Considering a Trade for the 5.4L from the 6.4L

[CMB430]

I am looking at trading in my truck (see below) on a 2008 F350 XLT RC LWB 4x4 auto and its new. It is a Job 2. It has all the options I want minus a sliding rear window, which I can get away with as I do not have it in mine now. I am also looking at 1/2 ton Chevys and Fords. My question is this. I tow a 7K v-nose about 3,000 miles per year. This is my daily driver. I need the 8' bed as I haul a lot of stuff because I like to keep busy in the garage, etc, and prefer it over a shorter bed. I had gas trucks in the past that I used to haul, but I got between 4-6 mpg when towing where now I get 11-12 mpg. I did the math, and when I bought my current truck I was going to save $2,400 per year in fuel...that was in Sept 07. Now, it is costing me $2,100 more per year. They want to give me between $23,000 and $25000 on a trade, truck is near new condition as I take care of it. Would it be wise to trade in mine on a 5.4L to save fuel money, and a little bit on maintenance? I know a lot of you guys push the V10, but if I am going to do that, I may as well keep the 6.4L in MHO. Thanks for your help as I kick this around...wife is okay with me ordering a new Chevy Silverado LTZ or F150 FX4 how I want it...but I can not decide if I will regret it later. None of my friends are into trucks like we are on here!

[Pappy19]

My wife has a 2007 Lincoln LT, basically a fancy F150. It has a 5.4 with a 3.73 rear. When I tow with her rig, about 6k, I get around 8mpg and I can tell I am towing. Solo it can get as high as 17-18 depending on foot. With my V-10, I get 9-10 mpg towing the same trailer loaded down and I never know that I am towing. Solo, I get 11-12 around town and I have a 4.10 rear and the new torqueshift tranny. Maintenance cost is about the same for both the 5.4 and the 6.8 V-10. My V-10 is a daily driver and the only thing I wish I had was a larger gas tank as I can get about 300 miles before filling up. TransferFlow is supposed to have a 45 gallon replacement tank coming out for the gas rigs in a month or so.

Other than that, I don't miss my diesel at all. I had fun with my 7.3 and think it is the best diesel engine Ford and International have ever made. Since then, it's all gone down hill for Ford diesels IMHO, including the 6 leaker and the sootbag 6.4.

[CMB430]

Thanks Pappy19. For example, I built a 2009 F150 FX4, the sticker is a bit over $38,000. I need to have towing capacity, and I need to have an off-road package as I do go in fields and such hunting or exploring (I used to off-road, but my 4 ton beast is too big compared to a SC SWB 1500 Chevy), so having a base model is out. I have a bad back, so I need a power seat (current truck has dual PS), and I have a black lab, so an extended cab is nice, but not essential. Other than the cost of diesel and freezing my a** off in the winter, I love my F350. The power is amazing, and it does not ride bad. If a Dodge could haul its own weight (lowest capacities in all classes), I would do that because I am military and they have employee pricing AND 0% APR for 60 months PLUS $1,000 cash back. But I just do not care for them!

[jonrjen]

To each their own. I would go with the V-10 from a financial point....more HP for little $.
And you never hear anyone complain about having too much power under the hood or at the wheels.
However the 5.4 is no slouch and is a good little power plant. As for Dodge or GM, I do own some GM stock but I am a FORD Man plain and simple. If all you tow is as you stated the V-8 or V-10 are a less expensive way to get from point A to Point B than a diesel. If you can handle the depreciation on the current truck you may want to venture over to the gas side of life. One deciding factor could be the limited number of V-10s on dealer lots, which would mean a custom order and it would have to be an 09 at this point. This would mean missing out on current incentives of the NOS 2008 models. As for going with an F-150, I would stay with at least a 3/4 to 1 ton truck that is built a little more for serious duties.
I enjoy both my V-10 as do I my 6.4 PSD, but if I could only keep one, it would be a hard choice. Realisticly I could do 99% of everything I need with the V-10. The remaining 1% would be pulling our Travel Supreme 40' RV........which I haven't pulled in a long time.
Either way, I'm glad it's your choice and not mine. Let us know what happens.
Good Luck!

[Eng1Driver]

It's not going to save you as much $$$ as you think. First off your taking a huge depriciation hit by trading in a 2008 truck. Next is tax, license, and reg you need to pay on the new truck. IMHO if your truck is a good running rig I would keep it for couple of years instead of throwing good money after bad.

Also if you can wait there's a lot of big changes coming in the truck market including half ton diesels and HPDI gas engines which will both increase fuel economy.

[CMB430]

Your argument is what I am really kicking around. My truck is a great running truck...I just need to get driver side doors adjusted to stop the creeking, and add a by-pass filter. The point is what you said...and I have been asking (away from this site) for years when a 1/2 ton truck is going to get a diesel and have gotten nothing worth while in response. I suppose I will just keep the F350. It would take about 3 years to make up the difference, which I knew already. That is why I have this now, because I traded in a paid off 2006 2500HD 6.0L 5spd manual ext cab SWB with under 25,000 miles on this to save fuel money...when diesel was $2.60 per gallon. I guess this myth is busted!! I will just take it in the shorts like the rest of the diesel owners and hope for better times like the dust bowl survivors in the 1930's.

[goodale]

since you already have the truck and it is pretty much brand new with all the options you like i would keep it. i dont know how much your truck stickered for but im guessing around 45k or more, thats a lot of money. i believe you said a stealership wants to give you 25k or less on a trade in? sounds like they'd be leaning you over their desk and sticking it to you, no lube, laughing all the way to the bank. and selling it on your own isn't going to be easy at a time when trucks are selling as well a submarines with screen doors. also coming from a guy with a 5.4 with 4.10 gears i'd gladly spend the little extra at the pump for the power of the diesel. i would have gotten the diesel, but i dont really need it for my needs and the whole extra $7000 for it was beyond my budget. my two cents

[Eng1Driver]

I think your making a wise choice to keep your truck. As for the half ton diesels I will venture to say that by 2010-2012 you will have several choices in that arena. Plus by then your truck will have taken most of the major depriciation and trading will not hurt so much.