Diesel Question for truck campers
I believe a diesel engine is the best for hauling a truck camper. With the price of diesel going up more each week is it still worth it? Just looking for opinions. Today in Canada a gallon ...
Forum Discussion
I have a diesel and I like the better acceleration as in much of California where I drive when merging onto a highway the other motorists lack either the good sense or common courtesy to let me merge safely. The 765 lb-ft of torque of the diesel engine is worth the extra $9,000 in cost to me.
But I have no illusions that the diesel is cheaper to fuel and cheaper to maintain or cheaper to repair, quite the contrary. Fuel is 15% more and a lot harder to find so I drive 10-20 miles out of my way when I do fill up. Oil changes use 2x as much oil and need to be done 2x as often.
I bought a new truck as the prices for 3-4 year old diesel pickups is extremely high in the Western USA (Oregon, Nevada, California) and I think it is because most of the people pay way to much for their trucks when new. We bought a new Duramax for only $7,000 more than the average price for a 3 year old diesel pickup with less than 60,000 miles on the odometer. Most stated that they needed the $35,000 as that was what they stilled owed the finance company.
Problem with gas pickups used for towing a trailer or hauling a camper is that the majority of the time people buy a tow vehicle with gears that are too tall for this use. I stick with 4.10 gears and if the dealer does not have a truck with those gears on the lot I will have them do a search and find one. The 8 trucks and 5 SUV's I have owned all have had 4.10 or lower gears.
I find route planning in the west a big PITA when I have to figure out and research which small towns have stations that sell diesel as most do not. It affects my choice of route and where I stop for fuel and it is much more often than if the truck was burning regular gas. And forget about shopping for the cheapest diesel when traveling as there is seldom and option in the west.
But I have no illusions that the diesel is cheaper to fuel and cheaper to maintain or cheaper to repair, quite the contrary. Fuel is 15% more and a lot harder to find so I drive 10-20 miles out of my way when I do fill up. Oil changes use 2x as much oil and need to be done 2x as often.
I bought a new truck as the prices for 3-4 year old diesel pickups is extremely high in the Western USA (Oregon, Nevada, California) and I think it is because most of the people pay way to much for their trucks when new. We bought a new Duramax for only $7,000 more than the average price for a 3 year old diesel pickup with less than 60,000 miles on the odometer. Most stated that they needed the $35,000 as that was what they stilled owed the finance company.
Problem with gas pickups used for towing a trailer or hauling a camper is that the majority of the time people buy a tow vehicle with gears that are too tall for this use. I stick with 4.10 gears and if the dealer does not have a truck with those gears on the lot I will have them do a search and find one. The 8 trucks and 5 SUV's I have owned all have had 4.10 or lower gears.
I find route planning in the west a big PITA when I have to figure out and research which small towns have stations that sell diesel as most do not. It affects my choice of route and where I stop for fuel and it is much more often than if the truck was burning regular gas. And forget about shopping for the cheapest diesel when traveling as there is seldom and option in the west.
