I'm currently driving an 09 F150 XLT Crew 4x4 with 6.5 bed, 5.4 gas and tow package. The truck has been great and only has 82,000 miles. We bought a travel trailer last spring and while the dealer was saying, "oh your truck will do fine" I'd really like to move up to an F250. Living in WA state, we do have some mountain passes to deal with after all. The trailer is a 28' Jayco with a max weight of 9200. (I don't have the tongue weight on me right now.) No way can I afford new but I'm looking at something 2-4 years old. Diesel I know run about $9000 more expensive than gas but I'm told by friends the pulling power and increased mileage is worth it. Others say, you can buy a lot of gas for $9000 which I agree. We plan on using the trailer 25-30 days a year. In addition, I have an 18 foot fishing boat that I take to lakes and the river as well.
Currently with the F150, I get 18/19 mpg highway normal. 12-14mpg pulling the boat and only 6-8 pulling the travel trailer. After doing some research, I see that the F250 with the 6.2 gas is only getting 8-10? What mileage does it get with normal driving. Also, what is the mileage for a diesel F250 both normal and trailering.

Thanks for any help/advice you can give.

 

I have a '12 F-250 with 6.2. It is 4X4, CC SB, has a liftgate, three tool boxes, and contents. I get about 12.5 MPG.

 

my truck is 2012 F-350 srw, standard cab, 4x4, auto , gas.

I get between 14 - 14.5 around town, and between 16 - 18 on the highway, pretty much empty.

 

I went through the same debate in my head last year and, in the end, went with a gas truck ('06 V10 F250 CC with 90k miles). I could have gone newer but I had a lot of familiarity with the V10 and really wanted another. It gets 12-13 on the highway at 65 mph. Living in WA state also I had no problem towing over Snoqualmie and Blewett passes with our 01 E350 V10 and travel trailer. My 29' V10 motorhome gets roughly 8-9 at 60 mph.

Diesel is great - my brother swears by it, but in the end, for me it was the "how much am I going to drive it" question that solved it for me. Maintenance costs on diesel engines was also a factor (granted I know that they don't all break down ...). I spoke to a guy yesterday with the 6.0 which is cursed and praised - he spent $12k bullet proofing his motor. The guy I coached softball with last year has an 05 Duramax and the head gasket blew last year - $4500. I just wasn't willing to take that chance when the truck was not going to be my daily driver.

 

The mileage difference is not worth it for the amount you are going to use the truck. No way. Not for the additional entry cost.

The pulling power OTOH... I went with diesel because I got a ridiculously good deal (barring a break down, knock wood, as it has not fully earned its keep yet). It's loud. It stinks. But it does not even downshift on a hill with a full load in the bed.

 

My 15 F250 Lariat diesel gets 18 to 20 MPG's on the highway unloaded. I pull a 5th wheel loaded around 13,000# and i got a average MPG of 11.2 for a 13,000 mile trip pulling the trailer. Went from coast to coast . Besides the oil changes which are $200 because I only use full synthetic and fuel filters which i change between 30 40,000 miles, or the DEF which my truck seems not to use much of unless towing. Maintenance doesn't seem that bad. I don't drive mine every day but it is the thing i drive when we need to go somewhere. I have 50,000 miles on mine without any issues.

 

If you live in the Seattle, Snohomish, Puyallup area and plan to daily drive the F250 don't get the diesel. The stop and go traffic as bad as it is there will wreck havoc on any new diesel emission controls system. They need a good highway run to complete a proper Regen.

And here are the fuel mileage that most get with these engines according to fuelly.

 

My 2016 350 6.2 Gasser (See specs in the signature) gets around 10-11 around town and averaged 15 MPG on a 60 mile round trip today all highway. SDs are not known for fuel mileage unless you get a diesel. Even then you are going to be mid to upper teens with a diesel maybe even in even in the 20s highway.

 

I get a average 15mpg for a full tank of fuel combined city/highway driving.

 

I would expect 10-12 mpg on flat ground pulling the boat and travel trailer with the diesel. The diesel isn't needed for those loads, but it is certainly a pleasure to use towing. You'll also recoup a lot of the entry price when selling. Normal driving with 50/50 city/highway will get you 15mpg max in the diesel. Strict 100% highway at the speed limit will bump you up to 18ish.

 

Thanks for the replies. We've done some looking at used and for something that I would see as an improvement over the F150 that I just don't see anything with the features and low enough mileage on the odometer I'd want. We're looking now at new. There are still a couple 2017s out there that are new too. I'm leaning toward diesel as through my research they hold their value much better. Also looking at maybe going from a Crew Cab to just the Super Cab. It's just the wife and me now but if our two college kids do travel with us there would still be room for them in the back seat. Saves about $1200 too.