I hope this topic hasn't been beat to death but I'll ask anyway. I've been leasing and driving F150's for over 10 years and they have all been great trucks. However, I'm needing to move up to a 250 and I'm struggling over the decision to go Diesel or V10. Here are the facts:

- I'll be leasing a 2007 F250 Super Cab XLT, 4x4
- I pull a race car on average of once a month for a 10 month race season
(some long distance, some short).
- I'm buying 87 octane gas right now for $2.12/gal (SouthEast).
- Diesel fuel is $2.59/gal (SouthEast).
- Cost of the Diesel option = $5300 (MSRP).
- Cost of the V10 option = $600 (MSRP).

Even though a lot of my friends and people I talk to say go Diesel, I can't understand why? Also, most of the F250's I've looked at are Diesel and I've actually only seen two with V10's, and actually, quite a few with V8's (which I'm not considering because I think the 5.4 V8 is barely enough for the F150). I know the V10 gas milage is nothing to brag about but when you do the math, it appears you would have to own your diesel an awefully long time to even break even as far as costs go.

Anyway, I'm leaning toward the V10 but I'm just looking for support from you guys/gals who already own/lease these awesome trucks. Any comments, suggestions, or advise? Thanks for your time.

Ed

 

In my opinion if you are leasing and not buying, see which one has a better residual value, and compare the two payments. psd guys and gas guys both love thier trucks, and will probably recommend as such. As far as towing capacity, the v10 is more than capable. Hope this helps.

 

If you are going to lease and then turn it in, try a diesel, I personally won't buy or lease another gas engine, the difference is amazing, you will pay more for the diesel up front, but it also holds it in the end. Your mileage will be the big difference, unloaded I avg. 20+ on both of mine, these are 7.3s, but the diesels still win out in the unloaded mileage dept. Loaded I get 10-12 with about 10,500lbs, I have talked to many V10 owners, they love the towing, but the mileage is crappy empty 10-12 maybe. If you lease for a couple years and don't like, as least ya tried, my money will be on you buying a diesel after having one!

 

Wow! 20+ miles/gal with the Diesel is more then I thought. I've looked and looked and can't find any real hard numbers as far as gas milage with the diesel or the V10. Those numbers change my thinking a bit. I failed to mention that this will be my daily driver so that kind of milage with the diesel is promising...

What about maintenance cost? I do all my own maintenance on my trucks (oil changes, tire rotations, etc.). Is the maintenace on a diesel that much different as far as cost and how it's done? I've never done any work on a diesel so pardon my ignorance - I mean, is changing the oil done the same way on a diesel as a gas engine? Diesels hold a lot more oil, right? So instead of a 7 quart change on a gas engine, it's more like 9 or 12 for the diesel, right?

Ed

 

16 quarts, or around 4 gallons almost.

Not sure what that would cost you at a service station as I've always done mine myself, but 4 one gallon containers of 15w40 are anywhere from $8-12 each here, and the filter is $20-25 depending on the mfr.

 

I don't think you find many folks agreeing w/ 20+ MPG. JMO but most talk in the 17 to 18 hwy and 12 to 14 around town.

 

I love my V10 with 4.30 gears. It'll pull anything a diesel will pull, and with the 4.30 gearing has more rear wheel torque than the 7.3L diesel. The 6.0L diesel has more rear wheel torque, even with stock 3.73 gears; but there are a lot of people with 7.3L diesels that think their diesel will pull anything, and so will the V10. Also, not that it matters too much, but the payload is higher with the V10.

Cost to own is probably where the significant difference is, as power-wise their so close. I own my truck, so my cost is spread over a longer period, which means the diesel should be more attractive. With the miles I drive and current fuel prices, I would never see the cost benefit of owning the diesel (really, never in the life of the truck).

My friend and I purchased the same truck, 2005 CC Lariat (his F350, mine F250), his a diesel and mine the V10. I get roughly 11.5 mpg (city, I don't drive on the highway much at all). He gets 14 city, and 17 on the highway. It's about a 20% difference in mileage, but my fuel costs 20% less, so it almost a wash. The difference then becomes initial price and maintenance; and, if selling the truck it becomes a difference of resale versus the up front initial cost. You can see (for me) the diesel will never pay for itself, and I don't have to put up with the noise, the additional maintenance, the smell.

Another thing, there was a mileage poll on the 6.0L forum, started by me. You should look for it. There were a BUNCH of good posts. Do a search in the diesel forum for my name or mileage poll.

 

i'd get gas for a lease vehicle

 

The only way your going to know is get one an see how you will like it. You can always get rid off it an go to a gasser then. The odds off that happening are pretty remote I think. I went from a 96 150 to a2003 PSD. Man I love it. The power is fantastic an makes my 150 look like a wimp. Resale value is another thing to look at. What you lose in initial cost youll gain back when you trade it or tun it in. A new V-10 truck will truck will lose more in depreciation. Go for it man youll love it.

BTW what kind off race car do you have an what kind off racing.

 

i own 05 f250 SD v8 crew cab.....is gas and no diesel...simply for the fact that i was only going for a (dream) i lov the body type the f250 has and had always from 2003-up........now i have noticed is strong but drives a bit raugh....meaning u bounch off on the bumps a lot........guys having the same problem?......but besides that is awsome....looking to try to pull with front hooks a car on parking ....just to test power......
oh and forgot to add cost me 21,000 with 30,000 miles on it....still debating with ford on obtaining my new cd player since one received was bad and the cd player in on back order from manufacture for a month now!

 

I also recently went from gas (94 F-150) to diesel (07 F-250) and so far I am very pleased with my choice. Two issues that pushed me into the diesel were fuel costs and longevity. I think the price of gas is too sporadic, especially after last year, where the price of diesel had less of a jump and seemd more stable. That is just speculation on my part, so take it with a grain of salt. My gas truck got about 16 mpg around town, and my diesel is doing better than that. Granted, not by much, but it's still better. I have yet to do much highway driving yet, but I expect the difference to be even more significant.

Yeah, it's a bit more expensive to do oil changes, and the fuel filters are an added expense, but that just gives me another reason to spend time in my garage.

Just my .02 cents.

 

16 quarts of oil!!! Yikes. That's a lot of oil...

I road race a 1989 Mustang with NASA-SE's American Iron series.
http://www.nasa-southeast.com

Ed

 

etm63,

The fuel economy numbers that "Lonewolftx" and "Ace!" quoted are the correct numbers for the 6.0.

As far as resale value, it doesn't enter the equation when you are Leasing and turning the vehicle back to the dealer in a couple of years. Look at your lease payments and calculate out what is most cost effective for you. Either the V-10 or PSD will pull just fine for your needs. Fuel cost is a wash as "Ace!" stated.

As for maintenance costs, 15 Quarts of oil in the PSD (~$36), Oil filter ~$19, change oil and filter every 5k miles in PSD. Fuel filters ~$35 for PSD changed every 10K-15K miles.

Again since you are leasing the vehicle run the lease payment numbers and maintenance costs to see which makes most since for you.

Hope this helps

 

Thanks for all the great information - it really helps. I have a feeling that the diesel will have a better residual value at the end of the lease, therefore, providing a lower monthly payment. I guess I'm gonna see what my dealer says - I expect they'll push the diesel but I'm still interested in the V10. Have any of you with diesels ever had trouble finding diesel gas while on the road? When pulling to track events, I'm sometimes limited to stations where I can get in and out of with my car/trailer and was just wondering. I guess semi's don't have trouble, but then again, they can go a lot further between fill-ups...

Thanks again for your time,
Ed

 

The only thing you can't put a "price" on is the 6.0 grin!!!