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On a recent trip across the U.S., my wife and I discovered our 2007 Honda CRV was really too small to haul all of our stuff plus the baby's stuff. As of now we have one small child but we plan for another. Just with our stuff and the baby's stuff alone the SUV was packed.
I've decided for our next vehicle I want to purchase a full size quad cab truck. That way it can fit all of us comfortably, and all of the cargo can go into the bed - I'll either install a tonneau cover or a truck cap to keep it secire/keep the rain and weather off of it.
I've never owned a truck with a diesel before, but in the little bit of reading I have read they not only (usually) have more power than a typical gasoline V8, but they also get better fuel economy.
For instance....as of now I'm considering buying an older Ford F-250 with the 7.3 liter powerstroke, since I've been advised the 6.0 liter powerstroke was plagued with all sorts of engine issues. I was reading how some owners were claiming they were getting 15 mpg in town with their powerstrokes whereas their trusty Triton's were only getting maybe 10 at best.
But I don't know, so I thought I'd ask about diesel powered full size trucks. What do you have? How do you like it? What kind of mpg are you getting? Does yours get better mpg than a similar model with a gas engine? (i.e. Silverado diesel vs. Silverado w/5.3 L/6.0 L gas V8)
On a recent trip across the U.S., my wife and I discovered our 2007 Honda CRV was really too small to haul all of our stuff plus the baby's stuff. As of now we have one small child but we plan for another. Just with our stuff and the baby's stuff alone the SUV was packed.
I've decided for our next vehicle I want to purchase a full size quad cab truck. That way it can fit all of us comfortably, and all of the cargo can go into the bed - I'll either install a tonneau cover or a truck cap to keep it secire/keep the rain and weather off of it.
I've never owned a truck with a diesel before, but in the little bit of reading I have read they not only (usually) have more power than a typical gasoline V8, but they also get better fuel economy.
For instance....as of now I'm considering buying an older Ford F-250 with the 7.3 liter powerstroke, since I've been advised the 6.0 liter powerstroke was plagued with all sorts of engine issues. I was reading how some owners were claiming they were getting 15 mpg in town with their powerstrokes whereas their trusty Triton's were only getting maybe 10 at best.
But I don't know, so I thought I'd ask about diesel powered full size trucks. What do you have? How do you like it? What kind of mpg are you getting? Does yours get better mpg than a similar model with a gas engine? (i.e. Silverado diesel vs. Silverado w/5.3 L/6.0 L gas V8)
Sorry to say this but you plan to fill this need is massive, way massive overkill!! Cut back on the testosterone friend.
Get a minivan ,or a full size van at the max, since both will fill your need both now and in the future. A diesel PU is a money pit of the worst kind unless you absolutely need the hauling/pulling capacity. DON'T BUY ONE unless you have money to throw away!!
Sorry to say this but you plan to fill this need is massive, way massive overkill!! Cut back on the testosterone friend.
Get a minivan ,or a full size van at the max, since both will fill your need both now and in the future. A diesel PU is a money pit of the worst kind unless you absolutely need the hauling/pulling capacity. DON'T BUY ONE unless you have money to throw away!!
Well I had considered in the future buying a boat.
Cut back on the testosterone huh? Guess I should also sell off my muscle cars too?
A minivan is not for me. A full size van "might" be a go. But really a truck is more me, plus I can use it to haul stuff with. Can't really do that with a van...well you "could" but a truck is 10X easier.
Sorry no minivans here, I'll leave those for all the soccer moms.
We have a 2001 Dogde Cummins diesel with the extra cab (not the quad cab) and it has been a great truck. My dh is a truck driver, so Dodge was the choice for him because he knows that Cummins has been building diesels forever, and knows how dependable they are! A diesel engine will also last alot longer than most gas engines!! Mileage is good, we average about 20mpg in the truck! My Nissan Maxima gets about 19mpg.
Even with me being a girl, if I had to either have a large SUV (Suburban or the like) or the full size diesel quad cab truck, I would take the truck any day! It is very comfortable, better gas mileage, and you can haul anything without worry. You don't realize how nice that is, whether it be something too bulky to fit in a car (we bought a patio set this summer that wouldn't fit in my car), or something dirty or messy that you don't want to mess up your car with.
My 1995 F-250 Powerstroke 4x2 extended cab with full length bed and a topper will easily turn in 22-23 mpg on the road if held to a cruise speed of 62-64 mph, and a modest load in the cab and the back.
It's essential to have good quality fuel, clean filters, frequent oil/filter changes with hi-qual diesel rated oil (I run Rotella T, Delo 400, or Valvoline Blue). Bio-diesel will adversely affect your fuel mileage, and a high percentage (over 10%) is discouraged by Ford due to the bad effects on the injection system.
I've also found that running Lucas fuel additive in every tank is worth the effort and expense on this truck. At 202,000 miles, it runs as well as it did many years and miles ago.
My 1996 Dodge 2500 4x4 12v Cummins Turbodiesel Extended cab is routinely turning in 21-22 mpg on good diesel fuel; 2,000 RPM is the best cruise speed, which works out to about 65 mph.
Both trucks will lose fuel economy rapidly at faster speeds or with a heavy trailer in tow.
A Diesel truck with achieve anywhere from 5-10 MPG better than a comparable gasonline powered truck. The absolute best diesel engine (Dodge Cummins) is paired with the absolute worst transmission! The absolute best transmission (Chevy Allison) is paired with the absolute worst engine (Duramax).
The only option to avoid a very expensive repair on either the diesel engine or the transmission would be to buy a Ford F-250 or F-350 Powerstroke Diesel. The 7.3 is proven to be an outstanding engine and the 6.0L improved with the years. I would have no problem buying a latter year (between '05-'07) 6.0L Diesel since many of the problems by then had been corrected. The new 6.4L so far has proven to be quite reliable and if you have the money to spend, I'd highly recommend getting a slightly used '08 F-250 or F-350 with the 6.4L.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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I am pleased that my '93 Dodge 4x4 1T Dually Cummins can tug around 28,800# and still get 12 mpg. I gets 18-20 empty, but rides like a truck
the newer 'wussy' models ride more like cars, are not so noisy, and are a tad more $$ (I got an older Cummins 4x4 pickup for $2500 last yr).
I ALWAYS recommend that anyone looking to diesel MUST really want & NEED it and be prepared for diligent, but simple maint. (fresh fuel, fresh filters, ALWAYS keep fuel tank full and fill BEFORE shutting down (to avoid condensation, since diesel recirculates warm fuel to tank). And... if you don't like the smell or noise, don't buy a diesel.
Need is usually justified with HEAVY towing, or over 20,000 miles / yr, and minimal short trips (takes a while to warm up a diesel, and they prefer to RUN / WORK, not sit and rest). Water and condensation are their enemy.
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Cut back on the testosterone friend.
