Thinking about a new truck...
 

So at the end of last summer I bought a new to me 2006 Formula 330SS, i keep it on a lift at a marina in the FL Panhandle. I'm on the hunt for a trailer and a truck. I would like to be able to get it on the hard a few times a year to do maintenance and stuff. Launch ramp is about 5 miles from the house, flat roads, nice big ramp so no issues there. I also have plans once a year to drag it over the east coast to do a Bahama's trip or a keys trip or something like that. Right now I have a 2008 Silverado 1500 with the little v8 and 2WD. I'm well aware this won't cut it. So I'm think about a 2010 or newer Denali HD 2500 with the Duramax. This will also be my daily driver. I don't want to drive a dully around. What do you guys think? Would this do it? I don't know anything about diesels and have never owned one before. What kind of mileage can I expect driving it around town? I'm not dead set on the Denali, is there something that better?

Also i'm hoping to track down or make a deal on a trailer at the Miami boat show, if anyone has a line something please let me know. 3 axels, brakes, 15000lbs, aluminum.

Thanks,
Aaron

You really need a dually for a boat that big. A SRW 3500 will pull it too, diesel.

Wannabe

I'm told the boat should be around 11,000lbs dry...

you can get a SRW 3500 Denali but I don't think it adds much as far as stnd tow capacity. 5th wheel maybe higher though.

I'd really consider getting an older dedicated dually with tall gearing for the pulling, and a gas vehicle for your daily driver. I really don't see a good reason to spend the coin for buying and maintaining a diesel for daily driving when one is not needed for daily activities. That's my take on it after running a quarter million miles in my daily driving diesel truck. If I had it to do over again....

alindquist, you are right on the money with your original thought about a 2500 denali. you do NOT need a drw to tow your boat and the miniscule amount of time you will actually be towing it. the denali is a great truck loaded with options and if it's your daily driver then i would want something nice as well. i have never pulled a boat with a drw truck (not that they aren't a more stable ride) but you simply don't need one and a lot of my boats are in the 14k range with trailer. you really don't even need a diesel but they tow like nothing other. get something you are comfortable driving around in on a daily basis, 2500 hd that is.

Chart, buying a beater to tow it has certainly crossed my mind, i just don't really have the space or the time to keep up with two trucks. Also a DRW as a daily driver just seems like a pain in the ass.

However since you guys are diesel experts does anybody know what I can expect for mileage in town, on the highway, and towing the boat? I'm having a hard time tracking down any reliable information. Specifically with a newer 6.6. I'm not dead set on the GM, Ford or Ram would possibly work too, which one would get the best mileage?

ive owned both 2015 srw denali hd 2500 .. and a 2015.5 denali drw 3500 .. theres no comparisom in stability and pulling ect .. drw simply out performs the srw .. put 14000 pounds behind both and youll know that drw is the way to go .. you can pull anything with anything .. but pulling something that large with confidence . not blu knuckled is a great feeling .. and alot less tiresom at the end of a haul .. i had to ad bags to the srw denali just to keep it from jerking up n down .. it was nearve racking at best .. i simply love the longbed 3500 drw hands down over the srw.. just saying .. and thats all best of luck and enjoy the new boat .. even when its on the trailer ....

Just get a short bed srw 350. For the amount of towing you're doing its fine. I have a 2015 Platinum short bed 350 and tow 12000+ with it about once a week, usually 100+ miles each way, and it does it like a champ. That's on a bumper pull 24' trailer. On Fords the only difference between f250 and f350 srw is a 2" block on the 250 vs 4" on the 350, and the 350 has an extra leaf spring. For that they charge an extra $1000 on a new truck and it gives an extra 1000 pounds of payload. My truck comes in with around a 3000 pound payload.

Whatever truck that you decide on. Make sure it has enough cup holders.

I don't know why, unless you lived in a city, that you'd want a shortbed. Towing aside, they just look so up useable for everyday tasks - trips to the dump, mulch runs, etc.....

I daily drive my dually, but I've only had one real circumstance where I wished I had a SrW - in a parking garage in Norfolk one time, but frankly I'm not sure it would have been any more manageable in a SrW

As many have already said, the perfect tow vehicle for a boat that size is probably a one ton 4x4 diesel dually. That said, a vehicle like that is a lousy daily driver. And as good as the diesels are at towing, the extra cost takes years to pay back.

So you’re in a rather unique position where you’re probably going to end up with something that’s a compromise on both the towing and daily driver fronts. Since it sounds like you really don’t tow all that far, you could probably compromise on something like an extended cab (the longer the wheelbase the better) gas powered three quarter ton 4x4 truck. Quite honestly, it won’t be the best in either world, but it will at least be acceptable and won’t break the bank.

You know I just can't figure out some of you. There are people on here talking about gas and diesel engines and the mileage we get or don't get. If we truly cared about mileage we would be on Sailboating.com

A penny saved is a penny earned. You do enough of it and you can turn that 29 into a 38.:cool-smiley-011:

I don't see how a modern 4x4 diesel dually is a lousy DD. I love mine and when we take trips we choose it over the tahoe. It gets better mileage, is just as comfortable and is roomier inside.....

to haul it out once a year, and possibly an east coast trip? Man, you are really trying to justify buying a new big diesel, aren't ya? :D
No way I'd drive a diesel 3/4 ton or bigger as a daily driver if that's all I needed it for.

No, because I understand it isn't really justified (I tow about 8 miles a year total), I was just saying these new diesels are refined and make pretty good DD's if you don't want the multi automobile hassle....

Oh don't get me wrong. The newest generation of diesels from Ford, GM & Dodge are incredible. They don't even sound like diesels anymore. But when you factor in the significant additional purchase price for the diesel option, plus the more expensive maintenance, plus the higher registration fees, plus ... I think you get my drift. It makes for a pretty darn expensive daily driver.

Oh, and parking one at the mall isn't any picnic either.

I just got home after a run to the UP to snowmobile... drove a 2015 4x4 2500 denali Duramax.I drove both ways pulling a 6k trailer.What a friggin nice truck the exhaust brake was sweeeet.15 mpg 58k truck not mine its my brothers.My 1999 Dodge/Cummins will out pull it, but comes up short on evertyhing else.

that is going to be fun regardless b/c you have a 10'2" Beam!! Its around 8900 dry, so your looking at 12kish towing loaded with trailer at least...

Most 330s owners I have spoken too dont trailer.. My f250 6.7 is rated for 14k, so it has plenty to pull, but that will be a beast to tow down the road (wide). good luck!

There is a post in the formula forum about this question. I was browsing through it the other day and it had several pages of commentary from 330 owners.


Ricky

If you dont tow that much get a silverado 2500hd with the 8.1. You have the power, and a very dependable engine and transmission. Plus if it breaks it is cheaper to repair compared to the diesels.

Hey Nova 26. Ya maybe but than I gotta rebuild the shop to make it fit. But I am already looking at 35s and 38s. And you know what I am going to pull it with either one of my two F350s Diesels. The orange one gets 13 mpg and the white one gets 16. By the way I see that you have a 38. NOT!!!

Another thread here on your topic http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...ing-330ss.html

You may also have width and length laws to consider where ever you are going to tow. http://towingworld.com/towinglaws.cfm

A single wheel truck of any kind with a "oversized load" such as a beam of 10 feet plus can be a white knuckle ride. Once you have experienced a ride like that you will have a totally different perspective of tow vehicles and providing that you didn't turn over. After white knuckling a few times I went DRW and since then I can't ever see me going SRW again.

I can drive my DRW most any place that I need to commute and prefer the stable ride of a solid chassis. Granted the wide rear wheels are something to watch out for but I would never tow without it. Maybe you should buy a commuter truck and RENT something to tow with if it is so very rare. The cost would figure out better that way. Furthermore, "mileage" and "truck" are two words that are in conflict. A truck is for work and mileage/economy is the lack of work, principally speaking. I can appreciate efficiency in a truck but that is not a primary filter in terms of a work horse.

Diesel is without debate the better work efficiency and power. The difference in trucks is whether or not it has exhaust after treatment which impacts the fuel efficiency. The GM 06 and split early 07 has the Duramax with no emissions on it. Ford and Dodge also started DPF aftertreatment around 07 and 08. The next level of diesel emissions is UREA. GM started this in 11, Ford I believe was 11 and Dodge didn't do urea until 13. If you select diesel then the efficiency is impacted by these emission levels and the trucks without the emissions are more efficient than the newer ones with all the added emission systems.

Best of luck with your decision.

Thanks for all the info guys... I do construction for a living and my current 1500 is getting up there in mileage so a new truck is going to happen. I drive a lot and understand that I'm going to burn fuel so any boast in mileage is a plus and money in the bank. I'm really just trying the buy something that will do a double duty. A DWR just seems like a pain to drive every day to work or to the store, I see them all the time with banged up rear fenders. I'll take a look at the other thread.
Aaron

LOL those banged up rear fenders are not always due to the dually driver. Other crazies will maneuver around a truck like it is any other truck and get into the dually fenders too.
Just don't let your wife drive it......lol :silenced:

Lol. She would be too scared to ever drive it

So is mine and that is ok cause I'm afraid of her driving it too. lol

Congrats on the Formula. You will have to scroll on down and show us some pics in the Formula section.

I struggled with this, really wanting to go diesel, but the math just doesn't work.
Higher fuel prices, costlier maintenance. Unless you tow more than not it's simply a prestige factor. My 02

:bsflag:

I don't know what kind of math gets higher fuel costs for a diesel unless you are just saying that because of the price at the pump. The spread in gas vs diesel price cannot bridge the efficiency difference which is 33% + more for diesel. Point being fewer gallons of diesel are purchased which still keeps the diesel fuel cost lower and the primary reason that industries around the globe use diesel for hauling, shipping, freight, working etc.

For the original question... We have a 330SS on an Eagle trailer and have towed it with an F-350, SRW with the Powerstroke. We bought it in southern Illinois and trailered it a day and a half to home. It did fine. I think a quality trailer is critical. A poor trailer might make the dually necessary if it doesn't track well

True enough at the pump, but things go down hill rapidly from there. Oil changes,tires, scheduled maintenance.... Adds up quick.
Edit in. I did say depending on amount of towing which is a game changer.

A diesel truck makes not so much sense as a daily driver.It's a TOW truck.Mine sits in the barn.... 15 years old 120,000 miles.almost all tow miles.
Use the right tool for the job.

This is not dig on anyone. But the 08 F350/6.4 has 136,000 with 30,000 being tow miles and it is my daily driver. Not to mention it match's the boat. The 01 F350/7.3 has over 300,000. With 150,000 being tow miles. And if it wasn't for my buddy scratching it up on a hunting trip. It would still be one of the best looking trucks in the county. If I could keep my foot from being so heavy I might get better mileage at least out of the 6.4 the 7.3 has the wrong gears for mileage. I feel that if you are going to do any kind of valuable towing i.e. our boats. Than diesel is the way to go. BUT. Lets not forget transmission coolers. Large powerful brakes for stopping. etc. The truck must be able to handle driving that boat down the interstate and maneuvering the parking lots at the boat ramp. Without making your drive so tiresome that you cannot enjoy the trip. If I was thinking on buying a second hand daily driver and still tow a boat around town for less than $12,000 it would be a 1997 or 96 F250 or F350 diesel with tall gears for mileage and the diesel will handle the power requirements and maybe add a tuner just for the heck of it. In my humble opinion.

I daily drove a Duramax for 8 years......bought truck brand new for 32K (crew 2WD SLE, 43K MSRP 2003). I spent 39K in fuel for that truck in 8 years (170K miles). That fuel cost stunned me!

As a daily driver it was nice, comfortable and only left me stranded once (150K+ miles a pulley sheared off). I was tired of the fuel filter changes, the 10 qt oil changes and was ready for a new truck.

It's my experience that your statement is true when working the engines hard with a heavy load. But, when not working the engines hard with a heavy load, the mileage savings isn't that much. Buck's point was that for little actual towing, the numbers don't support a diesel truck. And he's probably right.

To the original question -

I daily a SRW Duramax 3500. Love the damned thing and enjoy driving it every day. Chose the SRW with 3500 on purpose, but my boat is a lot smaller than yours.

The difference in payload is only an extra leaf spring when the truck is loaded. So ride quality is the same as a HD2500 (truck doesn't get to the extra spring leaf until loaded).

As for fuel economy, the dash computer says 14 ish around town and anywhere from 17 to 18 on a trip. Depends how you drive it of course.

As for maintenance costs, I bought the all inclusive bumper to bumper warranty that includes all service work (for about $1500 if I remember right). Just drop it at the dealer for oil changes etc and pick it up, no extra costs. So apart from that up front buy at the dealer, the truck is no more expensive to maintain than the 1500 gas burner Silverado my girlfriend drives.

Hope that helps you some.

Edit: The thing pulls like a train. I wouldn't tow with any gas truck by comparison, but each to their own.

plus when the last time you seen a gasser with 400 k on it lol, trailerd miles ..

Ace Trailers is where I just bought mine. Great guys, good communication, and fair price.
http://www.ace-trailers.com/

Also I know I will catch some flack but.....https://plus.google.com/photos/yourp...53020303620169
F350 SRW v10 gas 4x4 pulling 16000lbs and getting 11MPH while doing it. No problems unless your in mountains, then it's working real hard. I use this to pull the boat (405 Performance), going out in woods, and for crap chores around the house that I don't want to do with a new truck. Paid 13,000.00 with under 100k miles. Could not be happier with the truck and the V10 and from what I hear I don't want a Ford diesel because of all the problems with them.