I owned a 3/4 ton dodge diesel for a while and while it was more expensive to both buy and own It didn't require anything crazy extra than a gas engine. If it did break though a diesel mechanic wasn't easy to find, nor cheap either.
If any of you had a chance to do it over what would you change or do differently?
Thanks for all the posts. It's going to be a learning experience for sure. We've got time this is part of our exploration prior to buying. We plan in doing at least one rented trip to see what we like and dislike.