D-max mileage??

[Pipeman]

Had a 2001 Duramax, 3/4 ton crew cab 4x4 that got 14 pulling my 36 ft toyhauler 5er and my present 35 ft 5er. My 2011 duramax 1 ton dually, crew cab, 4x4 pulling the 5er gets between 9.5 and 12 depending on wind and terrain. It gets close to 2o mpg at 65 mph not towing. The 3/4 ton got 24 highway, 20 city........

[EXGMTech]

11 mpg pulling my 11k 5er

21 empty

[FandRChambers]

I am still judging mine, but so far it looks like 12-15 towing. Depending on terrain. Cruise control about 62 mph. rpm between 1500-1800

[PHS79]

Thanks for the replys guys! I am going to forward him a link to this. He bought the truck from the dealership that sold it new and also did all the service work on it, he said that they dealer did a full service of all the fluids and filters before he bought it, but who knows what that actually means...

I know he wasn't towing with a lead foot, as I was right behind him the whole time. Except for hill that is about a mile long where I kicked the cruise off so mine would stay in 3rd and not kick to second gear and scream up the hill. But he walked right up the hill like nothing, which is the strange thing, the truck seems to have all the power it should but its just that the mileage sucks!

Hopefully we/he can figure out what is going on with his truck. When my 2004 F150 FX4, 5.4L with a small lift and bigger tires gets better mileage (both towing and empty) that a basically stock modern day diesel, something is not right.

[Mikeb]

I have a 2012 gmc 2500 that gets 22 highway and 14 when towing a v cross 5th wheel

[dwaynerz]

had an 05 1500hd with the 6.0, and the mileage sucked. nice truck, but towing I was at seeing about 8 with 8500lb tt. 08 dmax cc 2wd towing went to 12 with same trailer and has been getting the same with 13000 lb 5vr. 15 around town, 20 hiway when empty at 70. dmax (or any diesel) are not around town trucks.

[11XLITE28BH]

My 8.1 gets about 13mpg empty
8mpg towing 6,000lb camper
8mpg in town.

She's a thirsty beast.....

[FandRChambers]

Originally Posted by dwaynerz

had an 05 1500hd with the 6.0, and the mileage sucked. nice truck, but towing I was at seeing about 8 with 8500lb tt. 08 dmax cc 2wd towing went to 12 with same trailer and has been getting the same with 13000 lb 5vr. 15 around town, 20 hiway when empty at 70. dmax (or any diesel) are not around town trucks.

I agree. You don't buy these trucks for gas mileage, bought for towing. Good gas mileage a bonus.

[TheLyles]

I have an '06 2500HD CC/SB 4wd Duramax / Allison. I get between 9 and 10 mpg towing a Columbus 320RS, depending on wind, terrain, etc. I usually have cruise set around 65 on Interstate. You can get better mileage at 55, but I don't like to go that slow when everyone else is going 75 or more. I have gotten as high as 18 mpg highway not towing. I get about 7 mpg around town, which is why it sits in the driveway most of time when we are home.

For reference, I had a '99 Suburban 2500 4wd with 7.4L gas engine before this. I would get 7 - 8 MPG towing a 10,000 lb TT. When I traded for the Duramax truck, mileage went up to 12MPG with the same TT, and the Duramax / Allison towed effortlessly; thought I had died and gone to heaven. When we got our first 5er, a 40 foot SandPiper, mileage dropped to around 10. But towing a large 5er is like dragging a sailboat down the road, sideways. Lots of resistance!

[FandRChambers]

I had the same transition. 03 suburban 2500 towing 30 ft TH, to 3500 Duramax towing 37 ft 5er. Night and day. Especially coming through the mountains.

[Ronnquist Family]

The newer trucks have fuel mileage "displays". Some are accurate, some not so much. In my 27 years as a Ford tech I always ask for "real" numbers. Gallons used, miles driven. Or liters used, Kilometers driven for everyone north of the border. Very few people do the math. Do not round the numbers off. Every decimal point counts when you are dealing with towing mileage. In my opinion most mileage concerns are unfounded and often occur after an increase in fuel prices. One to two miles per gallon is a large percentage when you are talking about an average of twelve miles per gallon. There are a lot of variables. Wind resistance being the biggest. Getting better mileage while following someone with a comparable tow vehicle and trailer is not uncommon. Try being the leader and compare the numbers. Vehicle modifications is the biggest problem concerning mileage "displays". Try the math thing and try avoiding doing each tank, it will only drive you crazy. Calculate your mileage for the whole trip. Happy camping.

[Gulfrunner]

I just purchased a 2013 Chevy 2500 last week, filled up for the first time yesterday. I got 14.9 on the first tank of fuel. Mostly city with a couple of trips on highway. I am hoping that it will pick up a little more once broken in.

[Shaun_McD]

I also have a 2006 Silverado 2500HD. It is a Crew Cab LBZ Duramax 2WD. Real numbers..... Pulling my Rockwood 8312SS I get around 10-11MPG and cruising on the highway empty I get right at 18MPG. Overall not towing city/highway average about 16.

[jasonamar]

I have a 2011 2500hd Chevy with a Duramax. With our old jayco 26bh I was seeing a average of 11.25 a gal. We just took a 150 mile trip with our new 355Qbq we got a little over 9mph and I run my truck 70-90 mph. We had a 2006 f350

[Broadway Joe]

I don't mean to hijack this thread but if someone could explain why the main choice of diesel is 4 x 4 and not 2wd, unless you do a lot of off-road driving. The 4x4 seems to have more resistance and maintenance issues compared to 2wd. Just looking for some info

[Coops1]

Here's mine on a trip from Calgary to Shuswap Lake.

[MillerTime]

2005 cc 4x4 with 35" tires
- empty 14-16
-Towing 5er 10-11
- towing equipment 10.5-12

-4x4 is a must- I found a couple of 2wds used for cheap but with all the weight up front you break traction alot- I've spun tires on gravel trying to get 5er on a pad when dry, and had to engage 4x4
- lot better resaleability- from what I've seen and experianced and percentage wise very low amount of cost difference when new.

[Broadway Joe]

Thanks, makes sense. Just couldn't put two and two together.

[PHS79]

Originally Posted by joenic53

I don't mean to hijack this thread but if someone could explain why the main choice of diesel is 4 x 4 and not 2wd, unless you do a lot of off-road driving. The 4x4 seems to have more resistance and maintenance issues compared to 2wd. Just looking for some info

For those of us that see snow in the winter, 4X4 is nice to have if not a must depending on where you live. Or like me 4wd is almost a must for my job, as some of the roads and driveways to job sites are the last to get plowed after it snows and when it rains they turn to mud.

Heck just today I had to use 4wd, had to back up a hill and the grass had a little dew on it. It went just fine in 2wd for the first 1/2 of the hill then the rear tires broke loose and I left two 12" wide marks in the lawn at my parents house. Turned the knob on the dash and didn't spin a tire the rest of the way.

I had a 2wd truck once, when I was 16. That is the first and last 2wd truck that I will ever have, unless I come across a very nice pre-1979 F-series for a toy.

[jasonamar]

Originally Posted by joenic53

I don't mean to hijack this thread but if someone could explain why the main choice of diesel is 4 x 4 and not 2wd, unless you do a lot of off-road driving. The 4x4 seems to have more resistance and maintenance issues compared to 2wd. Just looking for some info

I didn't say but Mine is a 4x4. It makes it easier to move around at home and soft campsites. The fuel difference is less than a half gallon. The new 4x4s aren't the drag of old