i need some help deciding whihc engine to get in my new truck....i don't know whether to go with the diesel or the V10...i don't tow much, but id be driving a good bit rpolly around 15-20K miles a year...but i also want to have some fun in it... i would prolly put mods on either engine to pull more power out of it like a banks sixgun kit on the diesel and probably a airintake and exhaust and a tuner chip for the v10...but i just can't decide which one to get...i live in central ohio so right now i think diesel is around 10 cents more than premium gas....but i want to have a truck that can get up and go too incase i want to make a ricer feel stupid or go offroading or sumpthing liek that...ANY HELP!?!?

 

Your buying a super duty truck, not a f-150, for all your concerns get the 6.0 powerstroke, you will pay more than the v10 and you will have a truck that truly is a super duty and one that will out perform the v-10, if you don't want to pay extra for a power stroke, will a f-150 work for you?

I don't know if the 04 v10 has a 3valve design like the 5.4 nor do I know h/p, rattings, Figure out want you want your truck to do, you can never go wrong with more truck, but if you never use it, what is the point in paying for what you never will use?

 

my dad just got a new f150 he paid about around 39,000 for it i like the design of the 2005 f250 so why wouldnt i get what i like and go with the 250 that i could get for around 42,000 with the v10 or 46,000 with the diesel. plus i want to lift this truck and put some 36 or 38s on it with 20 inch rims, im going to put a keldermans air ride lift kit on it....i like big trucks, the bigger the better, plus we may be getting a new 29 ft camper...THE BIGGER THE BETTER!!! ...and i think itd be cool for a big *** truck like that to out run them ricers, but more importantly id be more comfortable in a big truck im 6'5" and wiegh around 280...so i need some room...

 

My own rules of thumb as far as which engine is practical:

If you do very little to no towing or very light occasional towing and drive it under 20K miles a year get the 5.4L V8.

If you do a moderate amount of light/medium towing or occasional heavy towing and drive it under 20K miles a year get the 6.8L V10.

If you tow with it all the time or tow a heavy trailer frequently or drive it over 20K miles a year towing or no go for a diesel. The mileage savings will probably make the diesel expense pay for itself fairly quickly. The only other reason to get one is for bragging rights if you have to have the most expensive engine in the series.

As far as speed, the newer V10s will out-run or hold their own towing or empty against any other gas engine 3/4 or 1 ton pickup on the road, including the GM 8.1L. It'll beat or keep up with (not towing) any of the diesel pickups as long as their stock.

 

how does your V10 drive? i noe the new ones have more power but how does the 2v one get up and go? thanks for the advice i think the V10 is more practical for me....thanks

When you siad the milage would pay for the diesel expense fairly quickly what do you mean? Here in central ohio gas is 40 cents cheaper than diesel....i think gas is right around 1.74 and diesel is 2.14

 

Typically most of the year diesel is less than gas, but keep in mind that its winter and diesel always goes up due to heating season. This year though you've got alot of other factors going on such as the war (yeah it does factor in) and the hurricanes in the gulf interrupting the crude supply some. On average diesel is very close to gas or less. Then factor in diesels get better mileage while towing or doing long hauls. Thats why you need to pull heavy or do ALOT of driving to offset the $5000 purchase price. Another thing to remember is that diesels require ALOT more maintenance and more diligence to it than a gas engine. Given what you're doing I would not go for the diesel unless you HAVE to have it. The extra mileage is nice, mine gets 18-19mpg empty and 14-15mpg towing. Right now it takes me $60 ($1.99/gal here) to fuel my truck up and have a 520 mile range. A V10 will take about $50 to fuel up ($1.74/gal here) and have a range of about 430 miles. You can see with that kind of difference its going to take a LONG time to make up the cost of a diesel.

 

LB51, my V10 is rated at 310hp/425lb-ft and it has plenty of power. I've never taken an '05 for a drive so I can't really compare. If mine's empty/not towing it will hold 70mph in OD at 1900 to 2100rpm up any interstate hill I've been on here in WV. This engine makes 400lb-ft at 1900rpm which means 94% of it's total torque is available to you under 2000rpms which is great for towing. My trailers weigh from 4000 to about 7000lbs and it will drop to 3rd (I have the 4sp auto) on many highway hills to stay at 65/70mph.

I don't street race other vehicles much, especially not cars. But if someone tries to cut me off on purpose or pin me behind slow traffic while passing me I will try to prevent it. I have yet to be "embarrased" by another fullsized pickup. Alot of the newer 1/2 tons are pretty fast but then again they weigh 2000lbs less then mine. Other 3/4 and 1 ton pickup drivers won't challenge you very often as far as stoplights and cutting you off and even newer 1/2 ton are careful even though most of them would be a little faster.

And what I mean by a diesel "paying for itself" is simply that since diesels get better mileage you'll eventually cover the extra price for the diesel engine. The more miles you drive per year the faster it will happen. Of course this is also contingent on the difference in price for a gallon of gas vs diesel. Gas (87 oct) here in my town is about $1.75 and diesel is $1.15. Even with that 40c difference like your area you will still be slightly better off with a diesel but it makes it take even longer to pay off.

I just did some math when I bought mine and figured that since I only put about 14000 miles a year on my pickup it would take almost 10yrs to break even for my case. I factored in the xtra finance costs if you buy on credit, extra tax etc. Not really worth it for me, especially since the V10 more than meets my power needs for towing etc.

On the other hand, if you drive the truck 35000 miles a year I imagine you'd be making a mistake money-wise to not buy a diesel. The more you drive it the faster it will pay for itself.

 

For the sakl of comparison go to edmunds.com and go to the make you want FOrd. then enter your zip and have fun you can compare vehicles and it gives you a tru cost of ownership and fuel. I found it helpful when I had to decide between desiel and gas. also look at towing capabilities and make a smart choice. I tow a fith wheel that is 26 ft and gvw of 10k.

 

Can you give me the steps to get to the comparison and the gas milage comparisons and everything...because i cant seem to find the one that has the gas milage and everything for the diesel and the same for the V10 all i can find is the gas milage for the 5.4l...thanks

 

hey LB51

I own a 04 SD with a 5.4 and I own a 05SD with a v10 Like yourself I dont really Haul anything either. I do drive a Diesel for work pushing a snow plow They all have advantages my v10 is sweet it only get 10mpg though. The powerstroker is a work horse but for everyday driving it would be no fun its loud it stinks and diesel costs alot more per gallon. Not to mention the $5100 for the price diesel upgrade the v10 is $600.00 upgrade

 

6.0 no other choice is a choice when you are getting a super duty and longer warranty at 100.000 miles and better mileage and better resale down the road.every one i know who got a v 10 is crying at the gas pumps.put a chip in the 6.0 and you can get around 17 to 19 miles on 6.0 diesel.thats as good as a 150 with the 5.4 in it.

 

lb51 you said "my dad just got a new f150 he paid about around 39,000" are you sure?? I paid $40,000 out the door for my f250 4x4 6.0 diesel lariat. either he got ripped off or i got a great deal.

 

Its an Fx4 fully loaded moonroof...everything you could get on it rhino lining, toneau cover....the sticker was 38,885 or somthing close to that and they sold it to him for 26000 and then with his trade of a 99 f250 it came down to 11,000 for the new truck....so he got a good deal iw as jsut stating the sticker price


OO yeah y didnt you get an 05 superduty?

 

05' did not have any rebates. plus the deal was pretty good so i had too. sticker was $46,500. i got it for $36500 before all the taxes, registration, etc. it was hard enough to talk my wife into the $36500 to begin with so oh well. i would have liked to get an 05' because of the front suspension but im totally happy with my 04'. off to laughlin for the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge to take some more pics like in my sig. Mitch

 

Go with the powerstroke! Especially if you ever tow anything.