Lots of gas engines will run 500k miles without needing rebuilds... but they won't pull weight like a diesel. Toyota's 4.7 V8 is one of them, this motor went 1,000,000 miles needing hardly any work at all;


I've read that you have to own a diesel truck for ~150,000 miles before there is any break-even point if the cost of ownership (fuel included) is your only concern.

 

if your 7.3 is just a grocery getter, then it is really something to consider. got the wife a 2012 camry, and that is getting 30+ mpg. Since she has that, been driving the 2015 Exploder more, and it gets ~22 mpg.

old green has always averaged between 15-17 for the kind of driving done. Gas around here is $1.999, and diesel barely dropped to $2.799 a few days ago. The wife has brought up the idea about selling the truck since it is not being used much at all anymore. Hell, would only put 5k a year on it before we had a third vehicle. Now it gets filled once every 2 months.

Still love the truck and haven't convinced myself to sell it. A friend offered me 12k, but don't know. Without a doubt, the second it is gone, we will need a truck. Will have to decide in the next few months, though.

If you pull a lot, though, the reliability of the 7.3 is very hard to beat. even as just a daily driver, old green never asked for much.

 

And I was happy that it just dipped under $3.80/gal here.

Unleaded 87 isn't much better at $3.40/gal though.

 

 

$2.79 for diesel and you are complaining?? A lot of stations in the nearest "big" city are well over $4.00 in my neck of the woods.

 

I'll just compare my old 460 with my current 7.3L - because the 460 got bout the same economy as a V10.

It's more expensive for the diesel. Period... once you take into account the 4-gallon synthetic oil changes and the upgrades to make the 7.3L pull much better than a V10. Saying that, I will never go to a gasser again - the perks far outweigh the cost. If saving a few dollars on fuel is a concern - this is the wrong freaking hobby. Take it from a notorious nit-picker (with playful respect) - you're picking one now.

 

Performance modification wise you get more HP per dollar out of a diesel. Oil changes can be expensive if you let them be, I use regular oil and a Motorcraft filter from Walmart and it only costs around $50.

 

To have people turn to look at you coming down the street thinking "is it trash day already?!?!" and realize that I'm not the garbage truck: priceless!

 

I know it is cheaper here(Austin) 2.02 reg unleaded and low of 2.85 for diesel....BUT it gets my goat that for the last year or so it has hovered 3 bucks or a little under that. Used to be that "winter blend "is when it went up . Now it just hangs out at a higher price. I have other vehicles to drive that I enjoy but my 2000 truck only has 143K and I like driving, had it forever but now it is for my towing use and sometimes the long commute or if I travel couple hours to a destination just nice to drive my truck, otherwise, just doesn't make sense. I really feel for the big rig drivers when you see the prices at the truck stops they get their eyes poked out. NO wonder the cost of transporting the products we use is making everything more expensive.. On another note , I was in New Mexico for a couple weeks (ABQ Santa Fe Area) you can get fuel at the" pueblos" or staions very nice...that are on like I 25 etc. that are on Indian reservations...no tax on fuel, food , beer, etc....Makes gas or diesel much cheaper...NO TAX. unreal makes a huge difference. Anywho my truck will be last one I own...am 61 now, easy will last. I had a 460 F250 it was great but used some gas when you had to tow, the 7.3 is lugging down the road with the same load and no strain and better gas mileage..