Scott, Oracle,
Not true on that milage, you notice a difference over just a few tanks add it up yourself. Currently diesel is only .05-.08 cents more than gas, here in my area there is only .05 difference between gas and deisel. Even when you have the large jumps in prices you still make a savings.
So lets look a the costs;
(for sake of argue I am going to use a random price: not many people run tanks dry either, this is non towing figures, my deisel gets between 13 & 14.5 towning, your V10 gets 8)
V10= 40 gal tank X 2.46 gas price. 2.46X40= $98.40
6.0= 40 gal tank X 2.52 Diesel price. 2.52X40= $100.80
V10= 10mpg X 40 gal= 400 miles per tank
6.0= 16mpg (combined Hwy/city) X 40 Gal= 640 miles
6.0 640 miles - gas 400 miles = 140, to put gas in to make the 140 miles will cost an extra 14 gal @ 2.46 for a total of 34.44. original tank fill 98.40+34.44=132.84, so in the diesel it costs 100.80 to go 640 but in the gas it costs 132.84, I see a savings already in 1 tank
Oil changes, yes deisel is more expensive because they use more oil in the case, but you change oil on a gas every 3-5000 miles and on a deisel every 10,000 miles so here they come out just about the same in cost. (Note-I would have to check on the cost of oil change for a V10 to know for sure)
Engine life- gas approx 200,000 give or take, diesel 450,000+ so you have an engine that lasts twice as long.
Durability- again diesel is made for withstanding rigors of use, gas is not, therefore and you can ask any mechanic as a general rule the more pressure you put on gas the sooner it wears out where diesel last. Now consider that if you plan on keeping the vehicle it is going to cost you 4-6000 for a gas engine and you may go through 2 before you have gone through 1 diesel.
Remember now this is a general rule and does not imply that every engine will do this, you are going to get gassers that can last as long as they are taken care of and not misused/abused, on the other hand you have the same thing for diesels.
So over all, the cost of a diesel is actually less than a gas engine towing or not.

Sarge

 

I have done a spreadsheet on it with gas/diesel prices in my area and with a $5,000 price difference in the two engines, the break even mileage was about 70k miles. (Fuel and maintenance.) Prices are spreading even further than $5,000 every day between the two.

 

Atleast 5000k with comparable miles. I don't think there are very many guys on the diesel forums that would recommend going 10000 miles between oil changes,especially with oil fired injectors. I stuggle with whether my next truck will be a diesel or V10. I don't pull much and diesel runs .20-.40cents more, making mileage more irrelavant. Diesels will produce much more power and make driving more fun,but for much more money too.

 

But the point here is not how long it takes to recoup the difference, it is the in the pocket cost every time you fill up. The milage part comes in when you are talk longevity of ownership. So you pay a little more now, get a better set up you are happy with and save some money when you drive/tow is the point I was trying to get out. If someone does alot of driving and travel like I do, then it does not take long to recoup that money.
I have had mine a year last may, I have already put 45,000 miles on it, if I get to make the trip next year that I want to make there will be another 10,000 miles in that trip alone plus all the regular driving/trips

Sarge

 

Only point two to point four cents more there? That's not even half a penny. lol (Just messing with you.) Pretty sure you meant .20 - .40 dollars or 20 - 40 cents.

It's 57 cents more for diesel here right now.

 

No, the point is that many people don't want to spend that extra $5,000 - $10,000 up front or don't even HAVE that much extra money to spend up front when it will take 70k - 100k miles to have saved that much money back.

The average is 12k miles a year and many Excursion owners only use it for towing or vacations so it gets used even less.

(The V10s are lasting a lot longer than 200k miles btw.)

 

I recently purchased my V10 Excursion for $5200, well under half of what comparable diesel Excursions were selling for in my area. For the $$$ savings up front, it would take 3 years for the lower mpg to catch up with the diesel and have them break even on cost - and the simple fact is, I probably won't have this Ex that long, and with it already having 175k miles, I really don't care about resale value either.

$6k saves up front buys a LOT of fuel...

 

Agreed gr8scott the initial cost is a big deal especiallyif you start to figure interest on a loan. Truly for years before I had my first diesel guys told me unless you pull alot there is no great advantage to having a diesel. Unless it is part of your hobby such as playing with them tuning, hot rodding. As general individuals most wouldn't recoup the cost. Especially if they had any out of pocket repairsi.e. injectors, head bolts,turbos not to mention harder on trannies. Ching ching...

 

Sarge: I disagree with several of your assumptions and statements, but I really don't think it's worth arguing back and forth.

Suffice it to say that depending on what assumptions are used, the diesel engine can be a tough sell to save money.

BTW...I have never got 8mpg in my V10...12 would be the lowest...13-14mpg is normal on the highway...all calculated at the pump vs. odometer which is as accurate as possible.

 

He said 8 towing mpg but I really doubt he's getting 14.5 mpg towing the same 12k - 15k lbs loads that I do to get the 8 mpg.

 

[quote=The Oracle FSE;9135796]Sarge: I disagree with several of your assumptions and statements, but I really don't think it's worth arguing back and forth.
A) I say argue naw, just a health discussion, and that is the good part in for 2 people to have 2 different opinions and be able to discuss what they believe, it is what happens at the end when all the discussion is done that is important and that is to be freinds.

Suffice it to say that depending on what assumptions are used, the diesel engine can be a tough sell to save money.
A) this is where we differ, I dont look at something when I buy to regain money spent, I look at it for use, durability, usefulness, long lasting, is it what I need to occomplish the intended goals. I do alot of driving, idle time, and towing, I also need something to run all my lights radios and such, so for me the extra money was well spent. For some others this may also be true and for some not which may be the case with you. Again 2 sides of a coin and neither one is more correct than the other.

BTW...I have never got 8mpg in my V10...12 would be the lowest...13-14mpg is normal on the highway...all calculated at the pump vs. odometer which is as accurate as possible.
A) ok, I was going by what most have put on here for milage, I have never had a V10 so I really can say for positive on the milage, only that others have stated. As far as mine, I do get 18-20 hwy not towing depending on terrain, 14-16 city, 13-14.5 highway towing depending on terrain and weather, now city or back roads my milage stinks it stays down on 9-11, Blue Ridge Parkway the best I got was 10 until I got up above Roanoke then it itched up a little.


Sarge

 

I've owned 3 different Ford V10 trucks, just sold a 98 Dodge Cummins Monday evening that I had owned since 2003, and currently also have a 2006 Cummins MegaCab.

Having owned those, and dozens of other gas and diesel trucks over the years, I can say that diesel is NOT always the answer - and in most cases, a diesel simply doesn't make financial sense at the of the day.

That said, our vehicles are not 100% financial decisions - so when you figure in what you *like* - what you *need* can get pushed to the side

If you like your diesel - awesome for you. But I can guarantee I've done the math and for my intended uses for my Excursion - the V10 was the clear winner.

 

My vote is for diesel, but only because i tow. My original
thinking was diesels were for truckers, until i drove a friends pulling our 8k trailer. It had extra power for passing & the mileage was/is higher. I wanted to replace my Tahoe
with something bigger and finally found a 2005 ex with 60k, one owner stored inside.

 

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE diesel engines. My daily driver now is a 2011 F250 with the 6.7L Diesel. All I can say is AWESOME!

Well stated by DRM and Curt.

I haven't towed with the V10 Ex yet, but I would expect 8mpg towing. I thought the numbers were non-towing. Sorry.

 

I love diesel engines. But I am an outlier towing well over 3k miles a year and driving over 20k miles a year. Plus I maintain my vehicles to last just about forever. For me diesels barely make economic and practical sense.

I also have maintained fleets of vehicles at prior jobs and this is one of my responsibilities at my current company which I own. And since this particular company is dealing with individual drivers driving less than 12k miles a year and not hauling any loads (in other words a typical USA driver) it really makes no sense to purchase a diesel.

If you like 'em, buy 'em. But don't kid yourself that you are saving money unless you are one of the outliers. Personally just the extended range on a single tank would be enough reason. But I don't fool myself and think that I am saving a material amount of money.

Now what I tell the wife is a different story.....