getting a newer truck

[killerkernrich]

I have now a 1999 ford f250 gas 4x4 that I use to pull camp trailer/&pontoon
Will be getting my 1st diesel soon wanting a f350 4x4 not sold on which truck to get I am not sold on anyone brand will be used say 2-3 years old....any good sugestions??

[1roadking]

I think ford makes the best 3/4 and up trucks. Dodge and Chevy just don't stack up in the chassis department, however, the Cummings is an awsome motor:)

[Liquid Asset]

My brother and I have gone back and forth on the diesel vs. gas thing with our small landscape company. We went back to gas trucks after a couple of bad issues with diesel. An 02 cummins and 04 duramax. It wasn't just all the motor issues but the trans issues that also made these truck a nightmare. I know quite a few in the buisness that have had issues with 6.0 fords. I for that reason bought a v-10 in my 07 f 350. The 6.4 international 08-10 is an ok motor but from what I have heard form ownersis that it is a fuel hog due to the imissions stuff they did with it. All the new diesels use exhaust fluid rather than waste fuel to burn the exhaust clean. A little over a year ago I need a new truck and found a great deal on a new 2011 f-350 with a 6.7 . I was not really at all interested in a diesel with my past experience but for only 2k more over a gasser at the time I figured it was worth a try. The 6.7 had already been out for a year when my truck was built and after searching the web for info I figured it was a safe bet. I have to say that I am so glad I switch back to the diesel. Plowing and towing around town ( 18' trailer with mowers, skid,dump trailer) I get 12-13 mpg. On highway trips with no load If I set the cruise at the speed limit I have gotten as good a 22 mpg no B.S. !!! We never got near that on the old diesel trucks. After a few weeks of me having my truck my brother decided he needed one! He was a gm guy all his life and he has now seen the light and converted to a ford guy. I have 20k on my truck with no issues at all. It's so quiet and I never realized how weak the old diesels really were. 800 ft lbs. of tourqe is awsome for towing and gets you moving real fast if you want to ! You wont even feel a pontoon behind it. I don't know how big your camper is but we borrow my parents 28' camper(weighs about 7k lbs.) and it tows it geat. Towing that to northern mi at 65 mph. I get 12 mpg. That same trip with my v-10 would get 7-8 mpg. If you already drive a ford your going feel out of place in anything else. I say get another ford and you won't be disappointed.

[Bamaman]

I just finished a 180 mile day trip in my 03 F250 7.3 Powerstroke Crewcab Lariat. I have an 80 horsepower econo flash on my ECU, and I'm seeing consistent 20 mpg. After my simple engine mod, the truck is substantially faster than the new model F250 diesels and is a strong towing machine.

I've done an in depth analysis of a new F250 truck, 8 years and 120K mileage, 6.2 liter gas versus the new Ford diesel, including depreciation and all scheduled maintenance. Comparing apples and apples, you'd be about $3200 ahead with a gas engine after all angles are considered. But if you're towing a heavy load like a fifth wheel trailer or big horse trailer, diesel is mandatory. Most boats can be towed just fine with a gas powered pickup. And I like the 3/4 ton gas chassis' better than comparable 1/2 ton chassis'--not much more expensive and their cabs and suspensions hold up so much longer.

Now as far as transmissions go, they are the weakest link in the drivetrain and the vast majority of the problems can be avoided with the addition of a auxillary tranny cooler, like a TruCool. All national auto parts stores have them for just over $100, and it's the cheapest insurance. Towing heavy loads too fast will simply cook any tranny. And as far as transmissions go, the Ford tranny is the best in the business. I know an engine tuner that won't put more than 50 hp more to a Duramax diesel because the Allision transmission simply won't hold up to heavy use.

You're not going to see many 20-22 mpg diesels with the Tier 4 EPA emission standards. Diesels now get more like 17 mpg unloaded, and that's running with the latest technology with the Urea/water injection. Ford's 6.2 gas engine will get more like 14.5 mpg, some better and some worse--but substantially better than the V-10 it replaced. It's a fine engine combination.

What brand of truck to buy? They're all good. But Ford sells more diesels than Chevy and Dodge combined. That said, I would lean toward a Ford 6.7 or Chevy with a Duramax. Nothing wrong with the Dodge with a Cummins, but Ram trucks just don't have the strong dealer base of Ford/GM and they simply don't pull the resale values of the other.

[killerkernrich]

Bamaman...F250 7.3 Powerstroke Crewcab Lariat. I have an 80 horsepower econo flash on my ECU, and I'm seeing consistent 20 mpg.
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what did that 80 hp cost you install an all...THANKS

[timturnerrc51]

I'd say look at all three and buy what you like the best. I went back and fourth for over a year........ gas vs. diesel. Simple issue, I've wanted a diesel truck for 20+ years. I've had three F150's and personally don't think there is a gas truck on the market better......just my experience. I ended up getting the Dodge for the Cummins Engine. From all the research I've done, the transmission in the new (I have a '12) is a pretty good transmission - in other words, they seemed to have worked out the bugs. My concern with the new Ford engine was time.........it's simple to find a Cummins with 500,000 to 1,000,000 miles as they have been putting them in Dodge for 20+ years. I was not interested in the Chevy for a heavy duty with a diesel having an independent front suspension (4X4). No matter which truck you go with there are things you are going to want or need to address. Personally, I think it's like most things, if you take care and maintain them, they will do the job. For a Ford guy, I've been happy thus far with the Dodge/Cummins combo..........regarding resale, it's all a percentage game, yes the Dodge tends to be a bit cheaper on the resale market, but if you do your shopping, you will get a much better deal on the front end. There was a $5,000+ difference - similar truck between the Dodge and the Ford. I personally think the SLT Dodge interior is nicer than the F250 XLT from a creature comfort standpoint. For my specific situation buying new was the only option (company car program) so I can't really speak to much towards something a few years old - best of luck

[chill'nthemost]

whatever you do DON'T buy a 6.0 or as they're called "sick liter" My best friends own a very successful light truck diesel shop. Mike invented the original Power Braker that makes the door on the turbo a brake. He was a Ford tech at the local dealership and the Power Braker allowed him to open his own shop, nice home, place in Alaska etc. 6.0's make him a lot of money. One of my biggest customers is a huge professional fire fighting co. They made the mistake of buying a number of 6.0's. Their 65 year old lead tech goes on and on about them. Other than that I think it's personal preference. My buddy thinks the 7.3 is the greatest motor ever. I had my tool truck when I bought my 1st diesel pickup. Nearly all the old diesel tech leaned toward Cummins. I know a couple guys who love their Duramax's. I really love my Dura-mini ('83 Isuzu diesel 4x4 pickup )

The main thing now with diesels is to always run a fuel additive. Low sulfur is a killer to seals

http://dieselpowerhouse.com/

[Bamaman]

Bamaman...F250 7.3 Powerstroke Crewcab Lariat. I have an 80 horsepower econo flash on my ECU, and I'm seeing consistent 20 mpg.
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what did that 80 hp cost you install an all...THANKS

SEE DP-TUNER.COM FOR A LIST OF SERVICES. I USED TO LIVE CLOSE BY, AND I RAN BY FOR A QUICK FLASH FOR $75.00. MOST PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE FLASH GO AHEAD AND GET ONE OF THEIR TUNER PACKAGES THAT CAN HAVE AS MANY AS 15 TUNES. D-P HAS GOOD TELEPHONE SERVICE AND THEY CAN GUIDE YOU ON WHAT YOUR NEEDS ARE.

MY 80 HP ECONO PACKAGE HAS A JOHN WOODS TRANSMISSION RE-TUNE. THE MAX I CAN TOW IS 6,500 LBS. THEY HAVE 60 AND 80 HP NON-ECONO PACKAGES THAT'LL TOW MORE, BUT THEY REALLY NEED TRANNY TEMP GAUGE, BOOST GAUGE AND A PYROMETER GAUGE TO MONITOR TEMPERATURES WHEN TOWING HEAVY. (MOST PONTOONS ARE JUST 4k-5k LBS. IN WEIGHT AND NOT VERY HEAVY.)

WHEN I GOT MY TRUCK, IT'D CHIRP A TIRE. NOW, CATCH THE TURBO SPOOLING UP @ 20 MPH, AND I CAN SQUALL BOTH TIRES IN SECOND GEAR AND THIRD GEAR--AS LONG AS I HOLD THE ACCELERATOR DOWN. FROM 60-80 MPH TAKES 4 SECONDS FLAT--IMPRESSIVE.

[HandymanHerb]

whatever you do DON'T buy a 6.0 or as they're called "sick liter" My best friends own a very successful light truck diesel shop. Mike invented the original Power Braker that makes the door on the turbo a brake. He was a Ford tech at the local dealership and the Power Braker allowed him to open his own shop, nice home, place in Alaska etc. 6.0's make him a lot of money. One of my biggest customers is a huge professional fire fighting co. They made the mistake of buying a number of 6.0's. Their 65 year old lead tech goes on and on about them. Other than that I think it's personal preference. My buddy thinks the 7.3 is the greatest motor ever. I had my tool truck when I bought my 1st diesel pickup. Nearly all the old diesel tech leaned toward Cummins. I know a couple guys who love their Duramax's. I really love my Dura-mini ('83 Isuzu diesel 4x4 pickup )

The main thing now with diesels is to always run a fuel additive. Low sulfur is a killer to seals

http://dieselpowerhouse.com/

They have all kinds of fixes for that 6.oh no, check diesel power mag, it was mostly a oil coolers getting clogged and you can get your tranny build bulet proof for the same price as rebuilding a tranny in your car.

I have 136 thousand on my 05 Dodge 2500 4x4 quad cab, i had a fuel pump go, which stock does every 80 thousand miles, i replaced it with an after market fuel pump that was 10 times better, with a life time guarantee for less than a stock pump, then my A/C blend door broke a month ago, but I'm not sweating that either, they make a quick fix kit thats better made and you don't have to take the dash out to do it.

Now the big reason to get a diesel is for the long run, it you put a lot of miles on, diesel is perfectIiI know of one guy who hotshots with his Ram/Cummins that has 600 thousand on it with no major repairs.

I get plenty of use out of the power of my diesel, have pulled trees four inches around down, that were growing to close to the house, four wheel drive low and reverse will pull them right down, I like getting 15 mpg in town 18 on the highway at 85 in a 8000 pound 4x4

[Mosnowman]

I'm a Ford guy...just bought a 2013 Ford F250 Lariat 4x4...decided on gas over diesel. If I remember correctly Diesel engine ran about 7k more...plus the price of diesel concerns me...as does the price of gas....guess I didn't help much...

Good luck!

[RonKMiller]

I bought my 1988 Chevy Crew Cab Silverado dually one ton brand new. 454 with recent tranny upgrades and a forced fan tranny cooler as well. I run a larger than stock radiator too. The engine is bone stock at 220K miles and burns about a quart of oil every 1,000 miles. I can live with that.

The gas mileage is HORRIBLE -about 6 mpg when towing, I guess that's to be expected pulling a 6,000 lb. load shaped like a barn. I can afford an insane gasoline bill since I made my last payment in 1992.

I test drove a new fully optioned Silverado last year with a diesel, and I LOVED it. It could probably tow Nebraska. What I didn't like was the $62K sticker price.

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[HandymanHerb]

You have to look long and hard an get a good used diesel, mine had 23 thousand on it when I bought it so it was 20 thousand dollars cheaper but still new.