Well im new to this forum, and hopefully soon to be new to diesel trucks. I currently have a 2001 f150 with a 4.6l triton v8. The whole under carriage is rotted, and the frame has frame rot. I will soon be making a commute that is one hour each way. My f150 really isnt too good on gas. im not sure on exact figures. I love trucks so im not going to buy a car. I really want a cummins. I think it would serve me better, by getting better fuel mileage and it would last longer with all the miles i will be putting on it. Also i have always really wanted a dodge with a cummins. So should i go ahead and buy one? keep in mind im 20 so i cant buy anything too nice, and this commute is for school. Would i be better off driving my f150 until it dies or should i buy a cummins? I know what i want to do, but the question is will i be better of buying the cummins? I think that buying the dodge would save me money in the long run and thats what i would hope for. If any of you cummins guys could help me out it would be great to hear what you have to say.

oh crap i def. dont have this in the right section of this forum

 

Well im new to this forum, and hopefully soon to be new to diesel trucks. I currently have a 2001 f150 with a 4.6l triton v8. The whole under carriage is rotted, and the frame has frame rot. I will soon be making a commute that is one hour each way. My f150 really isnt too good on gas. im not sure on exact figures. I love trucks so im not going to buy a car. I really want a cummins. I think it would serve me better, by getting better fuel mileage and it would last longer with all the miles i will be putting on it. Also i have always really wanted a dodge with a cummins. So should i go ahead and buy one? keep in mind im 20 so i cant buy anything too nice, and this commute is for school. Would i be better off driving my f150 until it dies or should i buy a cummins? I know what i want to do, but the question is will i be better of buying the cummins? I think that buying the dodge would save me money in the long run and thats what i would hope for. If any of you cummins guys could help me out it would be great to hear what you have to say.

also im not quite sure where to post this and i def. posted this in the wrong section of this forum the first time my apologies

 

If you can afford a diesel then go for it if you cannot I'd wait.my .02 I'm 21 And had a ford and now looking for another diesel.but I work 56 hrs a week swing shift so I may just go buy a newer model and be done with it. Obviously with your f150 has frame Rot it's really not safe to have on the road.

 

Ok, you arent going to like hearing this and its likely what your Dad has already told you - but get yourself a cheap little car. Honda, Toyota or whatever. When you are done school and start making some money THEN you can get a Cummins.

These trucks are expensive to fix (parts and labour are crazy), and as reliable as everyone says they are - they certainly have their fair share of issues. Just one example, an auto tranmission swap starts at $3k and goes up from there. I know guys that have $7-10k into a TRANSMISSION. Big tires, extra oil, extra fluids, more insurance all equates to more expense. Save youre money for beer and women. (not necessarily in that order)

 

buy a honda if you have no money and are commuting. then save for a cummins. because more than likely you wont be able to keep it stock for long. my 95 gets 14mpg driving like a grandpa. a very minute difference on the highway. i you got a 1st gen 5spd you can get pretty good milage but not 35 like you can from a little 4 banger! LOL

 

Im 20 years old also I travel 50 miles a day to go to school to, What I did was I fiqured up the cost of what my old truck was costing me to run a month and what a another truck would cost me. My dakota had 238K on it and I had to replace ball joints every six months because they would pop out, and I couldent get new control arms, and it got 17MPG at best, and cost 100 bucks to insure and 90 a week to fill up and go. I figure I buy another truck bay 130 bucks for payment, and 50 bucks a week to drive and I dont have to dump 3 gts of oil a week into it... New truck was cheaper... PLus I have a ranch, and I hunt alot, and live in the rocky mountains, so I have a need for a truck, I would find it very hard to buy a car to drive, I sure wouldent mind being able to **** in my gas tank and drive a thousand miles, but Im 6'3'' I have a hard time getting into cars. Figure I spend 55 bucks to change the oil my self, a fuel filter every 8K which is 30 bucks, tranny fluid change and flush since I cant flush it my self I pay 300 bucks to do that. Also a diesel mechanic gets paid 20 bucks and hour minimum, a good one 30 to 40 bucks and hour, A shop generally charges you 70-100 bucks and hour... I do all my own wrenchin... So I save my self some $$$$

 

All these guys make valid points.oil changes are more expensive if you don't have mechanical knowledge labor expensive all parts are expensive and your going to have to spend upwards of 10k to get a decent rig that isn't ragged out or been beat on.

 

ALSO if you live where it gets below zero degres, gotta run a block heater, I have a block heater and a oil pan heater because in the winter at night it drops down to -20 to -30 degress, even with 0w-40 oil has a hard time gettin up there. I get 22 mpg highway and thats if I run everyone over if they slow down if they play slowdown speed up more like 20MPG, and in the city like where I am at now I get 15, and thats realy hard on a diesel to be in Pheonix arizona they like to go and stay thatta way.

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I agree with stroker there too, I got lucky they guy I bought my rig from sold it to me for 6700, he really wanted 9K for it, It had brand new optimum batteries, 700 bucks worth of guages, a 1000 watt amp that still has nothin hooked up to it, new shocks, tranny oil change, and 1 year old new front end suspension and steering components I made out great. Gotta love wives sometimes, glad I aint got one...

 

i live in maine, so it does get below zero here. I would buy a car but i have a snowmobile to carry around so i like to just throw it in my bed. Either way i need to get rid of my f150. My rear maine seal is leaking, i have tried seal the rear diff cover 4 times myself, so i took it to a mechanic to get sealed for the 5th time and yup its leaking again, so i guess the housing must be messed up. Everything on my under carriage is rusted, my frame, my lines, the body everything. This truck is costing me a lot of money and its not worth it anymore to pu money into this thing. I dont know how an 11 year old truck that was never beaten, taken off road or plowed with, can have this much rot. Gas tank will need to be replaced soon as well.

I appreciate all the advice guys. Im gonna do what you guys say, and wait until later in life and save up. It makes more sense and besides any cummins i can afford, will def. have issues. Im thinking i might go with a small toyota pickup. But no matter what this f150 has to go. I havent even had it a year and every month i have at least two problems with it.

 

You cannot go wrong with a toyota pickup....