Diesel Question...

I had the same concerns as the OP going from the old 5.9 mechanical diesel to the newest 6.7. No issues at 1 year / 11K miles. Cummins is reliable.

There is more to go wrong on a diesel and these engines are much more expensive to maintain and to repair than a gas engine. It is the price one pays for the greater torque provided.

All the major diesel pickups improved dramatically from 2010 on in terms of reliability. Often people focus only on the "engine". Take the Ford F-250 diesel powered pickups. Their primary problems that required repairs were with the engine, but they also has problems with the cooling system, problems with the driveline, problems with the fuel system, problems with the electrical system, problems with the suspension. The only part that was reliable with the 2002 to 2009 Ford trucks was the transmission.

I don't care if a problem is "minor" if it results in a $1000 bill and I have to leave the truck at the shop for a day or two. That is why I have loved my Toyota pickups over the years where with 5 trucks that all had over 170,000 miles of hard driving apiece or more than 850,000 miles in total. I only had one unscheduled repair done and that was a clutch.

The facts are diesel repairs are more expensive than gasoline. Although fuel is more expensive, the mileage is usually better and your miles per dollar is less. If you tow a lighter weight RV or do not plan much time in mountain passes or higher elevations, today's gasoline engines are very capable.

However, if you do see yourself in a large heavy RV or spending time above 5000', a diesel should definitely be considered. Diesels are expensive, but making the wrong tow vehicle decision and having to replace it is even more so.

I have had many good trips with my diesel and it would be hard for me get away from that power generation at lower engine speeds. Although my current setup could be handled by today's gasoline engines, it would at the upper limits of their capacity where my 10-year old diesel still has plenty of reserve. I have had one tow due to high pressure oil fittings failing - Although the repair cost some money, people spend more on 19.5" wheels or a canopy than what it cost to get me back on the road.

I have experience solely in Ford land. I have a 2005 F250 with the 6.0, I did replace injectors at 80k, I did by it used by the way. I then bypassed the exhaust enviro stuff and have had no issues so far. I have pulled WAY over the suggested weight limits and probably been lucky on head bolt issues as my diesel guy wants to "bulletproof" it.

I had for 3 years an 08 F450 DRW with the 6.4, only had one sensor issue, but only put 40k on it while I had it.

I now have a '12 F350 SRW with the 6.7 and so far have had no issues, again diesel guy wants to revamp the exhaust due to his claim that this is the cause of all diesel engine issues.

As with anything, there are those that will have no issues and sometimes people who have all kinds of issues. They are machines and can certainly break.

If you already have an 08 pickup, presumably you are looking for new or near new.
All 3, even the PowderSmoke are pretty reliable in their latest generation, either brands 6.7 or the LML Dmax.
If you're worried about steep repair costs, the probability of major engine issues in any of them in the first 100-150k mi is minor, however if you do have issues, open the hoods on all 3 and tell me which one you'd rather work on.
The PS you can't even see the engine. The DMax is still a crowded mess. The Cummins however, as well as being the longest running engine design, is relatively accessible and you can see everything once you pull that big stupid plastic cover off the top. I did my injectors in my 5.9 in less than 8 hours in my garage with basic hand tools. First time injector change for me too. Nota chance of that taking less than twice the time and about 25% more $ on the other 2. Plus the Cummins is the only CP3 injection pump powered truck I believe. The other 2 are CP4 powered and have had some problems. Nothing to steer clear of IMO but not as bulletproof as the ole CP3.
To top it off Ram arguably makes the best truck around its engine too. It's a win win compared to only a few years ago.

I went with the reliable Cummins. So far it's been a great truck. I do think about catastrophic repair bills. But I guess that comes with the territory. Only thing I really worry about is getting some bad diesel. Carry a spare fuel filter just in case. Right now it really sucks to fill up. Diesel is .70+ more than reg where I live. Fortunately I'm retired and don't drive that much in the off season. It would be really hard to go back to gas unless I am one of the unlucky ones that ends up with the big repair bill. Fingers crossed:)

The Duramax in my Chevy 3500 has a long history of reliable service, unlike the Ford engines that have been plagued with issues. 18 months and we've had no repairs.

diftw wrote:
We are hoping to be able to get one more truck before we retire. Would love to think about a diesel but am scared to death of getting into major repairs down the road. Have any of you had these fears? Keep thinking about the Ford 6.0/6.4 issues and how upset we would have been if we spent that kind of money and had those issues. Even more upset if we were retired with a limited income.

Thanks.

We have the new 6.7 (altho it's been upgraded in the 2015 models) and it has been generally bulletproof. We've towed all over the west, it hauls our 5ver up those mountain roads like it wasn't there.

We've had a few minor mechanical problems, a bad battery (they replaced it) and a blown hose on the turbine also replaced under warranty. Nothing major. There were a few reports of bad fuel causing very serious problems--required a complete rebuild of the fuel system. But I haven't heard any of those for a year or so. You do need to be careful where you buy fuel, buy at a station with a lot of customer traffic and not at some place where the diesel sits in their tanks for a long time. Sitting is not good for diesel fuel.

But I'd say get one, this is our first diesel but if I buy another it will also be a diesel

AdamBryner2012 wrote:
If you want to buy Ford, get the 7.3.

We made the mistake and bought first year 6.4 (paid top dollar) and then ended up spending an additional 10K in cash and our warranty company paying 19K to replace the motor.

If you have the option to get an extended warranty through your bank or credit union, go with Route66/ACS. They will take care of you 100%. I can't recommend them enough and have the receipts to prove it!

Good luck!

Really? They want this to be a truck that will last for years and you are recommending they buy a 12-20 year old truck? Good thing the advice is free.

If you are thinking about buying new then I would not worry about it. All of them have sufficient miles to be considered reliable.

But if your still concerned then buy the Dodge/Cummins. ;)