Forum Discussion

bertschb's avatar
bertschb
Explorer
Oct 21, 2015

Buy a 2016 or 2017 Duramax??

My wife and I are retiring next spring and want to buy a new truck and 5th wheel to kick off our retirement. I plan to buy a GMC Denali 3500 Duramax. The big dilemma for me is do we buy a 2016 or 2017? I’ve heard all the rumors about a new Duramax for the 2017 model year along with the possibility of a new 8 speed Allison. More power, more gears, etc.

But, I don’t know what the EPA is going to do for new emissions requirements for diesels and whether or not GM will add even more junk to the new Duramax and make emissions equipment even worse or if they will come up with an entirely new emissions system that is simpler and more reliable. As much as I’d like to just wait another year until the new 2017 HD models are shipping so I can make a good informed decision, I don’t want to waste our first year of retirement sitting around at home when we could be traveling around the country.

So my question- would you buy the last year in the LML series this winter or wait until next fall and buy the 2017 with what will likely be an all new powertrain? We will be retired and broke so we will more or less be stuck with whatever we buy for a very long time so buying a 2016 and selling it next fall for a 2017 isn’t really an option. So...Life is too short – get the 2016 or be patient and get the latest and greatest (theoretically) a year from now? I know this is totally subjective. Just curious what you folks would do.
Tow Vehicles
  • ksss's avatar
    ksss
    Explorer
    Oct 26, 2015
    If the towing capacity increases accordingly then the added power can be used. If it does not, then I agree, the added power may not be a benefit depending on your application. I doubt I will ever own a toyhauler greater than 15K and in my case the current pickups really just play with that kind of weight. The business side of the equation can always make use of more power and capacity. 1000 foot pounds is really an incredible milestone to hit with an off the shelf pickup.
  • tomman58's avatar
    tomman58
    Explorer
    Oct 26, 2015
    rjstractor wrote:
    tomman58 wrote:
    There really is no point going bigger if what is out there does the job for you and a commendable one at that.


    I have to wonder at what point the returns diminish on more torque and power in a pickup. I recently drove a new F350 dually with the 6.7 diesel, towing just under 12000 pounds. It could accelerate up every grade I drove, and the traction control light kicked on while accelerating hard at 35 mph on dry pavement! Reminds me of a few years ago of when I drove dump trucks. Being the new guy I drove the old truck with only 425 hp. The senior guy's new truck had 575 or 600. When I commented to him on how nice it must be to have that extra power, he replied that he didn't really get around any better, he just burned more fuel and wore out the drive tires faster.

    My point exactly. Just how much is to much? Just because you can afford a 32 oz steak how much of it will you need or eat? Same with truck and TT, I've pulled most everywhere in all kinds of conditions and guess what, the Dmax I have is just a wonderful thing I need no more.
  • rjstractor's avatar
    rjstractor
    Nomad
    Oct 26, 2015
    tomman58 wrote:
    There really is no point going bigger if what is out there does the job for you and a commendable one at that.


    I have to wonder at what point the returns diminish on more torque and power in a pickup. I recently drove a new F350 dually with the 6.7 diesel, towing just under 12000 pounds. It could accelerate up every grade I drove, and the traction control light kicked on while accelerating hard at 35 mph on dry pavement! Reminds me of a few years ago of when I drove dump trucks. Being the new guy I drove the old truck with only 425 hp. The senior guy's new truck had 575 or 600. When I commented to him on how nice it must be to have that extra power, he replied that he didn't really get around any better, he just burned more fuel and wore out the drive tires faster.
  • FishOnOne's avatar
    FishOnOne
    Nomad
    Oct 26, 2015
    tomman58 wrote:
    FishOnOne wrote:
    I would hold off on the '17 if big power is in store!


    If you are I am, dragging my 40' TT through the smokeys 2 times a year and the Rockies once every other year then putting on 15,000 miles on the TT with my set up just why oh why would I ask for anything more.

    There really is no point going bigger if what is out there does the job for you and a commendable one at that.


    Not sure I fully understand your point, but with more power it just makes pulling loads that much easier. And on that rare occasion someone likes to pull up next to you on an incline while towing with the smerk on their face it's game over. :B
  • tomman58's avatar
    tomman58
    Explorer
    Oct 25, 2015
    FishOnOne wrote:
    I would hold off on the '17 if big power is in store!


    If you are I am, dragging my 40' TT through the smokeys 2 times a year and the Rockies once every other year then putting on 15,000 miles on the TT with my set up just why oh why would I ask for anything more.

    There really is no point going bigger if what is out there does the job for you and a commendable one at that.
  • ksss's avatar
    ksss
    Explorer
    Oct 24, 2015
    I am not offended, I am not proud of it, like I said I never really imagined I was that heavy. The truck pulls it fine, stops better than the 5500 did with that same weight. We are making some internal changes so that we can keep it closer to 30K than 40K. I really need to get another medium duty truck. Probably why the 05 5500 went out when it did. The capability of these newer trucks is dam impressive. Pull that kind of weight and while it works the truck for sure, it feels solid in control. I pull the same load with my 06 3500 DRW and it feels heavy in that truck, not so in the '15 even with the SRW.
  • NC_Hauler's avatar
    NC_Hauler
    Explorer
    Oct 24, 2015
    Not questioning your honesty, that is a HUGE amount of weight for that truck...WELL over its GCWR...was just curious...sorry if you were offended...just making sure I read it right. That would be 2500# over my trucks GCWR of 37,500#, and my truck is a dually. Just seemed like a lot of weight for a 3500SRW truck Sorry I posed the question.:?
  • ksss's avatar
    ksss
    Explorer
    Oct 24, 2015
    NC Hauler wrote:
    Me Again wrote:
    ksss wrote:
    That said, I am pulling 35-40K combined with the 2015 and it pulls very well.


    Could you explain that? Your sig says SRW? Chris


    Dang, 35K-40K combined with a 3500 SRW truck? :E GCWR on mine is only 37,500#..and its a dually...I'm impressed.



    I didn't realize it was that much to be honest. We were working at fertilizer plant and they had a scale on site. I decided for kicks I would run the pickup with a Walton gooseneck 35' 24K trailer loaded with an excavator minus some equipment that I usually have on the trailer over it and it was 35K. I go through DOT roadside inspections frequently and never had an issue but I had not run this combination over a scale for an exact weight. Fully loaded it would push 40K, I had to up the registration. I used to pull this daily with a 5500 but I lost the injectors and the engine. I traded it on this 2015-3500.

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