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2016 F-250 xlt cc. Gas vs diesel.

5.3K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  LZU_camper  
#1 ·
At a nearby dealership there is two 2016 F-250 xlt crew cabs. The gas truck has 55,000 miles priced at 30,000 and the diesel has 38,000 miles priced at $38,000. I currently have a regular cab 2012 F-250 that I use to plow in the winter and to haul my 31 foot 5th wheel in the summer. I am looking to upgrade to a crew cab for camping. I have a company truck to drive so I mainly use the truck to plow and tow and occasionally drive to the store. I know the 6.2L can pull the camper but I don’t necessarily like the high rpm’s and fuel mileage. I was wondering if it’s actually worth the extra money to buy a diesel. I have read that the 2016 6.7L is a good motor with few problems but the possibility of spending thousand of dollars to fix a broke engine worries me. I would like the increase mileage during towing and extra power but is it worth it?
 
#2 ·
That's a choice you'll have to make for yourself. Is the 6.7 better than the 6.2? Yes. They both have their quirks. The 6.7 will cost more for maintenance, and yes it can be scary if you've never had a diesel before and repairs are at least doubled what a gas motor would cost. If your anal and don't mind crawling under the truck every few weeks to drain the separator, always make sure you go to a good fuel station and use an additive, then go for it.

If it bothers/scares you, then stick with the 6.2. You can put regular gas in it, not have to worry, and it will still have the pulling power you need. The price difference is really a moot point between the 2, so it comes down to what YOU would rather deal with, knowing what you may come across.

The emissions on the 6.7 are good and with that low of mileage I wouldn't expect you to have any problems with it. The EPA is really cracking down on "off road" use diesels.
 
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#9 ·
All of the new diesels have problems with the emissions equipment, like the EGR, DPF, and SCR. If your going to keep the truck stock I would get the gas engine. The gas engine will be slower on the hills and it will use more fuel, but it's worth not dealing with all of the headaches caused by the emission on a diesel.
 
#4 ·
Like I said, if you don't care for the fuel system, it can come back to haunt you. Any bit of water from bad fuel could result in a $10k repair bill from a dealer if your INS company wouldn't cover that.
 
#5 ·
Hands down that diesel is going to pull so much better than the 6.2. Cost more to maintain, drive and likely stress you more. If you think it will net you better fuel milage for that size camper, you can forget it.

I was in similar situation 4 years ago when I bought mine. Wanted diesel and nothing was changing my mind. Got it and have zero intentions of ever going back to gas. Just something I've accepted. Good luck with your decision.
 
#7 ·
The MPG will vary based on a multitude of things. However, under no circumstances, will it be cheaper to run the diesel truck.

Gas engine-9MPG
100k miles
11,110 gallons of gas
@ 3$ a gallon
=33k in gas

diesel-14mpg
100k miles
7142 gallons of fuel
@3.50 a gallon
=25k in fuel.

That assumes 100k miles of towing.......Empty the fuel mileage difference will be negligible.

So you will save 7k dollars in fuel over 100k miles of TOWING.
It costs more than 7k extra to buy a truck with a diesel.
Only buy a diesel if you WANT one, or if you tow heavy. Either is a good reason.

(Obviously all numbers are speculative based on my personal experience.)
 
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#11 ·
Here's one opinion in a sea of them. Pulling a fifth wheel, you'll be very glad to have the diesel. Just make it a priority to become very knowledgeable about the diesel engine and ALL the components of it, and all the quirks. Proactive maintenance and an innate understanding of what's going on will save you a lot of heartache over the years. Understand when and where to get good fuel. Keep up with a meticulous maintenance schedule, etc.

Also, one advantage of a diesel that you don't see advertised much, but which I enjoy, is the ability to fuel up at the truck pumps at truck stops. This is very convenient when you are towing that fifth wheel during your camping adventures. Finding space at a gasoline pump that will accommodate a truck pulling a trailer seems to be increasingly difficult, even at true truck stops. All the gasoline pumps are "perpendicular" to the store, and not parallel to it (which would accommodate a truck and trailer combo). Fine for cars, not so much when towing a fifth wheel. While I wouldn't buy a diesel just for that, it's a nice provision if you do have one.