When I first got my 2012 F-250, my brother thought it was great (he knew he had steady access to a truck now!). He said it had a kind of big, mean attitude.

But recently, while we were pulling up to his house in one of his vehicles, I said, “Look how freaking big that truck looks.” Now that it is parked in front of his suburban house more often, he says that it is “overkill”. Too big. He didn't want to talk about why he had changed his mind. I think he is worried about his neighbors’ opinion of the company he keeps – the basic-looking XL might belong to a person who gets their own firewood or drives in the mud!

I explained to him that I just wanted a pickup truck as they used to be when I was young – solid axles, an actual truck engine, etc. No, I don’t need wheels with eight lug nuts, or 12,500 lbs. of towing capacity, I just didn't want a front suspension that has A-arms that appear to be about 7 inches from the ground, or to be borderline overloaded with a few passengers, their gear, a big cooler, and some wood for the camp. I guess I’m getting old – I did have to get a little “overkill” just to get a pickup truck like the ones all our dads had back in the 70’s. And it does look huge parked across the street from a Honda Passport.

This brings me to a statistic I read that actually did surprise me a little – apparently about 80% of F-250’s are bought with the diesel engine. I remember when the introduction of the Dodge with the Cummins Diesel was seen as a daring step into new territory for a ¾ ton pickup. I have the gas engine because, again, I was just looking for a regular old pickup, with a plain old gas engine like my Dad’s Power Wagon. I do really like diesel vehicles, having had a few diesel VW’s and Audi’s. I like the mileage, the clatter, the smoke, the smell… well, I guess the last three of those are gone now too. Time marches on. But I did not want to spend an extra $7,000 for the incredible 800 ft.-lbs. of torque I would never be able to use. The 6.2 seems almost too much, but it is true that I don’t pull 10,000 lb. trailers very often. Remember in the 70’s everybody pulling their small travel-trailers with station wagons? Does anybody even remember station wagons at all?

Well, enough about how old I must be getting… does anybody have any thoughts about getting a Super Duty just to get a traditional-spec pickup, or the considerations for the Gas / Diesel choice?

I just now looked again at that truck parked in his driveway. Yeah, it is awfully damn big…

 

I love the 70s pickups in fact I own a 77 f150 and love it. I currently have a 2012 f150 too but when lease is up its superduty time. I really don't need one even though I tow a 27ft camper about 6 times a year. And haul firewood but that's what the 77 is for. My new one will be gas also. And there is absolutely nothing wrong wanting a straight axle front end. Most truck purists prefer this also. Don't worry and rock that superduty best truck out there.

 

The main reason I bought a Super Duty was so I could get a manual transfer case, manual locking hubs, and a solid front axle. Plus I wanted a truck that I didn't have to put a leveling kit on to make it look like a 4wd.

 

Just tell him you need it the next time he wants to borrow it............................ Yeah, they are big trucks, but if it fits your needs don't worry about his opinion. Or find someone that has a crewcab longbed to park in his driveway and he'll realize the supercab shortbed isn't as big as they come.

If if fits your needs roll with it. I've got a dually, and while I'm not using it everyday loaded to max, when I need to use it I can use it hard without worry. I went that route to get the higher GVWR because SRW was going to be pushed to the max. The other benefit, is that I use it for firewood, and the dually sits 2-3 inches lower in the rear, and that makes loading the bed that much easier, along with more clearance between the bed rails and gooseneck/ fifth wheel trailers. We all have our reasons for driving what we do. Drive what you like and enjoy it!

 

Mine was bought so I could have a real truck. Gas or diesel just depends what your doing with it. Doesn't matter which one you get, these trucks are tough!!

 

Drive what you like...it's a free country.

 

Once you've had diesel (in a truck), you'll never go back.

 

My last was an 86 Burb, with the 350 I most likely won't wish I had gotten "more truck"

and it sure looks good in it's large glory

 

I wanted a CrewCab with an 8' bed. You can't get that combo with a 1/2 ton.

I learned how to drive with a 67' F100 with 300 I6. My first vehicle was an 81' F100 with 300 I6. It was 13 years old, abused, and was caught in a flood, yet still ran like a top.

 

Rather than overload a truck once a year I can have a truck that gets used to it's max once a year.
I feel safe in the SD.

 

Well seeing as I'm a pretty old guy myself and learned to drive with a 1967 F250 that was a beast! I too know the power and awesomeness of the trucks our dads owned. I bought my 2012 F250 because the F150 I bought wasn't the truck I really needed or wanted. My previous 2 Super Duty trucks were 1999 v-10 and 2004 6.0 . All supercab short bed trucks. The diesel was ok, the thing I miss most about that truck was dual batteries..never had a loss of juice for all my plow lights and goodies! My new one is a beast with the 6.2 and I have plowed for over 25 years and this truck is as much a pushing animal as that diesel was. The bigger the better!!

 

I needed a truck with 2500+ pounds of payload for a slide in camper with a lot of sentimental value to my wife. At the same time, I wanted future capacity and something safe for hauling my daughter. The superduty fit both those needs, and I didnt realize it at the time, but it does make you feeel incredibly secure when driving. Specially when driving in inclement weather.

 

I like big trucks (my last was a megacab dodge). Gas or diesel is personal preference and mine is gas as I do not want to have to plan my outings in the winter when it hits -35 or so. A gasser you start and go in a minute or so not so much with an oil burner. And I just don't haul enough weight 8500 -9k max to justify it that way.

 

as i explained to the guy with the honda ridgline at home ripoff yesterday, i do not drive a honda, because when i want to pickup 10 sheets of 3/4 plywood and 60 2X4s i can put them in the back of my superduty, instead of renting the home ripoff superduty and leaving my honda in the parking lot.

 

I went through pretty much the same thing when I bought (leased) my '01 F250 with the V10.

Overkill, for what I wanted to do with it - go camping, tow a small trailer with my bike on it, 4-wheel without worry of breaking something, be able to go to the local landscape supply and pickup a cubic yard or two of dirt/rock/whatever, lumber, anything really.

Same reasons - I had a '74 F250 4x4 that I got from my brother. Solid axles, no nonsense just DO IT kinda truck.

Now that I have my Taurus, I can constantly looking at my SD and wondering if I really need it. I still WANT it - and will definitely use it's capabilities sooner or later. But do I NEED it? No. Not really.

But it is fun to be able to drive through 2-3 feet of snow once in a while