Howdy,
I've been lurking here for a while weighing the pros and cons of diesel for use as my work truck. I was curious to see what you guy's think. Here's a little background.
Currently driving a 2003 F150 V6 with 185k on it (I keep up with maintenance so it's still going strong).
*I drive about 160 miles a day, 6 days a week, 60% city 40% highway.
*I do not need 4-wheel drive.
*I do take my 3500LB boat to the ramp a couple times each month (and my v6 F150 does not like that at all).
*I do very little off-road driving.
*Getting about 15 mpg at best.
*I do a lot of paperwork/laptop in my truck idling over the course of each day, it likely adds up to about an hour daily.

I figure a diesel truck would cope better with the high mileage I am putting on it.. hopefully saving some $$ in the long run.
Or.. maybe it'd be cheaper to just keep going with used gassers and driving them into the ground.
I was thinking F250 extended cab with the short bed ( I don't need enormous payload capacity).
Well.. what do you guy's think?
--Jeff

 

For the little towing you do, a gas motor F-150 will be just fine and give you similar mileage results. I was averaging 16-17 MPG in my 4.6 F-150. I average 18.5 highway with my F-250.

 

Saving money and diesel trucks does NOT go together. You'd be better off with an F150.

 

I second the 1/2 ton gasser idea, the boats not very heavy, it sounds comparable to my parents 20.5' chaparral with full cuddy. I was able to pull it fine with the 4.6, now my blown 5.4 tugs it around like a trinket in comparison.

 

...and diesels DO NOT LIKE IDLING.

 

a 5.4 150 is all you need.. they are very capabale of doing what u need. my buddy has a 06 350 with a 6.0 and all he tows is his small pop up camper every summer..and he always complaining abou the cost of maintaining it etc..and hes had some issues with the turbo. i told him to get a 5.4 150 but he insisted on getting a diesel.

 

For what a used 2008+ F250 diesel is going for today you could by a new F150 or a very nice used one and save your self some money. There was a 2008 F250 King Ranch CC with 47k on the ticker on the lot down the street here and they were asking $47,500 for it and I have seen XLT's and Lariats in the mid 20k to high 30k range. For what you are doing a SCAB or SCREW F150 will fit the bill well and give you the performance you are looking for and if you want a little more out it take some of the money you saved by not buying a diesel and Super Charge it.

 

Well,
After hearing that, I may just go with another F150 when my current engine dies.. My main consideration was that I could get more miles out of a diesel than a regular "gas" truck. And maybe get a bit better mpg.
I doubt my V6 F150 will make it beyond 300k ..but you never know (my 97' Explorer is at 235k). It's a pain to buy another truck, plus it costs me about $1000 bucks each time I need to get a new vehicle lettered. That said .. it still may be cheaper in the long run.
Thanks everybody.
--Jeff

 

There are plenty of 4.6 and 5.4 vehicles in the 200k+ club.

 

At the rate that I am putting miles on my truck (6300 miles per year), I will be 69 years old before my truck hits 200k miles!

 

Why don't you get a programmer and some custom tunes for your V6? You need an economy tune and a towing tune.