I have never owned a diesel anything. I drive an f150 and have been looking for a new 2012 f150, but am having a hard time locating just the right one.

I have always LOVED the f250's. They are such massive, beautiful trucks. I have no need for one. Infact, if I buy one it would be such gross overkill and the most impractical big ticket item I have ever purchased. But, hey...I am single and make alot of money. However, this truck will only be used for driving to and from work and taking long road trips and some light offroading, and hopefully just making me look and feel good. I cannot stand the gas engine, so it would have to be diesel. Again, I will not be towing anything with this monster.

Some guys just seem to be offended, or look down on, other people (like me) who buy these trucks for no other reason than for loving the damn truck. If you are going to talk me out of it, that angle won't work. But feel free anyway.

So talk me out of it. Or into it...

 

6.2 gas, with 4.30 gears and you'll be set! With the newer diesels if your commute is less than 15 miles one way that wont even bring the truck to temp. But if you want one get one! IMHO not sarting a war but, based on your needs/ uses ill say it again, 6.2 gas, 4x4 with 4.30's.

 

If you want the truck and you have the money, who's to tell you no?

I don't need an F-350 either, but I've always loved the Super Duty trucks and I found a good deal on it. I bought mine used and only paid a fraction of what a new diesel costs, but it sounds like you make a lot more money than I do. Heck, my wife didn't even know I was out looking at trucks. I stopped by home and showed her, and she got in the truck and went back to the dealership with me to sign the paperwork.

People buying things they don't need is what keeps our economy going.

 

There's no such thing as too much truck in my opinion.

 

It's the American way! buy what you what and can afford. With a diesel there is a bit more to the maintance side of things. Weekly fluid checks are a must and you do need to get it on the road and heated up.

I see a trailer and ATV's or a camper in your future with a SD

 

Get the power Stroke, with 3.55 gears. You're not towing, so you don't need steep gears.

Enjoy your truck, you only have to make yourself happy.

 

I say get it. If not, you'll always wonder about NOT having a 250. if you can afford it - than get it. That's what's great about this country!!! Can't do this crap in (fill in country here).

 

Also, if you are going to buy a Super Duty, might as well skip the 250 and go to a 350.

 

With an SRW truck 3.55s are as steep as you can get with the diesel engine. I would recommend 3.31s for his application, and even with those gears you're still rated to tow over 15,000 lbs.

Get whichever truck you like, but as a guy who's had two F150s, an F250, and an F350 I vastly prefer the ride and comfort of the half ton truck. My last truck was a 6.7L Powerstroke SRW F350, and compared to my '07 F150 it rode like a grain truck. My Excursion also rides like a grain truck in comparison.

If I were looking at a new truck, with the experiences I've had, I'd buy a 2012 EcoBoost F150 and not look back. But my wants and needs are my own, and some just really love driving around in a heavy duty pickup. So if that's what you want by all means get it. I highly recommend stopping down in the 6.7L forum and doing some reading from the tech folder though.

 

Drive what you have, and fully fund a Roth IRA and a regular IRA/401(k). Take a Dave Ramsey money management course. If you're not towing and you're at sea level, stick with a gas engine. There, I said it.

My excuse for my truck is that family vacations, high elevations (turbo is nice), and high speed towing don't mix well with 15+ year old Toyotas that have 200K on them. A Super Duty is a highway towing machine, and after that, it's a load to drive it anywhere else - hard to park, numb steering, ground-crushing weight, etc. I bought mine used and I hope it's the last diesel anything I own until I'm done camping/towing and such.

 

I don't know where you get your info, but my commute is about 7 miles one way, and my 6.7L is up to temp and has shown no problems.

Weekly fluid checks? What are you going on about? I mean, I guess anyone can go as overboard as they want checking fluids, but by no means is it necessary or even recommended. I let the computer tell me when I need an oil change, and so far it's been right near 7,500 miles each time. The only thing I've had to do that I wouldn't on a gas vehicle is get the coolant tested at about 15k.

You have an old leaf-sprung 2001 version. Doesn't really compare to a 2012 6.7L. I probably wouldn't want to deal with it if I lived in Manhattan, but here in south Texas it's never really a problem. Hell, I don't even have to turn off the engine at a drive-through anymore because the new diesel is so quiet.

 

First of all Scott's truck is a 6.4L which has iron heads compared to the aluminum heads that your 6.7L truck has, which means that it will take longer to warm up. Secondly your profile says you live in San Antonio, which happens to be a much warmer climate than most of the country. In the middle of winter it would take nearly 15 miles for my 6.7L truck to get up to temperature, and this was travelling at 60 MPH on a rural highway.


There are lots more things to go wrong on the cooling system of a modern turbodiesel. Especially the 6.7L engine which happens to have two of them. Often on a 6.4L truck the only way to detect a bad EGR cooler or cavitated front cover before complete failure(and possibly complete engine failure) was to keep a close eye on fluid. In fact slightly low coolant in a 6.4L truck would cause front cover cavitation and, if left unchecked, completely destroy the engine. The 6.7L has proven to be a bit more reliable so far, but that doesn't mean that it shouldn't be watched a bit closer than a gas engine.

That's what he was going on about.


And again that depends on perspective. My old leaf-sprung Excursion doesn't ride any rougher than my 2011 F350 did, and it's also nearly 600 lbs lighter! Turning radius is slightly larger, but the basic principle applies IMHO. I'd much rather drive an F150 than a Super Duty if it were to meet my needs. And this is from experience. Glad you like your truck though!

 

well... I was kindof in the same boat. I didn't absolutely NEED a truck, but I really WANTED a truck. Already had 3 other cars in the fleet... "single with toys"... that's me. Always had a thing for the full-size Broncos... had been looking for years to find the right one. Seems every time, they all just felt so tired & junky & falling apart... especially for the prices being asked. Then I stumbled onto a 2000 F250 extended cab short bed 4x4 with the V10 & only 73,000 miles. It needed some work... mostly cosmetic stuff, but was mechanically solid & the price was VERY right. Couldn't justify $50k+ for a new one, as it would just be an occasional driver (much like my A/C 427 Cobra and Mustang GT)... and I wanted a fun little project... which it's been. Most of the stuff that needs done is easy, fun little projects & not terribly expensive (window switches, door lock acuators, airbag clockspring, grille, headlights, etc.)... still chasing a vacuum leak tho, & fixin to do brakes & rebuild the hubs.

But I totally get where you're coming from. I missed having a truck... and feel like a bada$$ behind the wheel of the SuperDuty. I've got less than $5k into mine so far, so no buyer's remorse at all. Only downside is maintaining 4 vehicles... and having to jockey cars when one of the garage queens wants to come out. If you're pretty much debt free & your retirement is fully funded, I say go for it.

 

I would at least give an Ecoboost a test drive before I commited to a F-250. What I have been in other trucks the ride quality of an F-150 cannot be beat.

 

Fine, but the OP was talking about the 6.7L, so someone's experience with whatever other engine is irrelevant. And the questionable comment started, "With the newer diesels...."

It's not clear where the OP is from, but I can see where that might be the case in the upper midwest especially. It still gets down into the teens around San Antonio, especially up in the hill country, but not into the negatives and definitely for not as long as up in Omaha or other areas like that.

Well yeah, I wrestled with the half-ton idea as well. If I didn't need the extra towing and hauling capacity, I could easily get away with an F150 with the Ecoboost V6, and it would be comfortable and a little less expensive. At 6'6" though, I do appreciate the roomy cab of the Super Duty