I seem to have been bitten by the diesel bug. Looking to rent a medium size travel trailer for recreation from time to time, and my truck can only tow four thousand lbs. It is a Harley F-150 that I bought new in 2000. I love the truck but I am little bored with it and have the crazy idea that I would like to have a diesel. I drove a 07 Dodge Mega Cab two wheel drive. Nice truck but just to darn big. I like the new F-250 but the crew cab seems just as big as the Dodge Mega Cab. I don't want to kill someone while trying to park and I want it to fit my garage (21 feet long max). If I don't go with the Supercab F-250 I guess my only choice will be a F-150 4x4. Have any of you made the switch from 150 to 250 and is it worth it for towing a 6,500 pound trailer? I will have to use for my daily driver. Can I average at least 15 mpg in daily driving (not towing)? Any advice or comments would be appreciated.

 

IF you get a 6.0, set aside about $6000 for mods you'll have to do about right away after you buy it to avoid catatrophic failure

 

Stick with an F150. It'll tow 6500lbs just fine and meet your daily driver needs better.

 

I'm no diesle expert, but isn't it bad for a diesle to be driven a lot without a load on it? Say you drove it all the time as a grocery getter and only towed with it once in a while. Isn't that hard on them?

 

lulz, what?

Do whatever you want to diesel, just dont idle it...

 

That's the general thing I understand as well...the new diesels may be different - I don't know..

 

My brother told me that you should break a diesel in the way you plan to use it. He has a 96 F-250 diesel dullay with 176,000 on it and it runs great and gets 15 mpg while not towing, and about 11 pulling a large travel trailer. I won't be towing but maybe four or five times a year. The new 6.2 gasser in an F-150 should work well.

 

dont know about this breaking in diesel thing.... just run it and run it hard whatever you do... what their built for, if you want to, tie it to a tree and sit there in 4low and have fun for all i care...

diesels a diesel, itll last forver if maintained and preventative maintence issues are addressed

 

So many myths, so little time!

 

I hear ya - I just don't know. The '96 7.3L is only used to pull the heavy stuff to position. It has a load on it 90% of the time LOL and still is 'ticking'. That's the only diesel I have personally had experience with over a long time frame. BTW, it's stock...

 

I'm not sayin that what I said is a fact, it's just I've always heard if you use it like a car it won't last.

 

Having had several trucks over the last 25 years, I will never go back to a gasser. Diesels tow anything you want. I live and tow in the mountains and forget that I am towing (I tow 3 different trailors from 6500 to 8500 lbs.) until I look in the rearview. Diesels are very low maintenance engines - just don't let the fuel freeze up.

 

Oh and mileage... not towing I get up to 20.5 on the highway (that's at 80 to 85 mph) and in heavy traffic I get 14 mpg.

 

Funny... I had (still use) the diesel, but like the gasser better. Mileage isn't a concern for me - go figure

 

I'm a diesel turned gasser, I had a great experience with my '01 6.8 F-250 and it was neighbor and family friendly, plus it still towed just fine...


I guarantee you add a lil' boost to the 6.8 the diesels will be hurting on the hills