I currently own a 01 Supercrew 4x4 lariat with 107k miles 5.4L. I want to start pulling a 24' 5th wheel so I started thinking about a crew cab 2000 f250 4x4 with a v10 5speed... am I crazy? If the mpgs are over 10, I suppose the difference wouldn't be that big a deal over my f150...but I would have a lot better truck for towing???

If I want to tow with my F150, i have to get one of those slider style 5th wheel hitches that run close to $1000...

Any comments?
thanks,
-hpipe

 

Are really strong motors and the super duties are designed for working hard.

I currently have a 2003 F250 CC with the V10 and am very happy with it.
I average around 12-13 in mixed driving, and about 10 towing my 7,000 trailer.

I don't think you are crazy, but you need to weigh the pro's & cons and make
the right decision for you. Good luck!

 

Thats what I wanted to hear...Thank you for the information.

I think I'll go and test drive it soon...I'm sure it will be on the lot for a while...

 

If you don't want to pay the premium for a diesel (in initial purchase price, fuel, and maintenance), then no, you're not crazy.

 

Well, your call of course, but I would strongly suggest ponying up for the diesel. Yes, I know it is more expensive. Yes, I know the cost for a gallon of diesel is currently higher than that of gasoline. Regardless, you will see several more miles per gallon. Your engine will be good for 300k miles or more provided you keep up the maintanence. If you ever decide to buy a an engine programmer (Superchips, Edge, Hypertech, Bully Dog, etc...) you will see a HUGH improvement over what you would ever see with a gasoline engine. In my humble opinion, I do not even understand why Ford sells the V-10. It may be bigger than the 5.4, but I do not think the extra power it gives you is anywhere near worth the money.

Just my two cents, sorry for not staying on topic,
Mike

 

Some of us just prefer the V-10. I've owned both engines and just like the gas one better. Of course, the diesel truck is preferred by many people. I appreciate Ford giving us a choice.

 

That's simple. The V10 is offered because it's a way, way better tow engine than any of the currently offered small V8s (5.7L Dodge, 6.0L GM & 5.4L) and it's only a $600 option!! A bargain considering it will tow anything a diesel will-maybe not as fast or as good mileage but if you don't want to spend a bunch of extra $$ on a diesel the V10 is the best bargain out there for engine options!

I don't understand your reasoning. You're recommending the diesel which is about a $5000 option then mention adding a programmer at a few hundred extra $$ for more power but you think the V10 is not worth the $600 to gain an extra 60HP and 70lb-ft or torque over the 5.4L??

I own a 100% stock V10 F250 and a 5.4L F150 and I can tell you the extra power with a 7000lb attached is worth $600!! No comparison, actually and our 5.4L is a 300HP 3V while the V10 I own is a 310HP 2V.

I've also spent some time behind the wheel towing about the same weight with a few different Ford PSDs (6.0L and 7.3L) and I can tell you while the diesel pulls the load in higher gears my F250/V10 has no trouble at all holding the same speeds on highway hills as the diesels I drove did.

Another thing I dislike about diesels is the fact that the diesel engine adds about 600lbs of weight to the truck-right over the front wheels.

I prefer gas trucks. The only way I'm going to recommend a diesel pickup is if you drive over 25000 miles a year and/or do alot of heavy towing.

 

I agree. I bought my V-10 to tow a 10,000 lb. trailer (car, tools, extra engine, extra tranny) over long distances (i.g., the East coast). It pulls the load beautifully. The truck has never seen a service bay since I bought it (I do the maintenance in my driveway, the truck will not fit in my garage).

A few of us have V-10's, but most tow trucks are diesels. They prefer them over the gas engine. I'm sure they are worth the extra cost for those racers.

When I ordered my V-10, I couldn't rationalize the diesel. In the fall of 2003, my Ford dealer priced the diesel for $5500 more (the required tranny upgrade and the diesel option). The V-10 had a $2500 rebate (the diesel had no rebate). After paying sales tax, the diesel would have cost me $8560 more than the V-10.

I calculated that I would have to drive the truck 150,000 miles to recoup my extra cash outlay (considering opportunity cost of extra money, gas/fuel, extra maintenance cost of oil vs. gas engine, eventual trade-in, etc.). Those numbers were calculated when gas costs more than diesel. As diesel fuel has been higher than gas, I am sure the mileage will increase into the 200K area for the deal to make sense to me.

I owned one of the older 7L diesels. It was a slightly better tow truck. The added torque made pulling up a hill much easier. It did get 3-4 mpg more in fuel mileage. It also cost much more to maintain (fuel filters, oil changes, etc.). It was also harder to find refueling stations around my house for the oil burner.

I plan to buy one of the redesigned Super Duty's. I'll do the same pencil pushing I did on this truck. If the oil burner comes close to the V-10, I'll buy it.

 

And this can easily throw the durability of the engine out the water. Tread carefully with programmers on your diesel, especially if it's a 6.0 liter, double especially if it's still under factory warranty.

 

$5 grand buys alot of gas

your insurance will be more with the diesel

you will get a few miles per gallon more, but pay more per gallon

300000 miles? who honestly puts that many miles on their vehicles

not this crowd who pat each other on the back for buying a new truck every other year

the diesel has its place, for the day in, day out work truck crowd (contractors), not the "buy the 1 ton dually ford diesel 4x4 but never take it off road and tow once a year" crowd

you will never recoup your investment

I used to own a diesel (85/6.9, 92/7.3), but that was when I towed a 20' 6000 pound trailer 5 days a week and put MEGA miles on them

 

Diesel around here is a lot cheaper then gas. Is it different in other states but the diesel is about 30 cents cheaper then regular right now?? Just asking guys....

 

I have an '04 F150 FX4 with the 5.4 300hp and a '01 F-250 work truck with a V-10. I can tell you there is alot more hp difference that 10. That V-10 is so much more powerful. If the 5.4 has 300hp, the V-10 has about 450. There is no comparsion. I love that V-10 and I think that will be my next truck!!!

 

?? Insurance ?? When I upgraded from my 2000 F150 Supercab Lariat 5.4L to my present 2006 F350 Crew Cab Dually 6.0L Diesel, my insurance went up a whole $30 every 6 months, and I attribute that to the fact that the F150 was purchased at $28K and $50K for my KR.

?? More per gallon for diesel ?? Than what ?? maybe water ? It is the same as or give or take a penny or 2 than regular run of the mill 87 octane gas just about anywhere in the Memphis area. Out in the back country where they haven't gotten out of the 17th century yet, it is about the same as 91 Octane.

Now, if the prices you are referring to were back a few months ago, I would have to agree with you 150%.

 

My insurance is $165 every 6 months (but I do get a multi-car discount).

 

165.00 every 6 months. WOW!!! What insurance company? I have multi car discount and pay almost 600 every 6 months and have a clean driving record. What insurance company???