The only reason I put mods on the truck is because I got the CAI and the tuner for free. If I didn't get them for free I would have never bought them. I was very happy with the truck stock. But since I got them for free I was like what the hell. But the tuner did wake the truck up alot.

 

Ahhh....ok....free is good. I know I'm a newb here...so please forgive my ignorance. I know the general principals behind a CAI...but what's a tuner?

Thanks!
--Brian

 

A tuner is a device that you hook up to the computer of your truck and basically it changes your timing, shift points, gives you more power, and better mpg. Here this will better explain it. SCT Automotive Performance Products

 

I have an '09 F250 Crew Cab short bed 4wd with the 5.4L. I special ordered the truck in late January and got it mid March. With over 15,000 miles on the odometer now, I can say that my F250 configuration gets about 14mpg mixed between highway and small town driving. I have the 4.10axle ratio and 35" tires.

Like you, I could have done with an F150 as I spend a lot of the time running around unloaded. The thing for me was that I tend to keep a vehicle for 10 years, and the lighter duty stuff just dosen't hold up for me over lots of miles. My Ranger's independant front suspension front end was hard to keep aligned after taking the truck off road several times a month. Plus, even though it was rated to tow a little over 5000lbs, I always felt like Ford was being a bit optismistic with their tow ratings on that vehicle. I towed 4500lbs with that truck for 2000miles- it did the job but my knuckles were white the whole way!

The 5.4L in my F250 gets the job done and does it well with decent fuel efficiency. The largest trailer I've towed weighed somewhere around 9000lbs and the 5.4L was able to accelerate/handle traffic flow easily. I attribute some of the increased towing performance to the 4.10 axle ratio, and I would strongly reccommend you go for them over the standard 3.73 ratio. When I ordered my truck, that option cost $300, and I think it's some of the best money you can spend on and gasoline powered Super Duty.

A crew cab F250 with a 5.4L will not win many races, so if you're the kind who race around town at the stoplight you might look elswhere. But it will run 95mph, can pass/overtake another vehicle on a 2-lane, and just generally drive normally.

Make no mistake about it- this truck is a glorified grocery wagon. It can carry over 2000lbs of groceries in the bed...and 5 people to unload them... and 9000lbs of whatever else you can hook to the trailer hitch!

Happy Truck Shopping.

 

Here's an opinion, if you get one of the last V-10's your resale value is likely going to be very high. LOTS of people would want the newest V-10 they can find in about 7 years from now. I know it's not a sure thing but another point to consider.

 

I average 10 with my 6.8 and that's hauling around all kinds of goodies in the bed/topper (basically another shed of mine on wheels) from chains - tools, fuel, etc all the time. I've gotten as much as 14mpg unloaded to as little as 8 hauling couple tons of dirt, ATV, 48 zero-turn mower and mine came with the factory 4:30. I got mine due to a deal i simply couldn't pass up and foreseein getting a tractor someday soon for my biness. She's an old girl with a few miles on her, but dern stout imo!

 

I'm glad I've been invited back and not thrown off the island all kidding aside I have a X L T super cab with a standard bed, fore use in my brother's commercial plowing business a lot of small parking lots. my full time job subcontracting of flooring and tile and I drive roughly 80 miles a day round trip, that includes all my tools and whatever diesel usually left in the tank, and whatever mooch needs a ride :-). I have owned this truck since August it's just shy of 4800 miles, it has performed excellent in all conditions and accelerates at highway speed effortlessly the rides is a little rough when I first got it but after the weight of toolbox and fuel tank she settled down a lot, if I were you I would go with the 250 sounds like the right size for what you're doing it will be quite a step up from what you have. The other good point you bring up the 6.2 that will be offered in 2011 is going to finally solve the under power argument that has been going on for quite some time including that new six speed transmission I wish I had waited, but I had to start plowing for the extra money the F150 just can't handle a commercial size plow . One other thing if I may be so bold I have owned a lot of trucks over 28 years Chevy Dodge Ford Toyota back in the 1980s, usually replace the truck every three years, due to high mileage usually well over 190,000 miles they've all had their share of problems including the Toyota imagine that, and they've all had different engines including diesel in the Dodge I honestly can tell you that the trucks I owned towed everything I put on them and I'm sure most the time the half ton trucks were well over their limits pulling ceramics and quarry tile to job sites across New York State :-). One other quick thing before this turns into a biography, this whole argument about under power it really has to come down to what do you need in the vehicle not what you can brag about most guys and gals driving diesels and 10 cylinders could get by with a station wagon LOL, if I were you I would ask a Ford dealer to try a demo truck for a few days and see what you think you're the best decision-maker of what you need that's what I did when I tried the 10 cylinder don't get me wrong it's a great engine I just couldn't justify 9 mpg to haul my tractor to my cousin's place twice a year. if the dealer gives you a hard time about lending you a truck for a few days tell him I'm sure Chevy or Dodge would after all 40,000+ is not a cheap investment I'm sure in a day or so you'll know what you need . At the end of all this if you really want to have the ultimate go diesel no one will ever argue with you about towing or fuel economy, I personally just don't want to listen to the clatter of the diesel engine it was great when I was in my mid-30s now I just want to listen to music quietly on my hour plus trip to work every day well take care if you have any other questions let me know.

P. S I also thought you'd like to know I own quite a few cars a 1968 GTO,Trans Am super duty not yet restored , 2006 A4 K4 Turbo STRAIGHT PIPE CHIPPED so I know about acceleration I just didn't want you thinking I'm an old man who doesn't like going fast or appreciate a good engine. Two in a row, everybody knows. At the green light you rev it on the red line :-)

 

I am shocked at some of the reported poor mileage of the vehicles with V10s. Anyone that owns a V10 have that kind of mileage, not someone that knows someone? I've never met someone that got 7 mpg without 10,000 lbs hooked up, except maybe for one stoplight to stoplight run. That's shocking to me. I get better than 9 mpg off road all day in 4wd with a lot of idling.

 

I have towed 10,000 and still get 8mpg.

 

Your mileage is kinda the same as what I'm getting - 9 mpg. My truck has 2,500 miles and weighs about 9,000lbs and I do all city driving with alot of idling in the landfill/quarry. The truck usually gets loaded with construction debris and then taken to the landfill. The loads usually weigh about 1,000 lbs.

When I had around 1,400 miles on the truck I hauled 3.5 - 4 ton loads all day long and got 8 mpg.

 

lol, I always joke with my friends that I could fill my truck up, drive to the nearest parking lot and idle the entire tank until dry and the truck would still get 10mpg. I've never seen the V10 get anywhere near 7mpg unloaded. I would think you'd either be romping on the throttle at every chance you get, or there is something wrong with the truck.

I'd say on the open highway 12-14 unloaded is about average depending on your gearing.

8-10mpg when towing anything large load.

 

I love how all the v-10 owners saying there is only a 1-2mpg difference between the v-10 and the 5.4. Looks like there is about 4-5mpg difference on the highway and the same in town. LMAO!!! So that means I can get about 120-150 miles per tank. Oh yeah let me jump up and get a v-10 cause the mpg difference isn't so much.

 

Jac08f250,

I wouldn't be so quick to assert that the 5.4 motor has much better mileage based on your claimed MPG results vs a collection of other V10 owners in here. If I were the OP and gas mileage were a concern I would visit the V10 and 5.4 forums to read unbias threads on the topic. We all know there are more than enough to count at this point.

Secondly, I get the feeling after reading all of your posts in this thread that you are trying to either justify to yourself or to us that you made the right decision with your truck. Whats the point? You have a 5.4 be happy about it! I like my V10, others like their Diesels, they are all super dutys. Why the need to try and assert yours as "the best"?

 

No I can't stand when someone is looking for a new truck and they want a gas engine and is looking at 5.4. Here comes the v-10 guys saying to get a v-10 instead of a 5.4 cause it's underpowered and the v-10 gets 1-2mpg less then the 5.4. You know if you don't own one then how do you know if it's under powered. And the way people are talking in this thread the mpg is a bigger difference then 1-2mpg.

 

maybe cuz some of us with V10s have owned 5.4s aswell..

for me, the 5.4 simply isnt enuf motor.. end of story..

my current truck with 35"s and the crappy 3:73's still gets 11MPG ave in the city.. which i know for a fact would get better if i put smaller tires back on, but i cant stand the little tire look.. esp on a SD..

p.s. to the OP i say hold out and go for the 2011 SD, but plz be sure to post pics of it.. we'll all be droolin for sure..