ExPo's 2000 7.3 Excursion Build
- Thread starter Chris Cordes
- Start date
It is all relative, as Chris notes. You can find 2005 era Ram 2500/3500's for $30k-$35k, depending on the mileage and condition. Diesels depreciate much slower than gasoline vehicles. In addition, when you have diesel engines that are widely considered more reliable in comparison those variants that immediately followed them (the 6.0 that followed the 7.3l for the Ford, and the 6.7l that followed the 5.9l cummins for the Ram) people are willing to pay more for them on the used market.
So at a glance, $20k-$25k seems outrageous for a 15 year old, old-school, BOF, Ford SUV, but name another domestically-sold vehicle from that era with medium duty solid front and rear axles, a diesel engine and those kinds of towing/payload capacities. Unless you consider 3/4 ton pickup's, that Excursion is a one-of-a-kind vehicle. Without any direct competitors, those vehicles will fetch high prices when the demand for them exists. It's not all that different from the numerous buyers who are willing to pay +$20k for an 80's era diesel Landcruiser over at http://www.landcruisersdirect.com/cars/.
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Chris Cordes
Expedition Leader
:drool:
TexomaPowerboater
Adventurer
Kindly disagree. Excursions regularly compete with 4x4 vans and 2500 and 3500 suburbans and are both within same specs. What one loses in towing it makes up in payload capacity. Straight axles are a matter of preference. I'd prefer not to sit on top of a straight axle because the ride sucks, but each to their own.
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Capability similarities aside, the Excursion is the only recently-produced, North American BOF SUV that comes with front and rear solid axles and a diesel engine. By nature of being a unique vehicle, it will fetch a higher resale value.
I agree not everyone wants or needs a solid front axle. But obviously some people do, otherwise the prices wouldn't be as high as they currently are.
justbecause
perpetually lost
The price isn't high because it has a solid front axle.
Used vehicle prices across the board are to the moon, and the price for older diesels is ludicrous.
johnnieutah
New member
Color match.
TexomaPowerboater
Adventurer
Kindly disagree. They stopped producing the Excursion in 2005, over 12 years ago man. We could disagree as to whether or not you think a Quigley van is "production", but the Chevy and Ford Vans with straight axles were "produced" with diesels and straight axles up until recently.....wanna say 2015 or so. And let's be honest, an Excursion is really not much different than a truck with a topper, but with lower payload and towing capabilities, and companies are still building straight axle diesel trucks so........
I thought the Ford E series stopped using diesel about 10 years ago? Also, I believe their vans use twin I beam front suspensions, not solid axles. Can't speak for GM's stuff. Anyways, we're derailing the thread. I was noting that the diesel excursion doesn't have many comparable vehicles: diesel, solid axles, SUV body (even if it is based off of the F-250 platform). Ignoring Ram's and Ford's 3/4 ton's (which are pickup's), there aren't really any vehicles like that nowadays.
justbecause
perpetually lost
I'm eye balling that rear bumper and have a question.
Are the cut outs to accommodate a highlift jack tongue?
Can the jack actually lift the vehicle, and is the bumper up to the job of supporting the weight?
Are the cut outs to accommodate a highlift jack tongue?
Can the jack actually lift the vehicle, and is the bumper up to the job of supporting the weight?
Chris Cordes
Expedition Leader
Yeah, sorry I've been out of touch on the forum a while. It has been a crazy few months. Health scares, surgeries, relationship changes, and moves. To summarize, I'm alive, and now full time on the road! Ill try to wrangle up some photos of the seats. They're Scheelmanns, and they're awesome so far. Drove 14 hours on them yesterday and despite my back surgery they felt great.
I hadn't installed the reverse lights yet. I have now! Ill post some updates soon.
Chris Cordes
Expedition Leader
Sorry for the long break in updates everyone. I ruptured a disc, had some major relationship changes, moved, and went full time on the road since October so things have been a little chaotic! I just left Main Line Overland, and here's what is new.
In the back I've dumped the trasharoo because well... it looks terrible, is always falling down, and it just bothered me. I swapped it with a front runner grill and tire step. (The step is now faced inwards) The step especially has come in handy so far, and allows me to access the roof with ease, as opposed to before where i nearly died each time haha. I also installed the grote reverse lights, which work marvelously.
One of the two biggest changes this month was the installation of an espar d2 heater. This plumbs directly into the diesel tank, and sips from there to heat the cab while camping. It has a thermostat and is extremely efficient. Winter camping no longer sucks!
The other big change was to address my back problems. The seats in the EX werent exactly supported. They were the early models and one side was sagging. Given that Ive done 5000 miles THIS MONTH, I decided to upgrade seats. I went with ScheelMann Vario XLs with heat and armrests. Simply put, they're phenomenal. I did 15 hours of driving the other day without any pain.
We also installed some mud flaps, and did some other odds and ends.
Im currently on my way to Denver for outdoor retailer, and then LA to meet with goose gear for a sleeping platform and drawer system. Since im riding solo these days and full time on the road, I need to have lockable storage beneath my bed. Ill also be installing new wheels and tires at that point, but Ill keep those a secret just a little longer
In the back I've dumped the trasharoo because well... it looks terrible, is always falling down, and it just bothered me. I swapped it with a front runner grill and tire step. (The step is now faced inwards) The step especially has come in handy so far, and allows me to access the roof with ease, as opposed to before where i nearly died each time haha. I also installed the grote reverse lights, which work marvelously.
One of the two biggest changes this month was the installation of an espar d2 heater. This plumbs directly into the diesel tank, and sips from there to heat the cab while camping. It has a thermostat and is extremely efficient. Winter camping no longer sucks!
The other big change was to address my back problems. The seats in the EX werent exactly supported. They were the early models and one side was sagging. Given that Ive done 5000 miles THIS MONTH, I decided to upgrade seats. I went with ScheelMann Vario XLs with heat and armrests. Simply put, they're phenomenal. I did 15 hours of driving the other day without any pain.
We also installed some mud flaps, and did some other odds and ends.
Im currently on my way to Denver for outdoor retailer, and then LA to meet with goose gear for a sleeping platform and drawer system. Since im riding solo these days and full time on the road, I need to have lockable storage beneath my bed. Ill also be installing new wheels and tires at that point, but Ill keep those a secret just a little longer