Thanks for the advice. I will be putting a lot of miles on the truck, especially after getting a camper. I will probably take off for a month or two in the winter to some place warmer, plus all of the visits to grandchildren in Alberta and California, and not to forget fishing trips.

One of the reasons I was thinking diesel is how long the engines last. I keep my rigs for 15 plus years and typically end up in the 140K range before getting a new one. I end up with an expensive repair or two, but it still seems cheaper then forking out the cash for a new one every five years. So far I have been lucky. I got 100K on the F-150 and other then blowing the seals on the tranny, no problems. But again, it won't take a camper. Plus, after 100K I get a little concerned about reliability on cross country trips.

I am looking for better MPG, but that has to balance in with the extra expense associated with a diesel. The F-150 only gets around 15 MPG with no towing, on the highway. I also know that the new diesels do not get the mileage the old one's do.

It seems that I will love the diesel when hauling the camper and boat, but for everyday stuff, it's pointless. Like buying a boat, it is a series of compromises.

I am staying away from Ford, unless I get lucky and find a 7.3 with low enough miles. Besides all of the problems with their post 7.3 engines, a lot of complaints I found on line were warranty related; where the dealers would kiss off things by calling a problem normal. I would want to see at least a couple of years go by before risking a 2011 Ford diesel.

I got time and I will keep researching.