for $700k, I would hope that it would come with a free....flag!
Don't forget the undercoat.
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And training for the rollout of the C130 rapid deploy scenarios....
@john-putnam: the Scoth-Guard for the upholstery and the extended warranty
For all you guys that have your survey truck... is it gas or diesel??ÿ Is going diesel the best route since apparently they get better mileage and the engine lasts a bit longer?
@bstrand: sounds like a good topic for a poll.
@bstrand When I bought my truck in 2000, I paid $4k (dealer cost) more for the diesel.?ÿ Back then it seemed worth it.?ÿ The increased mileage along with the cheaper fuel would pay for it.?ÿ Then the gas companies got wise and now diesel cost rival that of premium.?ÿ That being said, I have 345k on it and I love the low rev torque for off road.?ÿ I'd have a hard time doing it again.
@bstrand I would have to say that depends. Most don't get better mileage than a gas engine but the difference comes in when you're loaded/hauling. Most pickup diesels get about the same mileage under load, so there is that given we're always at least loaded. Our gas powered 3/4 tons would get 17 mpg average unloaded, 14 mpg loaded. The diesel would get 15 mpg no matter what. The major difference in the cost was repairs. Our mech would get a big grin on his face whenever he'd see a diesel come in. Cost were always higher. We just let our 1999 F250 go with 296,000 + miles. It was gas and never had a problem expect it kept ruining calipers. 1994 K2500 diesel put it out to pasture with 320,000+ for the same reason as the F250...body. Had to replace 2 head gaskets (something I could still do myself) so I can't complain. It's something you'd have to think about.
I have both, never getting a diesel again.?ÿ
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2004 Tundra 4.7l. @Purchased 2012 with 43725miles.
Currently has 273k miles. Besides a few sets of brake pads and a wheel bearing, bomber truck.
Buy as a second owner only and with verifiable mileage and you'll do ok.
Dont count mileage in mpg because you'll waste brain power worrying about that.
Do a P&L statement and incorporate that into your business plan for purchase of the truck and other equipment and consequently the depreciation too.
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My $0.02
I use to joke about my 2003 F350 diesel....I love this truck so much I've bought it twice
injectors, failed turbo, eats brakes due to weight.....,?ÿ only ford could read engine codes,?ÿ smog cert trouble
I now drive a 2018 tundra......diesels are for heavy loads/tows only
My current work vehicle is a 2016 jeep Grand Cherokee diesel. Previous to that it was a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a V8. The V8 was more peppy, faster accelerating, but the diesel gets significantly better gas mileage (but diesel costs more in most areas). When I was in Ecuador (without my vehicle of course), I noticed that gasoline was about $2.50 a gallon, while diesel was $0.99 a gallon.?ÿ
This is a good vehicle for me, I typically do photo control so I don't need a lot of gear or supplies. And I always get it loaded, comfort is very important. Only complaint I have about the diesel is that the check engine light is always on, has to do with the emission system, to chek it they charge $125, and they fix it, but then it comes on again in a few days. So I gave up. The bad thing about that is the remote start will not work if the check engine light is on, and I won't know if something else comes up that would activate it. But they did give me $3500 settlement for the diesel exhaust problems.?ÿ
I also have a Silverado, that goes to jobs where we need more equipment (deformation surveys, etc). It is a 2019, before that it was a 2015 Silverado. Before that we used an H3 for about 7 years. That was Ok, good for off-road, but not enough room in the back. And it was underpowered.?ÿ
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Edit: I just saw that the president of Ecuador in late 2019 proposed eliminating the subsidy for diesel, which would make the cost go from $1.00 to $2.27. Not sure if that happened, there were probably a lot of protests over that. I do know that diesel is cheaper to refine than gasoline, not sure why there is such a big price difference in most places in the US
My current rig is a ram with a 6.4 Hemi. If I keep my foot out of it I can pull 12/18. I generally get 11/14. That drops considerablty when I push hard while towing. I can really abuse it and drop to 6 or 7 if I put my mind to it.
I intended to buy a new or lightly used diesel ram at retirement. That won't happen if they don't fix that god-awful front end from 2020.
I like to have a good cruising range when I take the trailer off grid. With a diesel I can ditch the big fuel cans.
