Are diesels worth it if you don't haul heavy loads frequently?

Not really. 2020 F-250 will have this as an option though:

7.3L pushrod gas V8

If you have no need for a 3/4 ton truck look at the F150 Diesel. I have one and it gets 25 mpg (4x4, winch, grill guard, and a leveling kit). I was getting 17 on my Ecoboost, this diesel will run and pull a trailer like a 5.0.It's not in the EB class for pulling and running but the extra 7-8 mpg is saving me about $150 per month.

Before anyone says something about the "added" cost of owning a diesel my oil changes run $72 at the dealer.

I also have a car allowance that pays for my daily driver, insurance and gas so my expenses are just for the F-250 for hunting and fishing.

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Yeah, my deal is its purely based on looks. I love the look of the 2017+ F250s.

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I wouldn't buy a diesel based on "looks"

Fords are expensive to maintain beyond the fixed monthly costs.

Duramax or Cummings will out preform them all day long and not be in the shop constantly costing you thousands of dollars per trip.

I have a diesel car but gas trucks. I'll provide this for thought. Consider the price of fuel and what it costs to operate per a mile. If you have a gas truck that gets 18mpg and the current gas price is $2.12 per gallon, that GAS truck is costing 12 cents per mile to operate, dividing price of gas by mpgs. If you have a diesel, and it's getting 22 mpg at the current cost of diesel, $2.59 a gallon, that DIESEL truck costs 12 cents per a mile to operate.

Now consider the price of DEF, increased fuel filter changes, maintenance, added system of a turbo charger, more expensive oil changes...diesel definitely costs more to operate.

I think it's only worth it if you are pulling heavy loads daily. My diesel car gets 45mpg but the fuel and maintenance costs more than a gas car of same size. Diesel fuel SHOULD be cheaper than gasoline but the government ruined that. It no longer pays to drive diesel daily solely based on mpgs

If I had the money I would buy one just for shits and giggles, why not.... Loads of power, they look good, and its what you want.

So, just go buy one. This is America. No need to be practical.

Clean diesel regs nerfed them. Flipped reliability from a pro to a con and added even more cost of acquisition/ownership. Couple that with the fact that gas engines continue to get better and diesel is certainly not the no-brainer it was for 3/4 tons just a decade or so ago.

So, I would say that if you are not hauling/towing at least 1/3 of the time, diesel is straight up wasted money. Frankly, I wouldn't buy one I didn't need to make a living, but that's just me.

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I have absolutely no need for a F250. The only thing i tow is a 22' bay boat, an ATV, and occasionally a compact 5th wheel. (25')

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You know that once you get one well optioned, with a diesel, those trucks start flirting with $80k stickers, right?

If you write the numbers down on up front cost, total cost of ownership, and resale you'll see that you lose your arse on a diesel.

Only reasons to buy one are because you want one or need one, and very few people need one. Monetarily, you cant make it make sense. A gas burner HD truck will be cheaper up front, cheaper to own, and retain adequate resale should you chose to get rid of it.

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A gas burner HD truck will be cheaper up front, cheaper to own, and retain adequate resale should you chose to get rid of it.

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Yeah, but they don’t make all that obnoxious noise and have that “Baw” status to them

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Can you describe the visual difference between a diesel and gas burner without raising the hood?

Is it the little sticker that turns you on?

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I’m a car guy/truck guy and I always like the most horsepower. I’m also a diesel power enthusiast that likes to delete and tune my trucks. Same thing with my wife’s sedan that is a 12.4 second grocery getter.