I'm looking to buy an '05 F250 here shortly. I'm torn between gas and PSD. I'm sure there were tons of requests similar to this. However being Diesel newbie that I am, I'm hoping you can bare with me. I currently drive an '03 F150 Supercrew FX4. It's great, the mileage sucks, but I love it. I am getting owned on steeper grades by the F250's and 2500's out there.

I drive to and from work about 150 miles a week (Mon-Fri). However I typically make a 300-350 mile roundtrip treck every weekend (for business). I plan on starting to occassionally tow a flatbed open, car trailer (with a Race built Camaro on top) maybe once or twice a month. I'm leaning towards the PSD and was wondering if it'll be the setup I'm looking for (compared to a gas F250). Your opinions would be greatly appreciated. The extra power would be nice. Do any of you regret getting the PSD over the gas?

I won't be towing for another few months but when that happens it will be maybe once or twice a month (sometimes more sometimes less). do like having the option of having the tremendous torque of the 6.0 available if and when I need it. However for my daily driving (150 miles a week + 350 miles on weekends) will the 6.0 still be the choice you would choose? Thanks much for the advice.

 

At 500 miles a week, thats 26,000 miles a year. I think a diesel would be your best bet considering the high mileage. Just remember the additional maintenance costs that goes along with it.

 

Long highway trips make a diesel engine very happy and you will have a slight mileage advantage. However diesel prices are a little high right now in parts of the country so you prolly would break even. I don't care if diesel went to 3.00bucks a gallon, as I love the powerstroke so much I would pay it. What more can I say?

Higer matenance costs come from the fact of 14+ quart oil changes, and usually higher cost parts, but it is all a trade off for a tougher engine.

Adrianspeeder

 

Yeah I just looked up the prices and around here diesel is going for about $2.90/gallon compared to regular at $2.43...ouch

 

I've had the diesels before and really liked them. However, my work truck is an '05 F250 w/ the 5.4 3v engine. I love it. It made my recent decision to buy a new Lariat (for play) with the same engine a no-brainer.

 

I have a 1997 F250hd Turbo, 7.3 Liter. I love it!! I have more power than I have ever had in any truck I have ever owned. I modified the ROM and got 365BHP the last time I dynode it. I just made a trip to Kennedy Space Center to view the Discovery launch (this was a 350 mile round trip). I averaged 20.3 MPG (better than a gas rig, diesel has 1.6 times the energy that GAS has per gallon). The total cost for the trip was $40.51. I consider this a bargain at $2.35 per Gal (Yea, right!). This is only 5 cents higher than regular (what a gigantic rip off)!!! However, based on the energy conversion (1.6:1) this is only $1.44 per gallon. I worked for the major oil companies for 22 years and I want you all to know that this is in effect, fraud! Diesel is a product that is extracted as a bi-product of cleaning crude oil and natural gas. IT COSTS NOTHING EXTRA TO PRODUCE. It has always been priced at about ½ the price of regular gas (till after 9/11). In 1965 Regular gas was $0.35 and diesel was $0.12 per gallon. There is no extra processing to produce diesel (E.G. cracking, a very dangerous and expensive process). There are NO additional products to blend with this fuel. You and We are being systematically gouged and ripped off by the big oil companies! Write your congress men and loge your complaints!!!!!!

 

I also had a 97 with the 7.3 and now have a gas 4.6, man do I miss the diesel!, even if pump prices are more ( I bought my fuel in bulk delivered to my home and saved a bunch) the power and better mileage (20 vs 16) more than made up for the cost diff, remember you'll also pay several thousand more for the PSD, but if you drive a lot or tow with any frequency I highly recommend going with the diesel. Bottom line, the next truck I buy will be diesel.

 

I've been contemplating the same issue.

the answer is that Diesel is DEFINATELY worth the extra $5000.

the first arguement that everyone will give is this:
"I can buy a lot of gas for $5000!"

this is quite true, and even more true now that diesel is costing more than even premium gas.

it's truet that if you only drive the "average" 15,000 miles per year, at current prices, it could take you 5 or even 10 years to re-comp the additional $5000 for the diesel engine in fuel savings alone, add the additional costs for oil changes and it would likely be closer to the 10 years. if you only plan on keeping the truck for 2,3,4 or even 5 years, then the diesel may not the best choice based on fuel economy alone.... if you drive higher than the national average though, the diesel will pay for itself more quickly.

HOWEVER, there are other factors that need to be considered.

1. the diesel engine SHOULD easily last TWICE as long as the gas engine. if you plan on keeping the truck for life, this is almost like getting twice the life out of the vehicle for the extra $5000. and if you DO plan on keeping the truck for life, the diesel fuel savings will more than pay for itself... so in the long run, you get a engine that lasts twice as long for free.

2. the diesel engine is much more powerful than the gas engine (important if towing).

AND FINALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON!

3. RESALE VALUE!!! if you DON't plan on keeping the truck forever, but plan to resell it as some point, the diesels bring MUCH more money than a comperable truck with a gas powerplant.

example: I'm on the market for a used 250 or excursion...
screw kbb,edmunds,nada. do a search on ebay or on the auto trader, you can find 2001 excursion limited, fulley loaded with say 70K miles on the 7.3 Diesel all day long selling for $24,000-$28,000.

The EXACT same truck with the V-10 will sell for $15,000.!!!
even if you don't consider fuel economy, longevity, towing power, etc.

the diesel is worth it for resale value alone.

here's the only catch that I have found. diesels may not be the best choice for around town driving. the older 7.3 engines take an EXTREMELY long time to warm up. hell at full operating temp, I think they are only running about 150-160 degrees.

I live exactly two miles down the street from my place of work. basically with my minute commute, I'd be going without heat all winter as the 7.3 would never have time to warm up, not to mention that this type of driving on a cold engine is very bad for the longevity of the engine.

however I'm told that the new 6.0 despite it's many initial problems, doesn't suffer this characteristic, the 6.0 will supposedly reach full operating temp in a matter of a minute or two even in the cold.

sorry for the long winded reply.

good luck.

later,
chris

P.S. if you do decide to go gas, unless you are doing alot of heavy towing, choose the 5.4L. while the V10 has better power and torque for towing, it's just too much of a gas hog IMHO. the 5.4 can still return 15-17mph or better even in a crew cab 250, while the diesel may give single diget fuel economy.

 

I really like the idea of getting the diesel for the power it has and all of the modifications out there for it, but i also live only a couple miles from work. I'm not sure how the diesel engine will like the shorter trips. If you look at my yearly mileage though, i am probably still above average, eventhough i live close to work. My wife and i go on a lot of weekend trips. Maybe i am worrying about something i dont need to. What are your thoughts about the shorter trips? Is this going to be hard on the engine?