To diesel or not to diesel...

[freebird01]

my 87 f150 reg cab long bed 4x4 5spd w/ 300 inline gets 15-17mpg consistantly...even running highway speeds

 

[chris142]

When I was truck shopping I didn't know what an idi was. I was just looking for a nice 3/4 or larger truck that was a stickshift , large cab and 4x4. I passed up lots of trucks with 460's that had no oil on the dipstick and mud in the cooling system. Just so happens that the nicest truck I found was a 6.9 Diesel. If you want or need a truck id make the engine type the last thing to consider. Look for one that has not been beat

 

[frozenrotors]

I agree with chris142, If you want a truck get the nicest one you can afford. Since you don’t have a need to tow or haul you really don’t need a diesel. But if you want a diesel, that’s a different discussion.

 

[leswhitt]

If it were mine, I'd fix the Camry, ride it for another 100,000 miles, and put the money saved into an investment opportunity. If you don't need a truck and like it more for the sound, just do what I do and test drive something new every now and then to get your "fix."

 

[ghunt]

If the camry hadn't grenaded the engine at 5000 RPM's in the middle of Tennessee, I MIGHT have considered fixing it. But it was a $2000 car that I was likely looking at AT LEAST $1000 in repairs and charges to haul it 5 hours back home, so it wasn't even worth it. I just gave it to the guy at the towing place that towed us because him and his wife drove us an hour to Pigeon Forge (where we were going) and bought us dinner.

God, I really wish there woulda been some way I could have kept my truck...it was paid for, but I had absolutely no extra money at the time and I had to have something I could drive...plus the little lady probably woulda flipped her **** if I had three vehicles.

 

[leswhitt]

This sounds like a need vs want scenario....do you need a truck or just want one? As food for thought, a 4x8 trailer can be had for $250, will haul about anything, and can be hooked to some sedans and most SUV's.

This is coming from a guy who's planning to sell his Excursion and daily drive an International 4700 instead...it's actually cheaper that way and since I like to save $$$, it was an easy decision.

 

[HammerDown]

Regular grade gas has dropped to $3.30 and they 'say' will go lower
Diesel hasn't budged...$4.10 > > > SUCKS!

Unless you 'need' a diesel and will 'work' a diesel...I say...BUY a GAS IGNITER!

 

[GOOSE]

Like I said, apples to apple's a diesel will win out. Apple's to oranges not so much. If you need an f250 ext cab 4x4, diesel is a better option over gas. If an f150 or ranger will do, they will be more economical.

My last gasser, a '77 f250 4x4 got 7mpg's over a 2 year average. It forced me to buy diesel when gas spiked pricewise in about 2006. My first diesel got 16mpg for an average, cutting my fuel cost nearly in half. I do tow and haul regularly so the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks are justified. I have cracked frames, leaf springs, lost tires due to broken lug studs and such in my younger days. There comes a time in your life that you realize you are a safety hazard to the people you share the road with and become more concerned with being safe than what you can get away with.

 

[92F350CC]

On the topic of the mileage thing...how does an IDI compare to, say, a 351? I got about 13 mpg city, couldn't seem to muster more than 15-16 mpg highway, and city dropped to 11-12 on winter fuel. I think it would have been better with new injectors...I swapped IP's and it started way better, but had issues with the new injectors I got and had to swap the old ones back in. Did the 351 trucks get single digit city mileage? My wife's dad has a couple newer F250 shop trucks with the 5.4 and those things are gutless, I imagine that's what the 351 feels like too.

I did love the block heater on my truck in the winter...hop in, turn it on, instant heat

Ohhhh...I guess it will all depend on what I can find. IDI's are getting scarce in these parts. Older PSD's are easier to find but they always have 200K+ miles.

With a 351/ZF-5 combo in my 92 F350 CCLB 4x4 running 4.10's, I can get 15-16 on the freeway. Just last month, I took a trip up to Idaho averaging 75-80 mph. On the way up, I got 15.7 mpg. The next tank included a lot of steep grades in 3rd gear, so I got about 14 on that tank.

I don't check it much when driving around town, couldn't tell you what I get....I don't think I've ever done more than half a tank in town anyway.


EDIT: I should also mention that most of the fuel that I burned in that first tank had been sitting in the truck for 2+ years in my backyard. I didn't change it out, pour in any additives, or change the filter...just swapped in a new battery and hit the road.

 

[FordGuy100]

I would honestly buy a gasser. I have driven my truck a whopping 250 miles in the last year, and that was to park it 250 miles away at a relatives house....

 

[fordf350man]

i dont need a diesel but i wanted a truck, so i went with diesel for the better fuel milage, i have a crew cab long bed f350 with a leveling kit, it has a c6 with 3.55s in the axles and it is better on fuel than my v6 dakota, v8 dakota, and i had a 88 f250 with a zf 5 speed and a 351w, its also way heavier than those trucks, couldnt be happier, and i wish gas prices were at 3.80 were i am at, your lucky if you find it for 4.09 a gallon

 

[ghunt]

I just filled up the Stang a few days ago...Regular gas here is $3.21, 93 (which I run in the Mustang) is $3.41, and diesel is still $3.99. Ugh, I remember that issue now. Gas has come down 30-40 cents in the last month or two, I don't think diesel has even come down 10. Doesn't make any sense.

Well, I'm a ways off from being ready to look for a truck right now anyway...the wife really wants an Explorer, and if we get her that she'll probably let me buy whatever the hell I want, so it's probably a good idea to arrange that first Can't do anything til after this winter anyway, we're paying off some furniture we bought and a cruise & air fare for a vacation in May...always something!

 

[jordanjohngse]

We'll for me owning Chevy gassers, and jeeps I sold my 2003 Chevy with 6.0 bought a yj that's now under going flat bed and soon will be seeing 40s tires, bought my idi for 4k, had to put 400$ from PO screw ups but for now it's a commuter but soon be towing my yj, my Chevy got 12 mpg, my idi with 37 humvee tires 4:10 and other goody gets 23 mpg hwy, 18 city, cost me 100$ a month for the loan, and I put 30 gallons of diesel at 3.70 a gallon and I commute 15 miles round trip, over truck now yea she just my hillbilly look at me I got a diesel but soon will be towing but I spend a lot less In a month on diesel and ect, on my idi while going by the books then any gasser i have owned, and it's a 5spd with straight axle swap and my 6 month old daughter fits in the back with the car seat with the wife and two dogs better then any extended cab Chevy, I'll never look back, specially if you budget your daily life diesel can be cheaper just got to play your cards right

 

[texcl]

I went to WVU and sure have a lot of good memories there. Was going to stay there but my wife to be wanted to move back to the DC metro. Built a boat while I was there after fixing up an old outboard and used to cruise the cheat lake and the river there in town, shot my first banded duck on the cheat.

 

[jayro88]

There is more to look at than just the fuel prices. Yes, you could probably do better fuel economy in a smaller gasser truck/car, but that isn't all you need to look at. Insurance on my IDI is super cheap, tags are cheap and fixing it is easy.....parts are reasonable and I can do it myself. Plus no payment!!! (car payments are the Devil as far as I am concerned). With the money I saved on insurance, tags and repairs it more than pays for the fuel difference. Longevity is another issue. I bought mine with 120k miles on it and I plan on driving it for another 300-400k......keeping the miles of my wife's more expensive gasser that will be lucky to see 250-300k miles. Om top of that I will work it too.....trailering the track car and pulling a travel trailer.

Then don't count out the "It is what I want and I can afford it" factor. Money you spend in one place you can't spend somewhere else. If you can afford a little more and it is more important to you than going to the movies an extra time a month then go for it!!