I tow with a 99 F350 PSD SRW X cab 4x4. My first diesel also. World of difference in towing. Not the quickest thing on the highway...but add 8000 lbs behind it and it doesn't make much difference Tows like a RR locomotive and it seems the harder you run it ...the better it runs.
Like others have said , fuel is a little harder to get , only because EVERY station doesn't carry it. That has never really been a problem. Past couple of months diesel fuel has been as much as $.40 a gal. less than gas and I average 18.5 mpg in mixed driving...not possble with a gas engine in a vehicle of this size.
As for the noise...just keep in mind "Real trucks rattle" (as in diesel)
Would I do it again??? Absolutely

Got mine 4/03 with only 46000 miles

I have a 95 F-350 crew-cab dually, it has 212,000 on it and I tow a 40' Excalibur Hawk with it down the freeway at 70+....wouldn't be afraid to take it anywhere.....yea it rattles but that what the stereo is for ......Fred

Why not a PSD Excursion. It is all of a 350 and has more interior space. It has a 50gal tank also which gets me 810 miles on a tank empty....and thats in town @ 16.5mpg. On the highway I see 19 empty.

father in law just bought an '04', pulled his 40' 5th wheel camper 100+ miles to wisconsin, 15+ mpg and power to spare, he loves it.

every construction contractor i've talked to loves their deisel trucks and swear they would never own a gas truck again..

62,000 with no issues. All of my Ford products have performed well, I can't say that about my Dodge or Chevy products.

We have left on the const. site a 99 Dodge, 2001 Duramax, 2003 Duramax, 2004 Duramax (590tq) 2004 Powerstroke, All Dually's.

The Ford is my personal truck, but the Chevy is smoother, turns better, better fit and finish, But... The Ford suspension is better suited for pulling my 4300 Nortech, and has alot more room inside. I like the Allison tranny better in the Chevy, but cant stand the looks of the truck.

For pulling, 13k pounds or less, get the GM, otherwise the Ford is better in my opinion, and for 05, they have made a few body changes, dash changes, more power/tq and a better tranny. We usually order 2-3 trucks per year and retire the older ones. Jeff

lmao

Any mechanical problems with the Fords you have owned? Someone told me the transmissions don't last if you do a lot of towing???
Thanks

03 F350 diesel auto, 21.5 mpg on highway, single rear wheel, 4x4, shortbed xcab. Love it!!! Towing 26' boat get 15mpg. No problems, then again only have 10k miles on it. First diesel, first Ford, bought it over the chevy because of the amount of room in the drivers seat it had over the chevy. Always had chevy. You'll love it!!!

99 F350 PSD, Sold it with over 100,000 miles. The only problem I had was the cam position sensor went bad. Other than that, it was an awesome truck. Pulled my 30 Sonic no problem.