Anyone regret going from 3500/2500 series to a 1500 series?

[Remington92]

LOL. I'll bet that was an adventure. Did you mount the fifth wheel hitch or did you buy it like that?

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Let it get too low. Probably would have taken another $40. Mileage sucks today. Driving fast and high winds.

I run a b&w companion hitch and installed the b&w turn over ball in the bed. Sad part is the new Duramax does bout 2x the mpg that 6.2 did empty we’ll see how it does towing.

 

[Fowl Play]

I have a ‘22 F350 with the power stroke and never see myself going back to half tons. The F150’s come with so much unnecessary stuff standard now that there is hardly any difference in price between a similarly equipped gas 150 and 250… it’s crazy.

I would give allot of thought before going with a modern diesel though. If you do not need the extra tow capacity or range, go with a gas. The better fuel economy of the diesel will never offset the $10k+ extra for the diesel engine, so don’t do it for that reason. The emissions stuff really hurts the long term reliability of the diesels.

 

[dribeerfeht]

I went the other direction. Had a half ton gasser with a suspension and trailer package, sold and went to a 1 ton diesel. Trailering is like night and day with the 1 ton, especially in the wind and going up steep grades. Much safer ride, especially the braking. My half ton did the job, but it was maxed out. Plenty of margin with the 1 ton.

 

[Spuds]

I’ve done this a couple times…. Gone from a 3/4 or 1 ton back to a half ton and every single time I went back to the 3/4 or 1 ton. Not worth a few bucks in fuel savings for the half ton IMO


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[Fullfan]

Years ago, about 92. I went from 1/2 ton truck to 3/4 and 1 ton. Never go back to a 1/2 ton.

Tow the following, a 5k ski boat, 3 horse slant, 26’ enclosed, 20’ landscape and a 40’ fifthwheel. No Regrets..

Just towed the enclosed trailer to idaho from Pa. Trailer was 8k ish loaded. Deleated and tuned 2017 Cummins, mileage out and back was 14ish.

 

[KnCaffre]

Like a good many people, I went to 1500 thinking it would save me some gas money...and it did. The only thing I don't regret about doing that (when I have to pull anything, anyway) is saving money on gas.

 

[Remington92]

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My old 6.0 powerstoke started giving me issues a few years ago during covid and replacement 3/4 ton pickup prices went through the roof. At the time it was cheaper to buy this platinum f150 with 6.2 than it was to buy a 6.2 f250 xlt. The motor had plenty of snort and we used it for a few years but I hated towing in the wind. Was white knuckled the whole time. Just recently sold that and went into an 08 Duramax. Haven’t got to tow with it yet but it’s gotta be better than that f150 was.

Took the camper and 3/4 ton to work to winterize the camper. First time towing with this pickup. I can now say I miss nothing from that half ton.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

The smaller the better for me, I am the polar opposite of most here… I feel like I’m getting punished when I have to drive the tundra… I like small pickups, and any full size sucks in the mountains around here. If I ever buy a one ton or 3/4 ton, it will only be used when needed… ride quality sucks off road, won’t fit down a lot of little brush choked roads, and getting them turned around in tight quarters sucks.

If I was hauling a lot and on pavement, I wouldn’t mind it, but anything else, I don’t even want a half ton… I much prefer midsize pickups for a long list of reasons

I like small and nimble, fun to drive and maneuverable with a good ride off the pavement. I drive a couple different one tons of family members occasionally and there is nothing desirable about them to me.

If it wasn’t for my bigger boat, I wouldn’t own our tundra, but at least my wife likes driving it

If I was regularly hauling over 8k, I’d skip the half ton, but wouldn’t drive it much

After being stranded 3x with my '11 duramax, I'm in the market for a new truck.

I'd agree with you on basically all points. Once I got the Lexus LX470, I absolutely loved it over the 3/4 ton duramax in the mountains. If I wasn't hauling a 3h trailer and possibly getting a 4h in the future, I much prefer smaller trucks or SUV for access to the mountains.

I've just done a tone of research on the 3.0 baby duramax 1/2 tons and would really love to get one, but the 8k+ towing regularly is holding me back, especially with their quite low payload and tongue weight.

Bottom line for me is if towing less than 7k or so, the 1/2 tons would be great, especially if duals as a daily driver and mountains access. The softer ride and tighter turning radius is so worth it for me.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

The problem is all these emissions requirements are killing diesel engines and making them way less reliable. Tougher and tougher to get the new ones deleted.

 

[doc holiday13]

The problem is all these emissions requirements are killing diesel engines and making them way less reliable. Tougher and tougher to get the new ones deleted.

I would disagree. I know my sliver of viewpoint is limited but here it goes. I have a 2015 Dmax and a friend of mine has a 2015 Cummins. Both of us have had them new off the lot. I've had a couple check engine lights. 2 were fixed under warranty. 1 was fixed with a new sensor. Just popped a check engine light this weekend but my educated guess is because I need to have a proper regen. I was pushing snow and not doing any highway driving so there was no way the truck could do a proper regen.

Key take away is "Highway driving". I've got 160K miles and I'm sure I'm getting to the near end of life of my DPF which is why the check engine light came on. Most people driving their diesels are not doing highway driving and their trucks are not getting proper regens. i'm due for another regen here in the next 20 miles so I'll be sure to run high RPM and drive for a solid 20 miles

 

[Mike D Texas]

The problem is all these emissions requirements are killing diesel engines and making them way less reliable. Tougher and tougher to get the new ones deleted.

No what’s killing these newer diesels are people who buy them to look cool and don’t work them.

I know several hot shot and transport drivers that work the crap out of their trucks with one guy with a 2014 Cummins with half a million miles on it and everything is bone stock.


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[Fullfan]

My 23 f150 crushes the interior size compared to my 3rd, 4th, and 5th gen Cummins. Love having diesel power but wasn’t needed. These ecoboost make crazy power and the ride is great. Unless I need to pull over 15-20k on a regular I won’t ever go back to 3/4 ton. These new 1/2 tons pull 10-12k all day long.

Ummm okay, ever try towing 10K with the f150? We hunt Turkey hunt Missouri every spring, 850-mile drive one way. Loaded the trailer which is a 24' enclosed R&R custom built aluminum, empty weight is 3700. Put 3 guys hunting gear in, camping equipment, and one Honda 500 foreman. Hook it to a 2019 f150 w the ecoboost. I figured that trailer at most weighed 8000. we made maybe 50 miles; truck would not get out of its own way. The trailer was pushing that truck all over the road, and the ecoboost would have never survived the trip. The truck was a crew cab w the " tow package", and 45K miles. Let me know when and if you two 10-12k w a f150.

 

[ben h]

Funny this thread popped back up again. Fitting the olny photo I could find of my F150 and trailer was at the gas station. The empty weight on this 20' trailer is 3500lbs, so I'm probably tops 5000lbs here. At BEST this truck gets 8-9 mpg pulling this, which doesn't really matter all that much if you pull it a couple hundred miles, here or there, but most my trips are 500+ miles one-way and stopping that much for fuel gets old fast. I think this truck has the 30 gal tank, so larger would help with that. I recently replaced this truck with an F350 with the 6.7l diesel and 48 gal tank; my 1st trip towing with it isn't till March, so we'll see how that goes by comparison.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

I went from a 2500 to a 150 and had no regrets. The little pulling I was doing just wasn’t worth the fuel consumption difference.

Then I kept the 1500 and got a Prius for commuting to work. My commute was only 15 miles but saved $600 a month in gas alone.

Back to the original question. No regrets. I don’t notice a difference in what I used the two trucks for. Space seemed the same in the interior. I lied. I did notice a difference. My wallet.

 

[bowhuntercoop]

Ummm okay, ever try towing 10K with the f150? We hunt Turkey hunt Missouri every spring, 850-mile drive one way. Loaded the trailer which is a 24' enclosed R&R custom built aluminum, empty weight is 3700. Put 3 guys hunting gear in, camping equipment, and one Honda 500 foreman. Hook it to a 2019 f150 w the ecoboost. I figured that trailer at most weighed 8000. we made maybe 50 miles; truck would not get out of its own way. The trailer was pushing that truck all over the road, and the ecoboost would have never survived the trip. The truck was a crew cab w the " tow package", and 45K miles. Let me know when and if you two 10-12k w a f150.

Have no need but wouldn’t hesitate with the right trailer and set up. You can get the 3.5 or the 5.0 and be rated to 14-15k with max tow and some other configurations. I know plenty of guys that haul 8–12k with the 3.5 and all very pleased with the power and ability to tow.

 

[TSAMP]

I went from a 2500 to a 150 and had no regrets. The little pulling I was doing just wasn’t worth the fuel consumption difference.

Then I kept the 1500 and got a Prius for commuting to work. My commute was only 15 miles but saved $600 a month in gas alone.

Back to the original question. No regrets. I don’t notice a difference in what I used the two trucks for. Space seemed the same in the interior. I lied. I did notice a difference. My wallet.

15 mile commute every day of the week and you somehow save 600? I don't see how your gas bill would be half of that.

You must be rockin that prius far more places than the ole work commute.

 

[TN2shot07]

15 mile commute every day of the week and you somehow save 600? I don't see how your gas bill would be half of that.

You must be rockin that prius far more places than the ole work commute.

I was thinking the same thing, I average ~100 miles a day in a 1500 and don’t spend $600 a month in gas

 

[MallardSX2]

I would like to trade my 2500 diesel for a 2500 gars at some point.

 

[Backcountry_Preacher]

I have 2019 F250. I do haul stuff occasionally but I’m not hooked up to a trailer every single day like a few guys I know. I bought it mainly for longevity reasons. I had it deleted last year and am getting 25-28 mpg with it on average. I love it. I had considered doing what you’re talking about in the past but decided to stick with it and I’m glad I did. There isn’t a better truck made on the market than that generation 6.7 (IMO) but I’m bias of course.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

15 mile commute every day of the week and you somehow save 600? I don't see how your gas bill would be half of that.

You must be rockin that prius far more places than the ole work commute.

Work commute saving are $250 month
there is still any running around doing errands and weekend stuff it included. 10mph average to 60mpg average. My gas savings are still $600 a month.

Only disadvantage with the Prius…it is a Prius.
My 2500 was a gas hog.