Diesel vs gas......................
OK folks, there have been a few to many diesel vs gas threads that have shall we say gone to "Hell and a hand basket"! So if all of you would put in you BEST, no flaming reasons for going gas vs diese...
Forum Discussion
Here's a real gas vs. diesel problem. My wife and I plan to take up 5th wheel RV'ing several years before retirement, i.e., when we are both still employed, and must use a tow vehicle which is either suitable, or at least not unsuitable, for commuting to work.
The 5th wheel presently available which seems most suitable for our needs is a Crossroads Cruiser Patriot model of some sort, with a GVWR of about 13,000 pounds and a hitch in the vicinity of 1500-1600 pounds. We plan on using it for 4-6 weeks each summer plus perhaps Thanksgiving and Easter weeks.
We live in California so going anywhere outside California means crossing mountains, including really high steep ones if we go through Nevada. Consider that we absolutely, positively, will cross the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the Lake Tahoe area towing a 13,000 pound 5th wheel. If you've ever done that, you will certainly remember the experience. We will almost certainly leave California during the summer, but will remain in California for Thanksgiving and Easter weeks.
Our expected yearly milage with the tow vehicle would be about 8000 commuting, about 2000 other local, about 2500 towing and about 1500 in excursions from RV camps during vacations - say 14,000 miles yearly. The commuting milage will be on county roads rather than a freeway, with speed limits ranging from 40mph to 55mph, and with about 7-8 stop signs/lights on the 19-mile one-way commute.
Assume that the tow vehicles would be either a gasoline engine Ford F-250 of the 2011 model or later, or a diesel engine Dodge Ram 2500 of the 2010 model or later, both definitely with a long-bed crew cab. We might buy new, but even used would be no more than three years old. We could afford a new Dodge Ram 2500 but would rather buy used.
And the gasoline Ford F-250 would of course be much cheaper to buy as well as operate, particularly as a daily commute vehicle. If it is either impossible for a gas F-250 to tow a 13,000 pound 5th wheel across the Sierra Nevada at Lake Tahoe, or merely flat out insane to even try, feel free to hoot at me.
Given these quite conflicting uses for a tow vehicle (tow vs. daily commute), which do you recommend, and why?
The 5th wheel presently available which seems most suitable for our needs is a Crossroads Cruiser Patriot model of some sort, with a GVWR of about 13,000 pounds and a hitch in the vicinity of 1500-1600 pounds. We plan on using it for 4-6 weeks each summer plus perhaps Thanksgiving and Easter weeks.
We live in California so going anywhere outside California means crossing mountains, including really high steep ones if we go through Nevada. Consider that we absolutely, positively, will cross the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the Lake Tahoe area towing a 13,000 pound 5th wheel. If you've ever done that, you will certainly remember the experience. We will almost certainly leave California during the summer, but will remain in California for Thanksgiving and Easter weeks.
Our expected yearly milage with the tow vehicle would be about 8000 commuting, about 2000 other local, about 2500 towing and about 1500 in excursions from RV camps during vacations - say 14,000 miles yearly. The commuting milage will be on county roads rather than a freeway, with speed limits ranging from 40mph to 55mph, and with about 7-8 stop signs/lights on the 19-mile one-way commute.
Assume that the tow vehicles would be either a gasoline engine Ford F-250 of the 2011 model or later, or a diesel engine Dodge Ram 2500 of the 2010 model or later, both definitely with a long-bed crew cab. We might buy new, but even used would be no more than three years old. We could afford a new Dodge Ram 2500 but would rather buy used.
And the gasoline Ford F-250 would of course be much cheaper to buy as well as operate, particularly as a daily commute vehicle. If it is either impossible for a gas F-250 to tow a 13,000 pound 5th wheel across the Sierra Nevada at Lake Tahoe, or merely flat out insane to even try, feel free to hoot at me.
Given these quite conflicting uses for a tow vehicle (tow vs. daily commute), which do you recommend, and why?
