Any of you own a full size Chevy/Ford/Dodge diesel pick up? (fuel, miles per gallon)

[Redraven]

Since I already HAVE a Dodge Cummins, obviously I would recommend a dodge Cummins quad cab short bed 2500 for what you have in mind. If you aren't one of the modern kids that are married to an automatic tranny, I would recommend the 6 speed manual.
My old truck is coming up on 274,000 trouble free miles. It is a 3500 dually, and, yes, it rides like a truck. But then, it IS a TRUCK, not a stationwagon with a pickup box on it!
Obviously, you have no need for a one ton dually.
I can only say, drive all the trucks that interest you, and make up your own mind about what will suit your needs and likes.
good luck

[BoydS]

I have a 2003 F250 crew cab short bed 2WD (purchased new) with the 7.3L turbo diesel. This was the last year Ford offered the 7.3L and I choose it over the 6.0L as it wasn't a proven engine. There have been no modifications as it is all original. I have it serviced, per the manual, at the dealership I purchased it from.

This is a sound truck and has held up extremly well over the years. The only problem I have had is with the cam sensor which was replaced (recall). Other than this sensor issue the truck has performed better than any other truck I've owned. Mileage is around 16 city and at the best 20 highway. It'll tow anything you would ever want.

The backseat area has more leg room than the Dodge. Now I ain't knocking the Dodge as I own one of them also (gas engine). Just something to consider. The truck also rides very good on the HW, but not as well as a car (this is a truck). The diesel also has better resale value that a gas engine. Oil changes are less frequent, but they cost a bit more. There are typically 2 batteries with a diesel (as with my truck), just another thing to know.

There are a some negative things I liked to say about this truck. One is that it is quite often stolen. It has a very poor door lock, which is easily opened with a punch or screw driver (3 seconds to open the door). Another is the ignition switch can be forced to start the truck without the key. This knowledge is first hand, as my truck went to Mexico without me (stolen). The later model trucks have corrected this I believe. To prevent theft in the future I installed an anti theft device that prevents the truck from starting, unless a special key is installed.

[Egobop]

I own a 2001 Ford Excursion 4X4. It has the 7.3 turbo diesel and is the best vehicle I have ever owned. I bought it used with 80,000 miles on it and it currently has 160,000 miles on it. The only things I have had to do besides regular maintenance is one alternator, one starter and one cam sensor. The cam sensor was a recall but I changed it on mine by myself due to the fact that the dealer had a three week wait for the appointment to change mine.

I average 24 miles per gallon with my truck but I drive it very easy. I do not take off fast from red lights and I also do not go above whatever the posted speed limit is. It has 3.73 gears. I change the oil every three thousand miles and when I change the oil I also change the air filter. A clean air filter is a must for good fuel mileage. I also change the fuel filter every 15,000 miles. I read in one of the other posts that an oil change is more for this engine than in a gasoline engine and this is 100% true. The reason for this is due to the fact that the 7.3 takes 15 quarts of oil. You also have to remember to empty the water separator every time you do an oil change. You do not have to do anything to it other than open it to drain it and then close it once it is drained.

I have a 24 foot equipment trailer that weighs 2,500 pounds on which I tow old cars from the 50's, 60's and 70's and you can't beat the diesel with the towing power. I have had fuel mileage from anywhere between 13 to 18 miles per gallon while towing. Again; I am VERY easy on the gas pedal. The times I have had the worst fuel mileage while towing I noticed that the weight on the trailer was not balanced very well.

The great thing with the Excursion is that it fits myself, my wife and our four children amazingly comfortably while taking trips. There is a few feet behind the third seat to the rear barn doors so having room for all of the stuff we take on a trip is never an issue. If I take out the third row seat and fold the middle seat down to the floor I get a full eight feet from behind the front seats to the barn doors which means I can put 8 X 4 pieces of plywood in the truck and still close the rear doors. I have done this and it fits perfectly.

They do not make the Excursion any longer but it is an amazing truck and I highly recommend it or an F-250 or F-350. My neighbor across the street from me has a 1999 F-350 with the same engine and a dually rear. He has told me he averages between 16 and 18 miles per gallon. I do not know how his driving style is and I do not know what gears he has in the rear. I can tell you that he has not had many problems with it though. I know that I changed one alternator for him and I have not heard him complain of anything at all. He tows Bobcats, tractors and other equipment with it and loves the truck.

I have another friend who bought a 2005 F-250 with the 6.0 and he has not had any problems with his truck at all. I do not know what gears he has in his but I do know that he gets around 15 miles per gallon. I also know that he has a "heavy" foot while driving.

As I stated this has been the best vehicle I have ever owned and it eliminates the need for me to have a pick up and another vehicle since it covers all of my needs.

[WyoNewk]

I have a 2000 F250 4x4 7.3 PSD w/6-spd manual, extended cab, long box. I bought it new, mainly to pull a 5th wheel camper, but I also use it as a daily (or weekly) driver. My wife prefers the truck to her car for trips. She feels safer in it and likes riding up high. I average around 15 mpg around town and on the road, but I normally drive it at 75-78. If I slow to 65 it'll get 18 mpg, and once when I crawled along at 50-55 for half the trip I got better than 20 mpg (for whole trip).

Maintenance is another story. Oil should be changed at 3,000 miles. Figure 3-4 gallons. Plus oil filter. Don't forget fuel filters. And twice as many batteries (2). If you ever have engine problems, it'll cost a bunch. And of course, they cost much more initially. Oh yeah, and the price of diesel fuel is pretty comparable with gasoline right now, but a year or two ago it was a buck a gallon more.

Would I buy another diesel? You'd better believe it. I've been wanting to trade mine for a dually, but I wouldn't consider a gas engine for pulling my camper through the mountains, and I'm planning to get a bigger camper. Gas is OUT.

But if you don't need the lugging power, the smaller gas V8 engines would be fine. Every station has gas, but diesel is sometimes hard to find. OR ***drum roll please*** I've been told that Ford is coming out with a smaller diesel for their F150. That could be nice.


I'm also reluctant to trade mine for a 6.0 PSD, but I'd take a chance on an '06 or '07 as long the history looked good and it didn't have any power "chips" added to it. If I can afford it and find a nice one, I'll get an '08 or later F450 with the 6.4.

As someone else stated uptopic, the Chevy is fine as long as you get a later model with the Duramax/Allison combo, and everyone knows the Dodge Cummins has bullet-proof engines. (It's just that you've gotta take the rest of the truck to get that engine. ) Honestly, I'd take any of the big trucks as they're currently manufactured -- Ford, Chevy/GMC, or Dodge. And if you go the 1/2-ton route, add Toyota to the mix.

My F250

[SpeedyAZ]

But if you don't need the lugging power, the smaller gas V8 engines would be fine. Every station has gas, but diesel is sometimes hard to find. OR ***drum roll please*** I've been told that Ford is coming out with a smaller diesel for their F150. That could be nice.

I think Ford would be making a great move by coming out with an F-150 with a small diesel engine. Many people don't need a truck as big as the F-250, but enjoy having the benefits of a diesel engine (gas mileage, long life, and torque). I also read something about this scheduled for 2011 but Ford hasn't made any official announcement that I am aware of. If they were to come out with a small diesel for the F-150, I'd put my money that this option would be HIGHLY successful both in consumer appeal and financially to the Ford company. I really wouldn't mind having a diesel truck but the F-250 is a bit too much for my needs however if the F-150 did have a micro-diesel, I'd definetly take a long look at trading off my Yukon!

[hoffdano]

It is always interesting to read the Ford vs. GM vs. Dodge diesel discussions.

I can't really contribute to that but I can add a few thoughts about driving these kinds of trucks.

We owned a 2000 F250 crewcab short bed with the V10 gasoline. I happen to dislike diesel noise a lot and didn't want to pay $4K or more extra for the diesel. Our truck was excellent - my wife drove it because we dislike the Suburban-class SUVs and she didn't want a minivan.

She really liked the truck - but be prepared for a few big changes in driving. Superduty trucks ride awful. The suspension is very stiff and the damping (shocks) are useless when the vehicle is not loaded. Going over a speed bump in the parking lot can pitch people out of their seats. The turning circle is huge on these things. Parking is an adventure - backing in is often easier the going in to a spot the normal way.

These trucks are very common in Texas. Diesels may be durable but they do not seem to be trouble free (based on the experiences of my friends). My brother in law's 2000 F250 with the 7.3 has stranded him twice. The second time (at 90K miles) he had to replace the turbo and related parts. My friend's 2008 Dodge with the Cummins has had repeated problems with soot and his turbo - eventually replacing the turbo under warranty. There is a TSB on this problem related to particulate filters.

[hoffdano]

One other thought - if you are happy with your CRV - have you considered a Honda Ridgeline? It isn't diesel of course. But it's cab is very roomy, drives more like a car, has a large lockable trunk under the bed, has outstanding safety ratings, and can get 21-22 MPG on the highway. It is also AWD.

One other factor on the large trucks - braking distance. They have good brakes, but they usually need 30-50 ft MORE to stop from 60 MPH than cars or vehicles like the CRV. Crew cab versions of these trucks start at 5,500 lbs empty.

[Innovator831021]

Just took my '96 Ram 2500 4x4 12v Cummins 5spd to the Adirondacks and back (about 650 miles) on a single tank of diesel with gallons to spare.... couldnt have been happier with its performance. Got 20+ MPG through mostly mountainous terrain. Very rigid truck normally, but it was cruising smooth as butter at around 73mph for hours on end. This was the first long haul I have taken the truck on since I have owned it... I was extremely pleased with its performance. I dont think I will be deviating from the 12v Cummins for some time....

I see alot of people complaining about diesels... they require a little more care than gas engines but not much. Your dealing with heavy duty, high compression, high torque motors that needs everything working together. If you have all of the maintenance taken care of there isnt much to worry about.... thats why most diesels just keep going and going and going.

[fxtrader]

I have had 5 full size Pickups. 2 gas and 3 diesels. I prefer the power of the diesel and better mileage, although the last few years diesel has been a lot more expensive per gallon than regular gasoline. They use to be fairly equal. The diesel will be more expensive upfront and maintenance wise, but will last forever if taken care of. I haul a lot of landscaping and logging equipement and 4 place snowmobile and ATV trailer no problem. The Ford V-10 gas engine does as good as the diesel but is a gas hog.

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

I have a 2003 Ram quad cab diesel. Room for 5 adults (would be 6 but for stick shift), good ride and handling (7000# sports sedan?), have carried 3600# in the bed (not recommended!) and routinely get 22-24mpg on rural roads. Full size diesels often get better mileage than mid-sized gas engined SUVs or crossovers, last a lot longer and you can do so much more with them. They also hold resale well. Mine has been mostly troublefree (with the exception of u-joints) in 110k. Mileage drops drastically if you do a lot of short trips, seems like you burn a lot of fuel getting that 1/2 ton piece of cast iron in the front up to temperature.

There are some negatives-tire life is somewhat limited (40k seems like the going rate) and they are expensive. All replacement parts for HD pickups and diesels tend to cost more more than lighter duty stuff. Of course it generally lasts longer so there is a payoff. It will be interesting to see what happens when the manufacturers come out with smaller diesels in their 1/2 ton trucks, with gearing optomized for mileage, not pulling power. It would be intersting to see a full size pickup besting a (gasser) Camry on mileage.