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olmod · #1 06-19-2012, 10:50 PM

I got a new truck today. I sold my Nissan Titan since I have cut back to part time in the lawn care business and needed a car to drive to my full time job. I sold my Titan last week and started looking for a inexpensive truck to do my lawn stuff and snow in the winter. I found a good deal on a 1999 Chevy 2500 ext cab long bed with the 6.5 diesel. I called and dealer said they had a deposit on it so I checked in every day and today they told me the deal had fell through so I went and picked it up. This truck is so clean inside and out. It does have 174,000 miles on it but I only drive 70-100 miles a week so I figured it was not a big deal. Well I got this truck for $5,000 bucks and I could not be happier! I looked up book value on it and it is like $8500 so I figured I came out all right on it. Any of you guys running 6.5's?

Jimslawncareservice · #2 06-19-2012, 10:57 PM

I have one in my 97 dump. At the moment it needs a vac pump for the turbo. Other than that it hasn't been to bad. It starts better in the winter than my 04 f350 with the junk 6.0.
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olmod · #3 06-19-2012, 11:03 PM

I ran Powerstrokes for years and once it got below 30 degrees you better be plugging them in. I talked to a guy the other day about his 6.5 and he said his has been good also. I have a couple buddies that are diesel mechanics so if something does go wrong I can have them help fix it. It is a good running truck but you can tell it just does not have the power of the Powerstroke or Cummins.

Jimslawncareservice · #4 06-19-2012, 11:49 PM

Mine does better with a load in the box then pulling. But it has pulled my 20ft enclosed with a couple mowers. Nothing beats my cummins. That thing will throw you back on the seat going up hill pulling a 72 and 62 zs with a deere x485. My 6.0 is dead.
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mowerbrad · #5 06-20-2012, 02:01 AM

My previous truck was a '98 GMC 2500 with the 6.5 in it. As long as the glow-plugs are all good, that thing will start just fine in the winter, even without being plugged in. Mine got 14mpg pretty consistantly during an average week of towing and just driving around. Being an older diesel, they are "cheaper" to fix than most newer diesels (in all relative terms to diesel repair). It was definately not a fast truck but it pulled everything I needed it to and then some.

Mine was having all sorts of problems toward the end of my ownership of it. I was spending $3000 a year just in repair costs on that truck over 3 years. The other big down side was that doing mods on that engine is difficult. There aren't programmers out there for the 6.5's like most other diesels. So it can/will get very expensive if you want to put mods on the truck to help give you more power or fuel economy...really there aren't that many mods available for the 6.5's compared to others.

I just have mixed thoughts on 6.5's after owning one for 5 years.

olmod · #6 06-20-2012, 03:20 AM

I doubt that I will ever do anything to the engine except maybe a intake to help it breath better and if I ever do have injector issues I may put bigger ones in. I am not using the truck much and when I do it just pulls my 16' enclosed with my Kubota in it so it should do that without much trouble. I will pull my skid this winter some with it but once again it is not a lot of weight so I can not see having any power issues. I was real happy with my Titan and this truck has more torque than it did just not as much hp. It had all the maintenance records with it so I could see what was done to it and it was serviced very well through its life so I do not see having any real issues.

nepatsfan · #7 06-20-2012, 05:16 AM

I think it's funny that you guys are killing the 6.0's but comparing them to the gmc 6.5. Probably the worst diesel of all time.

Jimslawncareservice · #8 06-20-2012, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nepatsfan

I think it's funny that you guys are killing the 6.0's but comparing them to the gmc 6.5. Probably the worst diesel of all time.

My 6.0 has had nearly 20k in work done to it since I got it 4 years ago. I just put another 1500 in it a few weeks back. I think the old 6.0 and 6.5 are about equal for having problems. Everyone you talk to who had either say they've put more money in it than they should. luckily most of mine was under extented warranty. Mine is just dead for power too.
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