F150 or F250 Gas

[J Goertzen]

Howdy again folks! Have narriowed my search down for a TV to a Ford F150 XLT super cab or super crew, or a F250 XLT super cab or crew cab. Both gas, both 4wd ,both with the 5.4 liter engine ,V8. The 250 with the tow command package, and Super Duty, the 150 with the tow package. Both with limited slip differential. I will be pulling a 2003, 22 foot, CCD International, when fully loaded, will be at 5000 lbs. Oh, yeah, also both models the 2006 year. If you had to choose, which one would you choose and why? Its coming down to the wire to make this decision, everyone has been helpful, hope this is my last question about this, thanks,Jim

[wahoonc]

I would vote F250. Several reasons, the tow command integeral brake controler is sweet. If I understand correctly it is tied into the ABS somehow. The F250 will give you a better towing capacity, handy all the time and real handy if you decide to upgrade anytime in the future. All of my Fords have had the LS rearend I will never own another one without.

Aaron

[Van]

I would choose the F-150 and not because i already own one. First it is cheaper than the F-250 and at 5000lbs you are well within the tow capacity of the truck.

My father has owned nothing but F-250s for all the years i can remember back. During that time he has also owned big boats that he tows down to the coast to go fishing. His current '05 F-250 with the tow package and upgraded transmission, etc is his least favorite. He regrets selling his 2001. He feels the gas milage is very poor, much more so than his last one. He tows a 26' boat, the same one he towed with his last vehicle which did just as good a job with better milage. He has been badgering me to let him try towing his boat with my truck to see how it does.

I think you are likely to get better mileage with the F-150 and while it isnt as capable of towing as much as the F-250, you are still well within what is is able to safely do. I just yesterday took possesion of my Safari, which weighs in about 5300lbs loaded i am told, so i cant tell you how the mileage will do. I can say that while i did tow it to where i store it at it felt perfectly fine behind my truck. My father in law who owned it before i did towed it behind his '04 F-150 as a way of getting better mileage than the 6 mpg he was getting with his 1955 C60 vintage tow vehicle which has a 460. IIRC he was getting around 12-14 mpg. I think i recall my father saying he gets 8 mpg while towing his boat.

[CanoeStream]

Hey youngster Jim! Okay, so what if I was born one day before you. Richard Gere was born the same day as you -- are you him?

You have a fair question there. You are talking the same drivetrain, so let's look at the other issues. I haven't done the tests but it has been said that the 3/4-ton gives the hitch a less forgiving ride. Harder springs are what gives the higher capacity. A brake controller is very easy and inexpensive to add on aftermarket.

Look at the weight of options you want to put on the truck (topper?). The hitch weight of the 22' CCD needs to be added to those. Don't just go by Airstream's published hitch weight -- you'll want to figure a few hundred pounds higher to allow for WD gear, LP in the tanks, practical load onboard the trailer, etc. A tongue wt commonly falls between 12-15%.

You wouldn't want to exceed the F-150 load capacity and I don't see you even getting close. The Crew Cab is heavier and your load capacity will be reduced a corresponding amount. Just count up the numbers as your traveling style dictates. See http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/f...res/specs/#dim -- towing capacity is less important. The 'Maximum Payload' numbers are at the very bottom of the page.

The 22' CCD is more than a weekender but be aware that it doesn't have a lot of onboard storage space for longer voyaging. I like the size anyway -- and ability to park it in many smaller national & state forests spots! If you go with the F-150 just make sure you aren't gonna get the itch to upgrade in 2-3 years.

[AYRSTRM2]

I agree, F-150. With the money you save you can get whatever hitch you want! I drive an Expedition and your aren't even close to the tow rating of the 5.4L.

[Minnie's Mate]

When I researched the purchase of my F-250 last year, the difference in cost was minimal. I believe the cost difference between crew cabs was in neighborhood of less than $500. Not a significant amount when you think of the extra durability you have built in. I went with the desiel option, which was significantly more costly, so I can't speak too much on other issues.

[stagecoachbill]

My favorite is the one I am driving of course. a F350 11 pass Van. with the 6.0 diesel engine (currently 18 to 20 mpg when pulling the 19' globetrotter.)With the 6.0 the package is rated 1 ton. Love the ride and talk about room to carry all the extra stuff. This is my 8th full size van, but the first diesel and let me tell you I will never go back to a gas engine after this experience. I put 23,000 miles on it last year, and can only praise its performance. You may be surprised to find that you can have one for a lot less than the F250 crew cab. check the price with your dealer.
That's my opinion and I am a happy camper

[CanoeStream]

Okay, I do have a 2500 Sierra Duramax, but...

Aaron -- The LS rear end? Like a lot of things this is lost in the past to me (RoadKingMoe and maybe Pick posts of 2-3 years ago). The LS you are referring to -- is that the larger diameter, heavier casting, more bolts rear differential? That certainly is part of the reason why the 3/4-tonners will last longer -- but only if your engine (Duramax) will last that long too. PowerStroke? Go figger...

But a 1/2-ton will do very well with the 22' CCD. Put Rubbermaid bins under a topper for extra clothes and things you need for longer trips.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Canoe stream

Aaron -- The LS rear end? Like a lot of things this is lost in the past to me (RoadKingMoe and maybe Pick posts of 2-3 years ago). The LS you are referring to -- is that the larger diameter, heavier casting, more bolts rear differential?

Probably should have used the lower case ls LS= Limited Slip FWIW I have driven many a Ford vehicle over the 300k mark with only normal wear items being replaced. Most have been gassers, with the most recent a V-6 F150. I am a firm believer in purchasing vehicles with the factory towing package, typically it will include some upgrades like: additonal radiator capacity, larger oil and tranny coolers (some times) a more towing friendly rear end ratio that ends up being a better all around anyway. I have found that if you buy the basic truck they will put the highest rear end ratio in that they can for the CAFE mileage ratings. My 97 F150 V-6 had a 3.55 and would tow 6000# it averaged about 17 mpg. My current beast is a 96 F350 dually PSD with 4.10's in it (limited slip) and I am getting about 16.5 mpg if I keep it around 65 mph. Unless you know for a fact that you are going to be using a vehicle for only a specfic use (like my wife and her F150) I prefer to go with the heavy dutier choice just in case I need it down the road. I typically buy gently used and drive them for 10-15 years.

Aaron

[2airishuman]

hi jim and others

in your other post on this issue you noted this may be the 'last big purchase' in your life....
well if that IS the case (and you have more than 4 years to live) i'd opt for the extra cost of a power stroke diesel and the f250. this truck could be on the road long after the 150 and the added cost over a 15-20 year duty cycle is small...also should the 22 ccd prove tooooooooo tight in a few years the truck won't need an upgrade.


you also noted carrying several days of fire wood, generators, bikes, gear and so on....and that with all this extra load, the numbers were close as to overall capacity (gcwr) and so on.....another reason to opt for the 250. and the long bed configuration with a shell. i easily fill my long bed/shell for extended trips and never carry firewood. don't forget the grill, lawn chairs, ladders and so on....

owning my first diesel now for over a year, i cannot image any good reason to go back to gas....i suppose the potential "superchief" might take me there (flex fuel, hydrogen, and electric but no diesel) but i suspect if we see a superchief it will have a diesel option.


you don't mention how much towing you plan
or what the truck will do when not towing...
if used rarely for towing with lots of metro driving expected....
that would tilt the needle toward the f-150,
because it is a better passenger car replacement in an urban life....
but the bed is gonna be smaller and limit your firewood, generator, bicycle space too much imo.

also the mirrors on the f-250 are better for towing and like others noted above the brake controller is superbe...and it just has more workhorse potential for years to come...

back to the 'last buy' issue.....the psd 250 does have a 100k warranty on the diesel bits....

while you mention buying 2006, i have seen some 2005s with very low mileage, still in warranty and with nicely depreciated prices....the 2006 psd 250 has only minor cosmetic differences from the 05s....

good luck with your shopping
2air'

[Frank S]

Hi J Goertzen--Looked at your profile and see you currently drive a Ford Ranger, which means to me than you aren't carrying anything big or extra heavy in the back. My vote would be the F150 super crew, which will give you extra inside space for people or stuff, and still an open bed, about the size of the Ranger. What ever you get, get the highest numerical rear end (4.10 in Chevy talk). The extra fuel you use over the other rears available, will be in the range of 1mpg, but the performance will be outstanding. Stagecoachbill suggestion of a full size van is also good. You can get the same running gear as in a pickup, usually for a lot less money. I towed a lot of years with a 3/4 ton Chevy window van with a 5.7 ltr, and 4.10 rear, and you can bring everything with you because you have plenty of room. Good luck on your selection--all your choices are good ones.--Frank S

[AZstreamin]

Jim,
I'm a little biased having owned my '05 F250 PSD CC King Ranch for 10 months. I did not realize how much I really liked it until we did our inaugural 600 mile tow. The F150 will likely get the job done for 22' trailer however like others have advised, look seriously at how much stuff you'll load in the bed. A couple of points I really love about my F250: 1. the mirrors telescope 3+ inches leaving virtually no blind spots 2. The two command system with integrated brake is awesome! We do a lot of mountain towing, and when you are coming down a step grade tap the brake to get to a safe decent speed and the truck does the rest. Down shifting, engine brake holds the speed you want just like it was on cruise control. You can keep both hands on the wheel and it eliminates the need to manually shift. It is a really nice feature. 3. The crew cab easily seats 5 adults in comfort. Take a look the PSD if you want to keep it 'forever' this is my first diesel vehicle and in my opinion it does not smell like the older diesels. It also makes filling up on the highway very easy. Simply pull through the big truck bays at a Truck stop. No need to maneuver around the cars. My friend owns an f250 v10 and tows a 32' Holiday Rambler and getting gas on the highway can be a challenge if the station does not have RV fuel spots. Good luck and check several dealers against one another they are very competitive right now and will do anything to move these big trucks. Make a very low offer at the end of the month and you may find yourself driving exactly what you wanted for less than you thought.

AZstreamin.

Iwould agree with AZstreamin. I just bought a F350 PSD Crew Cab , also my first diesel truck and would never go back to gas.If you really plan on keeping the truck for awhile, I would seriously consider diesel. We just recently returned from a trip to Ireland and I would say 95% of the cars and trucks sold are offered in diesel. I think that there are more diesels on the road than gassers.

[thecatsandi]

F-250, less of a load on the vehicle. Get the V-10 if can swing it. Even more margin or room for growth.
I have a 2004 5.4L V8 F-250 towing an 8,000 lb Classic.