with all the miles a month you are driving not needing a F-250 or F-350, why not buy a fuel efficient vehical for those needs, then just rent the 250 or 350 for the few times you need to tow.As has been said earlier, whether or not V-10 or diesel, you will really pay through the nose just to have something for those 3 or 4 times you really do need it.

 

Well, I appreciate the idea of buying a Focus but it would never work. We live down a ungraded dirt road and the last 3 miles to our house require some pretty good ground clearance. The Ranger is adequate in this area. With a Focus we'd be walking the last 5 miles to our house. We like the lifestyle out here, it's remote quiet and peaceful. When it rains around here we really do NEED the 4x4 option. The Ranger does pretty good, I put some Dunlop mud terrains on it and as long as we keep up the forward momentum she gets us home. We did drive a lot of different trucks in many different trim levels. We both liked the V-10 SD's we drove. So far it seems like a XLT trim level would work out well for us.

EDIT: In my previous post I meant to say we don't have diesel truck money unless we get a really stripped down truck. Those PSD's are expensive.

 

Good info- that does put a little different spin on things, doesn't it?

Back to the diesel money- with the miles you guys drive, have you put pencil to paper comparing the net cost per month, including fuel?

 

After a little further thought I realized that all my inquiries have been about leasing which makes the diesel option a little more financially viable at times. My experience here in Canada is that the price of diesel fuel can vary wildly.
When I leased my last truck in May of 2004 diesel fuel was 20 cents per litre less than gasoline; now it is about the same price. Without being able to save a ton on the price of fuel there is no economical way to justify a diesel.
(Here in Canada the PSD and Torkshift trans add about $9000 to the price).

Sounds like you are on the right track with the XLT V-10, now just a matter of the right deal. One thing to think about when you deal with mud a lot is the option of deleting the carpeted floors as you'd likely end up with rubber mats on the carpet anyway. Nice to be able to just stick a hose in there and wash out the bulk of the mud.

 

I drive an 04 F-250,4x4,Fx4, PSD,auto,CC,SB as my daily driver. I LOVE my truck! I had an 00 V-10 SC,LB, that I loved. But I LOVE my PSD even more!! I still smile every time I drive my truck!! I have had it since March 05,04. Get the PSD!!

 

The PDS's are really nice. With the miles we drive the diesel would make more sense since it gets better MPG, lasts longer, and is better built. So given our budget (mid 30's) and that we like the extended cab, shortbed, 4x4 what can we get? We'd like a decent stereo, comfortable seats, power windows, locks, adjustable pedals, and a sliding rear window. An XLT is what we prefer since we like the headlights and chrome grille of the XLT. However given our budget will we have to go XL? We talked it over and since this is both a practical purchase and a wedding gift to ourselves we'd like to go new if possible. Basically we want the nicest truck we can get for the mid 30's. We have $7,000 as a down payment, she has perfect credit and I have good credit. I was late on a few credit card payments about 8 years ago. She's never missed a payment on anything. We got the double wide financed with no problems and we own half the land we live on out right. The other half we bought seperately and financed. She makes about $60K a year and I make around $35K. We can afford more but like I said we don't want all our money going to bills and fuel. Traveling, eating out, visiting family, getting away for the weekend, etc. are priorities to us. Not something we'll give up to have a really nice truck.

 

As an example:

stk #FP7632. '03 F250 4X4 CREW SHORT BOX. 6.0, AT, FULL POWER, CANOPY. Lariat. 36,000 miles. I spent two days behind the wheel of this one- literally "as-new" condition. Arizona Beige/Tan leather $33,645 (FTE price, not list).

1 owner Pacific Nwst truck (no rust, no sun/heat damage). Clean Carfax and OASIS (important on '03-'04's. Some were trouble free, some were the trucks from you-know-where). On a scale of 1-10, ten being showroom and 1 being wrecking yard, this one's a 9.8- and I'm fussy.

$33645
7000 down
26645 to finance plus tax and tabs (no oregon tax, but that could vary in your state)

assuming reasonably good credit, 60 months @ $533.91, 72 @ $460.69 (7.5%).

Use this as an example- a Crew is more money than a S/C, and this truck will bring a premium over the average because of miles/condition/no adverse history. We have others as well- including a few S/C's that may not be posted yet (just came in Friday)

 

Here's a new one- XLT F250 S/C 6.0/AT 4X4. Camper pkg, Tow Command, pwr Seat, Rr Slider, hitch, etc. MSRP $42775. Simple price* $35731 after $2500 rebate, less $200 FTE. You should be able to find others locally using fordirect.com.

 

same truck, v10, $30,000. About $100 less a month in payments. just a thought.

 

Yep- and there's the kicker. At 5,000 miles a month, figuring 12 mpg for the V10 vs. 17 for the diesel, $2.20 for unleaded and $2.68 for diesel (local prices here), fuel costs would run $915/mo on the V10 and $742 on the diesel.

 

lets not turn this into a diesel/gasser debate. There are many pros and cons for both engines and if FE Power wanted that, there are thousands of posts in which he can research that.

The real question was 150 or SD. I am fairly sure an F150 can handle what he wants to do with it, but certainly NOT as well as a SD. The trade off is the SD is much heavier, more expensive, wider, taller, has a less comfortable ride and has a wider turn radius.
All of which FE must decide which is most imortant to him.

 

IMHO, I'd go with a 250 series. I always like to have more than I need. You won't have that with 150, you'll be maxed out weight wise on at least several occasions per year and in 5 years, that adds up to a wrecked front end.

If you decide 250, the V10 vs. Diesel thing will beat you to death. The extra cost of the engine AND the fuel certainly outweighs the fuel cost. The V10 max tow capacity approaches or equals the PSD. To me, the ~$4k diesel option is not worth it unless you really NEED it.

I'm not so sure I'd consider used for the type of truck you are looking for. They're quite likely to have been used for similar purposes and may not hold up.

You say your budget is about $35k. I have priced a 250 4x4 Crew Cab XLT with V10 through Jeff and I think I was in the $32k range. You are looking at a SuperCab, which has to be less.

Best of luck looking for the "one" and keep us posted.

 

Our '05 Supercab F250 XL with 5.4 & auto (4X4) with tow command, 9400GVWR package, BFG A/T's, XL decor pkg, FX4, Air, Roof lights, Upfitter pkg, snowplow pkg, trailer pkg, cloth/vinyl buckets, cost us $25.7k, with a list of $33.5k Well within your range ......

 

You keep bringing it up.

To FEPower: Id get a "stripped" truck with a diesel if new or get a slightly used one like the one polarbear quoted.

 

Polar Bear,
How do you come so far off sticker? Is it where we're at? We're looking in Wichita Falls which is near an AFB. They don't want to come off sticker due to the military being there. A salesman at Pruitt straight out told us he sells everything at sticker all day to airman and soldiers and he won't back off the price. Do we need to go to Dallas?