diesel or not?

[motorhead0320]

I really want to get a superduty for the size of the cabin and for the power. I only plan on towing a few times a year but it will be a heavy load. My problem is my normal daily commute to work is about 4 miles one way. Will i kill the engine by doing this commute? On the weekends trips would be longer. I would get a smaller truck but i just feel i wil be sorry later if i dont have the power of the larger diesel truck. I had ruled out the "gas" f250 because i hear the mileage is horrible and just wont last like a diesel. I live in Florida so i dont really have to worry about cold day starts. Plan on buy a truck this weekend so please give me some input.

 

[Bloodhound]

I love my diesels. I hav 2 6.0's. see sig. If you get a 6.0 just drive it hard on the weekends. the only problem that my wifes ex has is a verry small oil leak. a drop or 2 on the concrete. My superduty all i can say is i love it. Thanks Eric @ innovative.

I think that you will be happy with an oil burner.

 

[motorhead0320]

mapquested my distance to work and its actually over 6 miles. i know that not much farther but more than 4. Probably takes me about 15 minutes in the morning and 20 or so in the evening. Sorry for the dumb question just dont want to regret my choice. I have had 9 vehicles in the past 6 years and the wife says i need to stick with my next choice. Thanks for the info. Oh and the one i am looking at is an 06 with the 6.0 i believe.

 

[blacksnapon]

mapquested my distance to work and its actually over 6 miles. i know that not much farther but more than 4. Probably takes me about 15 minutes in the morning and 20 or so in the evening. Sorry for the dumb question just dont want to regret my choice. I have had 9 vehicles in the past 6 years and the wife says i need to stick with my next choice. Thanks for the info. Oh and the one i am looking at is an 06 with the 6.0 i believe.

Remember, the 6.0 doesn't like inactivity. They have a tendency to rust up the vanes in the turbo, and develop egr troubles with sporatic use.

 

[Bloodhound]

run a oasis report on it. That is a service history report. Ask in the 6.0 forum/ one of the techs can get it for you. that will tell you what work has been done to it.

 

[kustomizingkid]

If you aren't going to tow much why get a diesel?

 

[motorhead0320]

i am getting ready to start building my rock buggy and would like to be able to tow a couple of jeeps up north a couple of times a year to go wheeling. The other reason is that the superduty's are just so much larger inside than say and F150. I really want that extra room and from everything i have heard and read the "gas" superduty's arent that great. Poor mileage, underpowered, short life. I am one of theose poeple that have to have power and a 4x4 just for those few times i may want it.

 

[d-kuzmen]

If I were going to buy a super duty it's gonna be a 6.0 diesel truck. Just make sure you drive it like you stole it and there should be no problems, they just don't like to sit around. When you find one you like PM the vin to me and i'll run the warrenty history to see if it's a problem child or not.

 

[LEB Ben]

If it's just a tow rig...why not go back a few years...and get 92-96 350 with a 460 in it? Plenty of power, you'll get 12mpg's...and at last check gas was still cheaper than diesel.

 

[motorhead0320]

its not just a tow rig, it wil be my daily. just want to capabilty to tow. i will only be hauling big loads a few times a year. otherwise its 10-15 miles per day during the week and a little more on the weekends.

 

[Bloodhound]

Check out this thread http://powerstrokenation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26257

This is a 6.0 that has been procharged. It should run low 12's on fuel only.

 

[motorhead0320]

i am having a tough time with all of the bad things i am reading about the 6.0. I have always had Ford trucks and now i am having to think about other brands. The used Ford's in my area are less expensive, maybe thats for a reason. All of the chevy 2500's i look at are at least 4k more. I cant get past the ugly looks of the dodge so i really have ruled that out. It seems to be a ford chevy battle going on in my brain. I kno wfor every bad 6.0 review i read their are thousands of happy owners but i can find much bad about the chevy;s and dont want to end up with a lemon 6.0.

 

[Bloodhound]

My wifes 05 excursion runs great. it hasn't had any major problems. It does have a verry small oil leak. just a drip on the concrete. The ex is great. My truck 04 F350 srw lwb cc 4x4 has had headgaskets. i have 4 friends that have 6.0's only one other than me has had headgaskets and he drives it like John Force. The 6.0 is a good engine that has a bad rep. The bad ones are the ones that you hear about. The owners that have good trucks arn't as vocal.

Find one that you like and run the vin #. d-kuzman will run the vin for you and give you his opinion. He is a great 6.0 tech. He knows these engines inside out.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[mrxlh]

i am having a tough time with all of the bad things i am reading about the 6.0. I have always had Ford trucks and now i am having to think about other brands. The used Ford's in my area are less expensive, maybe thats for a reason. All of the chevy 2500's i look at are at least 4k more. I cant get past the ugly looks of the dodge so i really have ruled that out. It seems to be a ford chevy battle going on in my brain. I kno wfor every bad 6.0 review i read their are thousands of happy owners but i can find much bad about the chevy;s and dont want to end up with a lemon 6.0.

The 07's were the best, and had the fewest issues. If its going to be a daily driver and remain stock, find one with a 100k powertrain warranty and drive it. As long as its stock and has a warranty, you will be fine, should any issues arise. Remember, the internet is 99% of the people who have a problem and are looking for help, and 1% of people bragging about how much they love them. I loved both of mine, (had issues with the 03, was handled under warranty) had an 03 and an 05. Really wanted the 4X4 dually and was a big upgrade in towing handling and towing performance over my 2 previous F250's. I have driven several 5.4 gas burner F250's and wouldn't give you the time of day for one. They will not get out of their own way.

 

[motorhead0320]

i really like fords i may just have to take a chance

 

[JGant84]

Have you ever thought about getting a V10? I love mine, I only tow a couple times a year and it tows great. The mileage is about 13 MPG if I keep my foot out of it, oil changes are cheaper and general maintanence is cheaper..If you arent driving much and only towing a few times a year I'd look at a v10, I really wanted a diesel when I bought mine and was worried about the longetivity and mileage of the V10 but I've had it over a year now and its been great, not one problem other than a damn unit bearing but has nothing to do with the engine..Also I wouldn't call it underpowered, maybe the 5.4 but not the 6.8, it just likes to rev a little thats all..hopefully this helps a little

 

[motorhead0320]

almost everyone i have talked to gets under 10 mpg with the v10.

 

[03 Big Red]

Not enough power my butt ! My truck will go !! Don't pay attention to the Hp. numbers , the torque is there . This is my second 5.4 Super Duty. 100,000 trouble free miles from each( if I hadn't wrecked this one ) . I don't tow often but when i do it's heavy. 7000 lb trucks and tractors , fully loaded 20 ft enclosed trailers and I can pull anything out of the Carolina mud. Gears are everything as you already know. Test drive one with 4.10s and you'll see. 2000 rpm @ 72mph , 13 mpg city ( and I mean short trips. I'm in construction and I make 10-20 five minute or less trips every day.) 15+ mpg highway. Just one more thing, The 5.4 is an overhead cam V8 so it will sound like it's working hard when it's not. A Flowmaster and dual exhaust fixed that and oh does it sound nice.

 

[motorhead0320]

i ended up going with a 2006 chevy 1500hd with the 6.0 gas motor. thanks for everyones input. in the end i just couldnt get myself to trust the for diesel after all i have heard. hopefully i wont regret my decisions. thanks again. it wil be my first chevy.

 

[john112deere]

i ended up going with a 2006 chevy 1500hd with the 6.0 gas motor. thanks for everyones input. in the end i just couldnt get myself to trust the for diesel after all i have heard. hopefully i wont regret my decisions. thanks again. it wil be my first chevy.

I'm a Ford guy...but I've got nothing bad to say about those trucks (except that they didn't build 'em with manual transmissions). Be curious to hear how you like it and what you get for mileage.