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I am in the market for a new truck and I am torn between getting a gas or diesel. Around here, the price of a diesel truck is approximately 7500-10K more than an equivalent gas truck. That is a huge turn off, as my monthly payments would be quite a bit higher for a truck that I would only get to use for what it was intended for only on the weekends. However, I will be pulling a fifth wheel camper with this truck and the added power of a diesel would come in handy on long trips to the lake down south. A turn off for the gas truck is the mileage that I would get. I'm seeing guys get somewhere between 13-15 mpg per tank for a gas and 15-18 for diesel. I think I'm going to go with the gas truck, because it will take a lot of fill ups before I see any advantage of having the diesel. But am certain I may regret my decision at some point while pulling a camper. A half ton truck is out of the question because I am going to need the pulling power of a 3/4 ton truck.

if u truly need a 3/4ton truck then you will need diesel.

I'm pretty sure a pickup truck will go more than 13-18 miles per tank.

aunt betty wrote:I'm pretty sure a pickup truck will go more than 13-18 miles per tank.

i have one that wont

Another thing that worries me is that I live in ND. Our winters are brutal and the gelling of diesel concerns me. Like I said, I will only need this truck to pull a fifth wheel camper. If I had a spot on the lake reserved for a year, I could just use my half ton and limp it down the road twice a year. Sadly, I do not.

My one ton duelly with cummins will go around 20 mpg if the wind is right.
Dodge 4x4 with hemi only gets 18 on its best day with a tailwind.
Bought my duelly when diesel was $1.75 and gas was $2.25. It was more economical than my pos ford explorer that got 14 mpg.

These days prices change quick...diesel or gas, pick your poison.

aunt betty wrote:My one ton duelly with cummins will go around 20 mpg if the wind is right.
Dodge 4x4 with hemi only gets 18 on its best day with a tailwind.
Bought my duelly when diesel was $1.75 and gas was $2.25. It was more economical than my pos ford explorer that got 14 mpg.

These days prices change quick...diesel or gas, pick your poison.

Diesel is $4.05 and gas is $3.55

Filling the same 30 gallon fuel tank will cost $121.50 for diesel and $106.50 for gas. Now diesel is just a tad more expensive, I'll also have to add the cost of DEF for the diesel as well. I have no idea how much DEF I would use but that is an additional expense that I'll have to incur. Also, oil changes are significantly more with a diesel.

3geese4me wrote:Another thing that worries me is that I live in ND. Our winters are brutal and the gelling of diesel concerns me. Like I said, I will only need this truck to pull a fifth wheel camper. If I had a spot on the lake reserved for a year, I could just use my half ton and limp it down the road twice a year. Sadly, I do not.

they are not that bad in wither just keep them plugged in. if you plan on pulling the camper more then a couple times a year.the diesel is a must imo. chip it, new cold air intake and better exhaust, you can get some great mileage when not towing the camper.

what about buying an older truck just for towing. no pissing around with the extras

I'd pull it every weekend about 140 miles round trip. But would be making a couple trips that were 600 miles round trip throughout the summer.

one2many wrote:what about buying an older truck just for towing. no pissing around with the extras

Thought about that too, my financial adviser (wife) suggested that.

I vote for diesel. Just like buying a boat engine no one ever said "my truck has TOO much pulling power".

3geese4me wrote:

one2many wrote:what about buying an older truck just for towing. no pissing around with the extras

Thought about that too, my financial adviser (wife) suggested that.

look around sometimes you can find an older one in great shape at a great price.you put the time in you can find a gem sometimes.

Olly wrote:I vote for diesel. Just like buying a boat engine no one ever said "my truck has TOO much pulling power".

when you snap all 4 axles at the tractor pulls you mutter it under your breathe

one2many wrote:

Olly wrote:I vote for diesel. Just like buying a boat engine no one ever said "my truck has TOO much pulling power".

when you snap all 4 axles at the tractor pulls you mutter it under your breathe

No tractor pulls. Check.

Olly wrote:

one2many wrote:

Olly wrote:I vote for diesel. Just like buying a boat engine no one ever said "my truck has TOO much pulling power".

when you snap all 4 axles at the tractor pulls you mutter it under your breathe

No tractor pulls. Check.

just make sure your tuner has a setting for rolling coal and pissing everybody fucking kids

Diesel diesel diesel

How big is this camper??

If you have to pencil out the cost of manliness you probably dont deserve it anyways. Get Ron's address and turn in your card.

Seems that you pay more for a diesel truck and you pay more for diesel fuel. If you drive the truck 200 miles a week and an additional 2000 miles a year how many miles do you have to drive before there is a cost benefit to buying the diesel? Figure a gas truck that is well maintained will go 200=250,000 miles and a diesel truck will go forever.

Now, ask yourself if your situation as far as your truck needs go will be the same in 20 years as they are now?

Once you have put the pencil to the paper and figured out the cost/benefits of each, go out and buy whatever winds your clock, you're going to do that anyway.

3geese4me wrote:I'd pull it every weekend about 140 miles round trip. But would be making a couple trips that were 600 miles round trip throughout the summer.

just man up and get the diesel l. That's quite a bit of pulling.

DeadEye_Dan wrote:How big is this camper??

Its going to be a 28-35' camper.

3geese4me wrote:

DeadEye_Dan wrote:How big is this camper??

Its going to be a 28-35' camper.

Weight?

You diesel fanboys...I've towed a stock trailer and 12 big Holsteins with a 1/2 ton gasser.

You weekend warriors will never get the turbo to spool up with your sissy RV's

DeadEye_Dan wrote:You diesel fanboys...I've towed a stock trailer and 12 big Holsteins with a 1/2 ton gasser.

You weekend warriors will never get the turbo to spool up with your sissy RV's

the old gassers are ok 460,440,454. still have a couple of the old work trucks for the part time help to use.i wont buy anything but a smoker nowadays,but they get used

My dad's '01 Duramax is a 3/4 ton. He likes it for pulling the camper and his road equipment but drives the Suburban around to work and such. I don't think he drives more than 1,000 miles through it in a year. I'd guess more around about 600-700 miles. Still remember the day he bought it brand new with 5 miles on it.

R. Chapman wrote:My dad's '01 Duramax is a 3/4 ton. He likes it for pulling the camper and his road equipment but drives the Suburban around to work and such. I don't think he drives more than 1,000 miles through it in a year. I'd guess more around about 600-700 miles. Still remember the day he bought it brand new with 5 miles on it.

in a slow month i put 1000 miles my daily driver

DeadEye_Dan wrote:

3geese4me wrote:

DeadEye_Dan wrote:How big is this camper??

Its going to be a 28-35' camper.

Weight?

Looking at somewhere around 5-6k empty. Fully loaded I would venture to say we'd be looking at around 6500.

DeadEye_Dan wrote:You diesel fanboys...I've towed a stock trailer and 12 big Holsteins with a 1/2 ton gasser.

You weekend warriors will never get the turbo to spool up with your sissy RV's

well it can be done, but pulling with a 3/4 ton diesel is much nicer