back to gas v diesel

RoyJ wrote:

Lantley wrote:
That's sort of a flawed perspective. Businesses that need a diesel will buy a diesel. All the hot shotters are using diesels.
You do not see guys who criss cross the country in pick ups hauling goods using gas powered trucks.
Yes guys doing local business may use gas trucks, but in general those trucks are carrying smaller loads and not traveling as far. AS aresult the diesel advantage is less important vs. those that need to maximise performance from thier vehicles

Very, very few hot-shotters are fleets.

As I said: "Modern diesels are desired for performance, not lower lifetime cost"

So nothing contradicts - hot shotting requires performance.

Any business that DOESN'T need the performance of diesels are buying a gas. If diesels are cheaper over the lifetime they'd all buy diesel (like they did in the 90s early 2000s)

The ball hitch tow rating for these trucks is 12000, for a fifth wheel they were rated around 15000. the exact rating depending on the trucks configuration.

rhagfo wrote:

msmith1.wa wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

frankwp wrote:
I'll have to try driving a new diesel. When I got my 8.1 in 2003, I drove a duramax to compare and was most underwhelmed. So not worth the $$$. But that was then & this is now & things have changed big time.

You should because things have changed a lot just like you said. Back when you bought your big block it had 340 HP and the diesel had only 300 HP. 40 HP is a big difference and couple that with the instant HP feel that the gas engine gives is going to be a lot.

Nothing wrong with kicking tires.

I'm curious how heavy of a trailer you towed with your 8.1 and what kind of mileage you got while towing?

I also have an 03 8.1. It is in a Silverado. My toy hauler is a little under 10,000 lbs empty and has a gross rating of 12,900 lbs. and I am close to the max if I fill the water tanks and have all of the atv's.

I get about 6mpg towing this trailer. It is very tall for a bumper hitch rig at about 13' high per the brochure.

Well 6 mpg, compared to 10 to 12 mpg pulling the same load, that is as much as 100% better fuel mileage.
So 1,000 miles of towing, at 6 mpg would be 166.7 gallons, at 12 mpg would be 83.3 gallons. then at $3.50 per gallon 166.7 gallons would be $583.45, at 12 mpg $291.55 difference of $291.90 now the $10,000 of difference in cost for a diesel. $10,000 divided by 291.90 equals 34.25, or break even in 34,250 miles of towing.

On a side note Msmith1.wa, states Tacoma, Wa. as home so those fuel prices are true, gas and diesel in the PNW have been neck and neck for the last several years.

I bought the truck new. At the time based on the available mpg of the dmax and the 8.1 and the price difference of the two fuels, diesel was about 10 cents less than gas. I estimated it was going to take 100,000 miles to make up the cost of buying a dmax over the 8.1. These were not towing mpg numbers. And there were many years in that time frame diesel was more expensive. I only drive this truck when I need to do things a car can't because of this it only has about 73,000 miles on it. My previous trailer was smaller, lighter, by about 3000lbs, and had less frontal area towing that one I got 9 to 10 mpg. I didn't include this in my first post, but I am sure I would get better mileage if the truck wasn't lifted with 35 inch tires. Also I haven't had a truck payment since 2008 and it was a 0.0% loan.

I can buy a lot fuel for the price of a new truck.

RoyJ wrote:

Lantley wrote:
That's sort of a flawed perspective. Businesses that need a diesel will buy a diesel. All the hot shotters are using diesels.
You do not see guys who criss cross the country in pick ups hauling goods using gas powered trucks.
Yes guys doing local business may use gas trucks, but in general those trucks are carrying smaller loads and not traveling as far. AS aresult the diesel advantage is less important vs. those that need to maximise performance from thier vehicles

Very, very few hot-shotters are fleets.

As I said: "Modern diesels are desired for performance, not lower lifetime cost"

So nothing contradicts - hot shotting requires performance.

Any business that DOESN'T need the performance of diesels are buying a gas. If diesels are cheaper over the lifetime they'd all buy diesel (like they did in the 90s early 2000s)

You hit the nail on the head.
All diesel owners buy diesels for the performance not for the savings.

Lifetime savings is not part of my truck buying criteria.
Anyone who doesn't want,need, appreciate or understand diesel performance will be happy with a gasser.

RoyJ wrote:

Lantley wrote:
That's sort of a flawed perspective. Businesses that need a diesel will buy a diesel. All the hot shotters are using diesels.
You do not see guys who criss cross the country in pick ups hauling goods using gas powered trucks.
Yes guys doing local business may use gas trucks, but in general those trucks are carrying smaller loads and not traveling as far. AS aresult the diesel advantage is less important vs. those that need to maximise performance from thier vehicles

Very, very few hot-shotters are fleets.

As I said: "Modern diesels are desired for performance, not lower lifetime cost"

So nothing contradicts - hot shotting requires performance.

Any business that DOESN'T need the performance of diesels are buying a gas. If diesels are cheaper over the lifetime they'd all buy diesel (like they did in the 90s early 2000s)

Every UPS, Amazon medium duty truck that roles past our house is gas powered. Even the small delivery vans are gas powered.

Having said that hot shotters drive mostly highway miles and that type of driving is the best for diesel emissions.

Lantley wrote:
That's sort of a flawed perspective. Businesses that need a diesel will buy a diesel. All the hot shotters are using diesels.
You do not see guys who criss cross the country in pick ups hauling goods using gas powered trucks.
Yes guys doing local business may use gas trucks, but in general those trucks are carrying smaller loads and not traveling as far. AS aresult the diesel advantage is less important vs. those that need to maximise performance from thier vehicles

Very, very few hot-shotters are fleets.

As I said: "Modern diesels are desired for performance, not lower lifetime cost"

So nothing contradicts - hot shotting requires performance.

Any business that DOESN'T need the performance of diesels are buying a gas. If diesels are cheaper over the lifetime they'd all buy diesel (like they did in the 90s early 2000s)

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

frankwp wrote:
I'll have to try driving a new diesel. When I got my 8.1 in 2003, I drove a duramax to compare and was most underwhelmed. So not worth the $$$. But that was then & this is now & things have changed big time.

You should because things have changed a lot just like you said. Back when you bought your big block it had 340 HP and the diesel had only 300 HP. 40 HP is a big difference and couple that with the instant HP feel that the gas engine gives is going to be a lot.

Nothing wrong with kicking tires.

I'm curious how heavy of a trailer you towed with your 8.1 and what kind of mileage you got while towing?

I still have the truck & tow a 5th wheel that weighs in at just over 12,000 lbs loaded. It's just over the limit (about 200 lbs) of what the truck is rated to carry. It pulls very well. Most of my towing is through the mountains of Alberta & BC. I have no complaints about that.

Fuel mileage is quite another matter, averaging around 30L/100KM or 7.8 miles per US gallon. But fuel is just part of the cost of having fun & I lose no sleep over that.

Because I don't tow that much, maybe a couple thousand KM per year, and put well under 10,000 KM per year total, I'll probably get another gasser. But I will try the diesels as well before making a decision.

Bionic Man wrote:

ksss wrote:
I had a '15 3500 with a 6.0 and 4:10's while I had a '15 3500 Duramax at the same time. The 6.0 was never set up to pull the TH, but it did haul equipment as did the Duramax. Loads were pretty heavy (last scaled weight I remember with the 6.0 was 31K combined). The 6.0 would get 5-6 mpg. The Duramax would get around 9 pulling the same loads. The diesel clearly pulled much better, but I never saw anywhere near the separation some claim between the two.

Your numbers show a 50% increase in fuel economy between the 6.0 and the Duramax. And there really is no comparison in the way the two tow. What are you referring to when you say "I never saw anywhere near the separation some claim between the two"?

I am referring to the large separation of mpg between the two. Someone stated 6 mpg with gas and 12 mpg with Diesel. I just don't see that in my world. It seems 3-4 mpg loaded or unloaded is all the difference I have seen between a 6.0 and 6.6 Dmax. No comparison on the experience itself. The diesel clearly wins in nearly all situations.

goducks10 wrote:
If I have $65K to spend and so does someone else why does it matter what each person buys? I don't have a business so it's for enjoyment. I always find it funny that gas truck buyers need to think that diesel buyers need to recoup money when here we are on an RV forum where you lose way more money owning an RV than on the truck.

And I always find it funny the diesel guys brag about saving money at every fill up.
The nature of people I suppose.

If I have $65K to spend and so does someone else why does it matter what each person buys? I don't have a business so it's for enjoyment. I always find it funny that gas truck buyers need to think that diesel buyers need to recoup money when here we are on an RV forum where you lose way more money owning an RV than on the truck.

Not every trailer needs a diesel engine. Several guys have good reasons because their style is not much towing. chevman