I don't have a bunker, so if things crash down I'll take a road trip to crazyelvis' place.. I'm still right at 15.5 mpg mixed driving, and 2500 miles on the truck.. One thing about checking mpg, the SD's gastanks are very sensitive to the angle the truck is sitting when filling it up, which can make a few gallons difference. One example was I filled up at a different station and the mpg calculated out to be 16.5. (above average) But I don't think the tank filled up as much so it seemed as if I used less fuel. The next fillup, (at normal pump), the mileage calculated out to only 15, (below my normal).
Some day I'll take all of my reciepts out of the ash tray at look at total gallons used vs total miles, and this will give a good overall estimate.. I expect it will be in the 15.5 range.
Well, Santy Clause dropped off my Husky floor liners and my truck cap. Now all I need is the truck. As of 12/21 it has been released from the Ford Assembly plant. No idea if it has been shipped or just sitting in the lot. It is scheduled to deliver next week (1/3/00). Hope the bug doesn't get it!
Has anybody removed the grille from a SD and knows how to do it? Is it held in by screws like the old days or by new-fangled clip gizmos? Does it come out all in one piece? Thanks.
Mike, thanks for the info on removing the door panel, I found the one screw behind the control panel but not the one in the interior light. I'll go looking.
Todd, Regarding the Crew cab rear seat. The seat back moves foward to allow access to the storage area you would think of in a regular cab truck. The seat bottom does not move. My wife thought it would be great if the seat could turn into a bed. but it does not. I have an automatic so can't comment on the cup holder thing. ----Newman
Grille comes out in one piece. I had mine replaced(Black to Chrome) before I picked up truck at dealer, so I didn't get to see how it was attached. I kept the black one and it is in one piece, as was the chrome one before they put it in. I saw both.
I got the door panel off no problem. There is also one piece of trim about oposite of the mirror that just pops off. Mission accomplished. I fished the wires I need for remote keyless entry and put the door panel back on. The remote start and entry system is nearly complete. Thanks for the help....
One other note on fishing wires through the door panels for various accessories. Do not try to push wires through the rubber boot between the door and the chassis without first un-seating the rubber boot from the chassis. Fish wires through the boot first and then through the hole in the chassis. The chasis is double thick at this point and getting wires into the cab area is a real adventure. Trying to get them through the boot and the chassis and into the cab all at once is probably not possible. ...Newman
Want to order an F250 XLT 4WD CC SWB LT265 AT. Considering V8 w 4.10 or V10 w/ 3.73. Both limited slip. Would consider V8 w/ 3.73 but you can't get limited slip in that combo. I dont' want to spend the money or listen to the noise of a diesel. Any comments, preferences, opinions? Don't think gas mileage will be a big difference. What about power up hills towing, etc. Anybody know a good ford dealer in Arizona. So far, best I can do is about 1K over invoice.
With the V8, you'd probably want the 4.10 anyway. However, if you do a decent amount of towing you'll probably want the V10.
Empty, mileage between the V8 (4.10) and V10(3.73) is only about 2 or 3 mpg difference (mixed driving). However, when towing, the V10 will do better than the V8.
Note: If you want the auto tranny, you can get v10 w/3.73. however, if you want the 5sp + limited slip + v10, you have to get the 4.30.
The mileage between V10, auto, 3.73 and V10, 5sp, 4.30 appears to be very close. Probably because of the efficiency of 5sp vs auto..
I'm really happy with the power/acceleration of my truck. I don't do that much towing..
Just a note, for those of you with a build date the week of December 20. (I'm in that boat.) According to my dealer, those were rescheduled to next week, due to the plant holiday schedule. I almost hate to check the VOPC tomorrow & get the new ETA. . .
I see you recently installed fog lights. Did you use a separate switch or where you able to connect them to the headlight switch? I noticed that the headlight switch has a pull out position but it doesn't seem to do anything. Is this what its for? Any help is appreciated.
Don't give up hope. Mine was a build date week of 12/20 and I just got a call from the Dealer. My baby is in! Ordered 6/24, to pick up on 12/30. That's one heck of a gestational period! But it will be worth it. '00 F-250 Lariat,4wd,SRW,long bed, 5.4L, Auto, ESOF, TT mirrors, Power rear window, tinted glass, Premium wheels, Premium sound, trailer tow, Limited Slip, Bright Amber w/black accent. Can't wait. It's going to be a long night tonight!
Go with the v10 if your gonna tow anything. I have the v8 and its great for the truck itself, but I do a lot of towing, so now I have psd on order. I just wish I got that in the first place.
I have 99 f-250 4x4 reg cab 8' box w/snow plow prep package. owned now for 1yr and i think this truck defines "work truck", it is awesome. I do have one complaint. brakes. i mainly use my truck to plow my own driveway and one apartment building, so mileage is low, I currently have 5200 miles on it. it is parked in a garage and i just had my 3rd set of brakes replaced all on the rear end. my ford dealer tells me it is due to lack of use. i don't buy it. has anyone else experienced this?
If you buy an XL, you get Black bumpers, black grille and "Fleet"(set-in) headlights. If you buy an XLT or Lariat, you get all chrome and "Aero"(Molded) headlights. If you buy an XL with Decor Package, you get chrome bumpers, "Aero"(Molded) headlights and black grille. You must then order a chrome grille and have it put on to complete the "Look". Ford will not put that grille on at the factory in that XL configuration. You'd think on a custom factory order they'd do it any way you want, but that's not the case. Sometimes you have to work around their system to have it your way.
Regarding the F250 Priceing. If you belong to an auto club in your area EXAMPLE(AAA Michigan) they might have no haggle priceing. I live in Michigan and belong to AAA and they refered me to a dealer in my area. I am going to pay $500 over invoice. Also if you are going to do any towing I would suggest the V-10 you will get a much smoother ride when towing. Plus the gas milage won't be to much different with the 3.73Ls compared to the V8 4.10Ls.
what is the opinion on fender flares ? - I have ordered molded splash guards from the dealer and went to get info on a truck cap at a separate dealer near me - he also had fender flares offerred - he told me that people who purchase these do not usually install splash guards - his price $350 painted and installed.
The Hella fog lights I installed come with a complete wiring harness that includes a power relay and a nice little lighted switch. So I used that as is. Regarding the headlight switch mine does not have any pull out position. I certainly did a lot of tugging on it whilst trying to figure out how to get the lighting control panel out for my remote starter installation. Also most fog light systems do require a connection to the existing headlight system so that the fog lights can only come on when the low beam headlights are on. I did this connection though in the engine compartment at the headlamp itself. Also I found a nice firewall hole to route wires through on the driver side just below the power brake cylinder. Newman
Looking into purchasing a truck to tow a medium to large size camper. The Ford Superduty seems to be the best as far as size and towing capacity. My question(s): diesel v. gas comparison - will I lose a great deal in towing if I go with a gas engine? What about when I am not towing and just driving in heavy traffic? Plan to tow in the Mountains a good bit so need something capable to tow up and down hills well.
I went to the dealer's today to look at my new truck, and it looks great except for the CD player that didn't get ordered. Seems like I heard something like this in this forum before. While I consider my options, one question that crosses my mind is whether or not a CD changer can be installed with the AM/FM Cassette that I did get. Just leave the radio in and install the changer in the back. Is this feasible or do I need a special radio system to do this?
Noticed your question in post #434. There are after market chrome grills available. I have seen chrome tube grills that look nice but went with a stainless steel billet grill myself.
To install this grill they had to cut out all of the black middle portion and two little side areas. The new grill is set behind and then framed with what's left of the "old" grill (chromed part).
The new look is a complete chrome front grill area with multiple horizontal bars (approx. 1/8th in. thick and 1/8th in. gap in between) with the blue FORD logo in the middle of course.
I ordered the Lariat pkg so started off with a chrome on the outside area and black center and sides. Don't know if this is what you were looking for --- just something else to consider.
Sure you can add a wireless CD changer to your factory AM / FM Cass. Every major audio manufacturer is making one now. They use a remote to control CD functions, and send the music signal from the changer to the existing radio on an unused FM Freq. All you have to do is find a place to mount it and supply 12v power to it.
On the in dash cupholder location, its to the right of the stickshift. (not above/to the right like i stated earlier). I'm not sure what I was thinking..
Also, I have a low cost home-fix for the in dash cupholder, as some folks have had some drink spillage due to the design.. Just send me an e-mail and I'll send the instructions. I also posted them on the previous Superduty III forum..
The V10 has a huge towing capacity equivalent to the PSD (power stroke diesel), so you have engine choices..
Overall, the Diesel makes for a better tow vehicle. (spelled TORQUE). Also, at high elevations (which usually come when towing in mountains), the diesel won't suffer from power loss from thin air like gassers will. Mileage will also be better with the diesel when towing.. (and empty for that matter over the V10).
As far as traffic vs highway driving thats where your tranny choice comes into play. manual: slightly better towing capacity, much better speed control downhill. auto: easier to drive in stop/go city driving.
Bascially tranny choice boils down to personal preference.. I prefer a stickshift, other folks hate shifting.
If you want more biased opinions to convince you to get the diesel, visit the www.ford-diesel.com site.. Just kidding, its a great site for all superduty owners, just like this site.
I ordered the trailer towing package on my f250 Sd. I am going to install an electric brake control and the necessary connectors to connect to a travel trailer. So can someone tell me what comes with the package. Is there a connector mounted on the back of the truck? What style if any? Is there some sort of connector under the dash for the brake control? If you have done this yourself is it easy to do? Thanks
on my 99 with trailer wiring, I got: a 4pin connector installed up near the frame driver side (you need a very long trailer cord to reach there - so I bought a 48" loop and that works as an extension) a 7 wire bundle that's just barely long enough to reach the bumper (left, right, marker, charge, brake*, ground, and 1 more - I don't remember if it was just "aux" or "backup" - I wired it for backup lights) you need to supply your own connector. *brake wiring for an electric brake consists of the harness run through the truck, and tie in places for your controller up under the dash and under the hood (along with the connectors to wire to your controller. You supply your own controller. One very nice thing about the package is that all the trailer lights are separated from the truck lights (different fuse) so a short in the trailer won't take out your truck lights. (I've seen that happen enough times with 4flat wiring harnesses on landscape trailers that get beat on.)
all in all it was pretty simple to set it up (I actually put the connector on at the dealer when I picked up the truck - I was stopping on the way home to haul a friend's boat out, and did the brake controller that weekend.) I don't remember how long that took - because the day was also spent troubleshooting wiring on one of my trailers (end result was that my old truck and that trailer were both miswired to match and it wasn't a problem until the new truck was wired correctly). My only real complaint was that all the wires could have been 12" longer to allow me to put the connector in the center of the bumper, instead of at the frame rail.
Dealer I was talking to said Ford had a bulletin out indicating a price increase as of 12-27-99 for Superduty's. The guy wanted me to order before so he could guarantee the lower price. Just checked Edmund's, and they don't have updated "higher" prices posted. Anybody heard of this increase from anyone else? Any ideas about where to go and find out?
Whats up lewac??? Haven't heard from you lately...leads me to wonder if the "yard" is a little behind again..... Northpole.....-51.......ARE YOU CRAZY???!!! Come on down for a visit....Low 70's today.....good enough for a round of golf!!! 18 holes in the bunker.....sealing the door in about 10 mins.... seeeeeee ya all later....
crazyelvis: Yeah, but it's a dry cold. -35 for the high today. Thanks for the invite, but anything above +40 and I break a sweat...
About the only thing on the roads today are Fords. The cold is one big reason I went with a SD; no CV boots. GM products are still coming with boots and at these temps they just shred.
The problem with options is that you have to make a decision. I have a similar scenario to yours. I spent several weeks if not months gathering information to help make my decision on v-10 vs psd. I chose V-10, but that is not to say that is the choice for you. Just be sure to consider all the factors and then weigh each one according to your own preferences. TORQUE- No argument PSD has more but nobody has said the v-10 is a dog. COST - The cost may be a factor but what is more of a consideration is depreciation or resale value of the PSD. FUEL AVAILABILITY for your area - diesel is usually harder to find. FUEL COST - For me they were about the same. ENGINE NOISE - Good or bad psd is louder. MAINTENANCE - periodic and long term. how many miles will you keep the truck? MILES PER GALLON - The numbers vary but PSD is always better then V-10, I feel a good V-10 Avg is 11mpg and a PSD avg is 15mpg. There are other factors, but these are the main ones to consider. Either way I think you will be satisfied.
Thanks for the info! I plan to install a set in the next few days. Happy New Year to all who have shared their experience/knowledge in making this a great site for Super Duty info.
Ford Motor Company announced an increase to base prices today on selected model cars and trucks.
Some of the popular models affected are: Focus, Contour, Crown Victoria, Taurus/ Sable, Windstar, Explorer, Expedition, Econoline and F-Series models.
The average increase is $85 to the dealer invoice price. One exception is on the F-Series super duty models with the increase being approximately $170. The destination charge on the Focus and Taurus/Sable was also increased by $25.
I didn't notice which model of hellas you installed, and where did you put them, under, or near the front plate? We get fog here quite a bit in the spring, when lake Erie is cold and the air is warm. Want to be prepared for that. Also, if you don't mind, about what did you pay for them.
Go back to your dealer, ask to upgrade your cassette to a single cd. They will just remove yours and replace it in the same space. If you install a after market changer, your system will be lacking an amplifier.
I just found this board today. All you nice folks waiting to get your Super Duty or some that had them for a while. From the first couple of dozen posts that I've read it seems all is well. I guess you could say I have the grand-daddy of Super Duty 250's. 1999 Super Duty 250XL 8' bed, 5.4L, 5 speed, 4.10 gears, etc. 35,500 miles since 7/25/98. REPAIR HISTORY: Rotors cut once, then replaced. Brake pads replaced twice, shocks replaced, outer hubs (manual) replaced 3 times, inner hubs with bearings 2 times, front axles one time, wheel bearings once, slack in drive train engaging in any gear (normal they say) ABS light on, 3 recalls for minor things (yeah right).I still actually love this truck, great on gas mileage, 14.85 with a 1500lb. pay load average. Nice truck if they could have got it right the first time. It took them 4 months to figure out the axle problems with me having to drive with my front axles engaged all that time. I'm seriously looking to sell it because it's in the Ford dealer 1 day a week since last March. Good Luck
Wow, you did have some problems.. In some states, you might still qualify for lemon law. (more than xxx days out of service..) I think the front axle issue alone would have done it..
trimmman, sounds like you got a lemon. With all that maintenance, I'm surprised you had anything nice to say about the truck. I'm a Ford loyalist, but that would certainly test my faith. I've got a 99 V-10 dually 4x4, and had one major problem. The engine threw a rocker arm at 9,300 miles. Ford replaced the engine, and all else has been fine.
I've just passed through 26,000 miles. I have 4x4 with ESOF and live in cold weather country. No problems with the 4x4. I carry a heavy slide-in camper, so it won't surprise me if I'm doing some brake work around 40,000 miles. I'll probably replace the shocks earlier than I need to since I want to put on some Rancho 9000 adjustable shocks for the camper.
murph, the difference in mpg between similarly equiped V-10 and PSD trucks is about 5-6 mpg empty and about 3 mpg towing. As others have mentioned, one of the advantages of the diesel is torque. The 2000 V-10 has 425 ft-lbs and the PSD has 500. Neither engine is a slacker. You mentioned towing in the mountains. If you plan to live at high altitudes or travel in high altitudes, the power difference will be more noticable. Gas engines lose power at altitude. I've heard figures of anywhere from 4%-10% per 1000 feet. A diesel engine won't start losing power until about 10,000 feet.
northpole, I've been watching your temps. Pretty darned chilly in your neck of the woods. It was about 10 below at my house last night. Neither I nor my neighbor plugged our trucks in. I actually hadn't started mine since Tuesday night (36 hours), but it cranked up.....and I pulled it over into my neighbor's driveway to jump start his truck.....a Chevy. Of course, I can't claim any brand superiority on this one. His was a 6.5L diesel. Those diesels sure don't like to be left sitting in cold weather for extended periods without being plugged in.
I think you have me mixed up with "qmeister". I believe he is the individual that is missing a CD changer. As for myself I ordered the CD/cassette AM/FM radio and enjoy the sound very much. Not quite the infinity system that the wife has in her Jeep but definitely nice. Hope everyone experiences a GREAT New Year!!!!
Thanks for help - still stuck went to Ford-diesel site click on FAQ on left but wasn't clear on "ordering" link - put ordering into search and was unsuccessful - what am I doing wrong ?
Before you run out and buy that CD changer you may want to check with your dealer about a in dash AM FM 6 CD (and cassett player?) changer that I saw at the Ford dealer where I got my truck. Its the only in dash changer that I have seen and looks great. If it's the dealers screw up that you didn't get your CD player maybe you can swing a deal with him on the one I mentioned. I would try for half price.
Anyone, I have noticed that I also have the pull out setting on my head light switch (it will only pull out with the lights on) does anyone know what this is for?
Everyone without a bunker to hide in like some people do (who shall remain nameless) should stay in their SD'S tonight. It's the only place that we will be safe!
On my 2000 SuperDuty I ordered the Trailer Tow Package and the Trailer Hitch Receiver. With that I got both the 4-pin and 7-pin connections mounted on the bumper next to the hitch bar receiver. I also got a wire harness for the brake that plugs in under the front dash. This is then connected to your controller as noted by Longhair. Jraske, Shotgun1, Fordy1 - Thanks for the input. Am thinking I will go back to the dealer for the Ford system. I am a little leary about buying an aftermarket system that will hold up to the vibration you get in a heavy truck. I think most of these are made for cars, although I have ridden in some bumpy cars, too.
Comments
I'm still right at 15.5 mpg mixed driving, and 2500 miles on the truck..
One thing about checking mpg, the SD's gastanks are very sensitive to the angle the truck is sitting when filling it up, which can make a few gallons difference. One example was I filled up at a different station and the mpg calculated out to be 16.5. (above average) But I don't think the tank filled up as much so it seemed as if I used less fuel.
The next fillup, (at normal pump), the mileage calculated out to only 15, (below my normal).
Some day I'll take all of my reciepts out of the ash tray at look at total gallons used vs total miles, and this will give a good overall estimate.. I expect it will be in the 15.5 range.
Y2K F250 XLT 4x2, SC, 5.4L, 5sp, 4.10LS
1. On F250 Crew Cabs, does the rear seat fold up in any way.
2. If equipped with a manual transmission, does the dash mounted drink holder, while in use, hit or come in contact with the shifter.
Thanks,
-Todd
Todd, Regarding the Crew cab rear seat. The seat back moves foward to allow access to the storage area you would think of in a regular cab truck. The seat bottom does not move. My wife thought it would be great if the seat could turn into a bed. but it does not. I have an automatic so can't comment on the cup holder thing.
----Newman
Y2K F250 XLT, SC, 4x2, 5.4L, 5sp, 4.10LS
One other note on fishing wires through the door panels for various accessories. Do not try to push wires through the rubber boot between the door and the chassis without first un-seating the rubber boot from the chassis. Fish wires through the boot first and then through the hole in the chassis. The chasis is double thick at this point and getting wires into the cab area is a real adventure. Trying to get them through the boot and the chassis and into the cab all at once is probably not possible. ...Newman
Empty, mileage between the V8 (4.10) and V10(3.73) is only about 2 or 3 mpg difference (mixed driving).
However, when towing, the V10 will do better than the V8.
Note: If you want the auto tranny, you can get v10 w/3.73. however, if you want the 5sp + limited slip + v10, you have to get the 4.30.
The mileage between V10, auto, 3.73 and V10, 5sp, 4.30 appears to be very close. Probably because of the efficiency of 5sp vs auto..
I'm really happy with the power/acceleration of my truck. I don't do that much towing..
F250 XLT 4x2 SC, SWB, 5.4L, 5sp, 4.10LS
that the headlight switch has a pull out position but it doesn't seem to do anything. Is this what its for? Any help is appreciated.
'00 F-250 Lariat,4wd,SRW,long bed, 5.4L, Auto, ESOF, TT mirrors, Power rear window, tinted glass, Premium wheels, Premium sound, trailer tow, Limited Slip, Bright Amber w/black accent.
Can't wait. It's going to be a long night tonight!
prep package. owned now for 1yr and i think
this truck defines "work truck", it is awesome.
I do have one complaint. brakes. i mainly use
my truck to plow my own driveway and one
apartment building, so mileage is low, I currently
have 5200 miles on it. it is parked in a garage
and i just had my 3rd set of brakes replaced all
on the rear end. my ford dealer tells me it is due to lack of use. i don't buy it. has anyone
else experienced this?
There are after market chrome grills available. I have seen chrome tube grills that look nice but went with a stainless steel billet grill myself.
To install this grill they had to cut out all of the black middle portion and two little side areas. The new grill is set behind and then framed with what's left of the "old" grill (chromed part).
The new look is a complete chrome front grill area with multiple horizontal bars (approx. 1/8th in. thick and 1/8th in. gap in between) with the blue FORD logo in the middle of course.
I ordered the Lariat pkg so started off with a chrome on the outside area and black center and sides. Don't know if this is what you were looking for --- just something else to consider.
Paul
Also, I have a low cost home-fix for the in dash cupholder, as some folks have had some drink spillage due to the design..
Just send me an e-mail and I'll send the instructions. I also posted them on the previous Superduty III forum..
Overall, the Diesel makes for a better tow vehicle. (spelled TORQUE). Also, at high elevations (which usually come when towing in mountains), the diesel won't suffer from power loss from thin air like gassers will.
Mileage will also be better with the diesel when towing.. (and empty for that matter over the V10).
As far as traffic vs highway driving thats where your tranny choice comes into play.
manual: slightly better towing capacity, much better speed control downhill.
auto: easier to drive in stop/go city driving.
Bascially tranny choice boils down to personal preference.. I prefer a stickshift, other folks hate shifting.
If you want more biased opinions to convince you to get the diesel, visit the www.ford-diesel.com site.. Just kidding, its a great site for all superduty owners, just like this site.
a 4pin connector installed up near the frame driver side (you need a very long trailer cord to reach there - so I bought a 48" loop and that works as an extension)
a 7 wire bundle that's just barely long enough to reach the bumper (left, right, marker, charge, brake*, ground, and 1 more - I don't remember if it was just "aux" or "backup" - I wired it for backup lights) you need to supply your own connector.
*brake wiring for an electric brake consists of the harness run through the truck, and tie in places for your controller up under the dash and under the hood (along with the connectors to wire to your controller. You supply your own controller.
One very nice thing about the package is that all the trailer lights are separated from the truck lights (different fuse) so a short in the trailer won't take out your truck lights. (I've seen that happen enough times with 4flat wiring harnesses on landscape trailers that get beat on.)
all in all it was pretty simple to set it up (I actually put the connector on at the dealer when I picked up the truck - I was stopping on the way home to haul a friend's boat out, and did the brake controller that weekend.) I don't remember how long that took - because the day was also spent troubleshooting wiring on one of my trailers (end result was that my old truck and that trailer were both miswired to match and it wasn't a problem until the new truck was wired correctly).
My only real complaint was that all the wires could have been 12" longer to allow me to put the connector in the center of the bumper, instead of at the frame rail.
Brutus: I heard you guys were below zero today. How cold did it get? We're at -51 right now.
Northpole.....-51.......ARE YOU CRAZY???!!! Come on down for a visit....Low 70's today.....good enough for a round of golf!!! 18 holes in the bunker.....sealing the door in about 10 mins....
seeeeeee ya all later....
About the only thing on the roads today are Fords. The cold is one big reason I went with a SD; no CV boots. GM products are still coming with boots and at these temps they just shred.
TORQUE- No argument PSD has more but nobody has said the v-10 is a dog.
COST - The cost may be a factor but what is more of a consideration is depreciation or resale value of the PSD.
FUEL AVAILABILITY for your area - diesel is usually harder to find.
FUEL COST - For me they were about the same.
ENGINE NOISE - Good or bad psd is louder.
MAINTENANCE - periodic and long term. how many miles will you keep the truck?
MILES PER GALLON - The numbers vary but PSD is always better then V-10, I feel a good V-10 Avg is 11mpg and a PSD avg is 15mpg.
There are other factors, but these are the main ones to consider. Either way I think you will be satisfied.
Happy New Year to all who have shared their experience/knowledge in making this a great site for Super Duty info.
December 27, 1999
Ford Motor Company announced an increase to base prices today on selected model cars and
trucks.
Some of the popular models affected are: Focus, Contour, Crown Victoria, Taurus/ Sable, Windstar,
Explorer, Expedition, Econoline and F-Series models.
The average increase is $85 to the dealer invoice price. One exception is on the F-Series super
duty models with the increase being approximately $170. The destination charge on the Focus and
Taurus/Sable was also increased by $25.
Thanks! Have a great new years!
cassette to a single cd. They will just remove
yours and replace it in the same space.
If you install a after market changer, your
system will be lacking an amplifier.
I think the front axle issue alone would have done it..
I've just passed through 26,000 miles. I have 4x4 with ESOF and live in cold weather country. No problems with the 4x4. I carry a heavy slide-in camper, so it won't surprise me if I'm doing some brake work around 40,000 miles. I'll probably replace the shocks earlier than I need to since I want to put on some Rancho 9000 adjustable shocks for the camper.
murph, the difference in mpg between similarly equiped V-10 and PSD trucks is about 5-6 mpg empty and about 3 mpg towing. As others have mentioned, one of the advantages of the diesel is torque. The 2000 V-10 has 425 ft-lbs and the PSD has 500. Neither engine is a slacker. You mentioned towing in the mountains. If you plan to live at high altitudes or travel in high altitudes, the power difference will be more noticable. Gas engines lose power at altitude. I've heard figures of anywhere from 4%-10% per 1000 feet. A diesel engine won't start losing power until about 10,000 feet.
northpole, I've been watching your temps. Pretty darned chilly in your neck of the woods. It was about 10 below at my house last night. Neither I nor my neighbor plugged our trucks in. I actually hadn't started mine since Tuesday night (36 hours), but it cranked up.....and I pulled it over into my neighbor's driveway to jump start his truck.....a Chevy. Of course, I can't claim any brand superiority on this one. His was a 6.5L diesel. Those diesels sure don't like to be left sitting in cold weather for extended periods without being plugged in.
As for myself I ordered the CD/cassette AM/FM radio and enjoy the sound very much. Not quite the infinity system that the wife has in her Jeep but definitely nice.
Hope everyone experiences a GREAT New Year!!!!
Anyone, I have noticed that I also have the pull out setting on my head light switch (it will only pull out with the lights on) does anyone know what this is for?
Everyone without a bunker to hide in like some people do (who shall remain nameless) should stay in their SD'S tonight. It's the only place that we will be safe!
HAPPY NEW YEAR !!
John
Jraske, Shotgun1, Fordy1 - Thanks for the input. Am thinking I will go back to the dealer for the Ford system. I am a little leary about buying an aftermarket system that will hold up to the vibration you get in a heavy truck. I think most of these are made for cars, although I have ridden in some bumpy cars, too.
Hope you have a HAPPY NEW YEAR