Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives 2018 F150 Diesel

Friend bought one in June/July. He lives in what is nearly always the coldest part of ND (North Central), I'll be interested to see how it works out for him as he's got a pretty short drive to work, no way it'll come up to operating temp on that drive.

Car and Driver finally did a real world test on one of the new 3.0 F150 diesels. Bottom line is that it does what you'd expect of a half ton with a smaller Diesel engine, but it's pricey. https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2018-ford-f-150-30l-v-6-power-stroke-diesel-first-drive-review

Between endless emissions headaches, increased maintenence and repair costs, and diesel being $0.70-$0.80 per gallon more than gas, I just don't think a diesel makes sense unless you are pulling for a ton of miles. I have a 2500 diesel. I love the truck but the emissions BS has been a non-stop headache. I think my next 2500 will burn gas. Good luck with yours.

After just slogging 1,500 miles on the Interstates, thank goodness for the inside air option on the SUV. The air is putrid enough on the open road, but get behind a diesel pickup stuck in big city traffic with that exhaust pipe in your grill and I'd like the diesels to be somewhere else. The diesel pickup guy backed up to the hotel room door warming his truck for half an hour filling the room with diesel smoke wasn't a treat either or the truckers idling all night long out in the parking lot. A diesel in a half ton? Nope, buy the Eco-Boost.

FWIW a DPF equipped diesel leaves zero diesel smell out the tailpipe.

Fellow cowman ran diesels for years. His latest was a 2017 1 Ton Dodge. He said that thing had a bunch of warning lights that kept on going off. One day it "lit up like a Christmas tree", left him in the pasture.

He sold it, bought a 1 ton Ford gasser. He says it gives fair mileage, hasn't left him high and dry, yet. He's not the first farmer/rancher who's done the same.

DF

Such a shame what the EPA did to diesels.
They were a decent choice for anyone, based on reliability and fuel mileage.
The EPA has ruined both advantages, and diesel has become expensive.
Now, they only can be justified on torque, and then under certain circumstances.


I have a friend that is a mechanic in the R&D department of a major truck/engine
manufacturer. These mandates have caused huge headaches, and expense.
With the stepped requirements, they design a system, that traditionally would
have been perfected, then produced for a decade plus. Now, as soon as they get
a decently solid design to meet the standards, it goes into production. With the resulting
problems popping up. They instantly start trying to meet the next standard, while engineering
any problems that show in the last design. By the time everything gets settled and reliable,
they have to roll out the equipment for the next requirements.

That's why a lot of truckers, those who own one or two rigs, prefer '06 or older rigs. Those old trucks will just about run forever with good maintenance. Even cowboys love their vintage Ford and Dodge diesel pickups. Those trucks bring a premium.

Big trucking companies lease or turn over these newer trucks, keep them long enough for the warranty to cover all the B.S. needed for the "new" systems.

Then there's the glider kits, new chassis with referb Detroit 60 or similar vintage power plants. But, don't think you can run them in CA. And my guess, one of these days the govt is going to close that loop hole.

It is a shame.

DF

I see lots of folks buying 3/4 ton diesels that rarely pull anything. Seems like a lot of extra money for capabilities that could be handled by a gas motor and in most cases by a 1/2 ton truck. Maybe the 1/2 ton diesel makes some sense for mileage but you would need a lot of highway miles to even out the price difference

I own a 2016 GMC Sierra 2500HD Duramax. In the three years that I have owned it, I have not had a single mechanical or electrical issue with it. It is simply a great truck.

It's extremely quiet, no emissions odor of diesel whatsoever, tows my travel trailer up Colorado mountain passes with ease, and with the exhaust brake, coming down the other side is equally effortless. Fuel mileage is better than my old Ram 1500 gasser, and I really like being able to drive it at speed limit up any of our high mountain roads without so much as a downshift.

I get a kick out of comments that folks who buy 2500 diesels (they're not "3/4 tons" anymore) rarely tow anything with them. Since when does anyone care what someone else wants to buy, and use?

I bought mine because I could afford it, I wanted another diesel (it's my third), and I like the capability to tow my travel trailer with ease, To paraphrase Bill Clinton when asked why he had sex with Monica Lewinsky, I drive my diesel "because I can".

DF,
There is already talk of changing the glider kit rules.
No using an old vin, the powertrain will have to match
the year the kit was manufactured.

On up/downside to this for manufacturer's,
They get swamped with orders the last year or so
Of a set of regulations. Companies know that the existing
tech is 5 years old, and as sorted out as it will get. And that
the new will be problematic. So sales are thought the roof.

Unfortunately, the next year, people have already bought ahead,
Or, they are scared. Sales fall. Of course the overall economy
is always a big factor.

One of the things that would make most people absolutely furious is the fact that the retail price of diesel has an enormous amount of margin in it for most stations. Like most truckers, we participate in a buying consortium that negotiates with the big chains to get lower prices. The discounts are amazing.

Las weak, we fueled in Jerome, ID for $2.395. Diesel. All taxes paid. The Loves in Burley had $3.59 on the sign. The lowest diesel price from an independent station was $3.09. The public has gotten used to paying more for diesel, but there really is no justification for that price differential anymore. It's a matter of "they CAN charge more, so they do".

It’s what the market will bear.

And, don’t ya think diesel takes less refining than gasoline?

If so, the price sure doesn’t reflect it.

DF

I use an AWD Nissan Murano for work. I get an allowance and some mileage reimbursement. Vast majority of course are "road/Hwy" miles. Gimme a 1/2 ton crew that gets similar mileage to the Murano and it'd peak my interest. Couple years for them to work the bugs out and for me to be ready for a new work ride and I'll at least take all of the 1/2 ton diesels for a test drive.

Seems both are priced per BTU.

Not since ULSD, the extra step to boil off the sulfur is pretty pricey.

And don't even get into the "Diesel is a byproduct of making gasoline" thing.
It's one car drivers like. They see a lot of cars, and assume that much more gasoline
is used. They have no concept of the Diesel that gets used, in trucks, off road, and burnt for heat.


Dutch, I drove for a big company. At our busier fuelstops,
We had our own fuel hauled into their tanks, and payed them a few cents to pump it.
Buying millions wholesale, saves a little money.
Buying ahead on the futures...... I have seen that payoff big. And seriously bite the butt.

while sitting in the dentist office yesterday I browsed through motor trend mag. It had the big three pick-ups comparison in it. Dodge came out ranked on top. The Ford with the diesel lacked load pulling ability up inclines. It did rank highest in fuel mileage. But Dodge beat it in about every other category.
I'm a ford man, but until my 01 F250 gets smashed, I'm not in the market for a new one.