460 cu. inch or the Chevy 454 they will pull your trailer, but you are going to be looking at single digit gas mileage and will be costlier to maintain over the years.
I would suggest you visit or email the used car department managers at your local dealers and let them know what you are looking for. If they don't have anything in stock now, they should be able to contact you when they do. You should also keep a close eye on the classified ads in the paper and also those free papers that are at the convience stores that folks advertise in to sell their trucks. It will take some time to find the right truck at the price you want to pay, but when you do you should get it to a mechanic you trust to get it checked over and then don't wait too long to put some money in front of the seller. I don't know where you live but if you are not in a large city you may want to check out the web sites of some dealers that sell a large volume of trucks, because they will also get the most trades to choose from. Many dealers don't usually keep high mileage trucks they trade in for their lot. They wholesale them out to smaller dealers. If they knew they had a serious buyer (you) they would call you first.
Remember the true cost of the truck you buy will be spread out over the time you have it. If you have to pay a little more to get the right truck if just might turn out to be a bargain over the long haul.
Good Luck,
John