3/4 Ton Gas vs Diesel vs Tundra

[uhomebody]

I am hoping to get some advice from those with trucks as daily drivers and also towing a travel trailer on occasion. I currently have a Jeep Grand Cherokee that I daily drive. I also have an older 2005 Ford F250 V10 for towing my 7K pound travel trailer 2-6 times a year (maybe 300-400 miles round trip each time).

I am considering consolidating down to one vehicle (get a newer rig and only have to insure one vehicle vs two) that I can daily drive and tow my travel trailer a handful of times each year. And my daily driving is very minimal 10-20 city miles each day. So I am looking for perspective on what to get. I hear that daily driving a diesel truck around the city for 10 or so miles is not good for the engine and that with the minimal towing I do a year the extra expense on a diesel (and higher maintenance costs) is not worth it.

My trailer is not overly heavy and we don't plan on getting another one anytime soon so some are recommending a Tundra instead of a 3/4 or 1-ton. Tundra is a bit smaller and more geared for daily driving in small amounts.

Has anyone been through this scenario before and if so, what did you do? I am leaning towards a newer gasser truck (Ford 7.3L) but also love the new Tundras and have heard many say they are very capable for towing.

 

[JayhawkRoy]

I have owned several one ton trucks and tow various trailers occasionally. My math could never justify getting a diesel, so I recommend gas engines. Never owned a Toyota truck, so I can't comment. I stuck with one ton crew cabs for my activities.

 

[ATex7239]

I have been in a similar situation of needing both a heavy duty vehicle and a more sensible commuter vehicle. I choose to keep the two vehicles separate.

That said if you’re just ready for a new truck I think your plan is a good one. I’ve had great luck with F250 (gas) trucks. But since it’s more commuting oriented for your situation, I would pick the Tundra as F250s unloaded ride like a covered wagon.

 

[Zee09]

Tundra V8s are gas suckers.... V6s don't know...durability?????
My F350 7.3 gasser got great mpgs as long as you didn't stop...

But ungainly for some...I was used to their size.

 

[02SE]

Edit

 

[AZjeff]

The Tundra will be a better daily driver, the 3/4 ton will tow better and will be less fun driving in the city. Which is more important? A 3/4 ton gas might get better mileage than a Tundra. The newer trucks are big.

 

[02SE]

For some reason my above reply was only partially posted, and left off lots of detail. The Site won't let me Edit it. So just ignore it.

It finally let me Edit.

 

[burbguy82]

I am hoping to get some advice from those with trucks as daily drivers and also towing a travel trailer on occasion. I currently have a Jeep Grand Cherokee that I daily drive. I also have an older 2005 Ford F250 V10 for towing my 7K pound travel trailer 2-6 times a year (maybe 300-400 miles round trip each time).

I am considering consolidating down to one vehicle (get a newer rig and only have to insure one vehicle vs two) that I can daily drive and tow my travel trailer a handful of times each year. And my daily driving is very minimal 10-20 city miles each day. So I am looking for perspective on what to get. I hear that daily driving a diesel truck around the city for 10 or so miles is not good for the engine and that with the minimal towing I do a year the extra expense on a diesel (and higher maintenance costs) is not worth it.

My trailer is not overly heavy and we don't plan on getting another one anytime soon so some are recommending a Tundra instead of a 3/4 or 1-ton. Tundra is a bit smaller and more geared for daily driving in small amounts.

Has anyone been through this scenario before and if so, what did you do? I am leaning towards a newer gasser truck (Ford 7.3L) but also love the new Tundras and have heard many say they are very capable for towing.

Keep what you got and roll.......my vote

I am assuming the two you have are paid off, and you have worked out the bugs.

To answer the question about the Tundra, yes it will do all you need it to do. Out of the half tons, the Tundra, pre twin Turbo V6 is the best 1\2 ton.......IMO.

 

[bioilcurious]

Try daily driving your F-250 for a month and see what you like.

Too big? Spec a high-towing-capable 1/2-ton.
Don’t mind the size, but the motor feels too sluggish? Get an F-250 with the 6.7 Power Stroke.
Like the size and the motor? Go with an F-250 with the 7.3 gas.

Really think about it: turbo or non-turbo motor, and 1/2-ton or 3/4-ton?

As for me, I went with the 6.7 Power Stroke—and I drive that thing no matter the situation!

 

[hemioiler]

To answer the question about the Tundra, yes it will do all you need it to do. Out of the half tons, the Tundra, pre twin Turbo V6 is the best 1\2 ton.......IMO.

You can't make a claim "best 1/2 ton" without knowing what a buyer values. That Tundra is the oldest by far, like "cobweb old". It rides the worst, gets the worst mpg, has the worst payload, tows the least, has the worst transmission, has the least advanced towing/interior tech etc.

Clearly your definition of "best" is different than mine.

 

[MrHorspwer]

I daily a 2024 Silverado 2500 w/ 6.6L gas and tow an 8,800 lb. travel trailer through the summer.

For towing, it's not even a contest. Towing with my previous 1500 (2020 Silverado) was like framing a house with a hammer and moving to the 2500 was like getting a framing nailer. Can you frame an entire house with a hammer? Sure. Is it a fun job? No. That's the difference between a 1500 and a 2500.

Daily driving is annoying. The turning circle sucks, parking is annoying, it rides like a donkey cart (though it surely rides better than a 2005 F250), you can't see anything over the hood, the bed is a mile off the ground, lifting things up to a lowered tailgate is a heave and putting anything over the bed rail requires a yeet. My daily commute is 20 miles round trip, all city, but only three days a week. Fuel economy in the very low teens is a good day. With traffic, it's more like 10-11.

Do I regret it? Not really. For the limited time I daily it, it's not much of a hassle. Outside of the daily commute, it comfortably eats up highway miles. When it's time to hitch up, I absolutely don't regret it.

 

[uhomebody]

Try daily driving your F-250 for a month and see what you like.

Too big? Spec a high-towing-capable 1/2-ton.
Don’t mind the size, but the motor feels too sluggish? Get an F-250 with the 6.7 Power Stroke.
Like the size and the motor? Go with an F-250 with the 7.3 gas.

Really think about it: turbo or non-turbo motor, and 1/2-ton or 3/4-ton?

As for me, I went with the 6.7 Power Stroke—and I drive that thing no matter the situation!

Yeah, I work from home and drive very little most days (7 miles roundtrip to the gym). That is why I am thinking a diesel wouldn't be great for me though I know it would be great to have for those few times a year I tow the trailer. I have not been impressed by my 2005 V10 F250 when towing, yes it is big and heavy but not a ton of power. That is why I am thinking consolidate to one newer rig.

 

[Astro14]

You can't make a claim "best 1/2 ton" without knowing what a buyer values. That Tundra is the oldest by far, like "cobweb old". It rides the worst, gets the worst mpg, has the worst payload, tows the least, has the worst transmission, has the least advanced towing/interior tech etc.

Clearly your definition of "best" is different than mine.

Well, I would have to say that our definitions of best differ as well.

I’ve had my Tundra for over nine years. It’s been as reliable as an anvil. I haven’t had a single failure. Not a single maintenance item. I’ve replaced brakes, I’ve put new tires on it.

That’s it.

It is my daily driver. It does everything that I’ve ever asked of it without complaining. It’s got a bunch of room, and the ride, despite what you say is pretty comfortable. It has heated and ventilated seats, it has satellite radio, it has a decent sound system. It tracks well, has good brakes, and a smooth shifting, reliable transmission.

It’s been a long road trip machine, it’s driven back-and-forth to Denver.

It handles towing a 7 to 8000 pound trailer with ease. Most recent example shown.

Yeah, it’s thirsty.

But it doesn’t eat camshafts, the water pump isn’t inside the oil, it hasn’t blown up a turbo, or had any of the other myriad problems that modern truck seemed to have developed.

I will trade the predictable, slightly higher, fuel expense for the unpredictable reliability offered by the other makers. In the end, even one of those repairs offsets the entire fuel savings, so I think my Tundra compares very well on a total ownership cost, and it certainly wins on the reliability.

It’s a workhorse that is easy to live with on a daily basis.

 

[uhomebody]

Keep what you got and roll.......my vote

I am assuming the two you have are paid off, and you have worked out the bugs.

To answer the question about the Tundra, yes it will do all you need it to do. Out of the half tons, the Tundra, pre twin Turbo V6 is the best 1\2 ton.......IMO.

Yes, both are paid off. I have had the Jeep for 7 years and truck for 5 now. Am ready for a change and to have one vehicle to insure and conduct maintenance on. I would only consider the new body style Tundras.

 

[4WD]

Controlling a 7k travel trailer is more challenging than low CG pulls …
Get the 250/2500 and minimize stress …

 

[fantastic]

The F-250 6.8 or 7.3L sounds like it would be the better choice. I make no apologies & 1/2 tons are for pulling your fishing boat or seadoo's to the lake. You need to have stability while towing no matter if you're only going 400 miles a year & a 3/4 ton is the solution. No need for a diesel in your situation. I've done the one vehicle thing & with a family too. Did it for 4 years with an old 1995 F-250 7.3L with over 225k on it. It isn't pleasant when it needs to go in for repair but doable. New truck shouldn't need much though. Otherwise, keep the V10 & get the Tundra you want. Let us know what you ultimately decide & good luck!

 

[hemioiler]

Well, I would have to say that our definitions of best differ as well.

I’ve had my Tundra for over nine years. It’s been as reliable as an anvil. I haven’t had a single failure. Not a single maintenance item. I’ve replaced brakes, I’ve put new tires on it.

That’s it.

It is my daily driver. It does everything that I’ve ever asked of it without complaining. It’s got a bunch of room, and the ride, despite what you say is pretty comfortable. It has heated and ventilated seats, it has satellite radio, it has a decent sound system. It tracks well, has good brakes, and a smooth shifting, reliable transmission.

It’s been a long road trip machine, it’s driven back-and-forth to Denver.

It handles towing a 7 to 8000 pound trailer with ease. Most recent example shown.

Yeah, it’s thirsty.

But it doesn’t eat camshafts, the water pump isn’t inside the oil, it hasn’t blown up a turbo, or had any of the other myriad problems that modern truck seemed to have developed.

I will trade the predictable, slightly higher, fuel expense for the unpredictable reliability offered by the other makers. In the end, even one of those repairs offsets the entire fuel savings, so I think my Tundra compares very well on a total ownership cost, and it certainly wins on the reliability.

It’s a workhorse that is easy to live with on a daily basis.

Well that's funny, my truck hasn't eaten camshafts (or had any other issues either). And its a far better daily and towing driver, with more power, better mpg, better ride, more tow capability, more interior space etc.

The tundra's v8 has a reputation for living long, but its also produced in very small numbers compared to the American v8s. The hemi in various flavours has sold well over 10 million copies by now, any little flaw (which statistically will not affect me personally) gets blown out of proportion just due to volume and scale; a 1 or 2 percent flaw means hundreds of thousands of failures, but it's still just a 1 percent flaw. Its hard to get any sense of failures for the tundra v8 because they sell a fraction compared to the other v8s.

Remember that Toyota dealerships have service bays as well, and they're not just doing brake jobs and oil changes.

Anyway the point of my post was, "best 1/2 ton" is subjective to individual people. We have different values and criteria in trucks, what works for you/me may not work for me/you.

There is no single best half ton.

 

[Astro14]

The Tundra will ride far better than an F250, get better MPG than that V-10, and a 7K trailer is a piece of cake for the 5.7.

I would neck down to 1 vehicle, and save the cost of ownership, and I would choose the Tundra.

 

[bioilcurious]

Yeah, I work from home and drive very little most days (7 miles roundtrip to the gym). That is why I am thinking a diesel wouldn't be great for me though I know it would be great to have for those few times a year I tow the trailer. I have not been impressed by my 2005 V10 F250 when towing, yes it is big and heavy but not a ton of power. That is why I am thinking consolidate to one newer rig.

I don't know how long your trailer is, but when towing long trailers, gas pumps are always a PIA. With diesel, you never have to worry because you can just use the semi truck pumps. Everything is a trade off, if you have money, why not get those smiles per mile in with a turbo diesel truck?

 

[hemitom]

for that little bit of towing hands down get the tundra much easier to live with on a daily basis.
Now if you were doing this every day 2500 all day long.
Daughters boyfriend had 1500 gmc and 2500 gmc
and I can tell you towing 10k the 2500 was more confidence inspiring then towing 5k in the 1500
also the 2500 is diesel .