Should I get a different tow vehicle

Another thought, do you tow in OD. My van towing in OD gets worse gas mileage than towing with the OD off. I brought a Jeep back from Miami in a hurry because the wife went in the hospital with congestive heart failure about the time I got down there. Towing an open trailer at 80 in OD I got 7mpg. Towing at 80 in 3rd got me 9mpg. If I back the speed down to 70 got me 11, back it down to 65 bumped it to 12.

With the enclosed at 75 it got 7-8, at 70 it got 8-9. Get off the interstate and run 55 it would get 11-12. Maybe you just need to slow down.

Keep this in mind.

"Note that the power needed to push an object through a fluid increases as the cube of the velocity. A car cruising on a highway at 50 mph (80 km/h) may require only 10 horsepower (7.5 kW) to overcome air drag, but that same car at 100 mph (160 km/h) requires 80 hp (60 kW). With a doubling of speed the drag (force) quadruples"

Knurled wrote:

Toyman01 wrote: In reply to DaveEstey: Correct. What they appear to be doing around here is stripping the diesels out and installing gas engines.

They're actually doing engine swaps and not just replacing the fleet? Interesting. That can't be very cheap labor-wise. BTW - You know the Isuzu cab-over trucks that are so popular? A couple years ago, I saw a piggyback shipment of cab and chassis models. All of them had what looked like Chevy 6.0 gas engines in them.

UPS custom builds their own bodies. They'll repower them several times over the life of the body. Their old trucks were powered by Chevy 292 I6 engines. I'm not sure what they are using now, I'll have to ask the USP guy Monday.

Knurled wrote:

Toyman01 wrote: In reply to DaveEstey: Correct. What they appear to be doing around here is stripping the diesels out and installing gas engines.

They're actually doing engine swaps and not just replacing the fleet? Interesting. That can't be very cheap labor-wise. BTW - You know the Isuzu cab-over trucks that are so popular? A couple years ago, I saw a piggyback shipment of cab and chassis models. All of them had what looked like Chevy 6.0 gas engines in them.

UPS is replacing their fleet with 6.0 LS engines as the drive cycle has indicated that a diesel won't last anymore with all the new EPA BS addon's. I would think changing spark plugs every 50k is better then EGR coolers every 30k and particulate filters every 5k....

We're from the government, and we're here to help!

Hell. I tow with a ½ ton with over 200k. I wouldn't waste the cash unless you really want something new.

Toyman01 wrote: To the OP, the question to ask is do you want a new truck. If the answer is yes and you can swing the price for a diesel, go get one. Don't do it to save money, because it just might not add up. Your premium resale is off set by the premium buy in. Fuel is more expensive as well as maintenance. Though if you ever tow with a diesel you'll never want to go back to a gas tow rig.

Not looking for a new Truck but your statement about torque and towing with a Diesel is what I have observed (not experienced). I guess if the right deal comes up ill make a change

Found a 1999 F350 with a manual transmission for what my truck is worth. 177 on the clock. 1 owner. Thoughts?

What about one of those things you plug in to the OBD2 port that can change the tune (bully dog????) Do those help? If you believe the hype they are supposed to increase MPG and HP and Bla Bla bla .. . . You get the picture. The various infomercial shows on Speed were installing them on various trucks a while back.

Not sure if they work but I love the thought of all that torque I'll get with a diesel

Toyman01 wrote: In reply to curtis73: Interesting you say that Curtis. The company I used to work for had close to a 1000 E Series vans on the road. They wouldn't buy diesels because the maintenance costs were too high and over the long run, 150K+, cost more money than the gas vans including the resale. That's according to the regional fleet manager when I asked why we were driving gas vans. I've also noticed that UPS, around here, has switched back to gas engines. Ten years ago they switched most of the trucks around here to diesels. Within the last 2, most of them are going back to gas. Guaranteed USP knows, to the penny, what a truck costs to run in their fleet. Age and trim package is going to be some of the price difference in the two Dodges you posted. An '03 SLT vs an '06 Laramie. Don't get me wrong, towing with a diesel is by far better than with most gas engines. More torque lower in the RPM range is a wonderful thing. I'd much rather tow with a diesel. Buying a premium priced truck to save a couple of MPG just doesn't add up. Especially for a vehicle that sits most of the time. To the OP, the question to ask is do you want a new truck. If the answer is yes and you can swing the price for a diesel, go get one. Don't do it to save money, because it just might not add up. Your premium resale is off set by the premium buy in. Fuel is more expensive as well as maintenance. Though if you ever tow with a diesel you'll never want to go back to a gas tow rig.

I've heard the same from several different fleet managers... hell some of the utility companies around here are going to ford's "new" 6.8 v10 (just a rehased version of the old one) for even their bigger F850 utility trucks. They say for what they do with the trucks, which is usually keep them for no more than a quarter million miles, the gas engines are cheaper to keep on the road.

And regarding the fellah posting vehicles for sale, as above, you can't go by that. I could have two identical vehicles and still sell one for a few thousand more than the other just depending on circumstances (and even depending on my description, service records, and pictures). I never go by ebay, since there are a healthy number of auctions bid up artifically for various weird reasons (rough appriasal, owner has friends bid up to find max bids, etc) plus if you spend any time in ebay motors you will see the now infamous "relisted due to non paying bidder" on maybe a quarter of the ads.

Used diesels sell for more, yes. I cede that point. They are also now an $8,000 option on some trucks. Like I said, pay more up front, get more at sale as well. But for OP who wants this truck to tow and just other chores, it doesn't sound like it will be much assurance that he could put a quarter million miles on it in 6 years and sell it. That doesn't seem like a likely outcome.

I'm just being realistic as someone who had owned a '91 IDI F250 and then a series of gas trucks and got back into diesels with my 2004 Excursion 6.0 powerstroke. I had certain expectations and not all of them have been realized. And maybe being unemployed for a while not too long after buying it really drove home the cost of maintenance. When $90 is coming out of your unemployment check for an oil change instead of the $30 autozone special, you notice.

It does tow great, though...

TxCoyote wrote: Found a 1999 F350 with a manual transmission for what my truck is worth. 177 on the clock. 1 owner. Thoughts?

I don't like manuals, so drive one before you buy. They aren't for everyone. Geared low so there is a lot of shifting in traffic. Can make situations like construction sites or accidents on the interstate physically stressful. On the other hand, being able to gear down is nice, though the 03 and newer superduties generall use the 5r torqshift automatic which has a tow/haul mode that includes hill descent control, which is nice.

Other than that, 177k on a 7.3 isn't terrible if it has maintenance records. 99 was really the first year for the superduty body style but I've not heard of any specific problems. I like the superduties, most stuff stayed the same for 6 years as far as the body goes and the engine and drivetrain and etc for even longer.

If you test drive an '05 with coil springs you will not want to go back to an '04 and earlier with leaf springs as the 05's are a different world, ride wise. then again, the 99-04's are dead simple reliable and really have only the unit bearings to wear, versus control arms on the newer ones. Also much easier to lift, as with all leaf spring vehicles.

Well, he who hesitates...... The F350 was sold before I could get there so I'm lookin for another truck. QuadCab, Diesel under 200k and around $5-10k. Anyone............Anyone..........Buehler

quad cab? you mean crew cab? thats what kills it. crews command a healthy premium against even super cabs.

I needed 4 doors so I ended up getting a loaded excursion for less than a work model crew cab diesel F250....

In reply to andrave: you are right. I do want a crew cab.

TxCoyote wrote: Well, he who hesitates...... The F350 was sold before I could get there so I'm lookin for another truck. QuadCab, Diesel under 200k and around $5-10k. Anyone............Anyone..........Buehler

Heck, let me know if you find a good Diesel crew cab with less than 200k and under $10k. That would be a rare beast.

My $.02, and it's probably worth what you paid for it.....

I've towed with diesel and gas. The diesel makes towing easier, less stressful, and less tiring. If you can afford to swing a diesel, do it. I haven't had any issues with diesel maintenance cost with my Duramax or my 7.3 Powerstroke. Oil changes are $40 instead of $20, and when the battery goes you have to replace 2 instead of 1. Stay on top of your maintenance, and change fuel filters often to help out your injectors.

If you feel like your gasser has enough power to pull your trailer, keep it and suck it up when it gets 8MPG. If you feel you need more power, get a diesel. Trying to justify one or the other based on MPG or whatever seems like an exercise in futility.

I just recently switched from a 6.0 gasser(heck its for sale) in my yukon denali to an 07 LBZ diesel crew cab long bed.

I loved the yukon denali, and I hate putting it up for sale as it was far more comfortable in seats, ride, and height. Also had more features, and my 07 LBZ is completely decked out from the factory.

I did a TON of research, years before I decided on a truck. Open or small enclosed? 6.0L GMC or Ford's 5.4. Do it with ease and great gas mileage (14mpg towing on regular fuel with an open and e36 m3 race car). Going large enclosed? (my first one is 24' and I plan on going bigger) Do yourself a favor and get a HD/SD diesel. But be careful, Ford and GMC had a lot of bad diesel years, and Dodge had terrible suspension/interiors for a long time.

Bulletproof (or looking to be bulletproof diesel trucks), avoid other years as they have turbo/headgasket/suspension issues that some people have commented on:

06.5+ GMC Diesel (06/07 LBZs fixed all duramax issues+ 6speed allison + last years before emissions)....... 11+ 6.7 Ford Diesel............. 11/12+ refreshed Dodges......... 7.3 Fords with a manual (the autos blow, literally)

With how little you tow (and I assume it is not a daily), I would buy a 7.3 with the manual. Not worth a newer truck.

Heck, let me know if you find a good Diesel crew cab with less than 200k and under $10k. That would be a rare beast.

I've seen a ton of them in the $7-10k range from 125-200k on the odo. I just haven't found the right one. I've got a month before i need it for a trip so I will probably get one soon. The Hemi is up for sale

D_Eclipse9916 wrote: With how little you tow (and I assume it is not a daily), I would buy a 7.3 with the manual. Not worth a newer truck.

That is the same conclusion I came to or a manual trans Cummins

manual trans cummins seem to come in 2 flavors: 1) expensive, and 2) duallies with a fifth whel or goose neck in the bed, exhaust brake, and 300k miles.