Vehicle Description
Until you've actually done some towing with a diesel, you don't
really know what you're missing. Fortunately, this 1997 Ford F-250
XLT Lariat makes it affordable to find out, and we're guessing that
you'll never want to give up all that torque coming out of the 7.3
liter turbo diesel engine. There's a reason why all the big rigs
run diesel and it isn't because everyone likes the sound.
This big white pickup is unassuming, but that's OK in a machine
designed to work for a living. White paint also means there's no
place for problems to hide, and you'll note that it's just
beautifully preserved and extremely clean. Thanks to a lifetime in
the warm, dry south, it has never suffered through winter weather
and as a tow vehicle, it really never got bashed up at the job
site. These are easy trucks to modify, but this one looks quite
stock externally, with the only modifications being the bug
deflector, tubular step bumpers, and color-matched ARE camper top.
The long bed means it can carry just about anything and the raised
stance comes from the heavy-duty �-ton suspension that never
complains no matter how much weight it's pulling. Nice chrome and
stainless trim shows that this truck lived a good life on the
highway and the handsome Ford design has aged well; hard to believe
this truck is now more than 20 years old!
The XLT Lariat package included Ford's high-end interior with
comfortable cloth bucket seats, a fold-down center console, and a
lot of options. Obviously designed to while away the miles, it
includes such niceties as A/C, cruise control, power windows and
locks, a tilt steering column, and a decent AM/FM/cassette stereo
for entertainment. The upholstery and carpets are in fantastic
shape, particularly for their age, and it's easy to think of this
as a 3-year-old truck given its condition. Again, modifications are
minimal, limited to the boost, exhaust gas temperature, and
transmission temperature gauges mounted on the A-pillar, all
critical details in a diesel designed to haul. Heavy-duty floor
mats protect the carpets and if you're a Ford guy, climbing behind
the wheel will feel like coming home again.
Ford's 7.3 liter turbo diesel V8 is bulletproof reliable and makes
the kind of torque that can move buildings. This one shows 124,502
original miles, and for a diesel, that's just getting broken-in.
The engine bay is well-maintained and everything works, so you can
climb in and get to work right away. It's not cranky or fussy the
way you might have heard diesel engines can be, and from behind the
wheel, it's almost impossible to tell it's a diesel. The 4-speed
automatic overdrive transmission is well-suited to the engine's
power curve, and with all that torque at low RPM, you can actually
use the overdrive so it just loafs along on the highway. You'll
find 3.55 gears out back so it can pull when it needs to, and with
twin gas tanks, your bladder will be full long before the tanks are
empty. It's ultra-clean underneath, properly maintained, and ready
to go with recent 235/85/16 radials on factory aluminum wheels.
These are incredibly difficult to find and it might be the nicest
diesel pickup for under $20 grand in the universe. A very
affordable way to own a potent hauler that can work as hard as you
can. Call today!
