So
@100Acre it's been 10+ months since starting this thread, sorry if I missed it, but what did you end up going with? (Assuming you chose either the 7.3 gasser or 6.7 diesel Ford platforms)
Was interesting to read everyone's opinions and experiences of the 3 major players in the HD pickup field. At the end of the day everyone's going to choose what they are comfortable with and can afford. Over the last 40 years have tried each of the big 3 pickups in both half ton and HD platforms. My dad was a Chevy guy, he loathed Fords, as a young man you tend to rely on experiences from the elders. That said, nothing today is even remotely the same as it was 3 to 4 decades ago. I've experienced multiple issues of all 3 MFG's half ton pickups none towing related. I watched the drama of Fords 6.4 and 6.0 Diesel platforms unfold as I contemplated getting a camper and a tow vehicle from 2005-2010. I took a chance on the first gen 6.7 Ford platforms for 2011, special ordered a F350 SRW Platinum and actually took early delivery in April 2010, used it as a daily driver with a 20 miles commute and as a tow pig on a 16k, 45 ft 5th wheel for 3 weeks a year. Didn't experience any powertrain issues in 200k miles, overall was very happy with the pickup and it's performance and reliability. Went to a 2015 F450 dually for a more stable towing platform, went with the 450 because of the much tighter turning radius and much beefier brakes, etc. It was way overkill for my use case initially, but definitely did the job with ease. After I retired from my career in 2016, used that F450 to deliver RV's as a retirement gig, I averaged 13k miles per month. Maintenance was the key to being trouble free, oil and filters every 10K, Fuel & Air filters every 20K, maintained religiously every 3 weeks. Did 300k trouble free miles. Was in for service and spotted a 2017 F450 Platinum the dealership had gotten in on special order for a Horse Farm that backed out. Traded into that F450 and immediately put it to work, literally the next day with 500 miles on it grabbed a 17K 5th wheel to Oregon from Indiana, I worked that truck hard, covering 374K miles in 30 months, only issues was at 227K miles, the CP4 pump s*** the bed 40 miles outside Laramie WY en route to SLC Utah with a camper. That was a 9K repair bill that Ford generously covered half as a measure of goodwill, truck was only 18 months old. Culprit was some water in diesel. Still with around 800k miles personally on the 6.7 powerstroke platform of the 1st and 3rd gen engines, very satisfied. As posted elsewhere, I recently traded my '21 F150 for a '24 F250 with the 5th gen 6.7 diesel and 10 speed transmission. 1600 miles in super pleased with it, no comparison to an F450 that got 13 mpg on a good day empty, but avg 10.1 mpg towing. I was expecting to get maybe 17mpg running around local here with the hills in East TN, but this is my avg since leaving the dealership with probably 6 hrs of the 42 idling at 0 mpg.
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Among what everyone said above, for casual towing the gasser makes the most sense $$$ wise, and the Ford 10 speed transmission is pretty darn slick leveling the field getting most out of each engine. But I sure like the torque of the Powerstroke just a personal preference I don't mind paying for.
