Get it. I love my truck. Basic run of the mill problems that all these trucks seem to have. Ball joints wear quickly, the steering sucks, and I go through ujoints also. Not much other than that. I beat on mine pretty hard, but I take good care of it also.


Edit- Forgot to mention the AC. Mines been broken since a year after I got it.

 

Check the alternator bracket, the early ones cracked and was replaced by a cast iron one, and the a/c blend issue that all of them have

 

Make sure it was maintained properly. 130k miles is at the point where attention starts being needed. Suspension, steering, transmission components, etc... Not every truck is the same, but on my 99 that I bought with 127k I ended up doing tie rod ends, shocks, various sensors, oil seals, tires, brakes etc...Nothing major but it adds up.

Shawn

 

Been on this forum for a couple of years, first time I heard of that one...

 

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...ght=valve+seat

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...05&postcount=9

 

Hard to justify the original statement based on two posts

"They are known to have drop valve seats..."

I'm sure just about anything that CAN happen to an '03 HAS happened. It's the likelihood of such issues that matters when shopping for one. I would suggest that dropped valve seats are not very likely.

 

My comment is based on my personal experience (posted on another thread in this forum, I guess you missed it) and the experiences of a shop that has been in business for 25 years, as well as other forums. You said you never have seen any post regarding this issue, I did a search for you....

 

True, but there are plenty of us that have not had any issues.
I'm sure it is a very small percentage of engines that this has happened to. Way to many Cummins on the road including commercial vehicles.