Which used heavy duty gas truck?

petermoday

OP

May 14, 2026 at 1:05 PM ET

#1

Hi all, first time here. Love all the good information. I looked but haven't been able to find the answers to a few questions I had from the other posts. Im looking for specific recommendations on the most overall reliable used heavy duty (2500 or 3500) trucks tgat yall would trust to get you home while 30 miles from a paved road.

I have a 2013 5.0 f150 4x4 with 230k miles on it and love it. But I need more in bed payload. I have a small in bed pop-up camper and go hunting in the mountains. So reliability and a long lifed truck is what's most important to me. I dont towe and I dont want to spend big money on a new truck.

Im primarily looking at chevy/gm 2500s with the 6.0 vortex. But im also considering an F250 with a 6.2 gas motor, as the 6.8 and 7.3 are (For now) out of budget. However, I might just wait till these last two Ford engines drop in price used....honestly im not sure which way to turn at the moment.

So my questions

Is the 6.2 boss as bad as some say?
The 6.0 vortex avoided cylinder deactivation in the 2500s, but is the variable value timing a problem? And would yall rather have a much newer 6.0 with vvt, or go to a now very old pre 2007 to avoid it?
What about other things like electronics and switch gear? I can live with my heated seats breaking....but what about essential to running electrical issues?
What am I missing in my calculus on all this

Thanks for your time Keep up the great content

Peter from CALIFORNIA

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TheCarGuy

June 3, 2026 at 3:31 PM ET

#2

Peter,

If reliability is the priority, I would put the Ford 6.2 and GM 6.0 at the top of the list for used gas heavy duty trucks.

The 6.2 is not the problem engine some people make it out to be. It has a strong track record in Super Duty and fleet service, and there are plenty with 300,000 plus miles.

The GM 6.0 also has an excellent reputation. The heavy duty versions never had Active Fuel Management, and variable valve timing (L96 2010+ I believe) has not proven to be a major reliability concern. Personally, I would worry far more about maintenance history, rust, and overall condition than whether the truck has VVT.

As for electronics, both GM and Ford HD trucks are generally pretty solid, not perfect but solid. Most issues tend to be things like door locks, window regulators, or HVAC components rather than something that leaves you stranded.

The one thing I would pay close attention to is payload. A lot of 2500 trucks have less payload than people expect, especially with a camper in the bed. Do not automatically rule out a 3500 since they are often very similar trucks with a lot more payload capacity, depends on your requirements.

If it were my money, I would be looking for the cleanest, best maintained Ford 6.2 or GM 6.0 I could find and would not lose sleep over VVT.

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petermoday

June 10, 2026 at 1:12 PM ET

#3

Thank you for the thoughtful, nuanced, and detailed response (Especially to such a long set of questions). Quick follow-up question.

Given that VVT and electrical components giving out is less of a problem on the HD chevy/gm trucks. And the 6.2 fords are also a good choice. I'd error on the side of a newer used truck (Not close to 30 yrs old)

For your money would you rather go for a end of run (2017ish) 6.0 chevy/ gm, or the equivalent 6.2 ford of that erra...assuming both hd trucks were well maintained?

.....also good point on the payload capacity. I wouldn't turn my nose up at a 3500

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