Diesel vs gas......................

dirtydan57 wrote:
I'm getting close to having to buy something. I notified my employer last month that I'm retiring next year. It looks more and more like a full-time thing for a few years is coming. So I've been researching trucks. Man...

I had an '03 F250 7.3 that pulled a 24' FW. Before that I had a '96 460 F250 that pulled 2 snowmobiles. Comparing those 2 trucks, even given the difference between what they pulled, the diesel was the best hauler hands down. But my how times have changed.

I don't really want an older truck, I want a new/newer truck. We're planning to get a FW in the 30' range weighing 10-12k loaded. And I won't be pulling up the Rockies every day, either. That said, I'd prefer a diesel because they are indeed excellent haulers but also I'd have the option of switching to a large trailer without re-powering. But then -

DPF filters
HPFP
injectors
tuners
add on filters
head bolts
head gaskets
bad fuel
turbos
crankshafts
dropped valves
And on and on and on...

Reading the information out there, it almost seems certain that modern diesels give big, expensive problems no matter who makes it. For the price of these things we should be able to buy it, get in and drive it and do scheduled maintenance and be done with it. But it seems not so. Right now, I'm beginning to hope that modern gassers properly geared tow better than my old '96 did. These new diesels worry me. Maybe I should revisit the idea of having a park model in an RV resort and be done with it. I grow weary reading and worrying about all the problems that crop up.

I plan on retiring in 2020. Our plan is a new truck and a new fifth wheel. I want a diesel for sure. I am thinking new on each and the longest extended warranty we can get on both. Hopefully that will give us several years of travel with a fixed cost.