I am considering trading up from 150 SC 4X 5.4 to 250 SC 4X with the diesel. I am asking anyone who has experience with both to comment on the drivability of the diesel versus the 5.4 (when empty) as well as gas mileage. This unit will be a double duty truck doing business as well as personal duties. A lot of the time it will be hauling groceries, kids, and dogs. I will test myself, but I'm interested in others opinions as well.

 

If your not going to tow anything I would probably get the 5.4 I guess. Im not sure what type of mileage youd see from it in a SD however I got around 14 in my old Expy 5.4

I prefer the diesel, more power, better driveability. All around better engine I believe.

 

like Swofford said..if your not going to tow anything your better off with the 5.4. The diesel is probably a little more reliable..but a lot more expensive. So it is up to you..whichever one you want to get.

 

If you're able to consider buying either the 5.4 or the diesel, then go for the diesel!!! ALWAYS buy the biggest engine you can afford!!!! You'll NEVER be sorry and you always have the extra torque/horsepower if and when you need it. That being said.... the 5.4 does have it's good points but the only one that I can think of is that it's cheaper than the diesel. The diesel will get better fuel milage. I have the 6 speed and it gets an average of 19+ in city (and that's with my very heavy leadfoot) On interstate I've seen up to 22mpg. I've also got a Superchip and when you add one to a diesel, you don't have to switch to the higher priced premium, like you have to do when adding a chip to the 5.4. You just run the same old diesel that you've been running and you get all the Superchip bennies. The diesel will out last the 5.4 by a looong shot. And as far as just using the truck to haul around kids and grocerys, well that's exactly what I bought my diesel for. THEN I bought a travel trailer!!! Maintence on the diesel is a bit more pricey but considering the longevity of the engine, it's worth it. After you get "to know" your diesel, you start doing all the maintence yourself. It's cheaper and you know for a fact that it's done right. Doing maintence wrong on a diesel is worse than not doing it at all. One more thing, my last truck was an F150 flairside V8 4x4 5speed. Loved that truck but it doesn't even compair with what I have now. Apples and oranges!! If you like stick shifts, try to test drive one of the diesel 6 speeds. I was able to test one in a work truck, hated the truck but loved the engine/6speed. Ordered my truck soon after that test drive.

 

If you go up to a SuperDuty, don't rule out the V10. As much torque and HP as the Diesel has, you can't top gasoline performance for an everyday driver.

 

Since when is 400 + Pounds of tq at 3700 RPM's the same as 525+ at 1600?

 

The milage a V10 gets will not even come close to what the diesel will give you, under load, cruising, around town. Doesn't make much difference, the V10 will only get about 1/2 what the diesel will get.

Also, performance. I have a 2000 F150 Lariat with the 5.4L. and automatic slushbox. I have test drove a couple F350 dualies with the powerstroke and 5 speed. All I can say is, that only in my most horrible of nightmares would I ever consider putting the 2 side by side in a stop light race. The diesel would trounce my 150 with out even breathing hard.

 

Hi

Oops! saw that coming...V10 VS Diesel.

Tina...said it like it is...get the biggest engine avail....thats exactly what ill be doing when i make a change. SD.

Diesel VS gasser....well....alot been posted. Take a hard look and do the math....results might surprise you.

New PSD maybe coming ...6L 70hp more etc.. VS V10?
For my use...i wouldnt have to mod. either one. My mods. are already cost of (OEM) upgraded V10...close to 1/4 the cost of PSD.

Sure miss my old 88 F250 (stock) 460/5sp... mpg 12.50 solo/8-mpg tow/haul...but never was underpowered. You get used to the low mpg...cause the power/tq made you smile.

I do like a.t. around town..of course the trade off...lost HP.

Good luck...OT

 

I sold my '00 F-150 Lariat 4x4 last September after ordering an F-350 Crew Cab Dually PSD 4x4. I only have one regret ... I wish I'd bought the 350 to start with. There is NO comparison between the trucks and the $8000 price difference is WELL worth it in my opinion. My 350 has SOOO much power that I can haul a$$ up a 7% grade in 6th gear without needing to downshift. I can carry 4500lb in the bed (legally), I can tow a 12,500 trailer (legally and easily) and with only 2000 miles on the odometer I'm already getting over 15mpg with a lot of city driving. My 150 rarely got over 13mpg, didn't have enough power to pull itself up a hill, let alone a trailer, and the creaks and pops from the POS dash drove me nuts. My 350 is so quiet, no rattles, squeaks, pops etc. This is the BEST vehicle that I've ever owned and I've had a bunch!!! Sorry if this sounds like an anti-150 rant ... there are many great things about the F-150 but until it's available with a diesel or the Lightning engine/blower package I won't be buying one again. And the dash has to go!!!

 

I am not trying to say the V10 is better or worse than the diesel. What I am saying is that for an everyday driver used to pick up groceries and take the kids to soccer practice, the gasoline might be the better option.


The diesel fuel savings do get somewhat eaten up with the increased cost of the engine and the higher cost of maintenence. We do have both here at the family business ( we have 150's with 4.2, 4.6 and 5.4, 250 with 5.4, '89 450 with 460, 350 dually with PSD, E-350's with PSD) So I do understand the performance differences with both.


As far as 525 at 1600 rpm, how much torque is at 3000 rpm UNLOADED versus a 5.4 or 6.8 at 3000 rpm unloaded? If a large load was carried, regularly, the PSD would be the choice hands down everytime (thats why we have PSD's in our heavy trucks that carry lots of weight, and gasolines in the trucks that don't)

One more point, is longevity of the engine an issue? Are you going to keep the truck for 10 years or 400,000? If you trade in every 2 to 4 years, this is a non issue.

Ultimately, its your choice and what you prefer. Its a whole lot of money whichever way you go, so test drive the heck out of both models and buy what YOU want.

 

But I would not have a F-250 without the diesel in it. Have an F-150 with the 5.4, but if you are going to tow anything of any size, geaux diesel -- very few vehicles are "investments" but if you look at resale, etc, the diesel is really not that much more expensive if at all.

Just my $.02.

 

I say what some of the others have said if your not going to toww much go with the 5.4 but if you plan to tow alot go with the PSD the best thing to do is test drive all 3 engines and make your choice from there.

 

MY turn...

The diesel is the way to go 19mpg...400000miles...13000 tow capacity...crew cab...

The super duty is a real truck, world of difference from the 150...

The only real choice IMHO would be the 02 with the psd or the 04 with the 6 liter...wouldn't touch the 03 because of the first year..

The 7.3 is a medium duty diesel engine shoehorned into the super duty...Talk about a modifiers dream come true...400hp (reliable) and 800lb torque...

Their wont be a big block diesel like this ever again!!!

 

get the diesel, with proper maintenance and oil changes with diesel rated oil you will get at least twice the miles out of it and having a diesel truck for 10 extra years is sure a lot cheaper than a new truck. if you like to trade in your vehicle every couple of years then this cost savings goes out the window. i think you'll notice that not too many diesels get turned in for new vehicles because diesel owners of all types, vw, mercedes, ford, dodge, ect, tend to keep them until the wheels fall off of the darn vehicle. as far as fuel goes, you can go further between fillups and if you are in california you don't really need to ad any additives into the fuel (but it doesn't hurt) due to our higher quality fuel out here. looking at todays fuel prices in long beach. diesel 1.45 and regular 1.49. i say go for it, i just wish they made a king ranch edition f350 dually crew cab as that would be the perfect.

 

I traded a 2001 SuperCrew that I just Loved, for a 99' 250SD crew cab, with the powerstroke. I owned the Screw for almost 2 years, It had the 5.4 and the heavy duty towing package. It got 14 to 15 MPG around town and 18 to 20 on the highway, 9 to 11 towing a 7300lb travel trailer.
The 250SD with the diesel gets 15MPG in town, 19 to 20 on the highway and 12 to 13 towing the same travel trailer.
Not only do I have more room in the cab for the kids but I can also step up to a bigger trailer.
Maintenance is more per but over the long term I can be cheaper If you plane to keep it. And like they said before chip it and it's hard to beat 500+ HP and 800LBFT of torque. Chips cost about the same as for the 5.4