Ford diesel or Votec v8?
 

I'm starting a light moving and delivery service and am stuck between two different used box trucks.

One is a 2006 Ford with 85,000 miles, 4.5 liter diesel v6 built by Navistar. It had a short model life but the problems sounded more related to marketing than quality.

The other is a 2012 Chevy with a Vortec 4.8 v8 with 123,000 miles.

They're both in good condition but they're different animals and I would like input on pros and cons. Any good or bad experiences with those engines at this mileage?

Thanks in advance for your help!

I would not touch a Navistar built engine. Not now. Not ever. Back away.

I would also stay away from the 4.8 Vortec honestly.

I'm assuming that the price looks attractive on both of these vehicles, and there is a reason why. I also worked for a moving company, and the two best box truck vans we had were GM's with 6.0s and Fords with 5.4s. Our 2001 FOrd E350 14' box van had 250k miles on it and looked the part, but started right up every time.


While it may seem like you are saving money up front, nothing will hurt your pocketbook like a breakdown, especially if you're losing business as well. If budget is still a huge concern, you may look to older generations and try to find an old diamond that's been treated well.

Good luck!