Diesel or Gas???

CarnationSensation · Nov 17, 2011

So im finally in the market to buy a Tow Rig/Daily driver.
Ive been looking at the Ford 7.3L 99 through 02.
I wont buy anyhitng other than a Ford so please save your time trying to talk me out of it. Not gunna happen unless your willing to GIVE me a diesel and then ill just sell it for a Ford...

My question is:
Is the towing power from a diesel worth the cost of upkeep compared to gas?
Diesels are quite a bit more at he pump now, also oil changes are more, ill do it myself but still cost more.
I will be buying a 6 speed manual so i know the tranny will be better than the Auto...
What other factors do i need to look at?
Are the only cost differences between the 2 at the pump and oil changes?
Are motor parts more expensive? I have 2 buddies that are Ford certified diesel mechanics so that will be a pluss.
Drive train shouldnt be much different between gas and diesel if the years are the same????
Will diesel get better mielage than gas on highway and city? not towing?

If you think i should get a gas truck and get 4 to 8 MPG while towing please tell me why...I would be towing a couople times a month as long as my **** aint broke or i have other expenditures i need to settle first.
Towing a Yota. looking at 18ft hitch, and goonecks.

Thanks for your input and advise.

boardbysled · Nov 17, 2011

Also, you can look at initial purchase cost, a gas rig is going to be cheaper then a diesel by quite a bit. Thats what swayed me when I purchased my rig, I was able to get a nice gas rig for relativley cheap.

Of course, it'll be a bit slower on the hills then a diesel.

CarnationSensation · Nov 17, 2011

boardbysled said:
Also, you can look at initial purchase cost, a gas rig is going to be cheaper then a diesel by quite a bit. Thats what swayed me when I purchased my rig, I was able to get a nice gas rig for relativley cheap.

Of course, it'll be a bit slower on the hills then a diesel.

Good point.
You run a V8 or V10?
What kind of mielage do you get when not towing? if you ever use it while not towing that is...
Im gunna have to Daily drive this thing. Dont have enough room for another commuter car if i buy a truck.

mark · Nov 17, 2011

If your actually going to USE it for regular towing in addition to DD then its probably a good investment. I certainly love the power and ease of towing with my dirtymax.

However, as a DD its not all that great. Its noisy, "drives heavy", smelly (unless you like diesel smell), takes longer to warm up in the morning and of course maintenance it more (I'm looking at an injector or two and possibly a FPR that are not just expensive, but $$ parts as well).

On top of that, its harder to find fuel for (not all stations have Diesel, but everyone had gasoline) and lately the price difference between Diesel and Gas is stupid ridiculous. You can do the math but fuel-consumption wise the diesel NEEDS to get like 3-4 mpg better to offset the fuel costs.

When I bought mine I was happy to finally get a "real" tow rig of my own, but then the economy also took a crap, Reiter closed, Family takes more of my time and wheeling has been pushed aside. If I had known that then I probably would have bought a Gasser and saved a bunch of initial investment. Been kicking around the idea right now as my truck is still worth about what I paid for it, and if the right replacement fell in to my lap I might consider it.

However anytime I DO tow with it (I also have a dump trailer and an equipment trailer that I've hauled with it more than my wheelers) I do like the diesel......

Take it for what its worth. If I was really smart I would have bought and older gas or even diesel tow rig that might not have been as bling and nice but was cheap and "good enough", parked it for just when I needed a tow-rig and bought a CC Tacoma or something as the DD/kid hauler and had something that was easier to drive and park.

boardbysled · Nov 17, 2011

CarnationSensation said:
Good point.
You run a V8 or V10?
What kind of mielage do you get when not towing? if you ever use it while not towing that is...
Im gunna have to Daily drive this thing. Dont have enough room for another commuter car if i buy a truck.

I have a superior GM product.:flipoff:

3/4 ton, 350 Vortec V8

I DD it, and I get ~16 Highway mileage, probably 12 in the city

When I towed with it, it did decent on the flats, but it was a bit slow on the hills.

unclestripey · Nov 17, 2011

I got a 2000 with the 7.3, I love it. It's stock mechanically, gets about 14 mpg. My truck is a crew with a service box, weighs over 10K, so mileage would be better with less weight. Tows the sami around effortlessly, works a little with the two horses in thier trailer. I'll never get another gasser, they're used up at 120K while a diesel's just getting broke in.:awesomework:

Jeepasaurusrex · Nov 17, 2011

My 99 F-350 gets around 18mpg unloaded around town, and that goes up to about 22 on highway trips. I got 14mpg towing our travel trailer over hwy 20 this fall. I have a larger exhaust, Tymar intake, and a tuner. I love it. It has 161,000+ on it now and it runs like it was new.

GRW · Nov 17, 2011

Time used as DD vs Towing & how much you are spending to start with.
If I was going to do it again (no tow rig at this point) I would go diesel.

CarnationSensation · Nov 17, 2011

GRW said:
Time used as DD vs Towing & how much you are spending to start with.
If I was going to do it again (no tow rig at this point) I would go diesel.

I have a civic now so gas money will likley double if not tripple. I only drive 13miles to work each way and might be able to find a carpool but ill have to look into that. Again i gotta get rid of the civic though casue i dont have room for both. I have 6 vehicles at my house between me and my 2 renters...

Im just mainly tired of "taking it easy" on my weeler when i go out. Worried that i may not be able to drive it home. And i wanna exo it, and get Irocks. I run toyos now due to wheel size and pavement wear...There great on road and in snow but....they just dont cut it on the tails.

Im looking to spend about 7k to 11k. Trying to find least amount of miles possible but wanting a manual tranny is harder than i thought it would be. Definately want it mostly stock. Im ok with an exhause and intake on it but i prefer no chip or tuner when i purchase it.

Thank you all for you input and advice. Im still leaning towards the diesel. I love the smell of diesel so it wont bother me driving one every day. And it sounds like they get a bit better gas mielage wether towing or not.

My dad had a 2002 F350 that was chipped, had intake and exhaust and his computer said he was getting 24mpg city and would get about 28 highway not towing....Dont know for sure if these nubers were correct or not but it sure as hell sounds good.

Just wish he wasnt such a natzi and wouold let me use his 2011 F350...I think it would get my towing needs done!!! But that thing has never left pavement...

uke:

unclestripey · Nov 17, 2011

I paid a little over 13K, the rig had 99300 miles when I picked it up, I've put over 30000 trouble-free mles on it. You'll only smell diesel if you hang out by the tailpipe, or spill it on yerself.

slednecks1124 · Nov 17, 2011

Its a Ford.....gas mileage is going to suck, ugly interior, slow as **** and its going to break in no time so have fun with that:fawkdancesmiley:

Avanteone · Nov 17, 2011

The 7.3 is pretty reliable. Yes, oil changes are 3x as expensive, but you're only doing them every 6-7k instead of every 3k. There's no real "maintenance" other than oil changes and fuel filters. No tune parts to wear out, etc. If you really will be towing 2x per month, I'd go with the diesel. And you're right, it does make wheeling more fun not having to WORRY about breaking.

"S"-box · Nov 17, 2011

other than my chebby, I don't think i'll be without a diesel for a tow rig ever if I can swing it:awesomework: diesel all the way....love me my dirtymax:awesomework:

Not Jobless · Nov 17, 2011

If your towing every weekend, maybe regular out of state longer trips, two car trailers, etc...then a diesel makes good sense.

unclestripey · Nov 17, 2011

slednecks1124 said:
Its a Jeep.....gas mileage is going to suck, ugly interior, slow as **** and its going to break in no time so have fun with that:fawkdancesmiley:

Fixed!:fawkdancesmiley::beer:

zukkev · Nov 18, 2011

Avanteone said:
The 7.3 is pretty reliable. Yes, oil changes are 3x as expensive, but you're only doing them every 6-7k instead of every 3k. There's no real "maintenance" other than oil changes and fuel filters. No tune parts to wear out, etc. If you really will be towing 2x per month, I'd go with the diesel. And you're right, it does make wheeling more fun not having to WORRY about breaking.

I'd never go 6-7K on a 7.3L....Oil is the heart of a PSd injection system.When you experience, as I have, a marked improvement in idle quality when changing just the oil/filter after only 4.5K....3.5K is the max I go between changes now...

CHOP SHOP · Nov 18, 2011

**** my dodge just keeps getting cheaper to run the longer I own it. :clappy:

I think the fords are pretty tho if in the late 90s. :cheer:

Theres a reason they offer cummins swap kits fer them. :;

nowires · Nov 18, 2011

The only advice I will give on this is

there are a lot of small blocks pulling a lot of trailers around the area
Don't get rig of the civic, slow down and look for the deal
If you are not in the know about diesels, take it to some one that knows before you buy it

Good luck and watch what you get, you will either love it or hate it. It will either be the best or the worde investment you ever made

Personally if it was me, I would buy a older chevy that is in good shape and drop a 502 in it. You will be money ahead and it will pull hard

Jeepasaurusrex · Nov 18, 2011

....And pass everything except a gas station. :redneck:

CarnationSensation · Nov 18, 2011

nowires said:
The only advice I will give on this is

there are a lot of small blocks pulling a lot of trailers around the area

Don't get rig of the civic, slow down and look for the deal

If you are not in the know about diesels, take it to some one that knows before you buy it

Good luck and watch what you get, you will either love it or hate it. It will either be the best or the worde investment you ever made

Personally if it was me, I would buy a older chevy that is in good shape and drop a 502 in it. You will be money ahead and it will pull hard

Yeah i dont know anything about Diesel, well i really dont know a lot about motors in general but im slowly learning.
I will bring a buddy that is a Diesel Tech so hopefully he will know his **** better than me. I know if it runs good and has no problems i will love it. I just need to be patient like you said and keep looking.

I found this one but its a little spendy for me...
http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/cto/2702402366.html