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Old 06-22-2011, 08:19 AM   #1
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Gas vs diesel worth 8000?

Hi there -
Looking to buy a F250 for towing - planning to use it 6-8 times a year - east coast - not mountains - worth the extra? dealer said that given expected use and cost of diesel these days - not worth it
Thoughts?
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Old 06-22-2011, 08:41 AM   #2
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Hi there -
Looking to buy a F250 for towing - planning to use it 6-8 times a year - east coast - not mountains - worth the extra? dealer said that given expected use and cost of diesel these days - not worth it
Thoughts?
It depends on how much weight you will be towing.
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Old 06-22-2011, 09:09 AM   #3
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Many things should affect your decision other than the price of fuel.

If you tow a lot, you will ALWAYS get better fuel economy with a diesel than a gasser. It may even be more economical in the long run.

I pull a fifth wheel and I would not even consider a gas tow vehicle. That's me.
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Old 06-22-2011, 09:30 AM   #4
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I just bought my truck in February. I went from a gasser to a diesel and don't know why I didn't do it sooner. There is no comparison between the 2. The extra power and fuel economy are worth it in my opinion.
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Old 06-22-2011, 10:35 AM   #5
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Jeannie's right. You really need to give us some info on what you plan to tow in order to provide an accurate, meaningful answer to your question.

Should you opt for the diesel? Here's my own rough guide. If you are towing a trailer:
  • Under 5,000 lb GVW- No
  • Under 8,000 lb GVW- Probably not, unless you're you're a diesel lover or someone who likes performance
  • Under 10,000 lb GVW- Maybe, but a 3/4 ton gasoline powered truck should provide satisfactory performance for most folks
  • 10,000 lb GVW or over- Yes, I highly recommend it

However, I must warn you. Once you own a diesel, you'll probably never go back to a gasoline powered truck until no longer need to tow anything. Don't believe me? Take a survey of those who own diesels.
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Old 06-22-2011, 11:55 AM   #6
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The new 6.2 gas engine that Ford is using is a really good motor. Lots of power, and respectable mileage in a big truck. MUCH better than the old 5.4 V8, and comparable to the V10, although the new V8 should be better in about every way, if only slightly.

That said, it still doesn't really compare to the diesel. You will probably never recover the $8k up-charge because of the higher cost of maintenance and fuel, but most people don't care because those trucks are truly a joy to drive (loaded or unloaded).

Not sure which way I would go if I were buying new right now. My TT is right around 10klbs, but I seldom go more than 150 miles one way. Either motor would do what I need it to do. Knowing myself though, if I got the gas engine, there would always be part of me that wished I had gone for the higher power of the diesel (which is why I always get the biggest motor available when buying anything).
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Old 06-22-2011, 12:22 PM   #7
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It would be really hard to go back to gas from a diesel. But these days the diff in cost is hard to justify.
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Old 06-22-2011, 01:59 PM   #8
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Jeannie's right. You really need to give us some info on what you plan to tow in order to provide an accurate, meaningful answer to your question.


Should you opt for the diesel? Here's my own rough guide. If you are towing a trailer:
  • Under 5,000 lb GVW- No
  • Under 8,000 lb GVW- Probably not, unless you're you're a diesel lover or someone who likes performance
  • Under 10,000 lb GVW- Maybe, but a 3/4 ton gasoline powered truck should provide satisfactory performance for most folks
  • 10,000 lb GVW or over- Yes, I highly recommend it
However, I must warn you. Once you own a diesel, you'll probably never go back to a gasoline powered truck until no longer need to tow anything. Don't believe me? Take a survey of those who own diesels.
Good guidelines but how the truck will be used when not towing has a lot to do with it as well. A 3/4 ton diesel truck is serious overkill for a grocery getter or Mom bus. If towing infrequently enough, it may be worthwhile to put up with the slower speeds and higher fuel consumption of a gasser while towing.
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Old 06-22-2011, 02:08 PM   #9
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My opinion, diesels were made to be run.They do not like to sit still. The more you use it the bigger the advantage. For occasional use as you suggest (6 to 8 times a year is not much IMO) the gasser would be fine, provided you are not towing a monster of a 5er. BTW welcome to JOF, what will you be towing with this new 250?
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Old 06-22-2011, 06:33 PM   #10
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For 6 - 8 times a year I could not justify the difference in cost between the two.
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Old 06-22-2011, 07:51 PM   #11
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I recently upgraded from a 5.3L F150 gas burner to a 6.4 L F250 power stroke and I will tell you I have no regrets. Now if I really tried to justify the cost diffence, I probably could not,That said, :hihi:THAT Power sTrOke Is A bAd mOther:hihi:. It loves to tow and is a pleasure to drive with 10,000lbs behind. If you can aford it, buy it, you will not regret it.:hihi:
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Old 06-22-2011, 09:05 PM   #12
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Bunch of excellent - on target - replies. I vote diesel.
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Old 06-23-2011, 02:16 PM   #13
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I'm a diesel guy but with the fuel prices now and all the emission stuff on the diesels, has really brought their mileage down. A good alternative is the new Ford F150 with the Eco- boost motor. 11,000lb towing capacity and great fuel mileage. Worth looking into, I know I am.
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Old 06-23-2011, 02:49 PM   #14
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I too would have a hard time going back to gas BUT the diesel is far more expensive. I have a 6.0 and it is unforgiving on maintenance so you must change the 15 quarts of oil every 5,000 miles. You must change the $50 fuel filters every 15,000 miles. You must change the $80 coolant every other year. In my opinion, they are expensive to maintain and fuel costs are higher.

BUT I do tow a camper. Even though I am not a full timer, I completely enjoy the lower RPM diesel. Empty I can get upwards of 22mph highway, and pulling I can get 12.5. Now something that the newer diesel's don't have is that cool 6.0 Diesel sound!

If you can afford it, I would go Diesel, and you'll always win with the coolness factor which is why you have a Jayco right?
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Old 06-23-2011, 05:35 PM   #15
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I'm a diesel guy but with the fuel prices now and all the emission stuff on the diesels, has really brought their mileage down. A good alternative is the new Ford F150 with the Eco- boost motor. 11,000lb towing capacity and great fuel mileage. Worth looking into, I know I am.
I get 22 mpg highway, 17 city unloaded and 12 towing my 9k TT. That is the same as my dad's 02 with the 7.3L PSD. His doesn't have any emissions equipment on it. Mine has egr, dpf and def. Where is the mileage drop? I know some other diesels get worse mileage, but you can't prove it by me with my truck. The new diesels are much better with meage than previous years. Alot more HP and torque too.
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Old 07-15-2011, 03:18 PM   #16
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I just bought my truck in February. I went from a gasser to a diesel and don't know why I didn't do it sooner. There is no comparison between the 2. The extra power and fuel economy are worth it in my opinion.
I got mine last oct I am with you on this I dont know what I was thinking Diesel is better I think all around not only for towing but also for just driving the truck and it only getting like my last truck 10mpg.
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Old 07-15-2011, 06:31 PM   #17
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If you are gonna pull, you need a DIESEL........period !
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Old 07-16-2011, 02:28 PM   #18
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My old fiver weighed about 8500 lbs loaded. I was on a highway in New Mexico, and started to climb a hill at about 45 MPH (the speed limit) at the bottom of a hill. As we started to climb, the truck slowed, slowed, and slowed. Nearing the top of the hill, we were going walking speed. Scared the fool out of me - I didn't think we would make it to the top, but we did, barely. The road was narrow, no where to turn around, and I would have had to back down the hill, around curves. Wow. No good "Plan B" at all.

I then decided I had to trade my 6.0L gasoline Chevy 3/4 ton truck for a diesel Duramax Chevy truck. The diesel is quite a difference. The gas truck would tug my trailer on most roads, but there was no extra power. Entering freeways due to slow acceleration was a problem with the gas truck, not so with the diesel. And steep hills? Wow what a difference between the gas and the diesel. Fuel mileage went from 7.5 with the gas engine to 10 mph with the diesel. Probably not enough to "pay" for the diesel. But the diesel pays for itself by giving me peace of mind when driving.
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Old 07-16-2011, 07:15 PM   #19
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The extra cost of a diesel will be recovered easily when you sell 1 5 10 years from now. My diesel truck I bought 11 years ago is worth far more than a gasser with the same miles. Plus I haven't had ANY major expenses and even if diesel fuel cost more, cost per mile is cheaper.
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Old 07-18-2011, 06:16 AM   #20
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My truck is also my daily driver... if I ever buy a car again it will also be diesel.. once you go diesel you never go back... :lizard:
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