Gas vs Diesel

[Powderboy]

This should be fun. I read lots of talk on here about why only certain people need or can justify owning a diesel truck. I say blah,blah,blah. Diesel's are the sport's cars of truck ownership. Sometime's you might actually need one but mostly you buy them because they are bad to the bone and fun to drive. Ya, they are more expensive to buy and own. Your point? Corvette's are more expensive to buy and own than a Camaro. The success of diesel in the market place goes far beyond its utilitarian capabilities. Perhaps an HD pickup with a exciting gas power plant is coming one day. Right now I'm not aware of one.

 

[M8Chris]

I'm probably one of those people that a diesel is over kill for me. Usually only winter it gets used the way it should and occasionally in the summer pulling a boat. But with that said I absolutely love driving it!

 

[Adventurer2014]

Gas vs. Diesel

After years of owning nothing but full size gas rigs, I purchased my first diesel this year and couldn't be happier. While I truly don't NEED a diesel, it would be hard to go back to driving a 3/4 ton gasser. The HD technology has come a long way from the old 80's diesels that I used on the farm (although I would love to own and build a 12V Cummins someday).

-Ryan

 

[powerstroke 350700]

If you get a gas and a half ton will work their is nothing better then a ecoboost for towing imo.

 

[NDFARMER95]

I am also one who buys it for fun. Yea I pull a bobcat, dump trailer, boat, and sled trailer. I could do the same thing with my 6.0 gas. Sure it wasn't as efficient but it did the job. Now I have a duramax and I don't think I could go back to a gas. My duramax hands down gets damn near twice the mileage of my 6.0 on the highway, and it's on 35's.

 

[fastmnstealth]

Utility and smiles!

I just got rid of my 2001 3/4 ton Yukon XL it had the 8.1. I got a great deal on it when I bought it because fuel had just hit $4/gal (2009ish). People called me crazy. I needed a large SUV and the motor was a plus. Didn't pull much, but when I did, I needed the big motor. Didn't care about mileage. I averaged 11.5-12 unloaded and 6.5-9 when towing (10K camper, 5K Aluma sled trailer, 6K car hauler)

I replaced it with a 2008 3/4 ton Suburban with the 6.0. Not impressed at all with the 6.0. I had plans for it when I bought it (knowing the 6.0 was under powered). I sent the suburban to Duraburb for a Duramax conversion. Suburban was a 30K mi truck. I found a 2008 donor with 49K mi and had the entire driveline swapped in.

It is my first Diesel and I love it. There have been a few quirks as one might expect with a swap like this, but nothing major. It has an EFI live DSP-5 tune, 4" exhaust and full delete. It is fast and pulls like crazy. I average right around 19-20 unloaded and 10.5-14 when towing (hand calculated). It is awesome when pulling through mtn passes and it up shifts when going up a 7% grade and just keeps pulling. My 8.1 would make it, but I always felt like I singing "I think I can, I think I can...."

I knew they were more expensive to fix, so I got a low mileage donor. To me it is worth it. I've enjoyed everything about it so far. The new diesels are much more reliable and with less problems.

Mark

 

[Dogmeat]

If I only have one vehicle, I want a gas powered 3/4 ton truck.

If I can have a car along with my truck, I'll take the 1-ton diesel

It got pretty ridiculous going to get groceries in the Cummins so I sold my RC8 and bought a Pontiac. Lot easier (and cheaper) to get around town in that than the diesel

 

[rmk8000]

I love my 12 valve cummins a set of 6 90horse injectors cost half the price of one injector for a common rail diesel. Since I pull 30000lb loads of hay through hilly fields and roads often in a foot of snow gas isn't even an option.

 

[cowkiller]

I bought an 03 Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins 6 spd nearly new in 03. I have never regretted it. I get great mileage. I can tow anything. It is fast with the chip. After 10 yrs. I would never consider anything else but a diesel one ton.

 

[NDFARMER95]

I just got rid of my 2001 3/4 ton Yukon XL it had the 8.1. I got a great deal on it when I bought it because fuel had just hit $4/gal (2009ish). People called me crazy. I needed a large SUV and the motor was a plus. Didn't pull much, but when I did, I needed the big motor. Didn't care about mileage. I averaged 11.5-12 unloaded and 6.5-9 when towing (10K camper, 5K Aluma sled trailer, 6K car hauler)

I replaced it with a 2008 3/4 ton Suburban with the 6.0. Not impressed at all with the 6.0. I had plans for it when I bought it (knowing the 6.0 was under powered). I sent the suburban to Duraburb for a Duramax conversion. Suburban was a 30K mi truck. I found a 2008 donor with 49K mi and had the entire driveline swapped in.

It is my first Diesel and I love it. There have been a few quirks as one might expect with a swap like this, but nothing major. It has an EFI live DSP-5 tune, 4" exhaust and full delete. It is fast and pulls like crazy. I average right around 19-20 unloaded and 10.5-14 when towing (hand calculated). It is awesome when pulling through mtn passes and it up shifts when going up a 7% grade and just keeps pulling. My 8.1 would make it, but I always felt like I singing "I think I can, I think I can...."

I knew they were more expensive to fix, so I got a low mileage donor. To me it is worth it. I've enjoyed everything about it so far. The new diesels are much more reliable and with less problems.

Mark

Not to sidetrack but was filling with fuel in Bozeman last Thursday afternoon and seen a 08+ suburban at the corner. When it took off I knew it wasn't a gas job. I want one!

 

[GlennRMK]

If you get a gas and a half ton will work their is nothing better then a ecoboost for towing imo.

Totally agree

My 2011 Ecoboost has been flawless, knock on wood. The thing pulls fantastic

It blows the doors off any stock gasser pulling. Rarely downshifts and even on passes and rarely has to rev above 2500-3000 RPM. Most the time it pulls a 3 or 4 place enclosed around 2000 RPM. Fuel mileage isn't that great but better then most gassers. I usually average around 10.5-11.5 mpg pulling to my normal sledding zones. You can drop into single digits pulling fast on the interstate though. Still gets 2-3 MPG better then our Ford V10 or Chevy 6.0 work trucks and has way more power. Not even close.

That being said the 3/4 tons feel more stable towing. And I don't like the low payload numbers. Hence I'm looking at getting back into a Cummins(had two prior), or a Duramax.

Wish I could get the Ecoboost in a F250. Love the power and I hate paying more money for diesel.

 

[stanredrider]

8.1L all the way, just picked up a 06 low mile one a couple months ago to replace my 01 with 190,000 miles. Good thing everybody talks bad about them to keep them cheap

 

[Dogmeat]

8.1L all the way, just picked up a 06 low mile one a couple months ago to replace my 01 with 190,000 miles. Good thing everybody talks bad about them to keep them cheap

If my old 8.1 word have been a crew cab I never would have sold it

 

[Racer220]

Better mileage than my old half ton 5.3 loaded or unloaded. Sucks to maintain as a daily driver but worth every penny for hauling stuff like this around all year long. If I quit racing and doing tractor work I would probably be more inclined to look at what some of the newer gassers had to offer. Not a very good chance of that happening anytime soon though.

 

[AndrettiDog]

Still driving a diesel even though I could do the same thing with a gasser. We plan on getting a 5th wheel camper this summer so it will be put to use then.

For daily driving a 1/2 ton truck works better. Parks easier, handles the potholes easier, costs less, etc. But once you have a diesel truck that runs well, you get this attitude that you are just a diesel guy. Even my wife doesn't want me to trade the '11 Duramax for a new 1/2 ton with better technology, ride and new interior. I think it is the torque of a diesel truck that feels so good. That horsepower is usable throughout the power band instead of having to wind it up like most gassers.

 

[Vern]

Currently the only trailer I have is a two place aluminum open sled trailer, so I guess most people would say my 3500 duramax is a we bit overkill but I don't care. I'm a bit of a power junky and I bought it cuz I wanted it and for how easy it is to get big power. My previous truck was a 2500hd 8.1 and the only reason I got rid of it was that I was at the limit of performance upgrades without getting into the internals. As far as I'm concerned the 8.1 was the last of the true HD towing gas motors, I just don't think a high revving small block will ever handle a load as good as a torquey old big block. If for some reason I had to give up the dmax I'd definitely be lookin for another 8.1.

 

[Highmarker]

Love my diesel on the pavement.
Absolutely can't stand it off-road.
I guess it's a trade off.

 

[Powderboy]

Love my diesel on the pavement.
Absolutely can't stand it off-road.
I guess it's a trade off.

Why is that?

 

[Highmarker]

Way too heavy....sink a lot faster. Come up on a small rock or ledge and have to wait for the turbo to spool. Gas motors are instant, with low rpm torque. Don't have to wait for any spooling.
And of course rougher riding. A Toyota, Nissan, or any half ton (Raptor!) will be a lot more forgiving through the rough stuff than any HD diesel.
The ideal setup is one of each...one for pulling, and one for wheeling

 

[Vern]

............. A Toyota, Nissan, or any half ton (Raptor!) will be a lot more forgiving through the rough stuff than any HD diesel.
The ideal setup is one of each...one for pulling, and one for wheeling

That's what I did last summer, picked me up a '97 beater Tacoma for bouncing around in the hills. Not so much to protect me from the rough ride of the 3500, but more so to not have to beat up my $20k truck. One thing though, It may be the 300k miles on the Tacoma or the worn out reversed arch factory springs on it but my dmax feels like a Cadillac compared to that little taco.