Gas or Diesel

wintersun wrote:
I put the dividing line at 12,000 lbs. towing load for needing a diesel over a gas engine. Download the towing guides from the truck manufacturers and you will find current tow load specifications for their trucks based on the engine and the gears. Where people usually and often screw up is in getting a gas engine with 3.42 or even higher gears. With the diesels this is harder to do as often they only come with 3.73 gears so no way for the buyer to make a mistake.

A diesel helps with acceleration and with grade control with the exhaust brake found with most diesel engines (for some it has been an option). Going over the Rocky Mountains with a 13,000 lb. 5th wheel and a diesel is the obvious choice. Going over hilly terrain with a 7,000 lb. trailer and a gas engine with 4.11 gears is all that is needed and diesel is a luxury purchase.

Nothing wrong as such with buying a diesel anymore than a guy buying a Corvette with 500 horsepower to commuter to work. Both provide a measure of ego gratification and if you don't mind the extra expense and the waste then go for it. But don't pretend it is necessary and logical.

Are those "Dealer Guides" for trying to pull 9/10 miles of 7/8% grades? I think not. Never listen to a truck salesman nor a TT salesman. I have a Diesel but 90% of my miles are towing in the mtns. I am single, retired and have a Toyota Corolla for all other uses. So my situation is different than most.

Problem is that people compare a diesel truck with 3.73 or 4.30 gears with gas pickups and SUV's that usually have 3.42 or even 3.08 gears. To get better fleet average fuel economy numbers the manufacturers but gears that are much too tall on their non work vehicles.

So with the gas engine that needs double the RPM's of the diesel to reach peak torque you have the factory pushing out vehicles with gas engines and higher gears, the exact opposite of what is best for the owner who plans to tow with their vehicle. Most of the problems with gas engines for towing lies with the buyers not understanding the need for lower gears and letting the dealer decide what to buy from the factory. With medium duty diesel work trucks the higher gears are usually not even an option so a customer cannot shoot themselves in the foot with their purchase.

Chucknbob wrote:
I work in the auto industry, and one of the biggest problems I see with diesel trucks are people that buy them but never use them the way they should. People have a trailer/boat/whatever that they pull a few times a year, but use it as a commuter car the other 350 days a year. Short trips without a load and not giving the engine a chance to warm up will cause you many problems with the turbo, fuel, and exhaust system.

The other issue will be maintenance costs. Diesels are more expensive to operate and maintain.

They are great if you truly need a diesel pickup, however, based on your camper size and how often you pull it, I don't think you need a diesel.

I love the sound of my diesel in the morning. I would say smell but my Isusu does not smell.

So many have a diesel because...well....because. Having one for those few times a year when it would come into its own, but a gasser would do, is a bit of a waste.

Same thing with boats. The consensus is that if you don't put at least 100hrs on the engine per season a diesel is not worth having. The fuel thirsty gas engines will cost less by the time all is considered.

I estimate that somewhere between 70-80% of our Isusu's time has been spent towing the 6ton 5er. Well worth having a diesel.

I work in the auto industry, and one of the biggest problems I see with diesel trucks are people that buy them but never use them the way they should. People have a trailer/boat/whatever that they pull a few times a year, but use it as a commuter car the other 350 days a year. Short trips without a load and not giving the engine a chance to warm up will cause you many problems with the turbo, fuel, and exhaust system.

The other issue will be maintenance costs. Diesels are more expensive to operate and maintain.

They are great if you truly need a diesel pickup, however, based on your camper size and how often you pull it, I don't think you need a diesel.

noe-place wrote:

SuzzeeeQ2012 wrote:
Diesel, hands down for us.

We tried a gas Class C. Couldn't even pull hills.


Diesel pusher goes anywhere :)

I've driven my gas C all over the Rockies, Big Horns, etc. going up and down both sides of each one with no big deal. :h

Some people's definition of pulling fine is losing 30 to 40mph while going up hills while others definition is keeping the speed limit. "Pulling fine" has to be one of the most subjective terms on this site, followed by payload lol.

SuzzeeeQ2012 wrote:
Diesel, hands down for us.

We tried a gas Class C. Couldn't even pull hills.


Diesel pusher goes anywhere :)

I've driven my gas C all over the Rockies, Big Horns, etc. going up and down both sides of each one with no big deal. :h

So you tow your camper fine with an old F 150 average about 400 mi a year and wonder if you NEED a diesel????
If you were pulling it 4000 or 40000 miles then maybe it would be a consideration.

This has to be one of the most repeated topics. Somehow it never gets old.

I cannot understand why anyone would want to drive a truck around as their daily driver commuting to work or the grocery store. A totally unsuitable vehicle for the job. A truck does best what a truck was designed to do.

For around town errands get a 30 plus mpg compact car, better still in warmer weather, a scooter is the way to go. Cheap to run, easy to park, low maintenance costs & you won't be putting wear & tear on that vehicle you want to count on when you really travel somewhere.

I put the dividing line at 12,000 lbs. towing load for needing a diesel over a gas engine. Download the towing guides from the truck manufacturers and you will find current tow load specifications for their trucks based on the engine and the gears. Where people usually and often screw up is in getting a gas engine with 3.42 or even higher gears. With the diesels this is harder to do as often they only come with 3.73 gears so no way for the buyer to make a mistake.

A diesel helps with acceleration and with grade control with the exhaust brake found with most diesel engines (for some it has been an option). Going over the Rocky Mountains with a 13,000 lb. 5th wheel and a diesel is the obvious choice. Going over hilly terrain with a 7,000 lb. trailer and a gas engine with 4.11 gears is all that is needed and diesel is a luxury purchase.

Nothing wrong as such with buying a diesel anymore than a guy buying a Corvette with 500 horsepower to commuter to work. Both provide a measure of ego gratification and if you don't mind the extra expense and the waste then go for it. But don't pretend it is necessary and logical.

Diesel, hands down for us.

We tried a gas Class C. Couldn't even pull hills.


Diesel pusher goes anywhere :)