Looking for a crew cab truck as my tow pig....need advice

Ron said:
Blaze dont forget this little fact.
(Using SC prices dont know NC but should be comparable)

14 mpg @ 3.25 = 23.2 cents per mile
18 mpg @ 3.85 = 21.4 cents per mile

$30 oil change every 5,000 miles .006 cents per mile
$120 oil change every 5000 miles. .024 cents per mile

23.2 cents per mile vs 21.7 cents per mile

Cost difference between gas and diesel ~ $5,000

$5,000/ .015 cents = 333,333 miles to break even
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I guess facts are different for everyone. Here they are for me:
(Using local prices)

14 mpg @ 3.56 = 25.4 cents per mile (13mpg was more realistic in the 6.0 that I had)
18 mpg @ 3.79 = 21.1 cents per mile (17mpg is probably more realistic)

$30 oil change every 5,000 miles .006 cents per mile
$60 oil change every 10000 miles. .006 cents per mile

25.406 cents per mile for the gasser vs 21.106 cents per mile for the diesel

Cost difference between gas and diesel ~ $5,000

$5,000/ .043 cents = 116479 miles to break even

However, I see the cost difference as less critical because if you go to sell it, you will get the majority of it back.

Hooking up to a 10k pound load and not having to sweat it: Priceless
 
Ron said:
My truck takes 15 quarts of oil.
Typically bought in 4 I gallon jugs.
I run Rotella t6 synthetic (as you should be in that dodge...or valvoline blue syn) at $25/gallon.
4 x $25 = $100. Then $18 for an oil filter.

Im not even taking into account the $60 fuel filter every other oil change...
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Now your math definitely doesn't work.

If you're going to run $25/gallon oil, the maintenance charge on the gasser just went up to $45/5000 miles. But I noticed that running synth helped you avoid doing all that EGR work, so the additional up-front cost was probably worth it. :flipoff2:

Oil capacity on the Cummins is only 10-11 quarts. Fuel filter is about $10 for a Fleetguard filter. I buy oil by the bucket. Cheaper that way, especially when it's on sale. 5 gallons cost me $60 a couple of weeks ago. That plus the half-full gallon in the trailer left over from the generator oil change will do me for 15k miles, easy.

But no matter how you slice it, the bottom line is that you're paying as much for 10k in oil changes as I pay for 30k miles of fuel filters, air filters, oil filters, and Rotella.
 
So I went today and test drove a 2008 6.4L F350 and a 2004 6.0L F250. I fell in love with that 6.0L, it was only an extended cab so it didn't work for me and was a little beat up (it was a plow truck that had been cleaned up), but I really loved the way it drove and sounded.

I am going to go look at a 2003 6.0L crew cab F250 tomorrow. I really would prefer a Duramax, but I can't find anything close to my price point. I can either get a 6.0L F250 with low 100k miles or a Duramax with low 200k miles. I gotta think I'd be better off with the low 100k mile Ford.
 
Blaze said:
So I went today and test drove a 2008 6.4L F350 and a 2004 6.0L F250. I fell in love with that 6.0L, it was only an extended cab so it didn't work for me and was a little beat up (it was a plow truck that had been cleaned up), but I really loved the way it drove and sounded.

I am going to go look at a 2003 6.0L crew cab F250 tomorrow. I really would prefer a Duramax, but I can't find anything close to my price point. I can either get a 6.0L F250 with low 100k miles or a Duramax with low 200k miles. I gotta think I'd be better off with the low 100k mile Ford.
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6.0 is a good motor after the upgrades to fix factory problems. I would trust a well taken care of duramax 04.5 and up with 200k miles over the 2003 6L with 100k IMHO
 
I am probably the biggest 6.0 defender you will find on this board.

THAT SAID...dont walk RUN away from any 03 6.0. Ford bought mine back.
04s are hit or miss.

Really 06-07 are where the 6.0s got decent (still not great)
And 6.4...no thank you.

@shawn one thing I think gets missed in the diesel wars debate...CTD wins hands down in maintenance costs for the engine. No question. Those 5.9s were in prod run so long fuel and oil filters are hella cheap.
 
Yeah, I was really not impressed with with that 6.4L I drove. The difference in the 08 6.4L and the 04 6.0L was huge.

I'm starting to think I might just buy a beater truck to drive around until I can find something decent that I like. After the nightmare that was my Tahoe I really am worried about getting into another heap.

I really want an indigo blue metallic Sierra crew cab shortbed Duramax. I'm not picky or anything. :lol:

But really, I just need a good 4x4 crew cab, and talking to my neighbor he really stressed that I need a diesel for how much I tow.
 
So I have a plan, although not quite what I wanted but financially smarter. Working on trading a Grand Cherokee I have here at the shop for a 98 extended cab 6.5TD Silverado. Granted, the 6.5TD isn't a beast, but it'll do for now, and it'll be paid for. Then I can rock that while I save up some money and hopefully it will last me a year until my youngest son goes to kindergarten next summer and we are out from under the daycare payment.
 
That sounds like a smart plan. That will give you time to do more research and maybe ride in or get to use other trucks to see how they do towing.
 
I know two people who have owned GM's with the 6.5 turd. I'd walk on that trade.
 
I have a 1993 Ford F350 crew cab. It has the 7.3, Banks turbo and a 5spd manual trans. I have 416k miles and counting. I tow heavy and often. I love the truck.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2
 
Blaze said:
I really want an indigo blue metallic Sierra crew cab shortbed Duramax. I'm not picky or anything. :lol:
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If that is what you really want, then do not settle for less. I really wanted a 6spd Cummins but settled for an auto. MegaCab Laramie, 4x4, loaded, blah blah blah. Towed my junk with ease. I liked the truck. A lot. A whole lot. But I didnt love it because I like to row the gears, so I sold it.

Duane
 
Blaze said:
For what I have invested in this GC I can't lose on this trade. :lol:
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and again, know what you're getting into.

6.5TD is a 'decent' engine, but has it's problems as well, the injection pump is electronically controlled, the controller is mounted on the side of the injection pump ( called a Pump Mounted Driver or PMD ) this module over heats and burns out in the stock location, there are a dozen different fixes, none of them 100%, you won't change the PMD on the side of the road in the stock location, you'll wanna kill it with fire when you do have to change it. Keep in mind there is a diode in the connection of the PMD box, you'll need to remove and swap that to the new PMD, don't and it'll run like ass if it runs at all.

Check the bottom of the fuel filter cup ( rear of intake ) with a magnet, if there are metal fragments ( and there usually are ) expect an injection pump rebuild in the near future ( $700-$1600 depending where and who ) you'll also want to check the lift pump on the frame rail, ( the source of the metal fragments a lot of times )

the front pulley on the balancer is a reactionary dampener ( separate from the balancer ) the rubber goes and starts hammering the stops and the balancer, will cause the crank to break.

Glow plugs, they bloat and will not come out of the bore, break the tip off, you're pulling and injector to retrieve the pieces, and hope like hell it doesn't drop out of the pre cup into combustion chamber. ( this happens most frequent on right rear cyls, under turbo, and no room to work because of the AC evap box )

vacuum pump is belt driven, this operates hvac functions AND the turbo waste gate, no vacuum, no power, waste gate defaults to full open. also a vacuum solenoid on intake that controls waste gate vacuum, it will stick open, again no power. tale tell sign of either greater amounts of black smoke from the exhaust.

being a '98, it'll be an S engine code, has EGR and catalytic converter ( unless they've been removed ) EGR sticks open, converter clogs up with soot ( go figure )

you'll doubtfully ever be impressed by the power output of a 6.5, though they are quiet, even when running.....
 
It has a new and relocated PMD. He was telling me he has a lot of other new parts on it, but not sure what. I'm going to check it over really well.

Really this thing will be an adequate tow vehicle for me until I save up money and find the truck I really want.

Right now I am dead in the water with my business so I need something like yesterday.
 
Good luck, hope it works out well. I'll just toss out though that the most expensive vehicle I ever owned was an old diesel that 'will run forever'. That statement was technically correct, it could run forever but at one hell of a cost to keep it running. That was a Benz 300D so take that as you will. Gotta be some 454 or 460 Chev/Fords ton jobs running around somewhere for little of nothing that really should be cheap to maintain and if they are currently running that will continue to be the case. Just my free advice worth what was paid for it.
 
Well, here she is. It has a lot of new parts, new cylinder head and dead gasket a few years ago, new PMD with relocation, new fuel solenoid, all kinds of other stuff. All new bushings in the frontend, 33" tires and new wheels, little lift, runs and drives awesome. Interior is dirty and was a work truck so needs a lot of help, but the body is straight. It was painted with Apache helicopter paint and he gave me some extra to use for touchup.

All said and done I'm only in it for about $1500. :)

2014-05-30 14.11.39.jpg
 
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