Just have to roll the dice on the 6.0s. If you get one make sure you know the history on it. But as stated I think its all blown out of proportion.
Agreed, you only hear the bad, no one, well almost no one goes around spouting good, like they do bad. I have a 6.0 and it must be a "good one". All factory everything, only an EGR Delete due to an external EGR Cooler supply leak, so it came out and stayed out. Run it stock and synthetic oil and they are happy for a long time. The only issue I've ever had, is the 6.0 is ******* batteries, they are what I've had the most trouble with, not the truck or the engine itself. I got 4 years out of the last set of Interstate batteries and felt very lucky, but they were getting tired, and the first really cool day the truck was a bit slow to turn over.... out they came and in went a new set of Interstate "blems", just like the last ones. I have read may 6.0 owners say if they get 3 full years out of a set of batteries they are really happy......
Do a baseline service, use only Motorcraft/IH Oil and Fuel filter kits, put a good synthetic oil in the crankcase and enjoy. That is what I have done for the last 7.5 YEARS and have enjoyed every minute of it. One thing I also do, I follow the "severe conditions" service intervals, not the normal intervals. The oil gets changed ever 5000 miles, synthetic and dino alike, the 6.0 literally kills the oil, the injectors shear (yes cut) the oil every time they fire. When you change the oil, you tell the oil is a bit different than it was when it went in. Fuel filters every 10,000 miles. PERIOD!!!! Do not skimp on filters. On superdutydiesel.com, out sister site, a Ford Diesel tech posted a video about a truck he was servicing that had a crank, no start, low ICP issue. When he got it in the shop, he found an aftermarket oil filter, that is a slightly different design than IH specs, and the filter had a plastic sealing surface that broke, caused all the oil to bypass the oil filter, and sent shrapnel into the low and high oil pressure system. It actually shot a piece of the plastic through the IPR screen, jamming the IPR Valve. At the point he was at, the bill was at $700+ and he had not touched the High Pressure side yet, other than removing the damaged IPR Valve. The High pressure side needed flushed, and depending on what he found he may have to remove and replace the oil cooler. So, don't skimp on filters.... the Motorcraft/IH one are worth the little extra they might be. If you have an IH/Navistar truck dealer close, most of the time the correct filter kits from them are less than the aftermarket at the "big box" auto parts stores.