Posted 2013-01-30 8:54 AM (#149600) Subject: Gas vs Diesel...Need Some Advice
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Posts: 489
Going back to the late 80's I have always owned diesel pickups both Ford and Dodge. I currently have a 09 Dodge with the Cummings, pulls great and I love the engine brake but the new emissions stuff on the diesel motors are a PITA. I was kidding a friend the other day and telling him that I thought the check engine light had burnt out because we went a week without it coming on. The turbo has been replaced once but I still have issues and I am about at the end of the warranty. I drive a company car for work and my 16 year old daughter has been driving the pickup for a school car. What I have decided to do is to trade the current pickup in and purchase an older pickup to leave on the trailer and buy my daughter 1/2 ton gas pickup to drive to school. I look forward to having a pickup I can leave hooked to the trailer and a smaller pickup is much more practical for my daughter to drive. I would say the Dodge is worth about $25,000 so what I am going to try and do is make a two for one trade with a bit of money added if needed. Looking around I can find several mid 2000 F-150 pickup that would be good for my daughter that are in the $10k to $15K range, which would leave me about $15 to $18 to spend on a truck to pull a trailer. So that brings me to my question. I want to stay in the 2004-2008 range. An older Dodge Cummings would probably be a good pickup but because the motor is so popular even an 04 with 175,000 miles brings $15k and that is too many miles for me so that is out of the question.I go back a forth between the Ford Diesel, I owned a 6.0 to 100,000 miles and didn't have any trouble but I think I was probably just lucky. You can find really nice, loaded, mid 2000 Ford diesels with not much over 100,000 miles for $15k sometimes less. It's hard to pass these by but there is a reason they sell so cheap...lots of people have problems so the market for the older 6.0 and 6.4 are really soft.Where it looks like I have settled is a mid 2000 Dodge 2500/3500 or Ford F-250/F-350 gas pickup with about 100,000 miles. I fully understand these pickups won't pull like my Dodge but I still think they should be sufficient. I will probably put less than 5,000 miles per year on the pickup most round trips 150 miles or less, a few trips 300 miles round trip and maybe a 1000 mile trip once a year. My main concern is reliability, it seems to me that 100,000 miles isn't what it use to be and vehicles go much longer than they used to and it should be a problem but any input would be appreciated.
Posted 2013-01-30 10:14 AM (#149606 - in reply to #149600) Subject: RE: Gas vs Diesel...Need Some Advice
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Posts: 385 Location: high desert, CA.
Hi There!You may be surprised to find a nice 2005, Cummins out there. I bought mine just a couple years ago, and the 05 seems to be the best trade off to get the 5.9 engine, and no DPF or major smog junk. ( yeah, they do all have SOME smog stuff). Mine is a long bed,single rear wheel, 3500, with crew cab. It has towed the 4 horse w/liv qtrs all over California, and Arizona/Nevada/Oregon.I don't have the exhaust brake, and wish sometimes I did, but driving with care have only had a stopping problem once, cause I needed to adjust the trailer brake controller. You should be able to get more than $25,000 for yours, as if low mileage it will be snapped up like a cream puff. I would think $30,000 is more in line.
Posted 2013-01-30 10:21 AM (#149607 - in reply to #149606) Subject: RE: Gas vs Diesel...Need Some Advice
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Originally written by siseley on 2013-01-30 10:14 AM
Hi There!You may be surprised to find a nice 2005, Cummins out there. I bought mine just a couple years ago, and the 05 seems to be the best trade off to get the 5.9 engine, and no DPF or major smog junk. ( yeah, they do all have SOME smog stuff). Mine is a long bed,single rear wheel, 3500, with crew cab. It has towed the 4 horse w/liv qtrs all over California, and Arizona/Nevada/Oregon.I don't have the exhaust brake, and wish sometimes I did, but driving with care have only had a stopping problem once, cause I needed to adjust the trailer brake controller. You should be able to get more than $25,000 for yours, as if low mileage it will be snapped up like a cream puff. I would think $30,000 is more in line.
Everything I could find in the $15,000 to $18,000 range is very high miles 175,000 to 300,000
Posted 2013-01-30 7:52 PM (#149613 - in reply to #149612) Subject: RE: Gas vs Diesel...Need Some Advice
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Originally written by PaulChristenson on 2013-01-30 7:50 PM
Get a Duramax...
Thanks for the reply Paul...I wouldn't be opposed to that but like the Dodge the Duramax must be a good motor because the diesels still fetch a good premium. I would have to get into really high miles to stay in my price range.
Posted 2013-01-31 5:24 AM (#149622 - in reply to #149616) Subject: RE: Gas vs Diesel...Need Some Advice
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Originally written by dkhunter04 on 2013-01-30 9:15 PM
Blackcows, what is your question? You seem to have done your research. Not sure what it is you're looking for from the forum.
As I said in my original post.....My main concern is reliability, it seems to me that 100,000 miles isn't what it use to be and vehicles go much longer than they used to and it shouldn't be a problem but any input would be appreciated.This is in regards to a higher mileage gas engine.
Posted 2013-01-31 9:04 AM (#149625 - in reply to #149600) Subject: RE: Gas vs Diesel...Need Some Advice
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Posts: 402 Location: Valentine, NE
My experience with the higher mileage pickups, gas or diesel, is that be prepared to spend a little on repairs. Things like tie rods, batteries, battery cables, brakes, tires, bearings, hoses, etc will need to be replaced. They do last longer then they used to 20 years ago. Also, there will probably be more rattles, and little things (door handles, electric controls, etc) that one can do without if breaks, but they will break. IF you are a person that can handle getting by with little things going wrong, a higher mileage pickup might work. IF you are a person that needs everything to work 100% of the time, might re-evaluate a higher mileage vehicle.
My pick would be the GM models in the higher mileage range but that is my opinion. Also, I think the 100k plus diesels are way over priced. If financed, payments on them could be the same as a newer one, just less years. My numbers shows me that a newer (not new) makes more sense than one 8-10 years old.
It basically gets back to the old saying----payments or repairs, they WILL cost you money...
Posted 2013-01-31 11:47 AM (#149628 - in reply to #149600) Subject: RE: Gas vs Diesel...Need Some Advice
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Posts: 14
Location: Columbia SC
I was of the same opinion on the Duramaxs five years ago. I found a 2001 Chev 4 x 4 with the Duramax with 60,000 miles on ebay. This truck was only 70 miles away and I bought it before the auction ended for $18,500. Been told several times I stole the truck for that price. And I love my truck. They are out there you just have to look everywhere for what you want and the price you want. I looked on autotrader, craigs list, horse trailer world and ebay. I wish I could find a lq horse trailer for the price I want with what I want on it as I'm looking everywhere I can think of for that too. Good luck truck hunting. It is out there.
Posted 2013-01-31 11:52 AM (#149629 - in reply to #149600) Subject: RE: Gas vs Diesel...Need Some Advice
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Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
Talking to a friend the other day that is driving a Ford Superduty with the V10 gas engine. He was telling me that he just hit 250,000 miles, and other than shocks, brakes, ball joints kind of stuff has done nothing to his engine or tranny.
I'm not sure the Diesel are holding up any better than the gas engines.
Another friend lent her 2000 F250 with the 7.3L to her sister who wrecked it. She just told me the insurance company gave her $16,000 for the totaled truck. I'm not about to pay $16,000 for 13 year old truck.
Posted 2013-02-02 9:17 AM (#149654 - in reply to #149625) Subject: RE: Gas vs Diesel...Need Some Advice
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Posts: 489
Originally written by Spin Doctor on 2013-01-31 9:04 AM
My experience with the higher mileage pickups, gas or diesel, is that be prepared to spend a little on repairs. Things like tie rods, batteries, battery cables, brakes, tires, bearings, hoses, etc will need to be replaced. They do last longer then they used to 20 years ago. Also, there will probably be more rattles, and little things (door handles, electric controls, etc) that one can do without if breaks, but they will break. IF you are a person that can handle getting by with little things going wrong, a higher mileage pickup might work. IF you are a person that needs everything to work 100% of the time, might re-evaluate a higher mileage vehicle.
My pick would be the GM models in the higher mileage range but that is my opinion. Also, I think the 100k plus diesels are way over priced. If financed, payments on them could be the same as a newer one, just less years. My numbers shows me that a newer (not new) makes more sense than one 8-10 years old.
It basically gets back to the old saying----payments or repairs, they WILL cost you money...
Good luck!
I don't want payments and since I will be running the pickup less than 5,000 miles a year I hope I won't be wearing too much out.One concern I do have is pulling power...I don't have big trailers, my stock trailer is a 7 x 20 with a 4 ft dressing room (so only a 16 foot box), it's rare that it's full usually just 2 or 3 4-H calves. My horse trailer is 3 horse with an 8ft short wall and a midtack...about 26ft on the floor. We live just west Omaha ( I think you live in Valentine?) so not a lot of hill and mostly interstate, highway, paved county road travel. I just talked to a good friend at Cody and he has a 6.0 with 200,000 miles and it has been pretty good to him but I just don't want the take the risk of being on the side of the road. It's possible with any vehicle but from what I have read it's probable with the 6.0.
Posted 2013-02-02 9:18 AM (#149655 - in reply to #149629) Subject: RE: Gas vs Diesel...Need Some Advice
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Posts: 489
Originally written by Painted Horse on 2013-01-31 11:52 AM
Talking to a friend the other day that is driving a Ford Superduty with the V10 gas engine. He was telling me that he just hit 250,000 miles, and other than shocks, brakes, ball joints kind of stuff has done nothing to his engine or tranny.
I'm not sure the Diesel are holding up any better than the gas engines.
Another friend lent her 2000 F250 with the 7.3L to her sister who wrecked it. She just told me the insurance company gave her $16,000 for the totaled truck. I'm not about to pay $16,000 for 13 year old truck.
Posted 2013-02-04 8:55 AM (#149698 - in reply to #149600) Subject: RE: Gas vs Diesel...Need Some Advice
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Posts: 1723 Location: michigan
IMO having both gas a diesel truck..I would go with the gas. Unless you really need serious pulling power,gas engines run a long time and are durable. Gasoline is now alot less than diesel and oil changes ( an other matinence issues) are less expensive as well. I found my gas truck has much more get up and go..and that matters when passing. It starts every time no matter how cold ( and this may not be a issue with chevy I am told) and you can always find gasoline no matter where you are..and this isn't the case with diesel fuel. Plus you can usually find a wider selection of used gas trucks than used diesel.
Posted 2013-02-04 11:18 AM (#149703 - in reply to #149600) Subject: RE: Gas vs Diesel...Need Some Advice
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Posts: 95 Location: Nashville, TN
Since you've owned a diesel and if you decide to buy a gas engine...will you mumble under your breath every time you take a trip "I sure miss my diesel". If that is the case, quit looking at gas engines and buy the 5.9 Dodge without all the pollution control or the 7.3L Ford. Anyone that has 200,000 on a 6.0L without any issues is one lucky man. I wouldn't trust a trip across town in a 6.0L.
Financially, the gas truck makes the most sense for your situation and you should be able to buy a used one at a good price. Manual transmission truck would be my preference.
Posted 2013-02-04 11:22 AM (#149704 - in reply to #149703) Subject: RE: Gas vs Diesel...Need Some Advice
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Posts: 489
Originally written by rattler on 2013-02-04 11:18 AM
Since you've owned a diesel and if you decide to buy a gas engine...will you mumble under your breath every time you take a trip "I sure miss my diesel". If that is the case, quit looking at gas engines and buy the 5.9 Dodge without all the pollution control or the 7.3L Ford. Anyone that has 200,000 on a 6.0L without any issues is one lucky man. I wouldn't trust a trip across town in a 6.0L.
Financially, the gas truck makes the most sense for your situation and you should be able to buy a used one at a good price. Manual transmission truck would be my preference.
I agree the 7.3 is a good motor but I don't want a pickup that old, the 5.9 brings far too much of a premium and I would be VERY high miles in my price range.
Posted 2013-02-07 3:12 PM (#149759 - in reply to #149600) Subject: RE: Gas vs Diesel...Need Some Advice
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Posts: 51
I have a 02 Ford crew cab dually with the power stroke diesel and I was going to trade it off for a new Power stroke diesel with single wheels. I ordered my 02 and it has the 7.3 because I didn't want all the emmision crap. It only has 121,000 miles on it. They were only going to give me $12,000 for it. The new one loaded was $67,000. I told my wife that most of the time the new one was going to get drove for a driver now that I retired from farming and my daughters have left the house. Gas is cheaper than diesel and the new gas pickups get better milage than a diesel. So I said I will just keep my 02 and leave it under the 4 horse slant gooseneck and we bought a new F-150 eco- boost 4 dr. My 02 looks like it is brand new and the only thing I have done to it is service and brakes and I was not going to let it go for $12,000. It is really nice to not having to unhook from under the trailer. You can find some nice older diesel with under 150,000 miles on them. Remember you are only putting 5,000 mile a year on it.
Posted 2013-02-11 8:11 PM (#149858 - in reply to #149600) Subject: RE: Gas vs Diesel...Need Some Advice
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Posts: 16
I added a SmartyJR to my 2008 6.7L at 30,000 miles did the DPF delete and EGR delete at 80,000 mi.(wish I had done it at 30,000) I have 154,000 miles on this pickup and it has not missed a beat. As long as you have the EGR and DPF you will continue to have turbo issues. The soot gums up the sliding ring in the variable vane turbo.
Gas vs Diesel...Need Some Advice
