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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 516
| Looking for a truck to pull my 2H, 3ft short wall aluminum gooseneck trailer but don't know where to start! Wanting to spend around $15k but will go up a bit for the right truck. Diesel or gas? This will be my everyday driver so has to get decent mpg. Would be hauling 3-4 times per month max. Thinking I'd need 250/2500. Not a huge fan of Ford unless it's early 03 or older, like the Chevy Duramax and GMC. Wouldn't mind a Dodge either but worried about rust. Point me in the right direction and if you need more info, let me know! Thanks! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 516
| Nobody owns a truck here? Lol |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
   
Location: Arkansas | Bump |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| I can't imagine getting much of a truck for $15,000 - it's going to have tons of mileage on it at that price. |
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | Griz - 2015-09-10 6:48 AM I can't imagine getting much of a truck for $15,000 - it's going to have tons of mileage on it at that price.
In my area, you can get a great truck for 15k or less for what she is wanting.
We paid $6,000 for our 97 F250. I would recommend a diesel if you are pulling anything.
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 Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | We had an 05 Duramax and I loved that truck. We sold it and got an 04 Ford with the 6.0. We love the Ford for pulling. I'm married to a diesel mechanic so our trucks are babied. I miss the steering capabilities of the Chevy, but LOVE how the Ford pulls |
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Expert
Posts: 1314
Location: North Central Iowa Land of white frozen grass | A gas will be a lot cheaper to maintain than a diesel. For the amount that you are going to pull a month I would buy a gas. You will get a lot newer truck for the same dollars. |
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  Color My World
Posts: 4940
Location: My perfect world bubble | At that price point I'd be looking for a GMC/Chevy 2500 HD with the 6.0L gas engine. |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| Murphy - 2015-09-10 8:05 AM
Griz - 2015-09-10 6:48 AM I can't imagine getting much of a truck for $15,000 - it's going to have tons of mileage on it at that price.
In my area, you can get a great truck for 15k or less for what she is wanting.
We paid $6,000 for our 97 F250. I would recommend a diesel if you are pulling anything.
Wow - that is NICE. How many miles did it have on it? |
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | BS Hauler - 2015-09-10 9:51 AM A gas will be a lot cheaper to maintain than a diesel. For the amount that you are going to pull a month I would buy a gas. You will get a lot newer truck for the same dollars.
AND with gas prices so low, I think it would be silly to buy a diesel-especially for a daily driver-in my part of the country it is almost a requirement to have a programmed auto start installed on a diesel that's a daily driver-don't know many diesels that will not gel up if sitting for 8 plus hours in -30 degrees. Cheap diesels will probably not hold their trade in value any better than a newer gas either. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 762
Location: NC | Had a 2500 gas truck as my daily driver and it drank fuel like it was going out of style.. Traded in for a diesel and yes its more maintenance wise, but its a ton less in fuel. |
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Expert
Posts: 2531
Location: WI | How far is your commute? How many miles do you think you'll put on a year hauling? My commute is 70miles per day and I put on around 3000 miles per year hauling. Here is what I would do:
Spend $8-9k on a 3/4 ton gas truck. Gas is cheaper, repairs are cheaper, and you can get more truck for your money in a gas.
Spend the rest on a commuter car. |
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Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | Griz - 2015-09-10 12:45 PM Murphy - 2015-09-10 8:05 AM Griz - 2015-09-10 6:48 AM I can't imagine getting much of a truck for $15,000 - it's going to have tons of mileage on it at that price. In my area, you can get a great truck for 15k or less for what she is wanting.
We paid $6,000 for our 97 F250. I would recommend a diesel if you are pulling anything.
Wow - that is NICE. How many miles did it have on it?
I think it had 202k when we bought it 3 years ago. Now it's 215k. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | I have a 2006 F-250. I bought mine with 235k, for $12,000. Completely bullet proofed, have pretty much everything aftermarket except for the engine itself. B&W turn over hitch, aftermarket tires/rims, predator chip that has 3 settings, built in trailer brake system....I'm pretty happy with it.
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 Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | BS Hauler - 2015-09-10 9:51 AM
A gas will be a lot cheaper to maintain than a diesel. For the amount that you are going to pull a month I would buy a gas. You will get a lot newer truck for the same dollars.
This. Also...
If you're going for 3/4 ton, you're going to have to accept that fuel mileage isn't going to be that great. I get about14 mpg in my 2000 f250 diesel and like 11 mpg in my 2005 2500 gmc gas engine truck. Paid almost the same thing for both of them.
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Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | A half ton truck might pull the trailer you described. I would look into that as you will get much better fuel mileage for your daily driver. |
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Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | Paintbrlrcr - 2015-09-10 10:46 AM
At that price point I'd be looking for a GMC/Chevy 2500 HD with the 6.0L gas engine.
I have one of those... it rides nicer than the diesel. But, I'd like to slap the person who put a 23 gallon tank on a truck that gets 11 mpg. I can't even go 300 miles unloaded. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 516
| LMS - 2015-09-10 12:10 PM
BS Hauler - 2015-09-10 9:51 AM A gas will be a lot cheaper to maintain than a diesel. For the amount that you are going to pull a month I would buy a gas. You will get a lot newer truck for the same dollars.
AND with gas prices so low, I think it would be silly to buy a diesel-especially for a daily driver-in my part of the country it is almost a requirement to have a programmed auto start installed on a diesel that's a daily driver-don't know many diesels that will not gel up if sitting for 8 plus hours in -30 degrees. Cheap diesels will probably not hold their trade in value any better than a newer gas either.
Actually Diesel is ten cents cheaper here right now lol. Gets nasty cold here too but my parents have an 04 3500 Dodge diesel and as long as it's plugged in it's okay. I'll have to look into trade-in values for the future - didn't evem think about that! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 516
| linds - 2015-09-10 12:35 PM
How far is your commute? How many miles do you think you'll put on a year hauling? My commute is 70miles per day and I put on around 3000 miles per year hauling. Here is what I would do:
Spend $8-9k on a 3/4 ton gas truck. Gas is cheaper, repairs are cheaper, and you can get more truck for your money in a gas.
Spend the rest on a commuter car.
Commute to work is less than 20 miles round trip. As far as per year, I don't really know. Quick estimate maybe 2,500 miles? I haul to barrel races ~an hour away and sometimes trail riding. Which is why I'm stuck between a gas or diesel. I'm not going super far for a diesel daily driver but I've also heard the flip side that gas trucks are the guzzlers. Thanks for your insight! |
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Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | WiscoRacer - 2015-09-11 11:19 PM
linds - 2015-09-10 12:35 PM
How far is your commute? How many miles do you think you'll put on a year hauling? My commute is 70miles per day and I put on around 3000 miles per year hauling. Here is what I would do:
Spend $8-9k on a 3/4 ton gas truck. Gas is cheaper, repairs are cheaper, and you can get more truck for your money in a gas.
Spend the rest on a commuter car.
Commute to work is less than 20 miles round trip. As far as per year, I don't really know. Quick estimate maybe 2,500 miles? I haul to barrel races ~an hour away and sometimes trail riding. Which is why I'm stuck between a gas or diesel. I'm not going super far for a diesel daily driver but I've also heard the flip side that gas trucks are the guzzlers. Thanks for your insight!
It's hard on a diesel to start, run short distances and repeat... Diesels are happier running for longer periods of time. Your driving habits sound like a gas truck might be a better choice. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 411
Location: Smack in the middle of WA! | I have an '03 Duramax and I love her for pulling! Like someone else said it is hard on a diesel engine for multiple start/stops. I would also agree with the commuter car. I drive a 4 runner and let the truck sit at home. In fact we so rarely drive our truck that it seems like every time we do someone asks when we got the truck. When I tell them we've had it since '04 they seem confused!
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 516
| I wish I could afford both a car and truck but the reality is I can't. I'm selling my "commuter" car to get a truck. I have a car available (my SO's) if I need to go long ditsances without hauling. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 679
Location: KS | I have a 2002 Crew Cab Short Bed 7.3L Powerstroke. Had 135,000 miles on it when purchased. Now it has 176,000 miles. Rust FREE. We knew the guy so he gave us a good deal. Had a few problems when we got it (injector seals leaking, fuse going out, starter went out, little things) But it was well worth it. It pulls great! Not ALL Diesel's are gas hogs. Mine gets about 17 mpg in the city, without programmer on, and 20 mpg on highway (maybe more). If you're looking for a truck that gets 40 mpg in the city and find one, LET ME KNOW! Yes, Diesel's are more expensive to work on, but I'm fine with that. My truck gets me from A to Z, whether a trailer is behind it or not. 
Edited by ACowgirlsLastRun 2015-09-12 10:47 AM
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 Veteran
Posts: 250
Location: Central TX | Just my 2 cents... I know diesels hold their value longer and in my opinion last longer. I've driven a ram1500 (gas) and pulled my BP trailer with it, it sucked gas like no tomorrow. Then traded it in for a 2500 diesel, it's my daily driver/hauler. I absolutely love my diesel regardless of what I am doing...ya it's more expensive for maintanece but in my opinion worth it. Hope this helps in some way or another! :) |
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Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | ACowgirlsLastRun - 2015-09-12 10:41 AM
I have a 2002 Crew Cab Short Bed 7.3L Powerstroke. Had 135,000 miles on it when purchased. Now it has 176,000 miles. Rust FREE. We knew the guy so he gave us a good deal. Had a few problems when we got it (injector seals leaking, fuse going out, starter went out, little things ) But it was well worth it. It pulls great! Not ALL Diesel's are gas hogs. Mine gets about 17 mpg in the city, without programmer on, and 20 mpg on highway (maybe more ). If you're looking for a truck that gets 40 mpg in the city and find one, LET ME KNOW! Yes, Diesel's are more expensive to work on, but I'm fine with that. My truck gets me from A to Z, whether a trailer is behind it or not.
ooohhhhh... That is one FINE truck!
Love the rims and the tinted cab lights! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 516
| ACowgirlsLastRun - 2015-09-12 10:41 AM
I have a 2002 Crew Cab Short Bed 7.3L Powerstroke. Had 135,000 miles on it when purchased. Now it has 176,000 miles. Rust FREE. We knew the guy so he gave us a good deal. Had a few problems when we got it (injector seals leaking, fuse going out, starter went out, little things ) But it was well worth it. It pulls great! Not ALL Diesel's are gas hogs. Mine gets about 17 mpg in the city, without programmer on, and 20 mpg on highway (maybe more ). If you're looking for a truck that gets 40 mpg in the city and find one, LET ME KNOW! Yes, Diesel's are more expensive to work on, but I'm fine with that. My truck gets me from A to Z, whether a trailer is behind it or not.
That's a dang nice truck! I know not all diesels are hogs - parents have an 04 3500 dually ram that gets the same mpg as you and only a couple mpg less hauling. Love that truck but don't need something that big. Thanks for sharing! |
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