Diesel Question for truck campers

Bigfootchevy wrote:
This post is not about finding diesel, its about whether buying a diesel still makes sense today as it did in the past for people that own truck campers!

So far I believe "Go Diesel" is leading the way.

Paul

AGREED.

JumboJet wrote:
When it comes to ease of travel (at least for me) the diesel wins hands down. I have not tried any of the newer gas burners because I also tow heavy loads on a goose-neck trailer.

Just one good 30 mph headwind with a TC sticking up in the air as they do, the diesel burn rate goes up, but the set speed will not go down.

DITTO, and here's my story:

I just sold my gas powered Jeep (daily driver) and bought another diesel truck.

I now have TWO diesel powered trucks sitting in my driveway:
2009 Silverado 3500HD Dually (the camper hauler)
2006 Silverado 2500HD, daily driver, general purpose tow rig
(they are color matched!)

I bought the second one because it is so much more versatile than the rig it replaced. I can tow any of my trailers and do it stress free.

Yesterday I towed my small trailer between Lewiston, ID and Spokane, and aside from the hill coming up on to the Palouse, and going through some small communities, I ran with the cruise control on the entire way. That would never have happened with a gas powered truck of the same vintage.

Bigfootchevy wrote:
This post is not about finding diesel, its about whether buying a diesel still makes sense today as it did in the past for people that own truck campers!

So far I believe "Go Diesel" is leading the way.

Paul

When it comes to ease of travel (at least for me) the diesel wins hands down. I have not tried any of the newer gas burners because I also tow heavy loads on a goose-neck trailer.

Just one good 30 mph headwind with a TC sticking up in the air as they do, the diesel burn rate goes up, but the set speed will not go down. Anyone that has ever traveled across Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming, Montana, or Nebraska with a good stiff headwind knows what I am talking about.

Redsky,

I think you better learn how to use gasbuddy a little better. I looked at Whitefish, MT ( this happens to be my home town, born and raised and lived there for a number of years). I searched and they are showing 3 gas stations on Gasbuddy in Whitefish and GUESS WHAT all 3 of them also have diesel. Try another story or at least do your research before posting something so full of BS that is so easy for someone to check on.

I also checked Gasbuddy in Browning, MT and they show 2 gas stations with gas but guess what they also have diesel per Gasbuddy. Get a new record it is really boring to hear the same one from you all the time and check your facts before making statements that you can't back up.

With the camper on my truck I have been in every province and territory in Canada and seven States including Alaska for a month and have never experienced having a problem getting diesel. Been driving diesel trucks for over 10 years now and have never worried about finding diesel.

Have to admit before driving to Alaska I checked out the map for diesel stations but never had a problem once I hit the road. My truck holds 36 gallons.

This post is not about finding diesel, its about whether buying a diesel still makes sense today as it did in the past for people that own truck campers!

So far I believe "Go Diesel" is leading the way.

Paul

Last week I was in San Pedro CA and had a heck of a time finding a station that sold diesel.

This is the first time since I have owned the truck, 11 years, that I have had trouble finding a station that sold diesel. However most stations have lots of gas pumps and only a few diesel pumps. It is not uncommon to have to wait because the diesel pump is blocked by someone buying gas...

Redsky wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

JumboJet wrote:
New Nissan Titan - Cummins 5.0 diesel
New Toyota Tundra - Cummins 5.0 diesel
New RAM 1500 - "Italian" 3.0 diesel (8,000 first run dealer orders placed)

More cars getting diesel engines.

I might not have slept in a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I surely doubt that the manufacturers and dealers would be excited to sell diesel powered vehicles if a fuel source was scarce (See CNG powered vehicles).

Proactive people plan fuel needs before they ever go on a trip. Starting in Salem, OR I traveled US20 from Albany, OR to Boise, ID in 2011 with my Lance 1050S. You can't get much more scarce towns and stops than that nearly 400 mile road. I didn't have any problems finding diesel.

Fuel source either way is a silly discussion for RV's. You can get diesel at most stations and gas trucks can cover reasonable distances.

Unless you cover insane miles and don't stop to take breaks, getting fuel and having enough range is an academic subject at best.

You cannot get diesel at most gas stations and only someone who does not get out much could be that ignorant. Take any city from San Francisco to Dallas and do a gasbuddy.com lookup for gas stations and see how long the list is for those where people have posted a price and then look at the diesel section and see how many places are shown.

My truck has a 300-360 mile range with its diesel engine depending upon the terrain and the wind conditions and the route taken. I have no way of knowing in advance whether I can get 300 miles or 360 miles so I plan on 300 miles when determining fuel stops.

Going into Glacier NP from the west I can get gas at any one of 10 stations in Whitefish but not one of them sells diesel. Going out the east side the first town is Browning where again I can get gas at any of the 3 gas stations but not a single one has diesel. If my truck used gas I would never give it a second thought but with a diesel truck I do and I go out of my way many times on trips to get diesel for the truck.

I do this when traveling and I have to do this around my house as well where it is 3 miles to 2 stations selling gas and 20 miles round trip to where I can buy diesel, not the cheapest diesel in the area either. I burn more than $10 in diesel to get to a place that sells diesel. I also get to pay $0.90 more for a gallon of diesel than I do for a gallon of regular gas.

This is a camper forum and I may be incorrect in thinking that the people who bought trucks and slide in campers did so to get off the interstates and out into the boondocks. From the emotional response I guess this was incorrect.

You are setting your self up for failure using gas m Buddy to find diesel,especially in rural areas.
Here is an example, gas buddy doesn't even list most places in my county(Humboldt)to buy diesel. The town I near(Garberville) isn't even listed as having any place to buy diesel, yet there are 6 stations that sell diesel within 10 miles.
The same goes for the rest of the County, at least 75% of the stations that sell diesel aren't listed.
As far as $.90 cents a gallon difference between gas and diesel, that is not even close to being accurate for N. Calif. Diesel is 10 cents more than regular and 5 cents cheaper than premium.
You need to get out more and use your eyes rather than technology to find your diesel.

I have had several Diesel trucks with TC's for 17 years and 100's of thousands miles. I don't recall ever having a problem finding diesel Alaska to Florida to Oregon and Washington. Also, drag a 5th all over the place and never a problem even un rural Wyoming, go figure.

If your only argument against a Diesel truck is availability of fuel that's a poooooooor argument.

Redsky wrote:

Going into Glacier NP from the west I can get gas at any one of 10 stations in Whitefish but not one of them sells diesel. Going out the east side the first town is Browning where again I can get gas at any of the 3 gas stations but not a single one has diesel. If my truck used gas I would never give it a second thought but with a diesel truck I do and I go out of my way many times on trips to get diesel for the truck.

I traveled back roads and some Interstate all the way from Arkansas to Glacier NP, through Glacier NP and to Canada and then back through Glacier NP and OMG I never worried about getting diesel and never had a problem getting diesel. I am glad I do not live in your worrisome world. My nearly 300,000 miles of traveling to all the lower 48, Canada, and Mexico, and I have never fretted getting diesel. I did have to pay $4.89/gallon for diesel on that trip to Glacier in 2008 and that was at a truck stop on the Interstate.

Life is too short to worry about the small stuff. Be proactive. Plan. Get Delorme Street Atlas USA and download all the truck stops, Walmarts, etc. that sell fuel and stay ahead of the game. This is about one of the most Full of BS threads I have ever read and tried to contribute common sense to!

Redsky wrote:
gasbuddy.com lookup

Since it isn't obvious, gasbuddy.com doesn't even pretend to list all stations to buy fuel.

It's easy to find diesel fuel with Montana's version of gas buddy or do an internet search. http://www.montanagasprices.com/index.aspx?fuel=D&area=Whitefish&dl=Y&intro=Y and http://www.montanagasprices.com/index.aspx?fuel=D&area=Columbia Falls&dl=Y&intro=Y

There are similar sources for San Francisco. 15 listed as lower prices. http://www.sanfrangasprices.com/index.aspx?fuel=D

I suggest an alternate search method to find diesel besides the generic gasbuddy app, or just stay with your gas engine.

For those of you who might be new to diesel, diesel signs aren't always prominately displayed at stations.

valhalla360 wrote:

JumboJet wrote:
New Nissan Titan - Cummins 5.0 diesel
New Toyota Tundra - Cummins 5.0 diesel
New RAM 1500 - "Italian" 3.0 diesel (8,000 first run dealer orders placed)

More cars getting diesel engines.

I might not have slept in a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I surely doubt that the manufacturers and dealers would be excited to sell diesel powered vehicles if a fuel source was scarce (See CNG powered vehicles).

Proactive people plan fuel needs before they ever go on a trip. Starting in Salem, OR I traveled US20 from Albany, OR to Boise, ID in 2011 with my Lance 1050S. You can't get much more scarce towns and stops than that nearly 400 mile road. I didn't have any problems finding diesel.

Fuel source either way is a silly discussion for RV's. You can get diesel at most stations and gas trucks can cover reasonable distances.

Unless you cover insane miles and don't stop to take breaks, getting fuel and having enough range is an academic subject at best.

You cannot get diesel at most gas stations and only someone who does not get out much could be that ignorant. Take any city from San Francisco to Dallas and do a gasbuddy.com lookup for gas stations and see how long the list is for those where people have posted a price and then look at the diesel section and see how many places are shown.

My truck has a 300-360 mile range with its diesel engine depending upon the terrain and the wind conditions and the route taken. I have no way of knowing in advance whether I can get 300 miles or 360 miles so I plan on 300 miles when determining fuel stops.

Going into Glacier NP from the west I can get gas at any one of 10 stations in Whitefish but not one of them sells diesel. Going out the east side the first town is Browning where again I can get gas at any of the 3 gas stations but not a single one has diesel. If my truck used gas I would never give it a second thought but with a diesel truck I do and I go out of my way many times on trips to get diesel for the truck.

I do this when traveling and I have to do this around my house as well where it is 3 miles to 2 stations selling gas and 20 miles round trip to where I can buy diesel, not the cheapest diesel in the area either. I burn more than $10 in diesel to get to a place that sells diesel. I also get to pay $0.90 more for a gallon of diesel than I do for a gallon of regular gas.

This is a camper forum and I may be incorrect in thinking that the people who bought trucks and slide in campers did so to get off the interstates and out into the boondocks. From the emotional response I guess this was incorrect.