I live in NJ so no desert experience, but I had a 2000 5.0 AWD.
First off, absolute blast to drive in the rain and snow. Could never get anyone to drag race in the rain.
I second the sucks to work under the hood part. I put on Torque monster headers, PIA!
I put on 31's and good stock shocks and drove the hell out of it on the trails and sand pits here in NJ with 4 people in it at almost all times.
Bought the truck for 2k and drove it for 9 hard years. Only thing that failed was the fuel pump.