I'm about to order a new V10 with 4.30 gears and the auto tranny. I currently have a '02 Dmax. Little over a week ago on a 1000 mile plus cruise to Idaho it made over 20 mpg. Much of it was at slower speeds on mountain roads. This last weekend we hooked on to the fiver and loafed along on the flats a 68-70 mph in OD. Slower in the mountains of course. Made 10.5 mpg.

Can I be happy with the gasser? Milage is only part of my concerns. I've done the math and a guy is going to pay one way or the other. While I have no illusions that the V10 will pull with my current rig, will it be close enough that I won't hate it?

 

I love the V10, but I don't care too much about mileage. I mean it's lower on my list of priorities, so I haven't gotten upset about it. Now that I think about it I don't get upset about my mileage, but I do about the price of gas. Can that happen

The V10 is in my opinion the best gas truck engine out there. It doesn't get great mileage, but from what I've read and know from friends that own diesels, the diesel mileage seems to be getting worse over time. That's not a bash on diesels, because in some areas they seem to be the best choice, but for me the V10 has more than enough power and the cost is well within my budget.

 

I've run these numbers before and it always comes up, at least for me, in favor of the gasser.

Let's take a current snapshot - in the Charlotte, NC, the lowest price gas (according to gasBuddy.com) is $2.61 and the lowest price for diesel is $2.85.

Now let's say (taking what most people report) that you run 15k miles per year. You pay $2375 (avg 18mpg) for diesel and $3011 (avg 13mpg) for gas. Wow, you think, diesel is the way to go - but wait, you paid ~$6k more the the diesel option, so lets take that in to account... Holy-Canoli, with the gasser, you'd almost got 2 years worth of FREE gas!!! Wow!! Or you can look at as about 9.5 years to pay off that diesel option.

OK, so you plan on keeping that truck for 15 years (@ 15k per yer, you'd have 225k miles on it)... you think you have that $6k upfront back yet? Not really, since we forgot that we paid interest on that $6k, oh, then there is the $100 oil changes.

So maybe my numbers are not 100% accurate, but they're close enough. Plus, who knows with all of the new emission requirements on diesel (ultra-low sulph, CATs), you mite not hit that 18mpg average that everyone boast to convience you to buy it in the first place.

The V10 make so much more sence for me. I can work on it (for the most part), gas is available everywhere, and it's nice & quiet.

Diesel on the other hand, if you get a bad one... well, it can cost more than the truck to fix it, and there is the noise (rattle, rattle, rattle) and there are some places (albeit, few now) that diesel can be hard to find.

But it ultimatley is up to you.

Will the V10 disappoint you - I don't think so.

BTW - My 01 X (2-valve) gets 12-13.5 as a daily driver and 14-16 on the interstate. Pulling my 9K TT I 8-10 mpg.

Oh, one last thing - Pick-UpTruck.com pipcked the 2007 F250 V10 as best in the 3/4 Ton Category.

 

^well said!

 

Mmaxed

Hummmmm....02 Dmax that sounds like is still a solid performer hauling heavy loads and getting great milage at good speeds.... you are considering a new V10.... why.... is the DmaX DIRTY or something?

OK if you insist...YOU are crazy for ever buying the Dmax in 02 or 03 when by then the SuperDuty with either a PSD OR the mighty V10 could spank it all over the map including to the bank and back.....


sheesh... you really mean it took you this long to figure out ya got scammed?

 

That was hilarious Alfred.

 

LOL Fred! The D in Dmax does stand for dirty doesn't it? It has actually been a very good engine. I've never pulled against a V10 but have embarrased a hopped up 7.3. Course my Dmax may not be quite stock either. Now if I want to get spanked I pull with a buddie that has a 06 LBZ Dmax. Pulls like a frieght train but that's the only thing he likes about the rig. That's part of the reason I'm looking at Ford. Not going to another diesel mainly because I'm tired of them for now.

 

I think he is looking for an overall quality build in a truck.

 

After reading again I think you're right Cougar. I can't complain about anything except the seats though. 120k and it still drives nice and tight. I drive alot of gravel roads and this is the first rig I have never had to spend time tracking down and fixing rattles. The only thing that has ever been done is 2 alignments. Even the tooth picks GM calls tie rod ends are still good.


Like I said in my last post a friend with the new GM doesn't like the way it handles with a trailer. Said his Fords and Dodge were better. I always figured the trailer handling woes I had were the trailer but maybe it's been the truck all along. Seems like it's time to find out.

 

I think the D MAX Allison is the top dog in diesel drive trains right now. Trouble is, it only comes in a girly truck GMC. The incredible Ford Superduty is available with a dissapointing diesel or a glorious gas V10. You are not crazy, you want a real truck and are well informed. The V10 will make you proud and the Ford Superduty will make you happy.
Enjoy, and welcome to the Right Side.

 

I don't know...one of MmaXed's posts sounds like he is not a fan of the comfy GM ride
"I can't complain about anything except the seats though"...

If that is true he is certainly not going to like the "real truck" ride of the Mighty Superduty.... FoMoCo makes great trucks, superb work horses, but off the road a 3/4 and 1 ton Ford SuperDutys with 4 X 4 will make you appreciate the softer sprung GM versions IMHO... I would have a Chevy today if they made a 4x4 unit that would stand up to real world usage... One of the serious reasons I opted in the King Ranch interior... I find the heavier Leather absorbs some of the jarring a tad better

 

While you make a good point on the ride, Fred, I think that that is less of an issue than it was a few years ago. My comment on the seats was about the seats. I think that the GM seats from 01-07 were designed by the American Chiroparctic ***. They are back killers for me and many others I know.


As to the ride there is no doubt that the Fords have a firmer more controlled ride than a GM but seem nearly equal in comfort of ride with the right shocks, tires, tire pressures for the job at hand, etc. The best riding pickup I have driven in recent years was a used 06 SD. Yesterday I drove a new SD with the upscale shocks. Ranchos?? It rode better than mine in some places, a little more buck in others. I took mine over the same route within a half hour to get a good comparison.

I drive thousands of miles of gravel roads a year. I have learned that the things I mentioned above will make or break a rig. If it's set up to ride harsh you are also eating expensive front end parts, and shaking the body to pieces. At one time I had a 1990 F250. It was never the best riding rig but was still tight in all respects at 140k. I've been around others with less harsh use that were falling apart with half the miles.

I guess what it comes down to is that all of the big 3 build good rigs. It comes down mostly to personal preference.

 

MMaXipaded out

I am just giving you a lot of guff cuz as a owner of a 79 Ford you opted to the Gm

I am sure once you trade her away and climb into a shiny new smelling King Ranch with all the bells and the best option, a 3v V10 mated to a TorqShift 5R110w and the right gears you will be back in love and cussing self fer the bonehead dura maxi-pad hauler....Respectable as they are, the SuperDuty with the Right power-train is much more of a real truck.....sheesh and here I sit a fine one to talk... once was the day I would kill a feller if he said some crap about my beautiful SS 454 Black on Black pickup truck...

Grin...as in BSEG

 

Fred, I just don't hardly believe that you would give anyone any guff.


In truth I'm a GM man at heart. Not sure why as I've owned about as many Fords over the years. The good friend that has the 06 Dmax is a dyed in the wool Ford man. I guess he's still pi$$ed about the 6.0 thing.

 

I think we ALL are real POed with FoMoCo's last 7 years of bozo decisions in the SuperDuty class vehicles..... the diesel issues being what they are many of us are astounded that Ford does not "push" the exceptionaly capable V10 motors