Do I need a diesel?

[elind]

I was at my GMC dealer looking at tow charts for a 2500 HD Duramax and saw there's about a 2,000 lb increase if your towing a fifth wheel. It jumps from 15,000 something to 17,100. Interesting!!!

[goduc]

Don't get an F250 get the F350. Anytime you put a diesel in a 3/4 ton the payload ratings drop. You need the F350 for the pin weight. Only $900.00 more for the F350. You'll spend $400.00+/- of that adding air bags to the F250.

[txkreddog]

I'll be going against the majority here, but unless you are going to be towing a heavy load for a long way, often, I believe gas is better. With the filters, DEF, and all the other maintenance, noise and exhaust that goes with a diesel, we have found out gasoline engine meets our needs best. Consider what, when, and where you will be towing. Good luck with your decision, and as others have mentioned, with the price of vehicles today, be sure you love what you buy

[goduc]

Originally Posted by txkreddog

I'll be going against the majority here, but unless you are going to be towing a heavy load for a long way, often, I believe gas is better. With the filters, DEF, and all the other maintenance, noise and exhaust that goes with a diesel, we have found out gasoline engine meets our needs best. Consider what, when, and where you will be towing. Good luck with your decision, and as others have mentioned, with the price of vehicles today, be sure you love what you buy

While the filters aren't cheap and maintenance is a little more, I'm not getting the noise/exhaust problem. All the big 3 diesel trucks are very quiet and there's zero smell. Plus you get an EB that you don't get with the gas.

Agree on the towing criteria. Spending $8-9,000 more for a diesel and not going very far very often doesn't make cents.

[frozen]

There's no replacement for the torque of a diesel, and I don't want to go back to gas. However, if one doesn't tow a lot of miles and doesn't tow in steep terrain, maybe it's not worth the extra cost??????

[magpi26]

I've owned four TT over the past 12 years. Started with an F-150 gas, then a Chevy Diesel Duramax, then a Chevy 2500 Gas and now have a F-250 Diesel Super Duty for TV. I will never own another gasoline TV based on what I learned. The difference in power and efficiency for the diesel is remarkable if you travel in hilly or mountainous country at all. The suspension and braking in the new diesels are incredible and safer in my view.

[davel1971]

Originally Posted by txkreddog

I'll be going against the majority here, but unless you are going to be towing a heavy load for a long way, often, I believe gas is better. With the filters, DEF, and all the other maintenance, noise and exhaust that goes with a diesel, we have found out gasoline engine meets our needs best. Consider what, when, and where you will be towing. Good luck with your decision, and as others have mentioned, with the price of vehicles today, be sure you love what you buy

there are no filters on a diesel that a gas doesn't also have. Diesel owners save money not buying tune ups. As far as noise, my diesel is quieter than any gas truck I have ever owned.

[mackman1994]

I absolutely love my 2012 F- 350 6.7 diesel. I would never go back to a gasser for towing. Not to mention it has been cheaper to run than the 2007 dodge I traded for it. My next one will be an F-450. These new Fords are pretty bad *****.

[Blackhat6mike]

....not to mention that a diesel engine will outlast a gasser 3 to 1. I'm not sure what it would take to wear out a diesel, much less break it. I'll never go back to gas. Duramax/Allison

[kholmes]

Also have a 2012 f-350 diesel and totally agree with mack man 1994. Just heading back to Saskatchewan from St. George Utah pulling a 36 ft 5er and Love this truck,°power, torque. Fuel economy could be better but look what we pull. One complaint i have is the size of the fuel tank. Cant believe the ford engineers missed the boat on that one. Once you own a diesel for towing, you will never go back to gas

[Cajun Style]

Diesel, Get the 1Ton you won't regret it, I wish I would have gotten one for when I up grade to a 5er 37ft, Buy the right truck the first time.


Sent from my iPad using Forest River Forums

[mackman1994]

Originally Posted by kholmes

Also have a 2012 f-350 diesel and totally agree with mack man 1994. Just heading back to Saskatchewan from St. George Utah pulling a 36 ft 5er and Love this truck,°power, torque. Fuel economy could be better but look what we pull. One complaint i have is the size of the fuel tank. Cant believe the ford engineers missed the boat on that one. Once you own a diesel for towing, you will never go back to gas

My 350 is a long bed so I have a 37 gallon tank. Much better than the 26 gallon on the short bed!

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by davel1971

there are no filters on a diesel that a gas doesn't also have. Diesel owners save money not buying tune ups. As far as noise, my diesel is quieter than any gas truck I have ever owned.

I don't know about a gas engine, but my diesel has two fuel filters? They are about 75.00 a pop. I change mine every other oil change.

[Ryno22980]

Originally Posted by txkreddog

I'll be going against the majority here, but unless you are going to be towing a heavy load for a long way, often, I believe gas is better. With the filters, DEF, and all the other maintenance, noise and exhaust that goes with a diesel, we have found out gasoline engine meets our needs best. Consider what, when, and where you will be towing. Good luck with your decision, and as others have mentioned, with the price of vehicles today, be sure you love what you buy

This was by far the most rational post in this thread IMO, and I will add my 2 cents.

I can't afford new trucks, I buy 6-8 year old vehicles and I keep them running for an additional 8-10 years. I like to let others take the biggest hit on depreciation. Reliability ratings and cost of parts (I do almost all of my own repair work) for repair are major factors in my buying decisions. Another factor is "will it fit in my garage". I really don't want a big pretty truck that I'm making payments on getting beat up by the elements in my driveway.

I'll be in the market for a TV upgrade in a couple of years. I have given a lot of consideration to getting a 3/4 ton diesel to tow my 7K (loaded) Grey Wolf. However, at the age and level of use that I will have to buy at, a diesel will be a budget buster to maintain and make repairs on. Not to mention to get the purchase price down, I will have to go much older and higher milage. I know, I know, diesel engines last forever. The problem is the rest of the truck including the tranny never does.

I generally tow about 2000 miles a year in Wisconsin, and I plan to take two big trips in the next 5 years to Florida and Yellowstone. I plan to get a 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra Crewmax. I'm sure it will handle my usage just fine and I'll enjoy driving it more the other 8000 non-towing miles I drive it per year. To each there own, but there is more to a TV buying decision that just "what will pull the best".

[Learjet]

You must have the 4:30 gears in your current truck?

[mackman1994]

Originally Posted by gljurczyk

I don't know about a gas engine, but my diesel has two fuel filters? They are about 75.00 a pop. I change mine every other oil change.

My filters for my 6.7 are about $55 and I change them about every 3rd oil change or whenever the computer tells me to.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by mackman1994

My filters for my 6.7 are about $55 and I change them about every 3rd oil change or whenever the computer tells me to.

That's probably right, that is with them changing them. One thing I do know that clean oil and filters are two of most important thing to keep that truck out of the shop. It really depends, I wait for the flyer with the discounts to come then I call Ford for an appointment. I need to get it in pretty soon, I need my transmission serviced with oil and filters, That should be around 300.00 if I don't get a flyer soon. Knock on wood it runs great with 134,000 miles on it.

[R&J Silverback]

I like my diesel. But I also like the longer wheel base with the 8' bed rides nice.

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by Blackhat6mike

....not to mention that a diesel engine will outlast a gasser 3 to 1. I'm not sure what it would take to wear out a diesel, much less break it. I'll never go back to gas. Duramax/Allison

I'm not so sure your numbers hold up with today's gas and diesel engines. While the main components of a diesel might outlast a gas engine 3 to 1, there is now a LOT of stuff strapped to them that won't. While the long block might go for 500K, things like the DPF and DEF system likely won't. Will the injectors now running 30,000+ PSI last that long? What about fuel pumps? If one of the new HPFP's goes, you just spent $10-$12K replacing your entire fuel system. Also, today's gas engines last a very long time with pretty basic maintenance. 200K+ is not unusual. The day's of a gas engine being shot and ready for a rebuild at 100K have been gone for a while now. The advances in gasoline engine reliability and the EPA mandated emissions control systems on diesel engines have pretty much negated this argument. The towing performance of a diesel is pretty much the only strong case you can make for purchasing one in my opinion.

[Gleaner]

I have a Hemi in my work truck and seriously considered getting a HD Ram with one for my TV.
I could have bought a 2014 holdover for what I paid for my 2012 Cummins used.
2012 has no DEF, is a dream for towing, gets the same or better MPG as my Hemi, love the exhuast brake, and it will hold it's value far better than the gas ( I believe).
I couldn't be happier.

P.S. I'm sure the gas would have done the job.