So I've run into a dilemma I currently own an 86 150 but its 30 years old and the S.O doesn't think that it will ever be able to make the 4k round trip from Washington state to Illinois every year so there is talk of a new truck my question is even though I don't plan on hauling a truly heavy load. I do plan on driving the new truck till the wheels fall off is it worth buying a diesel when at most id only put 13k miles a year on it? I'm not opposed to a gas truck it just seems for cross country road trips the extra fuel economy is worth the cost but all the data I'm looking at is from 2002-2011 ish

 

Get the gasser. The purchase cost differential between the engines, MPG and your use case doesn't justify a diesel.

 

I plan on keeping mine until the wheels fall off as well, and that is the exact reason I didn't buy a diesel.

Plus the gas motors have come so far that they are adequate for most use unless towing heavy consistently.

Not to mention what you save up front.

I am not opposed to owning a diesel and it is on the bucket list, but at this point in life, I didn't want the headache.

 

From an economic standpoint get a 2ish year old lower mileage car and a small trailer.
If you really need a pickup then a 2ish year old lower mileage half ton.
But that's not what you want to hear....

You want to hear that you should get a diesel because you'll save all kinds of money....

That just isn't the case.

If you average 1,100 or so miles a month a diesel won't really pay off at all.
At best the extra cost of the diesel truck spread out over 60 or 72 or 84 months will be at least $100 a month more than the fuel you'll save on a 3/4 ton gas.

BUT since you're planning on keeping the truck til the wheels fall off, a diesel truck is worth considerably more than a gas truck after the wheels have fallen off. You can factor that.

So if the extra per month (assuming you're not writing a check for the truck) spent on a diesel truck minus the $20-30 you'll save on diesel fuel each month isn't a problem, and you're willing to risk major bucks if you have an expensive repair on the diesel engine after the warranty has expired, and you don't mind DEF expenses, more expensive oil changes etc. then maybe after 10 years you'll be about even as if you bought a gas truck... Maybe.

Cliff's Notes:
If you can pay for and want a diesel get a diesel.

 

If you plan on keeping it that long buy the 6.2 gas with 4.30 axel ratio. In 10 plus years you will have spent so much in repairs on the diesel that you will be money ahead in buying gas. If you want a diesel go ahead and buy one, but just be prepared to spend a lot of money on it someday! Our company runs both gas and diesels, the diesels spend a lot more time in the shop, turbos, DEF system failures, EGR failures etc. My old 6.2 was just shy of 6 years old when we traded it off and it had about 195,000 miles with just over 10,000 hours on the (5600 idle hours) and all we did was replaced the spark plugs and a couple coil packs. That’s it! We had five 6.2’s that we traded off all having about the same miles and hours with similar repairs.
The power of the 6.7 is a lot of fun, don’t get me wrong but for longevity you won’t beat a Ford gas engine! The 6.2 with 4.30 axel ratio’s is a great combination. We pull heavier trailers with our 6.2’s on a daily basis than most people pull with their 6.7’s. It may take a few extra seseconds to get up to speed but the 6.2 will pull anything that a 6.7 will. The 6.2 will just be a little slower and use more gears. We really abuse these 6.2’s and they keep coming back for more! I’ve done things with these trucks that would make most people here on FTE cry if they saw their trucks doing that!
I have about 19,500 miles on my new 6.2 since I got it the last week of May and my average fuel economy on the dash reads 9.4, the old truck read 9.1 when I drove it to the dealer. Don’t let that mileage scare you because my truck idles a lot! Most of the day because of what I do I can’t shut it off. When just driving it down the road at 75 it gets right around 13-14mpg. Keep in mind I have a couple thousand pounds of tools and fuel in the box all of the time too.
I was a die hard diesel guy from years past but I really like driving my truck and not having it spend day after day in the shop every year! My truck is my office so when its in the shop it makes my day miserable untill its back.

 

If I were you I would seriously consider a new 2018 F-150. Maybe with the new diesel but nothing less than a 3.5 Ecoboost engine. If you aren't going to do any heavy hauling or towing I would not go to the expense of a Super Duty unless you just wanted a new bigger toy and can afford it. There would be a significant savings with a 2018 F-150 over a Super Duty.

If you were close enough I am seriously thinking of selling my 2017 Super Duty F-250 Platinum so I can get a 2018 F-150. The new F-150's are fantastic vehicles and nobody could go wrong by buying one.

 

Is the concern about repairs substantiated on the new 6.7 engine or from the 6.4 and 6.0 issues? I know the first run of 6.7s had a valve issue, but it seems like the last 5 years of 6.7s have proven very reliable.

 

The sentence in red is not reality. If he does 13,000 per year for 10 years that's 130,000 miles. Many diesels go way farther than that with no repairs or at least nothing major. He could also extend out ESP's to make it 10 years at that mileage.

 

I think there is some confusing information about diesel engines in general. The word is that there are expensive to work on and that is a true statement but that is after you've put many miles on them. 300,000 plus miles is not unusual for a good running diesel engine. Having said that, I would still recommend an extended warranty plan for anyone that keeps their truck for a long time. That's pretty much true with anything. It's just like the insurance you carry on your truck. You will only need it if something happens. I would hate to think about how much I've spent on vehicle insurance in 54 years of driving with no accidents or claims.

 

Based on your original post ...

Do you NEED one? Probably not.
Do you WANT one? Sounds like it or you wouldn't be asking the question.

After many years and many trucks, I finally pulled the trigger on a diesel last week.

Did I NEED it? Not really, but I do occasionally haul heavy loads/trailers that I would PREFER not be like pulling teeth with an F150.

Did I WANT it? You bet.

I consider it no different than the Corvette Z06 I bought previously. Who's to say everything you buy MUST be the most efficient, practical choice? If you can afford the purchase and maintenance AND you want it, don't let some Interwebz keyboard commando tell you you shouldn't get it. It's not his/her money.

My youngest daughter always says, "You only live once." After I beat death twice in a 2 day period ~5 years ago (hit & run driver left me for dead on the side of rhe highway with one leg ripped off then the hospital almost killed me during a surgery mistake unrelated to the amputation), I told her, "No, you only DIE once. You live every day!"

Bottom line, IF you can afford it and IF you want it, don't let forum babble talk you out of it. But if your worried about the extra costs of owning a SD, then go half ton. No shame in that game.

Good luck with your decision.

 

The 2017 6.2 is not going to cost more than a 2018 eco boost (have no idea about the F150 diesel) right now. When I priced out the 2017 F150's and SD's the price was the essentially the same in my area. Maybe the F150 could be discounted more than the SD? Im not sure I just compared stickers as I didn't go as far as getting a price quote on any F150's.


I can say that the 2017 2.7 ecoboost will spin the rear tires. It does have some pop. (I drive one for work). Now my 6.2 has 35 inch tires so the get up and go is not "great" but it's not a dog or anything. I think if you're not towing or hauling heavy the choice is mostly made on looks.

 

secondary question:
Anyone know what the 0-60 times are for the 6.2 vs 6.7? Obvioulsy the extra power of a 6.7 is going to make it fast but I wonder how much the added weight drags it down?


Save the "these are not race cars" and the "who cares how fast a truck is".


Thanks in advance

 

Holy moly, so much inflated worry here. I don't know why so many people are afraid of the diesel motor.

- It​​​​​ costs $8k more, you get $8k more when you sell it.
- DEF costs? I can tell you've never had a diesel if you are factoring DEF costs. DEF is like $7 to fill your tank every oil change. It's nothing.
- You get waaaaay better mileage. Diesel is cheaper near me, but even if it's more expensive the mileage makes this net zero at worst.
- you can do 300k miles on a diesel easily, gas motor? Good luck.
- you get 500lbs. more torque and 60 more hp, with better MPG.

So what's the actual cost of owning a diesel over the 6.2L? Oil changes are a few more bucks, and if you are the 1 in 14,000,000 type of guy you could get a fuel rail problem with water in your diesel. The worry over water in your fuel is hilarious to me. I've had diesels in the family for 35 years. Never once heard the frightened panic of water in your fuel until I visited this board. Never drained water separators, just filled and ran, and enjoyed the hell of them.

Get what you want. Diesels don't end up being that much more expensive and they are incredibly capable. You only live once, if you want the diesel, you'll love it.

If you want the gas, go for it. Both of them will get you from point a to point b.
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Im the guy who always buys the bigger more powerful engine option on vehicles. I wimped out at the last minute on my Ford because I was already at my budget limit with the 6.2 and my only experience with diesels is on large electric generators so the lack of knowledge made me a bit nervous too..... at times I regret not buying the 6.7 but since I have never driven one I don't really know what Im missing....

 

I could easily get by with a gas engine but I chose to drive the diesel because I love the power. Also, when I do tow the high rpms of the gas drive me nuts. Right now my truck is under warranty and I don't know if I'll keep it when that warranty runs out in 4 1/2 years. The potential cost of repairing a diesel fuel system is substantial. If I do keep it after warranty I think I'd have to purchase some breakdown insurance just for the peace of mind.