New member here that needs to get a truck to replace my VW V6 Touareg (great ride on/off road BTW). I have repair experience(s) (yes, as in plural) with the disappointing 6.0 PSD as well as the venerable 7.3 PSD prior to that. Our 6.0 Torqshift tranny was one of the first 1,000 to fly apart at 6,000 miles. The engine itself has now been in the shop for blah, blah times. You all have heard it before.

I will use truck as daily driver that will average about 20,000-25,000 miles/year. Vehicle will be used for sales calls, light duty off-road work, towing, job site mud/muck, family hauling (family of 5 to be). My job(s) are selling environmental water/wastewater treatment equipment as well as owning a utility construction company. Towing right now ranges from 5,000lbs of materials up to right around 11,000-12,000 lbs with mini-ex., skid steer, etc.

I see this as being the rule for the next few years. Number of tow/haul trips at the 11,000lbs range will probably number no more than 10-12 round trips a year in the rural hills of Tennessee. There will be other trips at numbers in the 6-8,000 lbs range with demo equipment, travel trailers, etc.

I'd like to consider the V10 on the 2008 250-SD and need to know what the V10 users group thinks about my situation in light of your experiences with this engine. I previously ruled out any new FORD SD until I remembered the V10 due solely to the 6.0 PSD engine disappointments. Am I pushing into diesel engine territory with the numbers above based on torque issues at 10-11,500 lbs. or because of mileage? I dare not post this question in the diesel group for obvious reasons. Finally, did you have to order your V10? If so, what's the wait? Finally, does it suck gas as bad as our old 7.3L gasser with 4.10 rear? Thanks to all for any of your great information.

 

Welcome to the V10 forum!

I don't think you will have any problems at all. As for the gas mileage, when we are pulling our 8K Travel Trailer, the mileage varies from 7 to 9.5 mpg based on the terrain. 8 to 8.5 MPG is a good number to estimate costs with. If you are in the hills continiously, it will be a little less. From a maintenance perspective, i have had zero issues up to this point and we have 30K miles on it. (Wait, I lied..... one of the bulbs in the high break light burned out!)

The trans is really stable / shifts nicely, even under load.

Good luck with your decision!

 

Sounds like the V10 might be the only way to get you back into a Ford

And that's a good thing...

The 3-valver doesn't have a problem with the loads you describe, according to all the 3-valve owners here... there are 2-valvers who would say the same thing about their trucks too, but not all...

 

Sounds like you are in for a business expense type purchase so the best way to do it will be to find a dealer you trust to place your order that way you want the truck configured

The wait is typically 6 to 9 weeks with a two year average of 7 weeks reported from the owners who post here and in the buyers forums.

Research research research.... Edmunds has one of the better sites for building with different configurations and seeing the cost effect... their MSRP vs Regional average is damned close... and of course the rebate info is usually up to date but they miss some of the special incentive plans some folks can get

like the American Quarter Horse membership $500 cash off (you must be AQH member for a year) or some of the US Military incentives or the College incentive... the folks up in the buyers forums can skool you on all the current deals

Back to a V10 powered SuperDuty... if you live in a green state that has the same rules as California then getting a V10 is a problem much of the time (possible but a hassle)

Sounds like you need / want a F350, 3v V10, 5 Speed TorqShift, 4x4, Long Bed, 4 door Lariat or King Ranch..... You do not need the heavy suspension the F350 is already a tank, skip the camper package also, forget about the reverse sensor doo dad they are annoying, add in the 12K receiver hitch, add in the Block heater, add in the upfitter switches, add in the tow command system or the Integrated Trailer Brake controller (how ever they have it offered this year) (If you option the King Ranch a lot of this stuff is included). I got the electric sliding rear window because of the four door configuration but rarely use it... controlling all four windows creates enough draft and air to vent my cigar smoke and the rear window is just something else to leak or crap out.

There are internet places to beg for an "X" Plan PIN... or if you are a veteran of US military forces you can join the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and get a "X" plan pin by e-mail ("X" plan is invoice plus 3% and no dealer markup or add on crap)

My signature truck was MSRP at $52K and change... I paid $39,845 for her and she was delivered 8 weeks and 4 days later

 

YES...the V10 can handle the work you are going to throw at it. So no worries there.

I would recommend ordering...since it is hard to find a V10 on the lot. The '08 is going to be pushed HARD with the 6.4L PSD. Also...make certain you order with the 4.30 gears. Pretty much a must for your needs.

Good luck...


biz

 

Had the same issues as you 6 months ago. I looked hard at the 6.0 but could not do it. Too many changes in the technology to buy a 6.4. A diesel could be in my future, but for now, my 2007 V10 rocks. My truck feels like a muscle car waiting to pounce. Runs and tows great. More than enough power for my needs. I have towed my 11,000 lb toy hauler without a whimper. The gas mileage is what you would expect with a gasser. 10-12 city, 13-15 highway (@ 65-75mph), 6-9 towing. My buddy has a 2007 6.0 he gets 7-9 towing, 14-16 highway. Not a deal breaker. True, he has more torque for hill climbing, but not alot of hills here in Arizona. Hope this helps.

 

If you get the 4:30 gears you will have no problems pulling that load. I have had both the 2v and 3v v10's and you will not believe the torque it has. Combine that with good gearing and you will be able to pull what you listed with zero problems. And, it seems to be a bullet proof engine that will turn 4000 rpm's all day if it needs to.

 

How about the 6 speed manual instead of the auto? Does it give better pulling power and mileage?

 

MitchPeters

Debatable and already flogged to death here in this forum and other places... in fact 5R110w vs, ZF 6 speed is almost as heated a debate as gas vs diesel

I am old skool manual guy who fell in love with the 4R100 (not so good a auto trnas) and later ordered the 5R110w Torqshift becaus my experiance with the 4R100 under extreeme conditions was so favorable in spitE of it's flaws

A very well trained operator can make the ZF 6 sPeed earN its keep and save fuel doing it... for Joe six pacK the 5R110w USUALY is a better option


really boils down to desire and technique... both are exceptional transmissions and under the correct use both can save fuel and Get "r" Done!

The 5 speed torque shift has a slight advantage in tow haul situations from a purley max torque to the ground perspective... (torque converter multiplication is higher then the low gear math of the 6 speed) but a properly set up heavy duty truck with 4.30 or 4.56 rear gears and stock diameter tires can move the same loads with the 6 speed manual...like I said it boils down to wants and needs...both are about equal at moving loads from a standing stop with the advantage going to the auto if you are pointed up a steep hill/mountain

 

Not to mention the automatic's torque converter allows you to REALLY control how much power is put down to the ground. Think traction in low-traction situations.

With my 4R100, and a great fuel injection system (lots of throttle control), the ability to get moving in really bad situations definitely goes to the auto.

My '74 highboy had the old 435NP 3-speed w/granny low (really a 4-speed with unsyncronized 1st). When my brother sold it to me and got a brand-new '86 F250 351M auto, he said he'd never go back to a stick again, in a pickup with 4x4. In 2002 when I got my '01, 16 years later, I took his advice and will never look back.

The fact that tow-haul is available with the Torqueshift, well...

I understand the need and want for a manual, I really do. But in light of what I need a Superduty for, the auto definitely makes the truck the better tool for my uses.

--

Now that we've sidetracked this thread, get back to WHY he needs a V10

 

Since most of us can't go out and buy a Touareg V10 TDI. A Superduty With a Triton V10 is the way to go. Yet another prudent reason.

 

Well, to keep it sidetracked just a little longer....That TDI Touareg is one hoss of a vehicle with 553 ft.lbs. torque going to the ground with AWD. Talk about off the line performance. I drove one and the V8 before getting the V6. Was hoping the V6 would slow me down and improve my gas mileage (the V8 was quite fast but I could not afford either of them at the time) Neither happened, the V6 acts as if there is a small hole in the gas tank above 85 MPH. The Tiptronic transmission is fab.

Back to the V10 discussion. I like what I am hearing about the engine/transmission combination but am still a little concerned with the fuel mileage and the 4.30 rear.
However, there is a great gulf between the diesel mileage increase and cost of acquisition & ownership costs as many of you are aware. That breakpoint for the pendulum to swing back is way out there and I might not even own the vehicle at that point anyway.

 

My truck weighs just under 7800 pounds with full fuel and my lard butt and averages 12.3 MPG for daily mixed highway city commute

and when I load two Harleys in the bed, hitch up a old model travel trailer that my wife likes to have every convenience inside of...all scaled out the whole shebang with 2 dogs, 3 semi adult kids and bed trailer load is upward to 22,800+/- pounds, just shy of the rated max GCVW of 23,000 pounds

configured this way I zoom down the highways of Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado up and down some impressive mountain pass altitudes like Vail pass at 11,000 plus in Colorado. On the up hill sides she is down to 6.5~7.7MPG. On the back sides heading back to near sea level central Texas the MPG can get as high as 10.2 between tank fulls. Over all trip averages end up in the 7.9 to 9.2 range.

I am always in a hurry so we tend to go faster then most folks especially since Interstate 10 is over 800 miles long and rated/posted for 80 MPH you can find me on that road hauling this load in the 75~85MPH range and the fuel mileage is about the same as hauling up the tallest passes.

4 door, 4x4, 4.30:1, Long bed,

Years ago my 7.3L was similarly configured and got 13.7 over all MPG on exact same trips

 

In talking to a lot of 7.3 owners they got way better mileage than they do with the 6.0. I admit that I have not been able to drive a Tourqueshift equiped V10 or 6.0 yet. I have driven quite a few 5.4 and 7.3's with the old auto and prefer a stick. I am looking to replace my Expy soon and am shopping but mostly looking at 6 speeds and they are rare.

 

Mitch

If you prefer a manual just because of the old experience with EOD or 4R100 you really owe the TorqShift a try.... these are superior transmissions in every aspect and well worth the $1700 cost

BUT I will never say the ZF 6 is a bad trany...to the contrary it is probably the best manual trany Ford ever stuffed under a truck and it is standard (Free)....hard to pass on that idea either.... but if you are getting on in years and clutching for hours on end in Houston, Dallas, Chicago, WDC traffic is likely...then the capabilities of the 5r110w are worth a serious look...it is truly an amazing truck auto trans