Howdy folks,

I've been reading the various "gas vs diesel" posts and have seen many comments about the maintenance of the diesel being more expensive.

I have a 2000 E350 7.3 PSD that I ordered new that's probably going to turn over 100k miles in the next week or so and a used 2000 Excursion with a 7.3 that I've owned for about 15 months. I had gas work vans and Suburbans prior to these two trucks.

I have kept these two trucks serviced regularly. Other than paying about double the cost for an oil filter ($10-$12) and for 8 or 9 more quarts of oil at an oil change, I've actually spent less in overall maintenance for the diesels than I did for maintenance of the ignition systems of the gassers. My fuel records show that I've already saved three times the amount that I paid for the diesel option in the van in fuel. Oh yeah, and there's two batteries to buy.

I know that repair of one of these diesel engines will cost more, but I don't understand where folks are coming up with the fact that maintenance is more expensive, oil changes excepted.

Is there something I'm missing????

 

I would agree with you . I think some folks might read about all the mods done to the trucks and think this is part of regular maintenance. I've only had mine @ 8 months and other than regular maintenance have done nothing (other than mods). Plus these trucks will go 4-500,000 miles from what I see here with proper maintenance. Compared to a gasser that might get 200k if youre lucky I think the diesel is still the only way to go IMHO, plus they tow what needs towing.

 

They are basic their assumptions purely on the fact that oil and filters cost a bit more...and the need to change things like fuel filters...

But you're definitely right. No distributors, spark plugs, plug wires..etc.

In my old truck (gasser) i paid about $45 for an oil change. In the stroke, I pay about $84 (that's with SYN oil, too). I did some quick math, and over 100,000 miles, I am paying $780 more to change the oil in the stroke as compared to my old truck. (this without considering anything else like spark plugs or fuel filters). After 100,000 miles, the gasser is close to being worn out and the Strokes just getting started.

Lets see...$780 more in maintenance, or $20,000 for a new gas pickup. Hmmm.. math seems pretty simple to me..

 

I crunched some numbers recently with my truck (5 years @ 100K miles) vs a V10 Superduty. Pretty interesting finds:

Maintenance per year is less than $100 extra for my truck vs. a V10

Diesel fuel over the last 5 years has averaged 8 cents more per gallon than regular unleaded. My wife used to have a V10, and averaged 11.5 mpg (mix city and highway). My truck averages about 16.5 mpg (mix city and highway). Average cost of diesel for the past five years is $2.69 per gallon. Average price of regular unleaded for the past five years is $2.61

100K miles on my truck = $16,301 in fuel costs
100K miles on a V10 = $22,694 in fuel costs

See the difference? Shocking how much we pay for fuel in only 5 years.

Additional maintenance costs for the diesels is just a drop in the bucket. When you start looking at that much money in fuel, it pays to go with a diesel hands down.

 

I have seen numerous comparisons like this on this site, and what I have noticed, is they always work out to justify what the poster owns. My work truck is in need of replacment and I have tried to do these calculations with the new 6.4, and I hate to say it, I think the V10 is the way to go. I say buy what you want. If you are actually trying to buy based on pure economics, good luck.

 

think about this. I'll use my wifes Expedition as the gasser example

Oil change in Expedition every 3k miles is $27 at super lube
Oil change in my 7.3 every 6Kmiles using DELO at the very same super lube $48
I actually spend more getting my wifes oil changed than I do on mine. ($52 vs $48)

In true repairs (something broke and its gotta be fixed before i can drive it)to my engine I have only spent about $1000. in 260K miles. (this does not include A/C, brakes, batts,alternator etc., as you would have about the same expense with a gasser)
A Water pump, CPS(that FOMOCO refunded me for that repair), #7 injector, and some leaky orings. thats it. My 7.3 has cost me a whole lot less than my wifes 5.4 with 120K on it (coil top plugs for a tuneup, blown head gasket, water pump.)

 

Please bear in mind that my original posting is based on my actual recorded maintenance and fuel costs and not any biased opinion. I did have to adjust for inflation in fuel costs.

That being said, these calculations were on one of the older 7.3's. It was also on an E350 without an intercooler and I suspect that it doesn't get fueled as heavily as the F series that is intercooled. My two trucks weigh about the same and the van gets about 2 mpg better mileage than the Excursion and both are running the same size tires and 3:73 differentials.

If I were shopping right now, I'd be a little hesitant to purchase a 6.4 until they've been out for a little while. However, we have a large Ford dealership here in town and they have a special division that does nothing but work on trucks. So far, the biggest complaints with the 6.4's seems to be the initial supply of radiators and the lower mileage due to the added emission controls. I'm also not sure that I like the idea of having to lift the cab off of the frame to do any moderate engine work, including turbo replacement. As to the mileage, my 7.3 in the van didn't start getting the higher mileage numbers until I had put at least 40,000 miles on it. It will be interesting to see if the 6.4 numbers come up with use. One other thing to note is that it appears that, in most cases, the cost of the diesel option is returned when the vehicle is sold.

As to the 6.4 problems posted on the board, I think that we'd have more of a tendency to hear about the problems than from someone who's satisfied.

I've also noticed that there has been some reduction in mileage in my two older PSDs since the ULSD fuel came out. I'm still satisfied that I've got them, however.

I guess time will tell . . . . . .

BJ Lexington, KY

 

My wife and I just ran the fuel numbers alone this weekend as we spiffy up our 2008 family budget plan. Once the V10 Ex is gone, the 7.3 replacement Ex will end up costing me at least $85.month less in fuel costs compared to the gasser, and the difference is only that small because the Ex will only get about 8K miles per year on it.

On my F250, in the 15 months I've owned it, the only true "regular maintenance" I've done is 2 oil & filter changes, 2 fuel filter changes (switched to bioD and it cleaned out my system), 2 air filters (6637), and one brake master cylinder that I probably could have taken another 5K miles, but didn't want to chance it. All that for a truck with 140K on the clock and an annual mileage rate of about 23-24K.

 

Re-read my post. I own the PSD, my wife used to have the V10. She sold the V10 because it was drinking so much fuel. There's no bias here, just fact.

So I'm justifying what again?

Comparing the 6.4L to the V10, now you're in the wrong forum section. Also the OP was comparing the 7.3L to the V10. But yes, the 6.4L gets horrible fuel mileage, so the V10 would be a very close comparison as far as fuel costs go.