I have a 2003 Dodge with 122K and no major repairs to date. The 3 minor repairs included rear u-joint replaced, window switch replaced and reverse light switch replaced. I also had one warranty repair at the very beginning for a bad board for the remote door locks.
Diesel Longevity worth the increased maintenance costs
- Thread starter 75H2
- Start date
- Views: 11546
RobertN
Super Member
I have not notcied a huge difference. My previous truck was a '89 F250 4x4 351ci stickem up shift. I had it for about 75k miles; sold at 225,000 miles. Still ran strong, did not use oil, looked nice still.
My '01 Dodge is at 130,000 miles. Have done oil, filters, and brakes. Tow a 5th wheel, a tractor, haul firewood, and do a little commuting.
I originally got it as a 10 year or 300,000 mile rig; it is 9 years, and only 130k miles so far.
I seem to go thru tires faster though... That diesel on the front end is a lot heavier...
My old gasser held less oil, but needed it changed more frequently. Filters were about the same. Plugs, wires, rotor, and cap on the gasser...
I would not necessarily say a diesel cost more for typical periodic maintenance. Albeit, some of the newer trucks/motors for gas do not require as frequent of oil change as older trucks do.
My '01 Dodge is at 130,000 miles. Have done oil, filters, and brakes. Tow a 5th wheel, a tractor, haul firewood, and do a little commuting.
I originally got it as a 10 year or 300,000 mile rig; it is 9 years, and only 130k miles so far.
I seem to go thru tires faster though... That diesel on the front end is a lot heavier...
My old gasser held less oil, but needed it changed more frequently. Filters were about the same. Plugs, wires, rotor, and cap on the gasser...
I would not necessarily say a diesel cost more for typical periodic maintenance. Albeit, some of the newer trucks/motors for gas do not require as frequent of oil change as older trucks do.
bdeboer
Platinum Member
Personal experience with current diesel vs. previous gas on the tire wear has been about the same in front. The only thing I noticed is that due to the tire pressure monitoring systems that our government has added to the new vehicles is that the rear wear faster running close to full sidewall pressure.
I use to run the rears lower when not pulling a trailer.
KeithInSpace
Veteran Member
I'm starting to think of this more as a "to trailer or not to trailer" thing.
What I mean is this:
Folks get a F350 with a diesel just because. Because you can. Because they want a diesel. Because they get 4 extra MPG on the interstate. Because it puts more hair on your chest. Whatever.
If this is why you want a diesel, it will NEVER work out financially. The rest of the truck will eat itself long before the engine does, the fuel is more expensive (now), it's heavier, parts are more expensive, blah, blah, blah.
All that's true UNTIL you're pulling a 10k# trailer up a mountainside. Then you'd give your left arm AND leg for a diesel. My Dad get's the same mileage pulling his huge 5th wheel with his Dodge 3500 Dually Diesel as I do pulling my little 5,000# bumperpull camper with my Expedition. And he could walk away from me in the mountains.
If you don't tow, I don't know why you'd ever want a diesel, honestly. But if you tow more than a few thousand miles a year, I bet you'd want one very much...and would benefit from it. Not in longevity, necessarily, but in comfort while towing. Mash the pedal and it goes. Mash my pedal and it thinks about it, downshifts, winds up to 4,000 RPM, starts to get a head of steam, then starts going somewhere. Big difference.
That's my philosophy/observation.
What I mean is this:
Folks get a F350 with a diesel just because. Because you can. Because they want a diesel. Because they get 4 extra MPG on the interstate. Because it puts more hair on your chest. Whatever.
If this is why you want a diesel, it will NEVER work out financially. The rest of the truck will eat itself long before the engine does, the fuel is more expensive (now), it's heavier, parts are more expensive, blah, blah, blah.
All that's true UNTIL you're pulling a 10k# trailer up a mountainside. Then you'd give your left arm AND leg for a diesel. My Dad get's the same mileage pulling his huge 5th wheel with his Dodge 3500 Dually Diesel as I do pulling my little 5,000# bumperpull camper with my Expedition. And he could walk away from me in the mountains.
If you don't tow, I don't know why you'd ever want a diesel, honestly. But if you tow more than a few thousand miles a year, I bet you'd want one very much...and would benefit from it. Not in longevity, necessarily, but in comfort while towing. Mash the pedal and it goes. Mash my pedal and it thinks about it, downshifts, winds up to 4,000 RPM, starts to get a head of steam, then starts going somewhere. Big difference.
That's my philosophy/observation.
BXRICK
Silver Member
I think I agree with Keith (as I often do).
My grandfather used to say that when faced with a financial decision, create two columns on a piece of paper and list the pros and cons of each choice.
Then, when you have all the information available to you, go ahead and do what you were going to do anyway.
In other words, if you want a diesel, buy one.
As I have crossed age 40, I've noticed that almost everyone does something with his money that most other people think is silly. Some people own boats, go to Vegas often, have swimming pools, drive massive tractors on small lots, ride around in large diesel trucks just because, etc. Live a little.
My grandfather used to say that when faced with a financial decision, create two columns on a piece of paper and list the pros and cons of each choice.
Then, when you have all the information available to you, go ahead and do what you were going to do anyway.
In other words, if you want a diesel, buy one.
As I have crossed age 40, I've noticed that almost everyone does something with his money that most other people think is silly. Some people own boats, go to Vegas often, have swimming pools, drive massive tractors on small lots, ride around in large diesel trucks just because, etc. Live a little.
KeithInSpace
Veteran Member
Something to be said for that.
Correction: A LOT to be said for that. (Says me, the person who can't decide how to spend $10 without holding public hearings, it seems.)
+1 I have the same problem. I'll research a purchase to death before I spend $100. My wife is like "relax" just get it. I can't seem to let go of my hard earned $$ that easily.
Since I started this thread I should clarify. After reading this section of the forum for over 2 years the guys who describe the multi thousand dollar repairs they've had on their diesel trucks makes me wonder i they are worth the extra coin. The KDP issue with the Cummins, the issues with the 6.0 Ford and I'm sure I've read about people having problems with DMax engines. Are these things by their very nature fragile and maintenance intensive? Or as durable as gas engines, but when something goes wrong it goes very wrong?
Regardless, this has been very informative
Diamondpilot
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2007
- Messages
- 16,316
- Location
- Daleville, IN
- Tractor
- Jinma 254/284 Ford 861 Powermaster at work
Guys like to brag about stuff but most of the time when you hear them complaining its about something serious. Diesels cost big money to fix. Anything good is going to cost ya! Look at WOMEN.
Diesels are funny. I work my 2 to death but take care of them and have zero issues. Guys I know who baby them seem to have more issues.
Chris
pitt_md
Veteran Member
Well a year ago when I was looking at getting a new truck to replace the F150 I had I went to the dealers and they were not dealing on the F150's all that much. There was a new F250 6.4 diesel that they had all kinds of rebates/employee price on it. I ended up buying the F250 for less than I could get a F150 set up with the same options.
I could pull my two horses around with a 1/2 ton and be just fine. But going out west with them in tow the F250 is just a lot better at it. Much more stable on the road and the milage between my 2002 F150 and the 2008 F250 were just about the same. I may regret getting a diesel later on but right now (14 months, 18K miles) it's flawless.
I could pull my two horses around with a 1/2 ton and be just fine. But going out west with them in tow the F250 is just a lot better at it. Much more stable on the road and the milage between my 2002 F150 and the 2008 F250 were just about the same. I may regret getting a diesel later on but right now (14 months, 18K miles) it's flawless.
newbury
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2009
- Messages
- 14,159
- Location
- From Vt, in Va, retiring to MS
- Tractor
- Kubota's - B7610, M4700
Well I got addicted to diesel fumes when I bought a new '79 Rabbit.
In '88 I bought an E350 (van) w/ 7.3l engine. When I summed up the records a few years ago I had gotten about 15+ mpg lifetime (now only 180,000 miles). And that's with a full hightop conversion.
I bought it and had it converted because I had a growing family of 4 w/ FREQUENT trips from Va to Ms (ferry the whole family and the dog down to Grandmas over the summer to drop off 1 kid at a time for a few weeks). Also we needed something that would idle for hours and not overheat w/ A/C full blast.
I've had 2 major problems - that year a/c was built to filter the freon to the air (when Freon was $1/can), and a waterpump went out a few years ago at highway speed and I dumped all the water. But only a $900 repair bill.
It starts fine. Tows well. If I had it to do over I would have bought two.
In '88 I bought an E350 (van) w/ 7.3l engine. When I summed up the records a few years ago I had gotten about 15+ mpg lifetime (now only 180,000 miles). And that's with a full hightop conversion.
I bought it and had it converted because I had a growing family of 4 w/ FREQUENT trips from Va to Ms (ferry the whole family and the dog down to Grandmas over the summer to drop off 1 kid at a time for a few weeks). Also we needed something that would idle for hours and not overheat w/ A/C full blast.
I've had 2 major problems - that year a/c was built to filter the freon to the air (when Freon was $1/can), and a waterpump went out a few years ago at highway speed and I dumped all the water. But only a $900 repair bill.
It starts fine. Tows well. If I had it to do over I would have bought two.
