350 HP ICE vs. 350 HP Diesel?
OK, newbie here and aspiring RV'er. What comments can be made about the advantages/disadvantages of a 350 HP internal combustion engine vs. a 350 HP diesel engine in a class A camper (assuming all oth...
Forum Discussion
Having now owned both a Gasser and similarly sized (and weight) DP I can say that the Diesel is the way to go, hands down. (for me - your results may vary) when it comes to capability.
I crisscrossed the country in both vehicles at all altitudes & temperature ranges. The gasser desperately struggled through the Donner Pass while the diesel pusher hauled a 10,000 lb. car trailer up-and-down like it wasn't even there.
And, as others have mentioned, there is absolutely no comparison in the ride and handling.
A couple of years back, I rented a brand-new C class and spent $200 for gas to travel 185 miles. And yes, I topped the tank before I left.
I'm getting a solid 8 miles per gallon from the diesel.
There are many reasons why this is not a fair comparison, Diesel pushers are built on Spartan or Freightliner chassis that are far more durable and superior in every way. They ride on air bags, They are designed to go 1,000,000 miles. I find the build quality to be vastly superior but one unmistakable factor is cost. New or used DP purchase costs, maintenance costs and out of warranty repair costs.
In my case, my diesel pusher cost me 2x what the gasser did. Maintenance costs are higher but less frequent so that's almost a wash AND desirable. (Less frequently in the shop)
But the repair costs… oh yes, if you're out of warranty, a diesel pusher can cost you 2-3x what the same repair / replacement would cost you on a gasser.
Tires? $100 vs $250 ea.
Batteries? Same price, just more of them.
Radiator? $1,000 vs$1,400
160 AMP alternator? $87 vs $378
Brakes? $500 vs $1,000
Shocks? $250 vs $400
Tune Up? $350 vs $1,800 (air filter, oil, oil fiter, fuel filters, lube, trans fluid, coolant)
But, what about amortizing the costs over, say, a 10 year period?
Let's look at a scenario:
Compare buying a gently used Gasser vs a Diesel. (You're bonkers if you buy these things new - I'm sorry, you just are. The general $60,000 to $90,000 difference buys a lot of repairs. Heck, you can hire your own full time mechanic to ride along!!!)
Let's compare a 2005 36' gasser with tag axle vs 2005 38' diesel pusher, no tag - that makes it a little more fair.
Price: $37,000 vs $70,000
10 yrs. maintenance/repairs: $2,550x15 yrs = $25,500 vs $3,760x15 = $37,600
At the end of 10 years lets sell them. They are both 19 years old. They both have a quarter of a million miles on them. The Gasser, in 2024 is worth $6,000 - if it's still running - which, is not really a given. Seriously.
The diesel has a lot of life left. It brings $32,000
Recap:
The Gasser:
You paid $37,000 up front plus $26,000 service over 10 years which equals $63,000 minus your final selling price ($6,000 - if you're lucky) for a total of $57,000 TOTAL outlay or slightly less than half of what a new gasser cost in 2014.
The Diesel:
You paid $70,000 up front plus $38,000 for 10 years of service for a total of $108,000. You sold it in 2024 for $32,000. In the end, the total cost of ownership, over a ten year period was $76,000 or, roughly $20,000 more than the gasser. You had fewer service stops in the diesel and fewer things broke down. Yup, I'd pay it. AND, the guy who buys it from you in 2024 is getting a great, well maintained, deal!
Now, some people are going to say my cost are high, some are going to say low. I didn't factor in higher insurance premiums and some State's licensing fees... Do you're own math.
But, the question is, can you afford the higher up-front and a couple extra grand per year?
Just my 200,000 cents worth. ;-)
I crisscrossed the country in both vehicles at all altitudes & temperature ranges. The gasser desperately struggled through the Donner Pass while the diesel pusher hauled a 10,000 lb. car trailer up-and-down like it wasn't even there.
And, as others have mentioned, there is absolutely no comparison in the ride and handling.
A couple of years back, I rented a brand-new C class and spent $200 for gas to travel 185 miles. And yes, I topped the tank before I left.
I'm getting a solid 8 miles per gallon from the diesel.
There are many reasons why this is not a fair comparison, Diesel pushers are built on Spartan or Freightliner chassis that are far more durable and superior in every way. They ride on air bags, They are designed to go 1,000,000 miles. I find the build quality to be vastly superior but one unmistakable factor is cost. New or used DP purchase costs, maintenance costs and out of warranty repair costs.
In my case, my diesel pusher cost me 2x what the gasser did. Maintenance costs are higher but less frequent so that's almost a wash AND desirable. (Less frequently in the shop)
But the repair costs… oh yes, if you're out of warranty, a diesel pusher can cost you 2-3x what the same repair / replacement would cost you on a gasser.
Tires? $100 vs $250 ea.
Batteries? Same price, just more of them.
Radiator? $1,000 vs$1,400
160 AMP alternator? $87 vs $378
Brakes? $500 vs $1,000
Shocks? $250 vs $400
Tune Up? $350 vs $1,800 (air filter, oil, oil fiter, fuel filters, lube, trans fluid, coolant)
But, what about amortizing the costs over, say, a 10 year period?
Let's look at a scenario:
Compare buying a gently used Gasser vs a Diesel. (You're bonkers if you buy these things new - I'm sorry, you just are. The general $60,000 to $90,000 difference buys a lot of repairs. Heck, you can hire your own full time mechanic to ride along!!!)
Let's compare a 2005 36' gasser with tag axle vs 2005 38' diesel pusher, no tag - that makes it a little more fair.
Price: $37,000 vs $70,000
10 yrs. maintenance/repairs: $2,550x15 yrs = $25,500 vs $3,760x15 = $37,600
At the end of 10 years lets sell them. They are both 19 years old. They both have a quarter of a million miles on them. The Gasser, in 2024 is worth $6,000 - if it's still running - which, is not really a given. Seriously.
The diesel has a lot of life left. It brings $32,000
Recap:
The Gasser:
You paid $37,000 up front plus $26,000 service over 10 years which equals $63,000 minus your final selling price ($6,000 - if you're lucky) for a total of $57,000 TOTAL outlay or slightly less than half of what a new gasser cost in 2014.
The Diesel:
You paid $70,000 up front plus $38,000 for 10 years of service for a total of $108,000. You sold it in 2024 for $32,000. In the end, the total cost of ownership, over a ten year period was $76,000 or, roughly $20,000 more than the gasser. You had fewer service stops in the diesel and fewer things broke down. Yup, I'd pay it. AND, the guy who buys it from you in 2024 is getting a great, well maintained, deal!
Now, some people are going to say my cost are high, some are going to say low. I didn't factor in higher insurance premiums and some State's licensing fees... Do you're own math.
But, the question is, can you afford the higher up-front and a couple extra grand per year?
Just my 200,000 cents worth. ;-)
