Renting a Diesel truck, or fractional ownership?

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by pwrstroke2012

Do you ever plan on getting a bigger trailer? If so, buy the truck that will do the task now so you don't have to buy twice. Yes, that is a voice of experience.

X2! If you get the urge to look newer and bigger, you'll only have to worry about what TT or 5er to get. If you already have the truck for the future, that leaves more $$$ for that nicer/larger trailer!

[elind]

Always got a TV that was almost maxed out. It worked out every time but the last time DW found a 5er that my brand new Silverado couldn't pull. So I trade up to a GMC Duramax and now I drive it around all day with NO stress. A little extra goes a long way.

[schrederman]

My TT and yours are similar. I just went diesel and will never go back. You don't have to have it, but you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner if you ever do...

[Taranwanderer]

Diesel vs gas for towing, summed up nicely:

1. Find me the number of drivers/owners on here who drive a gasser to pull their camper and say "next truck will be a diesel." Approximate answer for this number falls between 9,285 and 12,437.

2. Find me the number of drivers/owners who drive a gasser for towing and say "my next truck, I'm sticking with gas." Approximate answer for this number falls between 22 and 65.

3. Find me the number of drivers/owners who drive a diesel for towing and say, "next truck, I'm sticking with diesel, usually a bigger one." Approximate answer for this number falls between 22,862 and 51,325.

4. Find me the number of drivers/owners who drive a diesel for towing and say "my next truck, I'm going back to a gasser." Approximate answer for this number falls between 0 and 3.

Back to your regularly scheduled discussion...

[The_Rhino]

If you already have the truck for the future, that leaves more $$$ for that nicer/larger trailer!

LOL! Not everyone who asks for help on these forums has the financial means to spend like some of you do! If the OP buys a $55K+ diesel TV to tow their current $20K 7,600 lb. TT, they likely won't have funds to upgrade their TT for a while...

Because gassers do depreciate much faster than diesels, IMO the OP should find a slightly used 3/4 gasser in the $20K range & have that much more money available to upgrade either/both TV & TT in the future. We bought our TV & TT slightly used & together they cost less than a new diesel... When you buy a used gasser, the depreciation has already happened up-front. This year I have had several offers to buy my 3/4 Ram for more than I paid over a year ago...

In the meantime, there is more money/time for camping. IMO we have one of the more roomy TTs at the campgrounds we visit - even roomier than many 5ers. My 3/4 gasser still has a payload of 3,000 lbs., so we can bring our own firewood, bikes, etc. without worry. With an affordable Equalizer 4, I get no sway. I don't feel my setup is any more difficult than pulling a 5er...

[Stovebolt]

Originally Posted by Taranwanderer

Diesel vs gas for towing, summed up nicely:

1. Find me the number of drivers/owners on here who drive a gasser to pull their camper and say "next truck will be a diesel." Approximate answer for this number falls between 9,285 and 12,437.

2. Find me the number of drivers/owners who drive a gasser for towing and say "my next truck, I'm sticking with gas." Approximate answer for this number falls between 22 and 65.

3. Find me the number of drivers/owners who drive a diesel for towing and say, "next truck, I'm sticking with diesel, usually a bigger one." Approximate answer for this number falls between 22,862 and 51,325.

4. Find me the number of drivers/owners who drive a diesel for towing and say "my next truck, I'm going back to a gasser." Approximate answer for this number falls between 0 and 3.

Back to your regularly scheduled discussion...

I'm finding a few people in my area that are going to the F150 Ecoboost and trading in their diesel trucks due to cost of fuel and upkeep and the fact these things can tow a lot of weight with little effort compared to the V8 engines. I've had diesel, gas V8's and now the Ecoboost and this thing rocks. It pulls as good as my last diesel and it cost a lot less to fuel. Diesel fuel needs to come down in price before I would consider another one, until then I'm happy as hell with the Ecoboost pulling a Forest River 2012 TT 10th Anniversary Edition 264.

[The_Rhino]

This Fall I was looking at '15 F150 Ecoboosts w/HD tow package because they actually have a higher GCVW than my '11 Ram 2500 w/5.7 Hemi. I agree they pull like a diesel but use cheaper gas vs. diesel for 30% less fuel costs as long as your TT is under 9,000 lbs. or so. (Gotta leave room for family, bikes, firewood, etc...)

However, due to the newness/demand for '15 Ecoboosts, Ford is not discounting much... (I'm used to shopping for Rams that average $10K OFF sticker...)

Then my 5.7 Hemi dropped a valve causing major internal damage... Thankfully, at 96K miles, it was still (just) under the powertrain warranty! See my post: http://www.forestriverforums.com/forums/f12/ram-replaced-my-5-7-hemi-w-96k-miles-under-powertrain-warranty-72561.html
Since my replacement engine includes a new 3 year warranty by Ram, I no longer plan to trade it in any time soon. This means more money & time for camping!

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by The_Rhino

LOL! Not everyone who asks for help on these forums has the financial means to spend like some of you do! If the OP buys a $55K+ diesel TV to tow their current $20K 7,600 lb. TT, they likely won't have funds to upgrade their TT for a while...

I get a kick out of this, too. Someone on here has a $20K TT and gets advised to buy a $60K diesel to pull it with because they MIGHT want a $60K FW in the near future!:rollback: If I'm in a $20K TT there it's likely because I CAN'T AFFORD the $60K FW in the first place, much less the truck to pull it!

[Taranwanderer]

I think he's just saying it's less painful to do it first then to have to trade the TV in a year down the road and take the depreciation hit because you want a bigger camper and your truck is now undersized. Go bigger if you can afford it now, or pay more later.

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by Taranwanderer

I think he's just saying it's less painful to do it first then to have to trade the TV in a year down the road and take the depreciation hit because you want a bigger camper and your truck is now undersized. Go bigger if you can afford it now, or pay more later.

I get the logic- you lose money when you trade. It just seems quite presumptuous to many of us that we can simply "choose" to go out and drop the kind of money that a new diesel costs. There are significant costs to financing a super expensive truck you can't really afford just to pull a camper you might want in the future as well.

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by Taranwanderer

I think he's just saying it's less painful to do it first then to have to trade the TV in a year down the road and take the depreciation hit because you want a bigger camper and your truck is now undersized. Go bigger if you can afford it now, or pay more later.

X2 That's what I (& pwrstroke2012) was trying to say. Some people just don't get it and jump all over others comments as being outright wrong. This forum is for us to post our opinions and suggestions to others' questions (which they solicited). Whether or not the original OP takes any of us up on our comments is entirely up to them and their own financial (or other) situation.

[Max Windjammer]

Originally Posted by Max Windjammer

Nothing beats the towing experience a diesel offers. If you can afford one buy one. You need a good hitch no matter what.

Like I Said....

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by Max Windjammer

Like I Said....

I agree. IF you can afford one- and afford the maintenance and higher repair costs down the road, a diesel is great. However, many people's comments give the impression that you NEED a 1 ton diesel to enjoy camping (or at least to camp with anything larger than a popup). That is NOT the case and is doing a disservice to people contemplating getting into RVing.

[Stovebolt]

In the early 1990's, I towed a 5'er with a half ton chevy with a 305 V8. Back then the 5th wheel trailers weren't as light as they are now. I had no problem towing the 5'er other than the fact I couldn't tow at 85 MPH like some of these people do going down the road. Did I get lousy gas mileage, yepper. Did I care back then..Nope. If you aren't towing in the mountains, if you aren't planning on living in the trailer towing it down south for half the winter like many do, just go out and have fun. Not everything needs to be towed by a $70,000. dollar dually diesel unless you are doing one heck of a lot of towing. The thing to remember, is go out have fun and if your needs are a 40 foot 5th wheel with everything that you have in your own home, by all means buy the biggest and the baddest most expensive truck you can find. If not, keep some money in your wallet to enjoy the sites you travel to. I've seen many big rigs with their big screens sitting on the decks doing nothing but watching TV. If that's the case, stay home...it's a lot cheaper. :-)

[rockfordroo]

As the old saying goes: If you've got it, flaunt it!

The sad part is that some of the flaunters don't really have it. They're upside down and inside out.

[Oaklevel]

Everyone has an opinion and nothing wrong with that......... we started out towing TTs with a half tons it grew to a 3/4 ton now a one ton duelly ........ the campers grew too...... We did everything based on what we could afford ( took 30 years to get here) now have a used low mileage Cummins in a 05 RAM. Three or four years ago bought it for well under 20K..... then the Puma great quality campers for the money......... Got a 36 foot toyhauler for under 30K. Truck & trailer under 50K ...........Did that so we could have 5 adults together & the dogs......... but we enjoyed the 25 ft pulled by a half ton just as much.........
Many Good quality new campers out there new for well under 30K or even under 20K........ deals on used ones too........ before the camper we have now the most we ever paid for a camper was 10K and enjoyed all of them greatly. Our dealer specializes in new campers under 20K and has plenty to choose from.
I guess my point is you don't need to spend alot of money to enjoy camping......

Just

[Stovebolt]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

As the old saying goes: If you've got it, flaunt it!

The sad part is that some of the flaunters don't really have it. They're upside down and inside out.

True that!

[itat]

Originally Posted by cstover

Just went out and sniffed my diesel truck and the wife's gas car. They smell the same.

I have never owned a Diesel engine but I did work as a gas jockey as a teenager. Diesel fuel definitely had a stronger smell - especially if you got any on your hands or clothing.