diesel truck, I don't know anything. Help me please

[Bean Counter]

K.  Thanks guys.  I'll probably stick to gas.

You can still pull and haul chit with a gas.. Diesel just seems to make sense if you regularly haul 1,000 lbs or tow a lot. I doubt that you'd even get much of an advantage with diesel if all you pull is some lightweight fishing boat, to boot. I went through the same considerations when I bought my (gas) Toyota Tundra. Lovin' every huntin' minute of it.  

[DoubleJ]

I'm thinking I want the F350.  Won't use it all the time but I'd hate to need it and not have it

[PolarBear]

Great choice but make sure you get one with the 7.3 diesel!

[DoubleJ]

Probably not getting any, just window shopping.  looking at the 2011 6.2l gas F350

[Happy Gilmore]

My work truck fleet is a good baseline I've followed for the last 7 years here. Every single mile on our trucks is pulling a 24' Wellscargo Trailer which usually weight about 15K on the scale.

Our fleet was filled with Ford F-350's since 2000.

In 2004 we bought our first 6.0L trucks. By 2006 We had 6 F-350 6L trucks. We can easily put 50K on a year unless the truck is on a big job and not on the highway doing a bunch of running around. Our low mileage trucks usually have a ton of off road miles on them due to job locations in Montana, WY, NV, OR, WA,etc. We currently have 3 6L trucks left in our fleet. Two do not run, one will not start without starting fluid. None of the three left have over 190K miles. These trucks are strictly maintained, oil and filters changed and monitored.

We have two 2000 F-350's at our office in Reno with over 200K and no major repairs.

We now have been buying Chevy Duramax / Allison combos. We currently have 8 as of last week-a new 2011.
Our highest mileage Chevy has 165K. I think the 2007. It has spent time in the shop for electrical issues and transmission issues. Both were minor easy fixes but, have also been re-occuring.

Overall, right now- Chevy is the only Choice. Might be a while until Ford motor is proven. Dodge's can't take the heavy work- they fall apart. We have only tried two Dodges, one 1998 and a 2000. They can't take the off road beating our trucks endure going up to old mining sites and driving around landfills. They had all sorts of fit and finish issues, tranny and electrical problems. We left one in Montana on a trade in for a Chevy a couple years back.

Anyone needs two 6L parts trucks- we have them sitting here in Kent looking for a new home. Poor condition bodys, 4 doors, plastic interior, dual rw, flatbeds. not running. send me a PM -

[Rick]

Probably not getting any, just window shopping.  looking at the 2011 6.2l gas F350

Good call.

A truck with almost 400hp will tow just about anything that any of us will need to tow.

With the way the new diesels are getting hamstrung by emmision laws,the advantage of the diesel isn't what it used to be.

My next truck won't have a diesel engine.

[MuleySniper]

I think the biggest issue with the newer diesels is all the emission stuff. I have a 6.7 cummins. 6 inch lift with 37" toyo MT's. I was averaging 9.9 mpgs around town. Mind you I only drive it a total of maybe 15 miles a day during the week. I change the oil with Delo every 3000 miles and have changed the fuel filter twice. I only have 30,000 miles on it. I finally made the decision to add a tuner and remove all the emissions stuff. No emissions on Fox Island . I just removed the dpf on Sunday and I'm already over 13 mpg's just around town. Tonight after work I'll be blocking off the egr. I'll be curious to see how that affects mileage. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is if you do go with a brand new truck, be aware of all the emission stuff and how it will affect the longevity of your motor and fuel mileage. They require more attention with filters and oil changes. Good luck!
MS

Oh and my only other gripe is the frickin cost of diesel!!! Sure isn't what it was a few years back.

[6x6in6]

You should get close to 20 Muley.
Did you get the Black Max or Mini Max from H&S Performance?

[MuleySniper]

I went with a Smarty. Seems the majority vote on cumminsforum.com was the Smarty tuner for the 6.7. I still need to add an intake and would like to do a new down pipe. I need an excuse to head east to do some yote hunting, might have to convince the wife I need to check my highway mpg's

[JackOfAllTrades]

Kept my 78 Ford F150 that I converted to standard transmission and got rid of the chain drive transfercase for a married 205, installed a Dana60 with 4.10:1 gear'd trackloc in the rear, and outfitted the front Dana44 with 4.10:1 gear'd detroit locker to F250 spindles/brakes/hubs but retained the coil front suspension with 6" lift, ... I kept it for nine years. I have no idea how many miles.

My 88 Ford F250 with built FI 460 with the big'ole Banks 3 1/2" exhaust and 4" lift I kept for just over ten years. For half the time I had it, it was a second rig and sat in my shop for days on end while I drove a hotrod. I still managed to put 100,000 miles on it.

I've had my PowerStroke since fall of 04' and now have 130,000 miles on it. I plan to get 300,000 miles out of the powerplant. I figue that'll be about 12 years of ownership or so..

I think that my next truck will still be diesel powered. There are lots of emissions regulations, but I bet in the next few years that all the big three will have the emissions stuff figured out.  

Just add propane!  (It'll all be cleaner but you're gonna have to hold the heck on missy!)

-Steve

[JackOfAllTrades]

4" down tube dropped my post turbo EGT's more than 250 degrees on a hard pull.

-Steve

[6x6in6]

I went with a Smarty. Seems the majority vote on cumminsforum.com was the Smarty tuner for the 6.7. I still need to add an intake and would like to do a new down pipe. I need an excuse to head east to do some yote hunting, might have to convince the wife I need to check my highway mpg's

S-06 Smarty on my '05.
Be careful with timing adjustments.  Too much timing makes the head gasket go boom.  But I think Bob and Marco got that one sorted out.

[woodswalker]

I've been ruminating on a new-to-me diesel truck...one thing that is a WHOLESALE turnoff for the newer ones....

MUFFLER FLUID!!!!!!!!!!! 

Another thing to remember about new diesels is the Urea they are requiring them to use. Ford and Chev both use them Dodge is the only one of the big three that hasn't had to use it yet. Urea is a additive that is injected into the exhaust to help scrub the system and is something that will have a tank and will need to be filled at certain intervals. Not sure on price and availability but its worth checking into when considering a new truck. 

What next....Blinker fluid? 

[jackelope]

I've been ruminating on a new-to-me diesel truck...one thing that is a WHOLESALE turnoff for the newer ones....

MUFFLER FLUID!!!!!!!!!!! 

Another thing to remember about new diesels is the Urea they are requiring them to use. Ford and Chev both use them Dodge is the only one of the big three that hasn't had to use it yet. Urea is a additive that is injected into the exhaust to help scrub the system and is something that will have a tank and will need to be filled at certain intervals. Not sure on price and availability but its worth checking into when considering a new truck. 

What next....Blinker fluid? 

Dodge uses it too.
 
4500's and bigger now, all of them next year.

[Buckmark]

Currently how much are you guys paying for per gallon diesel fuel (like in the last week/month)