back to gas v diesel
An rv owner who traded his diesel for the 7.3. He talks towing, fuel, payload etc and does qualify it from the perspective of towing a 12,000 lb travel trailer. godzilla towing Thought a few may fi...
Forum Discussion
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.
