Hey Guys,

I'm brand new here, but I know I want an Excursion. My dilema is that I have the opportunity to buy a V-10 gas with 60K miles or 6.0L PSD with 35K miles, both '05's. I'm just not sure which would better suit me. First of all, my main need for this vehicle is to pull my 26' Jayco Octane ZX toy hauler. With the tanks full and my Buell race bike inside I'm running close to 11K pounds. It will also be used as a daily driver. I drive approximately 15-16K miles a year, with a few 8 hour trips to Missouri thrown in. Towing the trailer about 10 or so times a year my average trip is 3 hours or less, but there may be a few longer hauls in the future. I could get myself a truck, but I also have the wife and 3 kids to think about, so the X is a natural fit. I've driven both, and they're both very capable vehicles. The price of admission to get the diesel is about $6000 more, and with the added maintenance and hassle being in Wisconsin winters, I'm not convinced it's worth it, especially if the gas prices stay down for a while and diesel being more expensive than gas. I know when I'm towing I'll get better performance with the diesel, and more MPGs. But I do more miles unloaded as a daily driver, like 14 mile round trips to work. Will the V-10 provide the kind of durability and longevity as the diesel?

My current tow rig is a '96 GMC Suburban 2500 with the 7.4L V-8. It's got 190K on the clock, so she's a bit tired. I'm not a Ford guy, I've always run GM vehicles, not neccessarily because of brand loyalty, but because I get a bitchin family discount. But I love the size, comfort, and brute strength of the X. So if you guys can assist a noob in this decision, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Schmitty

 

being a DD with occasional towing, i'd say get the V10...

I love my PSD, but it's main duty is for towing and not driven daily...I do about 20K miles a year with an 11K# trailer..


and welcome to FTE..

 

6litre PSD, without a doubt. You seem to keep your vehicles for a while, and that's where paying the extra $6k will become worth it. Without a trailer, the diesel gets better MPG as well. I have a 13mile round trip to/from work. I get ~15-17mpg. My 5.4litre Expedition got 10-12 on a good day. The added torque will never leave you with buyers remorse, saying "if only...". That's why I bought my PSD, as I was facing the same dilemma.

 

Also from wisc. i am on my second EX. with a PSD. as long as i live in Wi. this will be my last diesel for sure. sick of plugging in, fuel additves winterfronts and decreased milage in xtreme cold. get a V-10. more reliable and you will be happier! save the money and use it for mods.

 

Sorry, I missed the Wisconsin part. That's definitely a big weigh in, though.

 

Before you buy, search some of the posts for the V B code spring upgrade, rear sway bar (05 may already have the rear), Shocks, Weight Distribution hitch, RAS, Air bags, etc.. You may want to consider some of these options to upgrade an X as a tow vehicle. $6,000 could go a long way to improve the handling characteristics while towing and general driving.



I have an 01 v10 and pull a 24' enclosed race car hauler. My previous tow vehicle was an 01 Navigator and I was surprised that the X was not much better in terms of handling while pulling. Power is better in the X but the handling was not what I expected. I have added the rear sway bar, up-graded the brakes with Cryo slot/Hawks, tightened the steering box, and added load range E tires. These improvements have made pulling drastically better than before and better then the Navigator. The upgrade to the springs is next.

 

6 grand is a lot, especially when you're talking about a six-leaker.

Now, every engine has its detractors and its cheerleaders, so you need to test drive them both, AND RESEARCH THEM BOTH, before you make a decision.

Personally, I'd choose the V10 over the 6.0 PSD because I do not trust the 6.0 diesel. Waaaaaaaaay too many problems that Ford NEVER perfected, and it's like playing russian roulette finding one that MIGHT be a good one.

Plus, SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS is a huge difference!

The V10 might not be as fast and peppy as the six-liter when you do a comparison test drive, but don't let that give you tunnel vision.

Plus, $6,000 is a huge difference!

Keep looking. There are quite a few GREAT deals out there, especially when it comes to the Excursion. You might want to include a 7.3L in your search, but I suggest that engine because I'm partial to them.

Also, six grand is a HUGE difference.

Research is your friend.

If someone gave me a 6.0, I'd sell it faster than you could say "boo".

Stewart

 

I would say go with the 6.0. No matter what every one says the 6.0 is a great engine mine has almost been problem free but over all it has been great. Now since you are talking Toy Hauler and that means alot of weight 11,000 is right at the limit of what the stock X can handle so I would defiantly what all the power I could have while towing it so again the 6.0 wins thereto not to mention way better MPG towing and unloaded.

 

Schmitty,


Welcome..

I have both a F350 7.3 powerstoke and a V10 X. I tow a 13K toy hauler with both, The V10 has less power. I have made many mods to both the suspension and engine. Even changes out the gears. I get 8 towing and 12-13 hwy non towing and its a great family mover for those long trips gas is cheap..... I just liked the diesel for the towing. DO your research and ask alot of questions...

Good Luck

 

I just recently got my X with the V10, and even more recently sold my F250SD with the 7.3 PSD
I am very happy with the X so far, and as was previously said- I dont miss plugging it in, fuel additives, and worrying when I go out during the winter if there is going to be a place to plug in, also- dont miss trying to find Diesel gas in a gas station big enough to fit the truck and trailer.
And I made money on the deal- Stewart is right, $6000 is alot of money!!!! and thats how much I can put into the V10 for mods to get it to do what ever I want it to do!!
I asked a similar question about why people picked the V10 or Diesel here=
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...el-or-v10.html
Good luck with what ever you buy!!!!

 

I bought my 6litre PSD with 170k on the clock. I've since been all over it, and contacted the previous owner, and got the oasis report for it. The truck has been virtually trouble free with really nothing wrong in it's 4 years of life, with nothing aside from normal maintenance. The previous owner never used the block heater, and it was in a climate where it should have been used. It hauled trailers, people, the works. With this, I'd say it's unfair to classify all 6litre's as problem engines. I'm sure others can attest to this as well.

 

I just made a spread sheet showing gas prices, oil change prices, fuel filter prices, and mpg of a gas and a diesel vehicle. With the current price of gas and diesel and with the gas getting only 10 mpg and the diesel getting 17, the gas comes out to about $0.16 per mile and the diesel is about $0.17 per mile. I think this is worst case as my V10 X gets closer to 12 mpg empty and I'm sure not every diesel gets 17 mpg empty.

If I punch in 12 mpg for the gas and 15 mpg on the diesel, the difference jumps to $0.13 per mile for the gas and $0.19 for the diesel.

You then have to pay a $6000 premium on top of that just to get the diesel?

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE diesels but the cost part of it just doesn't add up compaired to a gasser.

You could take the money saved and put it toward making the X a VERY capable tower. (Springs, shocks, tires, sway, brake controller, anti-sway hitch, etc.)

 

Welcome to FTE Schmitty!!!

Well I have 4 kids which required the purchase of my 04 6.0 Excursion. If I had only 3 kids I would without a doubt go with a pickup for towing. The reason I say this is when you tow at the 11k limit as you said you would the Excursion needs some help. You will not be satisfied towing at the limit unless you install air bags, shocks, RAS, steering stabilizers. The Ex can handle the weight but it's softer rear springs leave it not as capable as an F-250 or F-350. I love my Ex but I needed the seating, otherwise I would have bought a pickup!

As far as engines go the 6.0 will cost more than a V-10 no question. As I always say "you get what you pay for". The 6.0 will tow 11k without straining and downshifting near as much as the V-10. You will be able to climb 6%-7% grades running at 2800 rpm no prob. The 6.0 is a towing beast! If you are driving a 454 gasser now you will be absolutely shocked how much better the 6.0 will pull you trailer! The V-10 will get the job done but it will perform similar to the gas 454. The fuel mileage of the 6.0 is also much better while towing than the thirsty V-10!

I promise you if you spend the extra $$ on the 6.0 it WILL tow better than a V-10 hands down! I pass my friends V-10 on the hills EVERY time we travel, his V-10 also uses twice as much fuel as my 6.0 when towing heavy toy haulers!!

I used to run gassers but since owning diesels I could never ever go back!!
What's the point of saving $6K and having something that's not as good? If you absolutely do not have the extra $6K buy a V-10, but know that you could have gotten better.......... Buy the 6.0 and have no regrets!!

 

I am taken back to an instance which occurs often in my life it seems. Say I like the big boy sandwich. Someone puts two sandwiches in front of me. One is a big boy, one is not, but very similar. Why would I pick something that is like the big boy, when I could simply have the big boy? You spend that $6k extra to make a v10 like a PSD, or you could just buy the PSD. Why buy a Honda and, for the price of a Porsche, make it like a Porsche, when I could simply buy a Porsche?

 

If you are talking about where I said this:

then your theory doesn't quite apply. The X needs some of these things done regardless of it being a gasser or oil burner.

I was not talking about spending money on things to make it have more power.