Looking for advice.

I currently want to purchase a new Excursion. I've pondered over the PSD vs. V10 dilemma. The 5.4 is definitely not even an option on this size of truck. This truck would be my wife’s daily driver. She currently drives a 97 F250 Crew Cab short box equipped with the 460. Getting 9-10.5 mpg average as much as 12 on road trips, we are used to paying for gas to get comfort room & utility. I've asked many mechanics and friends that drive the super duty trucks, which is better and the answers are always loyal to their purchase (no one wants to admit buying a turd).

My current thought is, the V-10 and spend the savings on a supercharger. My interest is power on demand, don’t like the smell & rattle of the diesel, and definitely don’t like being passed on some little hill by some ricer.
Being that my daily driver is a 01 Lightning, lack of brut power is hard to accept. The Excursion does not have to be that fast but I don’t want any problems doing 75 – 85 hill or no hill. And our occasional trailer pulling is usually a car trailer with truck or 3 place horse trailer.
Are there any incentives from the factory on this unjustly domed truck? 0% or $10,000 cash back?
Any input would be appreciated.

 

Given your intended use -- go diesel.

Drive one, they are no slouch!

And up hill pulls at altitude will truly surprize you, as they don't lose the 3% HP per 1000 foot in altitude.

They don't stink (sure, you will notice them at first, but you soon get used to it); and if you opt for a good stereo system, you'll also cover up the noise.

Besides, an Excursion Diesel is a truly 'Manly Truck'!

(and the chicks dig 'em -- especially when/if they can drive 'em)

 

PSD without a doubt. You'll be surprised at how they run!

My brother in law drives a V10 Excursion. MPG is horrible, although about what you'd expect for a V10 in a 7200# truck. PSD you'll get over 15 around town. (most claim better). It doesn't run like you'd think (at least in my opinion) I wasn't impressed with the V10 power at all.

One questions though, does she drive a lot of short trips, all the time? If so, PSD may not be the way to go.

 

Why is a PSD bad for short trips?

 

Diesel engines are considerably harder to start than are gasoline engines. Frequent start/shut-down wears on batteries and starters. Diesel engines don't heat up as quickly as gasoline engines, so frequent short runs don't let it steam-off water in the oil -- which causes acids to build up -- requiring frequent oil changes.

So, you end up with:
Frequent battery replacement
expensive starter replacement
frequent oil changes (with more oil per change)

Generally, EVERYTHING is more expensive to fix on a diesel. There are 2 basic reasons for having a diesel:

1) forced induction (turbo) eliminates HP loss due to altitude -- useless to you if you live in most of America where you don't climb mountains).

2) Fuel economy is generally accepted at 30% better than for Comparable displacement gasoline engine.

Unless those two factors are high on your list of requirements for a vehicle, a careful calculation of cost/value will show that you need to put many many miles on your vehicle in a very short timeframe for the decision to purchas the diesel to be rational as opposed to emotional.

Most recommendations (including mine) to you to go diesel are functional (cost is no object - performance reigns) as opposed to rational.

One last caviat: 20 years ago, diesel fuel costs were in line with production costs -- namely, it costs roughly 75% as much to refine/deliver diesel as it does for gasoline -- and the price at the pump reflected that margin.

15 years ago, our legislators decided to begin the current trend of passing along tax increases to the general public by way of taxing business -- with the vehicle for that taxation being a fuel tax. The logic was that those nasty on-highway trucks were delivering product to businesses -- and those businesses can afford to be taxed -- so the underhanded way of taxing the business was to tax the delivery boys' trucks. Of course, the truck fleets took it in the shorts, and/but passed along some of those operating costs to the shippers, who passed it along to the manufacturers, which passed it along to you and me.

Unfortunately, during the swipe of the broad-brush of taxing diesel fuel, the geniuses in our legislature failed to exempt automotive diesel from those taxes -- with the result being that in some areas of the country, and at some times of the year, diesel fuel has lost it's price per BTU advantage that we non-commercial (truck) users once had.

That inflated taxation on diesel fuel has made a once-easy calculation of diesel engine up-charge vs work (HP) more difficult.

 

Um, yeah- that's what I was thinking.

**Everyone tells me the diesel is the best choice** I drove diesels for 10 years in the US Army, those glow-plugs were a pain.

Diesels don't like frequent start-ups (As was mentioned earlier), but I have to hope that the Civilian market trucks are nicer, and more durable than the military fleet, especially considering those were 1980's trucks, with what was probably 60's technology even in today's Hummers.

We had the "Wait to start" light in our trucks. You'd switch the truck switch on, wait 4-5 seconds in the summer (For the light to go out) then start up. If it was cold, it'd take 10 seconds or more. If you were in bitter cold Germany/Northern US conditions, fugetabouit it. Our generators were deisels, and ran 24-hours a day, for weeks at a time- That's how I knew diesels were strong/durable engines capable of running long periods in hot & cold conditions- But I always assumed that gas engines were better, and more user friendly.

I work 6-miles from home, so I don't know if that's too short-a trip for a diesel or not. I'll probably just get the Denali XL, with the 340 HP V-8 engine, and call it a day... (Whenever I get final approval from the financial manager: wife.)

I hope in 2002, that's changed...

 

Family Ride,

It's all in what you percieve. I'm not sure what you're brother in law drives like or what he's done to his Excursion, but gas mileage is not that horrible. Sure around town on short trips it's lower, but I average 14.5 mpg at 75 mph and slightly above. My wifes 5.4L Expedtion 4wd only gets a couple more maybe on the highway. I think running Mobil 1 and a K&N air filter help. I also opened up the blind space where the air cleaner snorkel goes into for more fresh air.

I'd wait for the new 6L diesel with the 5sp auto in 2003, there will also be an EB version of the Excursion.

 

I want to thank you all for your input which has been deeply considered.
Every time I think I have it settled in my mind, some one else brings up a new point and makes me reconsider all the variables.
I keep coming back to the V-10 being the best for my intended use, but it will get one of the many available supercharger kits added.
Obviously money can’t be the major deciding factor. After all between the price of the truck, the 4k PSD option or paying at the gas pump, one thing is clear. This truck will cost and continue to cost big money! But that’s ok.
__________________


2001 Lighting, pulley, chip etc, etc.
1997 F250 Crew Cab short box 4x4 460cid
1993 Ranger Splash 4x4
1989 Bronco II 2wd, lowered, converted to pickup (4’ box molded in Ranchero style)
1967 F150 4x4 short box 460cid
1971 Blazer K/5 4x4 350 4spd

 

By the way, Ford has info on the 2003 Excursion on their web site now. I think it went up yesterday.

The Eddie Bauer is right behind the Limited. Without seeing them or knowing more, I'd think the renamed the Limited the Eddie Bauer and the Limited-Ultimate is now just a Limited.

 

PSD hands down i work at a local ford dealorship as a gopher and often go to other dealorships to pick up vehicles so i have driven them all and you would be suprised wioth the power of the PSD when i drive them i dont usualy smell it on the inside and at crusing speed you dont hardly hear the noise but its all a matter of what the woman wants i guess

 

I want to thank every one for their input. When we went looking our mind was pretty made up for the V-10. We found that the V-10 was usually lightly equipped with options, XLT or XLT premiums.
We ended up getting a PSD Limited Ultimate, the only thing it doesn’t have is the DVD entertainment center and the center row captain chairs. After a test drive the wife admitted that it was a lot quieter than they were where in 97 when we bought her crew cab.
Hard to believe we drove 635 miles on the first tank of fuel. And the power is pretty impressive, 95mph up some pretty steep grades and id didn’t slow down a bit. It drives great. The steering is a little more responsive than the F250 was that I got used to, but I’m looking to see if the pickup rear sway bar can be added on or if there is an aftermarket one available. Seems to be a little too much body roll on some of the rougher highways.
The wife is pretty excited.
Thanks for all the input.

 

Ive got the V -10 and love it , I don't pull anything though. I know that they are both good motors but if I was going to have a load behind it all the time I would get the PSD if not I would get the v-10 don't even worry about the gas milage just a few simple tricks and I'm getting 19 mpg on the highway.

 

Trick?

More like David Copperfield or Harry Houdini power.

 

I'd like to know the tricks, 15 mpg in a 4WD maybe 16 in a 2WD. My trip computer has registered up to 17 mpg after filling up and driving 60 mph over a 70 mile stretch without stops. For mainly interstate loaded up with a family of 7 and two dogs, I calculate 14 mpg at speed of 75 mph.