Why would Ford put a diesel in the F150?

[fordtruckman]

Ok so I was discussing this with a couple of friends last night and I thought about it again today and thought i'd ask you guys for you opinion.

Why would Ford go through all of the trouble of developing and putting a diesel into the F150 I mean is there that much that will be gained over the Trition meaning that people would rather choose to buy the diesel versus a already proven gasoline engine?, plus diesel is more exspensive then regular and I think all the problems that they are having with the superduty's diesel is certainly gonna be a turn off for people thinking about buying a diesel from Ford. But what'd you guys think i wanna hear it whats the benefit of putting a small diesel into an F150?

[bf250]

mpg? of course the extra price tag would offset any mpg benefit probably, that along with the higher diesel fuel price.

and anyone that really needs a diesel would just get a superduty anyways.

the diesel idea was cool back before this whole fuel flip flop stuff.

but i have always and will always think, due to the threat of diesel introduction, that "someone" has been keeping the diesel fuel price artificially higher than gas to ward off any potential run up of diesel powered cars. why? think of with the better mpg they get the amount of money states would lose on fuel sales.

i would get a diesel mid size suv though, but i would go superduty if it was a pickup.

[fordtruckman]

see thats just it i think i t makes not sense for them to put a diesel in the F150 because if someone wants to pay the extra money for the diesel in the F150 why wouldn't they just go to the superduty...

[conger]

Today, where I live diesel prices are 10 to 15 cents per liter less than regular gas. An F150 in diesel is a great choice for people who want a smaller truck than the SD and still want to tow a trailer. The last time I went to the auto show, the Ford rep told me that "when will there be a diesel 150" was the most asked question of the show. Somebody must want them.

[tex25025]

Originally Posted by conger

An F150 in diesel is a great choice for people who want a smaller truck than the SD and still want to tow a trailer.

If Ford still goes thru with this, I don't think they are changing the overall design except what needs to be done to fit the diesel in the truck. Which means, you might see a little more in the way of towing capability, but your still going to be limited more then you would an F-250 on up. Don't think that just because it has a diesel engine in it that the half ton body can handle slappin on a gooseneck flatbed with a skidsteer on it or a gooseneck 4-horse trailer.

[conger]

Originally Posted by tex25025

If Ford still goes thru with this, I don't think they are changing the overall design except what needs to be done to fit the diesel in the truck. Which means, you might see a little more in the way of towing capability, but your still going to be limited more then you would an F-250 on up. Don't think that just because it has a diesel engine in it that the half ton body can handle slappin on a gooseneck flatbed with a skidsteer on it or a gooseneck 4-horse trailer.

That's not what I meant... I'm saying that some people still want to use a diesel for towing, but not as large a load. For example, I have a 250 SD with psd. I tow a 4 1/2 ton trailer. My buddy has a 20' tag a long that only weighs 2800 lbs. He doesn't need a truck that will pull 6 tons, but he still would like a diesel. We live near and camp in the mountains and he spends more on fuel towing his little trailer than I do towing mine. Diesel are all about torque and they pull better than most gassers.

[IB Adrian]

Why would Ford put a diesel in the F150?

Because they think people will buy it

[duffman77]

I have a SD because there isnt a smaller one. Ford talked of a diesel F150 as far back as 2002 or 2003 and I have been waiting ever since and now bought a SD instead.

The best answear to why develop one is that the first manufacturer to come to market with one is going to be the leader in that market for 2 to 3 years while the other manufacturers catch up. The old GM 6.5L doesnt really count here either becuase everybody knew it was so inferior to the PSD and the cummins that anybody who wanted a real diesel stepped up to the 3/4 ton. A small, quite & powerful diesel is now a reality with common rail so people are not sacrificing power, noise, smell and extreme cost just to pick up a few MPG like with the 6.5L, now it would be only $$$ to get more MPG and more power.

[origcharger]

Well you might as well ask why would anyone put a diesel in a lawn mower, skid steer loader, compact tractor..........??? Lots of gasoline choices for those applications too.

[just another truck]

I am no expert in this subject, but i can tell you they are trying to push the diesel thing for EPA, and MPG reasons. I also recently read that GM has been toying with the idea of putting Diesel's into their Cadillacs, hoping the change would cause us "regular" folks to believe Diesels are the 'in thing"..
In Europe alot of the cars are diesel, getting 30 to 40 MPG.. You cant believe everything you read, but, I think the artical had just enough info to kind of make me understand. Chrysler is already trying to stick a 3.0 diesel in their jeeps ( liberty's I think )

[tex25025]

I had even heard of a rumor of a diesel going into a mustang(that was the scuttlebutt around the ford dealership here, don't know to it's validity). I can see a diesel in a 150 alright, but not in a mustang, I'm not saying it couldn't be done, or that it shouldn't be done, but it's hard for me to envision a mustang that is diesel. The problem that you will have in people believing that it is "the in thing", is that most people are stuck in the past that diesel's are slow moving vehicles, I know that is the hangup for my father who will probably stick to his v-12 mercedez instead of getting a diesel, that and the sound of a diesel he doesn't like and of course, the ever loveable diesel smell(whereis I like all of the above). Those three things I'm sure of are going to have to be overcome before people will think it's "the in thing". The problem with the reasoning about diesel putting more power and mpg and that will be enough for people to buy it is if you take a look at all the comments as to gas v. diesel, it doesn't matter if it gets more power or mpg, it's the additional up front cost of the motor option, price of upkeep, plus(atleast as of right now and for the relatively close future) diesel is the higher price. If you can get the diesel motor option more competively priced with the 5.4, then maybe(just maybe) you might get people to go for it, however, I think not many people are going to take that option when for sure a 5.4 does the job. Doesn't matter if your an industry leader in that if no one buys it, and while I think it would be cool, I think it would be the wrong move, but that's just me. conger I wasn't thinking of you in particular, but in general, I'm sure that there are idiots out there that would do it, if they didn't know better, it is an easy mistake to make, I could atleast understand that one alot more then some of the mistakes people make.

[ckal704]

There were some diesel Rangers in production some number of years back.
A local industrial company used them for their fleet vehicles.
The demand wasn't high enough to keep them moving off the line, I guess.

[FTE Ken]

I can think of several reasons:

- Many people want the towing capability without the added weight of a Super Duty dragging down mileage.
- More power with better mileage.
- The Super Duty is too big to fit in many garages.
- The Super Duty is too big for easy city driving. The F150 is borderline.
- The Super Duty is too tall for some city parking garages.
- The Super Duty is too large for some families.
- Some people want the added engine life of a diesel without the bigger truck.
- Some people want a "light duty" truck (though the F150 of today is just as heavy duty as a F250 was 10+ years ago) and want to run bio-diesel.
- They want a diesel truck without the harsher ride of a Super Duty.
- They may like the F150 interior better (I do).
- They like the design of the F150 more.
- They want a diesel truck but don't want to look like a contractor.
- Easy to soup it up.

Bigger isn't always better.

[mudmaker]

I would love a f150 diesel!! I could use it as a run around pickup and right off all of the fuel easier. The mileage would be awesome. A ford rep I talked to last year said they had the v6 psd in a couple of 2wd f150s and they ran great making mid to high 20s for mileage around there testing facility.

I think that v6 makes nearly as much hp/tq as the first gen psd made.

[Skweeker]

I want an F150 diesel. Had to buy a Super Duty in 2004 in order to get the diesel engine.

Hey Ford, I'm still waiting for an F150 diesel!!!!!