Diesel Virgin

[powerboatr]

Wife and I planning on toyhauler purchase. Trailer guys say 3/4 ton is only way to go and diesel is best. Currently driving 04 F-150 4wd supercrew. Looking for low mileage used 04 or 05 F-250 SD/PSD crew 4wd. What are the pitfalls of owning a diesel vs. gas - maintenance, upkeep, quirks? Heard that 04 have had some issues. Appreciate feedback.

to piggy back a few others,
what is the dry weight of the toy hauler and its max gross wt.
the max gross wt is very important to make sure you have the right truck to do the task.
tow ratings change from 250 to 350, and 350 duallies for 04 and 05
04 250/350 srw 373 axle is12,700
05 250/350 srw 3.73 is 15,400
max trailer weight.
this does not necassarily reflect real tow ratings, you need to subtract the wt. of you and passengers and gear from the payload of the truck to get an exact tow rating.

 

[bushpilot]

I agree, the price difference between the 250/350 is not significant...others will tell you it is & that you can make a 250 into a 350

i figure if nothing else the 350 might be more have a little better resale
(to tholse needing a heavy truck).

90% of my hauling is made up of passengers (3kids, a sheep dog, my wife & i)
even w/ just myself i dont find the ride harsh (but then i have the longbed too)

 

[pedalontheright]

Thanks to all

Thanks for the feedback. I've got a couple of buddies who have diesels 01 f250 and 05 dodge. Both tow with 'em and love 'em. Been hearing some scuttlebutt about the 6.0 PSD having some troubles. What's the word out there? Also, heard that there were a lot of improvements on the 05 vs. 04. Some significant some not. Feedback? Test drove an 06 last night -very nice but what a price! I hate talking to car dealers. It's so hard to cut through the BS!

 

[Mike K]

It's so hard to cut through the BS!

Thats easy.... want to know how to tell when a car salesman is BSing you? His lips are moving

Its probaby best to do all your own research (like being on this board finding out as much information as possible) then going to the dealer just for the test drive.

I honestly start of my introduction with the salesman by telling him (very nicely) that i have done a ton of research on X vs Y vehicle and i am there solely for the testdrive. If he starts throwing a sales pitch and giving me a ton of BS i have no problem finding another salesman or a completely different dealer all together. I have not had a problem yet.

Between informative forums like this one, CARFAX, Ford's OASIS, and other internet sites, you should know just about everything about the vehicle. It should just boil down to how you like the truck and how much you are willing to pay for it. If it helps, tell us about the truck you are looking for and what the dealer is asking, there are guys on here that can tell you if the price is just right or not.

Good luck either way!