I am reordering the SD 250 4x4 that the dealer screwed up w/ 4.30 gears. I am considering a diesel, but I would like to know if I can justify the extra cost w/ improved fuel mileage. I do a lot combined city & highway driving. How good of mileage do you guys get w/ the 7.3 in every day real world driving and the ideal highway driving? How is the diesel off road? Are you happy w/ the performance. I have a V10 on order & I need to decide soon. Thanks, Andy Tierney

 

I am waiting for my super duty now it was just unloaded off the railcar. it has a v 10 with 3.73 rears 4.30 would be tough on gas unless your towing over 12,000 lbs. I think the 3.73 is the way to go.

 

if you work at all,and/or will be keeping the truck longer than the payments,you cant lose with the diesel.you must also remember that diesel fuel is usually cheaper than regular gas(I wouldn't use regular myself) and the off-road perfomance is very good. towing is effortless, stump-pulling is very good, I have an 97 F250HD with 4.10 gears and average 15-17mpg usually at 75-80mph with 1800 lbs of tools/box. monday I hauled 153 sheets of slatwall(84lbs each) to oakland with a 18ft equipment trailer and put 50 in the bed and 103 on the trailer with little loss of performance(rode smoother)I wasn't sure if I wanted the diesel at first, but a trusted friend of mine talked me into it. Now I am a convert for life. just my humble opinion go with the diesel.

 

I have a friend who has a 95 psd. he had an earlier 6.9 diesel in a 4x4 F-350 that had 3.55 gears, he used the truck for everything, including his farm and business. When he bought his 95, he decided to go with 4:10 rear end. Of course he has a 5-speed too. I would think you would be happier with a 4:10. But of course in 95 the 3:73 gear wasnt available.

 

I have had my 99 SD350 CC 4x4 auto Powerstroke for a week now,been getting 15mpg now with city and freeway (75 to 85 mph). I debated long and hard whether to get the diesel or V-10, that 4000.00 makes a big difference in the payments.

 

Before the V10 I would have chosen a diesel, the deciding factor being the expected life before a re-build. With the newer engines (5.4&6.8L) it's reasonable to expect 200K before any major work which is probably pretty close to the diesel. When the diesel need work though hold onto you wallet! You could swap the entire V10 for what top end rebuild on the diesel would cost.

 

My mileage is averaging in heavy around town about 16, with 265x16 Firestones, and a 6spd. When I've gone on hwy, get at least 19, but the truck is still new ('99). Should improve considerably...

 

Boy, we have beat this several times. It comes down to get what you want. There are trade offs both ways everywhere. If I were totally cost and mileage driven, I would still be driving my old truck.

On the otherside, we got ours about a month ago (99 SD SC V10 3.73 SWB) and love it. Plenty of power to spare and runs smooth. Nice and quiet inside and really a pleasure to drive. My wife didn't want anything to do with the PSD. Just doesn't like to hear it or put fuel in it, personal reaction I guess. We pull a small travel trailer (5000-6000lbs) and I couldn't justify it at this time. I kinda like the big truck diesel sound, but I chose the diplomatic way (hers)and have been extremely happy so far.

Either way you go I think you will like it.

Rick/El Paso

 

I know this subject has been beaten to death, but it still provides nice discussions for those of us that are debating the v-10/PSD question. I enjoy seeing what mileage & reliability people are getting with their rigs after xxx number of miles. Information also from previous PSD owners about repairs or lack their of is also very helpful.
For myself the V-10 would be plenty of power, but the PSD mileage is sure attractive when vacation trips from Houston to New Mexico come around yearly.
I've read other posting sites, but virtually everyone there is a PSD owner. I understand most of the Ford SD owners have PSD, but hearing from gasser owners is also helpful. Thanks for the good questions and great discussions.
-Tim

 

We just took delivery of a 99 SD350 4x4 with powerstroke and a 99 E350 cargo with V10. Both are auto/3.73 posi. The only sight the van sees is the tailgate of the F350. There is NO comparison between these motors. There is a reason one costs $600 and the other $4600. You really do get what you pay for.

 

Hi Rick! I see that you finally got you truck. It sounds like you like it a lot. Now that you have some miles on it, I was wondering if you could share your gas milage with us. I'd like to see the difference between the 3.73 V10s and the 4.30 V10s. I'm averaging low to mid 12's city/highway combo. F250, Crew Cab, Auto, 2x4, 4.30LS, 265x75Rx16 tires.

 

Im looking into getting my first truck..And im looking for a F250 SD 4x4 super cab with a long bed and automatic... The reason im looking for a F250 SD is because im tall and i like the look. Im going to be doing some hauling like 4 wheelers lumber and stuff like that. Anyhow im also going to be driving long distances on a regular basis so my question is what engine is best im looking at diesel because of gas price. and i would like your opinions on my descision on configuration. Thank you all

 

I have a 99 F250 V10 SC SB 5 speed with 3.73s with 3,000 miles on it. I get 14 to 15 mpg @ 75mph on mountain highways (big hills) and not below 12mpg in town. The engine is great especially with the 5 speed it really puts the power on the pavement.

My dad has a 99 F250 PSD CC SB AT with 3.73s with 19,000 miles on it. It gets 16 to 17.5 mpg @ 75mph and around 14mph in town. So for us the PSD gets around 2-3mpg better. Do the math on how many miles you will have to drive to pay for the PSD with mpg. But, the PSD will be worth more at resale time. The V10 handles way better because the front end is so much lighter. Off road, I've gotten them both stuck but the PSDs heavy front end really took a nose dive and sunk quick in deep snow. They are both great engines and trucks. Its mostly how you are going to use it and personal preference. I like the quiet snappy V10 better. Its got really good low end torque and plenty of power. But, I think my dad likes his PSD better. If your towing a lot or doing lots of highway driving I'd go with the PSD. For around town stop and go the V10 warms up quicker, is lighter, and is snappy. Deisels aren't made for stop and go.

 

Thought I might add some numbers to the ever present V10 vs PSD topic.

I took delivery of a V10 SC 4x4 SWB back in April and love the truck. I looked long and hard at the PSD and put together a spreadsheet to help define the cost half of my decision. Yes, my wife thinks I'm a geek too.

Cost Difference = $3651 from quotes based on otherwise identical trucks. This excludes addtional costs of financing or increased sales tax.
Cost Difference = $4525 for same trucks financed for three years @8%.
Est. miles driven/yr = 15,000

V10 numbers (these are the actual numbers with just over 9000 miles on the truck):
overall mileage: 12.9 (50 % hwy, no towing)
avg gas price: $1.39/gal

PSD (these are guestimates based on what I've read here and elsewhere):
overall mileage: 16
diesel price: $1.25

Using those numbers and ignoring the cost of routine maintenance, resale value and engine life it will take 8.2 years or approximately 122600 miles (or 10.2 years and about 152000 miles if financed) for better mileage to pay for the PSD.

With that said, I would rely more on gut feeling and your expected use (towing, stop & go driving, etc.) than on a cost comparison. Both are great engines and a hell of a lot of fun to drive.