I bought an F-250 Crew Lariat with the 6.2 gas new in SEP of 2019. I don't tow heavy that often but I need 3/4 ton payload. I'd have loved a diesel but didn't want to spend more than $50K and didn't want to pay diesel maintenance cost. Right at 32K miles now, really like the truck. Mileage is simialar to STX: 12 mixed, may see 13 on highway. Plenty of power. Engine does need to rev high as designed if towing heavy up hills.

That said, I don't enjoy towing with it. Even my little single axle trailer with UTV knocks the mileage down to 9 or 10. Given that you tow multiple days and run lots of miles I'd still go diesel if a 3/4 ton. If you can get away with the lighter payload the Tundras are great trucks, but their mileage also sucks. I put 200K on a 2008 before this, best truck I ever owned.

Methinks someone may be providing a post to legitimize saving money. I will sugest buying what is desired and deal with the additional cost. Get what you really want and make it work. As time goes on and you become more familiar with your new ride, you will be happier and happier.

Les than 6’ tall

Just me. Best damn truck I’ve ever owned.

Looked at both the ford and tundra half tons.

The ford is a nicer truck by far. I like the tundra too and cab space is huge. Both are stout trucks.

But, after putting pen to paper in what it would take to outfit the truck with the lift, tires, bumpers etc it would be stupid to do that when i have a equipped truck sitting in the driveway. Wife was also pretty vocal about not moving back to a half-ton after having the diesel

Thanks for all the input and when it’s time to make a change a gas 7.3 will get a strong look.

For anyone looking, they have a 2020 White lariat F-150 4x4 with the eco boost at Red McCombs Ford for $48k

Well.... that's 5 minutes I will never get back.

What does your wife care about weather you drive a 1/2 ton or a 3/4 ton? Does it have some effect on the manhood? Or does she tow a 5th wheel with it? Im sorry more a joke than anything but the only thing i give any consideration to on my wifes feelings about my truck is cost as we make financial decisions together and manual vs automatic since she cant drive a stick.

Hey you got a hot tip on a new truck though

Go down in rim size and up in tire size, and if you run appropriate pressure you have a huge difference in ride. Side wall flex is like a second set of shocks.

I run 35” tires on 18” rims. I run 45 PSI up front and 40 in rear. There is a night and day difference in ridge quality on F250. For what ever reason I get more even tire wear also.

a 3/4 ton short bed with tires filled with 70 PSI is brutal.


I run mine at 50 psi.

She apparently likes the Torquey Torque and sweet sound of a turbo diesel. More so than I initially thought....I told her i was thinking about trading it off she got quite upset

Sounds like she needs to buy her one.

The diesel higher maintenance cost is not really an issue. I currently own a 20 Cummins and a 19 power stroke. If you are buying a 50-60-70-80k truck who gives a flip if you have to spend maybe an extra $200 a year on oil changes and fuel filters? I buy my oil in 55 gallon drums and order filters a case at a time online. They definitely cost a little more to maintain but not a significant amount. I certainly wouldn’t base my decisions on it or be buying a truck that expensive if I was concerned about such a small amount.

I have driven diesels since the 90s. Tried two gas trucks and both disappointed me. I won’t have another one. I have a ton of diesel things - somewhere around twenty things with Diesel engines. I have a bulk tank at my house and transfer tank in the pickup. Having everything run on diesel is super convenient. The gas trucks drove ok empty but are horrible when towing. We drove the Cummins to Tennessee and back two weeks ago (crew cab long bed 4x4 on 35s) and it averaged 18 MPG.

True, but it wasn't a Tundra. Mine only has 185k on it so I won't be in the market for a while.

You have the crew?

Gonna be in the same boat as the OP this summer.

I am putting 50,000+ miles on a truck annually. Popped two sets of injectors in my '15 Super Douchey in 2018 at 165,000 miles and went to a GMC gasser half ton. 15,000 more miles and I am making a move. I have already blown up a transmission and wheel hubs in this truck. Getting my money out of the transmission I bought from the Riggs Brothers chop shop, then she is out of my driveway and out of my life. The truck does fine on ranch/oil field roads, but I HATE not having the full size bed. Towing wise, it pulled a SMALL load of cows and drags my SxS adequately, but I miss the ride height and full size bed of the Ford.

Yes sir.

After buying my first diesel (2015 F-350) I don’t think I could ever go back to a gas truck. I tortured my poor gasers towing and hauling stuff. Cracked frame, blown out body bushings, you name it. Love that 6.7 Super Duty.

you needed a stouter platform if you were cracking frames and blowing out bushings. Engine that is in the truck is irrelevant.

Yes I did need a stouter platform no doubt. Engine and drive train in truck is absolutely relevant when you are loaded heavy/towing going up hills and passing people LOL. The 350 gasser in my 1/2 ton Z71 struggled pulling a 20' trailer much less a tractor w/shredder/pallets of corn etc. I can barely feel that load behind me with my diesel truck. It's a towing machine and I haven't even deleted it yet.

yes but the reason your frame cracked and Bushings went out is due to too heavy a load, not a lack of horsepower or torque.

How many years ago was this they haven’t made a 350 vortec since 1999

Yes, I know why my frame cracked and why I blew bushings out. Maybe I should have worded my statement differently. I needed a stouter platform AND more towing power.

It's a 2005 Crew Cab. It has the 5.3 Liter Vortec V8. So not a 350, it's a 325, or whatever cubic inches that turns out to be. It's been a good truck, my Son is still driving it.

Point is, I needed more truck so I got more truck.

Of course, the Z71 rides A LOT smoother off road. I do miss that.

The 5.3 liter vortec is a good engine. The 5.3 liter ecotech which they run now is also a good engine. I don’t believe the Chevy is built nearly as stout as the ford.

I’ve owned both the Z71 with the 5.3 and the FX4 with the 5.0 and for whatever reason it seemed like the Chevy did better off road.

Good old Chevy independent suspension vs Ford solid axle. Can sure feel the difference. I love my F350 FX4 though, have the Crew Cab single wheel long bed. It does good off road with mudders, except for the fact that it turns like a shrimp boat LOL. It took some getting used to but it is nice to be able to set a full pallet of corn in the back with the tool box and diesel transfer tank, and be able to close the tail gate. Hook up a heavy 20' + pipe trailer with tractor/shredder/3 or 4 big coolers full of ice etc, all the kids and the rest of our stuff, and scoot down the highway at 75 without squatting and being squirrely.

With that said, I still miss my old trusty 82 K5 Blazer. All stock with a 3" body lift and 33 inch mudders. That truck was a beast off road, and was still running at 330,000 miles when I decided to strip it down to bare frame and build a mud buggy out of it.