Wow, old thread, here's my .02.
I have a 99 F-250, 2 door, longbed with the 7.3; it was originally owned by a large construction company here in town and was then purchased at auction by my father in law. My father in law drove all over the west coast buying and selling catalytic converters. I bought it from him and use it to tow my ~5000lb carpet cleaning trailer on a daily basis.
It has over 300,000 miles on it and still pulls like a beast. My father in law put a transmission cooler on it and I think that saved the tranny. No major issues, almost no issues at all. I wish they still made the 7.3.
I'd like to get a newer truck but this one is paid for and still going strong. It's a Superduty so it rides like a tank but it has all the torque in the world and stops great too. Even on the highway with my ten foot tall enclosed trailer it has no problem with passing or steep grades.