So I need advice a F-250 or CUMMINS!!!???

Bigben75ford

Bigben75ford

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Location
Asheboro,NC
So I know for many of you this is a no competition comparison but I have always been partial to my fords growing up!lol!I know many of you have cummins so I could use your input!

Here is my dilema,I have a 94 SASed yota pickup that many of you have seen on here before but I am tired of DDing it to base and back every other weekend(about 2 1/2 hours) so I want to buy a diesel i can pull it with if need be to but also something that will be dependable and get good gas mileage(for a diesel) since it will be my everyday driver.

Im in Bagram,Afghanistan right now but when I get back in august or septemeber I am definitely going to buy something.I have been researching but knew you guys know ALOT about these.

HERE is what I want I know,I dont want to spend anymore than 20,000,Im 22 years old in the military and havent been in debt yet so this will be a first haha!

If its an F-250:I want atleast 03-06(cant afford new)I do like the 05's and up grills though
I would like a Lariat,just extended cab short bed
Also manual trying to get better mpg's

If its a cummins:I want one for under 20,000 haha!I know
they keep there value.
Also manual no doubt!
Also extended cab

SO ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL THANKS!!!!!
 
I am a big Ford fan and a big Cummins fan....the Cummins wrapper does suck though.

If you go Ford stay clear of 03-04 6.0s
05 up have coil sprung fronts and much tighter turning radiuses

If I was looking for an F250 id be looking 99-early 03 fwiw....the 05-> grills are a direct bolt in replacement.
 
Thanks for the input man!Those cummins are hard to beat and plus the better gas mileage,anyone else?
 
If Ford, stick with a 7.3 (99-early 03). I put an 02' grille on my 99' (nicer looking headlights), a guy had swapped his 02' to 05 stuff and sold it all to me for cheap.

If I could find a truck as nice as mine in a crew cab shortbed w/ a 6 speed I'd sell you mine :)

DON'T get a 6.0, I have a friend w/ an 05 6.0, hasn't really had any problems, but it gets horrible mileage compared to the 7.3's.

I tow just as much as you will (more sometimes), but empty I get 18mpg, towing I get 15. That is not driving like a grandpa either, so I could probably get 19-20 empty if I drove it easier.
 
Thanks michael for the info.Yeah thats the problem with the Fords its hard to find a nice truck thats a manual and I have heard over and over about the 6.0's so thats why I might end up getting a dodge.(never thought I would own a dodge but the cummins are hard to beat)
 
Dodges also have their drawbacks....Eventhough the Cummins is the shit. The fuel systems suck. The VP44 Injection pumps are really bad for going out. They can cost you anywhere from 1300-2500 to replace. You also need to monitor your fuel pressure (need guages) and keep check on the lift pump. A lift pump failure will kill the injection pump. I've heard plenty of horror stories about the NV-4500s having a 5th gear nut problem but I don't know a whole lot about the NV5600 other than they cost about 3k on Ebay.

If you get a Dodge you might wanna put an airdog or FASS system on it. It will replace the crappy stock lift pump and help prolong the life of your injection pump. You will also want to run an additive in your fuel. This low sulfur fuel sucks for lubrication. It doesn't meet the lubrication specs for the VP44. I mix 2 cycle engine oil with my fuel.
 
go F350! :D (shameless plug, see sig!)

btw, fuel mileage is decent. averaged 16.7mpg driving from Greenville to URE and back
 
I've had my 06 2500 CTD for almost a year now and have had no problems with it. I based my decision on it since my dad has an 04 2500 Hemi and it lasted till 220k mi. till it broke a valve spring (common for those early hemis) and he never had a problem out of it. He likes it so much he put another engine in it. And i'm rebuilding that one to put in my jeep. But anyways. Mines an auto which it really didn't matter to me, sometimes I wish I had the manual though. Mainly I just got a good deal on it and went ahead. I wanted a SFA, so no chevy, and coil springs, and the cummins tops it off. Sure the fords have coils too but they came with the 6.0. So eh.

Your not gonna be in the 6.7 price range so you don't have to worry about those issues.

I would look for a 7.3 Ford. I've just had bad experiances with Fords electronics so that kinda put me off, but I hear the 7.3s are some solid trucks.
 
FlameRedTJ said:
I've had my 06 2500 CTD for almost a year now and have had no problems with it. I based my decision on it since my dad has an 04 2500 Hemi and it lasted till 220k mi. till it broke a valve spring (common for those early hemis) and he never had a problem out of it. He likes it so much he put another engine in it. And i'm rebuilding that one to put in my jeep. But anyways. Mines an auto which it really didn't matter to me, sometimes I wish I had the manual though. Mainly I just got a good deal on it and went ahead. I wanted a SFA, so no chevy, and coil springs, and the cummins tops it off. Sure the fords have coils too but they came with the 6.0. So eh.

Your not gonna be in the 6.7 price range so you don't have to worry about those issues.

I would look for a 7.3 Ford. I've just had bad experiances with Fords electronics so that kinda put me off, but I hear the 7.3s are some solid trucks.
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220k on with a Hemi? I bet he spent of 6 million dollars on gas...lol
 
How about a gas motor and use the $6k in saving to buy gas when/if you need it?

Just another thought. Do you really need 500+ ft lbs of torque for a DD? (Even though it IS fun)
 
I had a 5.4 gasser and sold it for a diesel. I'll never own another gasser tow rig again. Poor power, poor maintenance, poor fuel mileage, etc.
 
rockcity said:
I had a 5.4 gasser and sold it for a diesel. I'll never own another gasser tow rig again. Poor power, poor maintenance, poor fuel mileage, etc.
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My 8.1/Allison might change your mind on everything except poor mileage...(9 mpg towing)

Maintenance is MUCH better on a gasser.. 6 quarts of 10-30 and a $5 filter... DONE.

But diesels certainly have their place....
 
like skihi and tacoma 747 said, id go with the 7.3. buddy of mine has one with close to 200k on it still running like its young. the 04-06 headlamps make it have a nice look than the 99-03's. ill either have a 7.3 or a newer chevy duramax one day.... lol
 
Rich said:
My 8.1/Allison might change your mind on everything except poor mileage...(9 mpg towing)

Maintenance is MUCH better on a gasser.. 6 quarts of 10-30 and a $5 filter... DONE.

But diesels certainly have their place....
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your prob. right about that, but I've had too many gasser tow rigs in the past and I been less than impressed with them.
 
Why does everyone think a diesel has gobs more power? My '94 cummins was a dog when it was stock (160HP/400TQ). Even when I tweaked things to give it about 100 more HP it still is slower than a Chevy 1500 with a stock 350 vortec, at least unloaded. It gets a lot better mileage towing and sometimes I can feel the torque. Also, it didn't seem to be affected much mileage or power wise going from 33s to 37s but I think I'd rather have a stock gasser V-8 since I don't tow that much.
 
all cummins are slow stock. however, it doesnt take a whole lot of money to DOUBLE your HP and torque. my truck came with 245hp/500tq (190-200 at the wheels) stock, and about $1000 later, it's making close to 425hp/950tq at the wheels all while getting 20+ mpg. try doubling the power on a gas motor and see how much it costs.....

as far as cummins vs. powerstroke, the 6.0L PS will never be as reliable as a cummins. the 7.3 will if you leave it stock. a cummins is by far the best bang for the buck when you consider power upgrades/reliability/fuel economy. and the dodge part of it isn't as bad as people think.
 
Rich said:
Maintenance is MUCH better on a gasser.. 6 quarts of 10-30 and a $5 filter... DONE.
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How's that compare favorably to 12 quarts of 15W-40 and a $7.50 filter, changed half or less as often?
 
saf-t scissors said:
How's that compare favorably to 12 quarts of 15W-40 and a $7.50 filter, changed half or less as often?
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The oil change on my Dodge happened every 5-7k, just like in the truck I have now..

(My Cummins filters were about $7.50 (+ S&H), but many other trucks are calling for much more $$ filters, like the PSD'd, from what I remember Rob saying when he had his)
 
I spend about $50 on my oil and fuel filter changes. I get the Travellers from TSC since its still CI-4 standard (or is it CJ-4, i can't remember which the older one is), and $9/gal, which my 5.9 calls for. Also use baldwin oil and fuel filter, the fuel is a 5 micron as well, Cummins and Mopar are either 7-10, something like that. I also change every 10k. Even if you did the gasser at 5k It'd probably be about even I'd guess.

I will say though i was impressed with my dads hemi 2500 pulling about 7500lbs. Didn't take too long to get the hwy speeds and cruised along just fine. Milage wasn't too great though. and damn if it didn't last a long time.

and 220k at roughly 13mpg and maybe avg 2.50/gal over the past 4.5yrs = $42k in gas, probably what the truck was new.
 
ive had a 97 f350 (7.3), 2000 excursion (7.3), 2001 f350 (7.3), 2005 (6.0), 2003 dodge 6 speed(5.9 still got it works every day), and a 2006 mega cab (5.9 for sale).

as for all the above trucks my 2003 dodge pulls better and gets better economy towing than any of the fords(2006 doesnt get worked). i have always liked fords and the interiors are more comfortable, but the day i drove the 6 speed dodge i was hooked.
 
def no doubt the diesel will get the job done, but are you gonna be using it everyday to pull or haul heavy loads? That was the question i asked myself when i bought my turd( chevy gasser 6.0). I have another car i drive everyday that no truck can compare to, and it does decent pulling on flat ground. Maintance is cheap, parts are cheap, gas was cheaper lol. The only time im cussing myself is when i have it hammered down pulling up 421 holding it to the mat to keep 50 mph. Guess if i had money to blow or had the shortman syndrome i would buy a big smokey deisel. lol hell i am short.
 
oh yeah, my advise.......older cummins that someone has alread fixed all the common problems on. 5 speed with the 12valve and leave it stock.
 
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