Why does a DP cost more to maintain than a Gasser?

93mastercraft wrote:

kab449 wrote:
I do my own maintenance also. My coach in my signature is a Ford V10 Gasser and I also own a 2011 Ford F250 diesel truck.
Just taking an oil change the cost of materials is dramatically different. Oil: 6 qts gas, 13 qts diesel, oil filter: $5 gas, $15 diesel. The diesel truck has two fuel filters that need changed every 5th oil change at $125.
The diesel also has two starting batteries that I just had to replace at $250. Would have only been one with the gasser.
If you can't so your own work, you can throw in the $100+ per hour labor charge for a diesel mechanic. Also the time required to do the job is longer.

You are getting your Powerstroke fuel filters from the wrong place. Check this out....

PowerStroke 6.7 Fuel filter Kit

Nothing but Ford OE for me.

And depreciation costs way more than maintenance.

It appears to me that if you can't afford a diesel pusher you shouldn't get one. If quality of ride and RV exprerience is important to you and you can afford the entry cost then that's what you should get. If a $200 oil change will break your bank, then buy something you can afford. Pretty easy stuff to figure out.

Very well said RickJay, not sure about the wife part, but the rest about the difference in coaches is very well posted.

I'll take a stab at this, even though I have a gasser and no DP personal experience. :)

When I think of "maintenance", it's overall maintenance for the entire vehicle, not just the engine. We can debate costs of oil vs. quantity vs. change interval all day. It's probably gonna be a wash, especially if you do the maintenance yourself.

That said, in my observation when purchasing our motorhome, the DPs started about $30k MSRP above most top-of-the-line gassers. This added cost isn't just because of the diesel engine. It's (usually) a heavier chassis, which correspondingly will have larger and heavier components, which usually translates to more expensive to replace. And often requires special, heavy duty tools that the average Do-It-Yourselfer might not have. It most likely has a much smoother riding suspension than the gasser (air suspension) and usually most of the interior accoutrements are of a higher quality as well.

All of this translates to it potentially costing more for the upkeep when something needs to be replaced. That said, if you only keep your rig for a few years and then trade, then the DP might be cheaper to maintain as it's less likely to have a failure during that short interval due to the higher quality construction & components. The next owner of the rig, or the owner who keeps their rig for a much longer time, might have a different "maintenance cost" experience.

But comparisons including everything are tough because "quality" and "RV construction" are sometimes difficult to use in the same sentence, due to the great variability amongst manufacturers, and even product lines within the same manufacturer.

I'm happy with my gasser. Would I want a DP? To be honest, I really don't know. I DO KNOW wifey doesn't like the smell of diesel, so should I ever have to make the choice between a new gasser or new DP, I might also have to make a choice between keeping the current wife and getting a new one. In which case, I'm pretty sure, any additional cost of the DP will pale in significance to the cost of a new wife! LOL :)

~Rick

neal10a wrote:
My C7 Cat required more costly maintenance than my 2012 diesel F350 because it took twice as much oil engine and transmission, more expensive oil and fuel filters, air brake filters, antifreeze, wheel bearing maintenance, more grease as well as two Allison transmission filters. Also the transmission and engines I used synthetic oils. Transynd oil is very expensive and requires a more frequent change interval. The synthetic engine oil is expensive as well. Gas engines are much cheaper to maintain if you follow the mfg's manual. And don't forget the cost of DEF :-)

You are right that Transynd is more expensive but it allows you to extend your change intervals rather than shorten them.

My C7 Cat required more costly maintenance than my 2012 diesel F350 because it took twice as much oil engine and transmission, more expensive oil and fuel filters, air brake filters, antifreeze, wheel bearing maintenance, more grease as well as two Allison transmission filters. Also the transmission and engines I used synthetic oils. Transynd oil is very expensive and requires a more frequent change interval. The synthetic engine oil is expensive as well. Gas engines are much cheaper to maintain if you follow the mfg's manual. And don't forget the cost of DEF :-)

JCGibson wrote:
DEF is an added expense, however it is only required on newer Diesels. My 2011 6.7L Cummins (pickup) doesn't need it, but the 2012 model and newer do. Is it required on older DPs?

2010 engines should use it, as I recall...though a 2010 or even a 2011 DP could certainly have a pre-DEF engine.

RayChez wrote:
The only reason why diesels cost more is because they are engines that are designed to last three times longer then a gasoline, so they are built heavier. They only cost more if something breaks down like a fuel pump. It also cost more for an oil change, but you can go up to sixteen thousand miles before you change the oil on a Caterpillar engine for example. While a gasoline engine you have to change the oil at least every six thousand miles. Spark plugs, rotor, distributor cap and wires at least once at one hundred thousand miles. Diesel does not have any of that junk.

I have sixty thousand miles on my diesel engine now and the only problem I had was a Huei lift pump that was still under warranty.

I will still take a diesel over a gasoline engine any day and I have had both.

You're lucky...the HEUI pump failed on my work truck (with the same Cat C7 used in many DP's). The fix was about $4500.

And seriously: what was the last gas MH that actually used a distributor? Far as I know, the Ford V10 has been coil-on-plug since day one.

Hikerdogs wrote:
There's been some speculation along the way that the reason maintenance items for a DP cost more is because the retailers believe if you own an expensive motorhome you can afford to spend more money. I'm not sure if it still happens today, but I can tell you from experience it did happen in the past.

Many years ago I owned an independent garage. Part of the work we did was to replace exhaust systems. One day a customer came in looking for a muffler and tailpipe for his Lincoln. I looked it up in the parts catalog, found the number and looked to see if we had one in stock. We didn't but the guy really wanted to get back on the road so he asked if one from a Ford Galaxy would fit.

I looked through the catalog again and was surprised to find it took the same muffler. Here's the kicker. The wholesale and list prices for the Lincoln muffler were nearly twice the prices for the same muffler when used on a Ford Galaxy. Needless to say from that day on I only bought and sold Ford mufflers.

So far I haven't had the need to buy any engine and transmission parts for either of our motorhomes. However I do wonder if an item sold for a truck with the same engine and transmission setup would cost less than the one listed for a motorhome.

I am getting all my Cummins filters (Fleetguard) from the big truck fleet places like FleetPride and Ryder Fleet. Ryder does seem to have better prices.