Future Purchase

[bfd3832]

I'm looking to purchase a new/used vehicle very soon. However im in debate between 2 choices, A new 05 Frontier or a used 03-04 Ford f250 powerstroke diesel. Very large difference in the two, i understand, but my reasoning for this is that i'll be doing a lot of traveling, however it wont be for too long of distances. I currently have a '95 Hardbody Nissan and I love it. I would like to stick to a small..well..mid-szie truck but the diesel is very tempting. The gas mileage on the diesel will be slighty better after a chip is added (24-25mpg highway). I will be working with a fire department and can get diesel slightly cheaper at the city fuel stations, so that is a plus.

What I am looking for is any insight and opinions from people that own or owned an f250, or just opinions in general.

[Hush]

Not sure if this helps or not, but I wouldn't trade my 2005 Nissan Frontier LE for anything, much less a used Ford. Zero buyer's remorse!

[LokoF4i]

I am getting about 320 miles per tank (no highway) in my 05 CC Frontier. I don't know if that helps, just food for thought. And I agree, wouldn't trade it for anything.

[cwescapexlt4x4]

I'm looking to purchase a new/used vehicle very soon. However im in debate between 2 choices, A new 05 Frontier or a used 03-04 Ford f250 powerstroke diesel. Very large difference in the two, i understand, but my reasoning for this is that i'll be doing a lot of traveling, however it wont be for too long of distances. I currently have a '95 Hardbody Nissan and I love it. I would like to stick to a small..well..mid-szie truck but the diesel is very tempting. The gas mileage on the diesel will be slighty better after a chip is added (24-25mpg highway). I will be working with a fire department and can get diesel slightly cheaper at the city fuel stations, so that is a plus.

What I am looking for is any insight and opinions from people that own or owned an f250, or just opinions in general.



Seems like 2 totally different beasts...
Ford F250 powestroke or Frontier

Are you going to do a lot of towing?
Want new versus used?
Warranty?
Possibility of fewer locations of fuel for diesel?

Lots to think about.. but honestly seems like 2 totally different vehicles to be picking from.

[driftin240]

Well, If you aren't gonna tow anything more than a 5000 lb load every once in a while, I would say the Frontier with the 4.0 would do ya fine... I tow prolly once a week and it does the job as good as most full-size trucks. So, I am happy there. The only downfall to diesels is that the mileage in the city sucks, highway with a chip might be good, but I bet with that same chip you will get about half that in the city. Diesels also cost more to maintain and fix. I know the oil changes run over $60 a piece depending on how new it is. Do a little more research to find exact prices.

[bfd3832]

Thanks for the help. Right now the Frontier is deffinatly in favor, however, there is a f250 sitting on a lot near by, with low miles and warantee for a couple grand less than what a new Frontier is going to cost me. Haven't made my mind up, and will probably wait until that ford is gone, so it'll force me t get the frontier and of course i doubt i will have any regreats.

[gogriz91]

Have you owned a diesel pickup before? I had a Cummins/Ram and it was awesome for road tripping/towing/drive an hour here or there on the freeway kind of thing. It was rough in town just because of the size and the performance characteristics of the diesel, and I always worried that I was wearing down the engine because of the stop and go traffic and short distance trips I took which was 80% of my driving.

If you drive alot on the freeway or just a lot of highway miles in general then the diesel is the way to go. If it's mostly stop and go city driving with little to no towing then he Nissan is the way to go.

[bfd3832]

Good point, but if i had to place my driving character instics in one of those grups it would be in the exact middle. I will be driving 10 hours (round trip) 5 hours one way, probably every other weekend, with strictly city driving between. And as far as towing, probably the only things i will tow is a medium size boat (21') and a trailer with several ATVS on it.

[gogriz91]

I would say then if you put less than 30K miles on a vehicle per year then go with the Nissan/gas. The only way to eat the initial added cost of a diesel is to drive the hell out of it...and I wouldn't get a Ford that's been built with a diesel in the last 5-7 years, they're full of problems.

[bfd3832]

Again, thanks for all the input. I am going with the frontier. Now, I just have to go to the nissan dealer an place an order for a loaded Nismo,...gotta have the roofrack...it will become a lightbar. Thanks again.

[bfd3832]

Hmm,...just test drove a titan...i absoutly love the power, bu the gas mileage is horrible....still a tough decision. To top things off, there is a new dealership that opened with 90% of its lot being diesel vehicles. GREAT prices too..(2003 f250, 45k miles, warantee, 24,875$) This is deffinatly not making it easy.

[gogriz91]

Out of curiousity, I wonder why 90% of the vehicles on the lot were diesels. Will the Frontier get better mileage than the diesel? enough to justify the cost difference between gas and diesel?

Ford's Powerstrokes have had problems the last couple of years. Go to www.thedieselstop.com (http://www.thedieselstop.com) and check out some of the postings by Powerstroke owners.

[3392000]

Buddy,

I have an 05 Pathy and love it but if your looking for a sweet deal look at Chevy stuff b/c they are offering crazy deals. You can get an avalanche that MSRPs for 40k plus for under 30. It has a mammouth 5.3 liter V8 that can tow your friggin house. Styling is subjective but the deal is sweat like a mint kit cat.

[LokoF4i]

Buddy,

I have an 05 Pathy and love it but if your looking for a sweet deal look at Chevy stuff b/c they are offering crazy deals. You can get an avalanche that MSRPs for 40k plus for under 30. It has a mammouth 5.3 liter V8 that can tow your friggin house. Styling is subjective but the deal is sweat like a mint kit cat.



you get what you pay for. I for one think for the money a Titan would be a sweet deal.