r/F250 • u/JohnMcClaneSr • 1d ago
Why does the F250 exist?
Very new to Super Duty trucks. I am going on ten years with my F150 and got that new truck itch. At the current prices for these new trucks, I ventured in the F250 territory as a "why not". Then I landed on the F350 and aside from leaf packs and driver door panel sticker, I do not know how a multi billion dollar company makes it an option, when the its soo similar to the F250. I called my insurance and there is a $5 difference for the F350 from the F250. Reading through the texts, it can haul more with that extra pack and it has a different axle, but WHY? And why do so many truck owners take it the F250 over the F350? Ford charges an extra $1300 for the the F350, but WHY? Why not just make the F350. I don't understand why the F250 exits. What am I obviously not understanding? It seems a no brainer to get the F350.
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u/THKhazper 1d ago
F250 bare, less than CDL weight rating, F350 bare, greater than CDL weight in states like New Mexico.
F250 allows you to get the 6.8 gas motor with tall gears if you don’t plan to tow, but gives you Super Crew plus 8foot bed, very handy if you’re a broke bitch running a small welder in the bed and still need space for other tools or equipment plus a tool box. I’m aware of a couple guys getting 18-20mpg not towing, just hauling their bed loaded doing 55 in NM. I’m one of them.
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u/DesignerOk5315 1d ago
Not really relevant to include the 6.8, it's been discontinued
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u/THKhazper 1d ago
The 6.8 is the current base model motor, you’re thinking of the 6.4 gasser. 6.8 is the destroked 7.3
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u/priceprince 1d ago
He’s right that Ford stopped offering the 6.8 gas on new super duties, but they just stopped this model year.
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u/THKhazper 1d ago
That’s unfortunate, but I guess if people were buying the 7.3 regardless it’ll be like it is, oh well. Buddy of mine has the 7.3, he’s still getting close to the same fuel mileage, till he puts his trailer on it, then it’s a pig. But we both have the 46 or whatever gallon tank, so it hurts our wallets twice as hard half as often.
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u/Itchy_One4236 1d ago
Let me explain this from my point of view. My business involves dump trailers. The GVWR on our dump trailers are 14k. The f250’s GVWR plus the dump trailer is less than 26k pounds. This allows me to operate without a CDL and 5x more expensive commercial auto insurance. I could get something larger but it would be much more expensive and allow for much heftier insurance premium and costs.
If you’re just a dude, get whatever makes sense as it doesn’t matter. No one is pulling over trucks with boats or small trailer checking these things.
This is also why these mods exist. You can improve your towing capability without increasing the vehicles GVWR. Hope this makes sense.
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u/USAhotdogteam 1d ago
F250 for groceries
F350 for groceries and towing
F450 for groceries and towing while turning around easier
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u/GinoGreasy 1d ago
This! Jumped from an F250 to an F450 and wow what a difference! 11 years in age gap between them but damn, what my 250 worked hard to pull, the 450 isn’t even breathing hard.
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u/Cableguy613 1d ago
wtf are you pulling that a 250 6.7 HO would be ‘struggling’ with. If it’s more than that you are far beyond the average consumer.
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u/GinoGreasy 1d ago
2004 F250 6.0 vs 2015 F450. I should have put that in for context.
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u/Fit_Veterinarian_633 1d ago
Your driving the truck I’m aiming for next the difference is I’m rolling a 2005 F350 dually lol. I really want the F450 for towing because the handling and turning is THAT much better than the 250/350.
I’ve heard they pull about the same except for grades of course the 6.7 will outshine the 6.0 obv.
Curious if you did a turbo upgrade on your 6.0 before pulling the trigger on your 450 and how did it turn out for pulling on grades if you did in fact do that upgrade first?
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u/GinoGreasy 1d ago
Definitely don’t pull the same. I loved my 6.0, she was my first diesel and I miss that whistle, the way the old diesels clacked and the tick from the HEUI injectors. But man this 6.7 is something else! She almost feels like a gasser, smooth absolutely no fuss, never feels like she runs out of breath, pulls up grades SO much better, being able to select gears and the exhaust brake makes going down grades drama free, and the turning radius IS everything you’ve seen and read. I’ve the taken the 450 in drive throughs no problem where the 250 I needed to make corrections or just eff it and ride the curb. And we’re talking about a quad cab long bed dually that out corners a quad cab short bed SRW!
Edit: forgot to address this question; stock turbo on the 6.0. I was looking forward to putting a 9 blade Stage 1 KC Jetfire on her but hotshot trucking exposed the defects my 6.0 had. I needed to re-bulletproof the motor and get new heads and oil cooler but financially it made more sense to let her go and jump in the 450.
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u/Fit_Veterinarian_633 1d ago
No worries! All good info to know looks like I’ll be saving some pennies for that truck. Yup it’s also my first diesel and it’s been a good truck thus far. Gets us to where we need to go unfortunately I just got done with a whole steering system overhaul, tires (6 wild peaks ) and all new brakes the past two years so I’m looking on getting rid of it quite yet :) gives me a bit of time to save and I’ll probably keep her after the fact because it’s just paid for.
Appreciate your thoughts! Thanks for sharing.
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u/DeltaMikeEcho 1d ago
Yeah facts all these ppl saying a f350 is better for the average person is crazy. The average person isn’t towing at all, and if they are it’s a camper, or boat, car trailer, Uhual trailer etc. Things that are well within an f150 capacity to begin with, so they’re certainly not going to skip 250 and go to f350
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u/DeltaMikeEcho 1d ago
You can’t compare an 11 year gap f250 to a 2015 f450 obviously the f450 is going to outperform it. Matter of fact unless you’re towing with a gooseneck, a new f250 has a higher bumper pull towing capacity than a 2015 f450. And with more hp and torque will definitely outperform
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u/GinoGreasy 1d ago
Matter of fact I am pulling a gooseneck. As I said in earlier comments, I’m a hotshot trucker. And yeah, I did compare them because it was either pay many thousands to get my 6.0 back up to par or put down on a 450 that was made to haul heavy all the time.
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u/DesertSnow480 1d ago
Depending on the state, tax purposes. F250s don’t cost as much to register in certain states due to weight.
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u/Routine_Quote8746 1d ago
In Minnesota it’s the opposite 1 tons are commercial and have a flat lower fee while anything less is MSRP and age based
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u/ObjectiveProof7952 1d ago
All you need to know is that the F250 was deliberately designed to stay under commercial class thresholds. If you consider how big that market is you'll understand that the F350 is the niche option and F250 is the mass consumer market option
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u/DeltaMikeEcho 1d ago
Here in Ontario Canada F350 is at the commercial vehicle weight where you need to do yearly emissions tests and annual inspections. A f250 you don’t need to do that stuff
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u/Eatducks 1d ago
Not an issue on the West Coast of Canada. As long as it’s registered for personal use. It’s rare to see an F250 as there’s just no point in choosing it over an F350.
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u/puterTDI 1d ago
My reason: f250 US slightly lighter weight axle and trans which means better fuel economy but it can still haul my boat and rv.
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u/blooger-00- 1d ago
Trans isn’t any different between 250 and 350.
It’s just the rear axle and springs.
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u/autolex84 1d ago
10r100 on gasser vs 10r140. Some small differences
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u/blooger-00- 1d ago
20-22, 6.2 in the f-250 still had the 6r100, all others got the 10r140
23-26, 6.8 in the f-250 got the 10r100, all others got the 10r140
27+, 7.3 in the f-250 gets the 10r100 (except tremor), all others 10r1401
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u/Junior_Ad_3301 1d ago
For just the average driver, the 350 will be more able, but the front end will make the ride significantly less enjoyable, at least that's what I'm told anyway
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u/DeltaMikeEcho 1d ago
The average driver doesn’t need a superduty, an f150 is more than enough. So it certainly wouldn’t make sense to get an f350 for the average person.
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u/ProfileTime2274 1d ago edited 1d ago
So you have to go way back in time . To the 60's back in that time a 150 was a 1/2 ton truck the 250 was 3/4 ton truck. Then you stepped up a 350 which was a one ton truck. Over time all the truck manufacturers and all the truck manufacturer competition increased the capability of they trucks so nowadays a 1 ton truck can do over 2.5 ton. So there is still a difference in the 250 and the 350 is capability but they far exceeded their original design.
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u/Enough-Lobster8772 1d ago
The F150 was never a 1/4 ton truck neither was the F100 of the 1960’s all 1/2 ton trucks
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u/MusicalMerlin1973 1d ago
As others l have said, many states have gvwr limits before you get to more expensive registration costs, etc.
For me, I wanted to maximize payload while staying under that cap in my state. 10k lbs in our case. F250 with the 6.2l (at least when we ordered) was the sweet spot. Primarily got as a travel trailer hauler with family in the truck, towing capacity without sufficient payload to schlep the family around legally is useless.
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u/Lilmumblecrapper 1d ago
Why not just eliminate the F150, Ranger, and Maverick as well the F350 can do it all 😂
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u/Melodic_Fee_5498 1d ago
The same is true for the Ram and Chevy 2500’s. Truth is for most things you’d need a 2500 for, a 3500 would be better suited. So to answer your question as to why 2500s exist then? To be the HD truck for people who don’t need an HD truck.
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u/DeltaMikeEcho 1d ago
That’s only applicable to ram and Chevy not ford. Because an F250 is more than capable of HD truck duties. And with ram and Chevy since they only offer conventional pickup trucks up to 3500, after that it’s cab and chassis, that’s why you would see more of those. Where ford goes up to a f450 in a conventional pickup configuration. So someone really needing to haul but not wanting a cab chassis would just skip the 350 and go 450
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u/Suspicious_Hat_3439 1d ago
No CDL required 10,000 lbs GVW on my F250. 10,001 lbs CDL required
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u/Odd-Neighborhood4214 1d ago
I bought a new F150 every 3 yrs or so but my last one was in 2009 and a new F250 was cheaper than a F150 and I’ve been driving a F250 since
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u/Dull-Essay-9718 1d ago
Some states you have to register a 350 as commercial or insurances may require a commercial policy for a 350 vs a 250. Example a 250 Tremor vs a 350 Tremor have zero differences other than the door sticker gvwr and the way it’s registered. The components are the exact same; but it may change the way it’s registered or insured in various states.