Diesel life span

[NEnative]

I am thinking of purchasing a one ton deisel dually. Currently I have a 250 gasser. Can any of you senior members that have been towing for years with a deisel tell me how many miles I can expect out of a deisel if follow factory maintenance schedule. Not asking any particular brand, just the engine expectancy. Trying to justify the cost!

[blt2ski]

I used to pull 12K with a 96 6.5 td nv4500 gm rig with a 12500 gcwr! Got 200K out of it!......I was with in ALL the axel and gvwr limits, just a tad over the warrenty rating of 12500! oh well. Same rig with worst performance etc in an auto was rated to 14500......

At the end of the day, it is up to you. I know a couple that yank a 12K 5w around with an older 6.8L V10. They are very happy with it.

If your happy, momma is happy, that is all that matters.

marty

[rhagfo]

NEnative wrote:
OP here. We are towing close to 12000 pounds. I know we have to at least move up to a 350. Just trying to make a decision as to diesel or another gasser, single wheel or dually. Thought we may move up to something heavier once we retire. This will be my vehicle into retirement and don't want to make a mistake.

Just an FYI, "Pulling close to 12,000#

Well I do that all the time with my 2001 2500 CTD with the NV4500 five speed, and a 3.55 gears!

I would suggest a 3500 SRW, to stay within all your numbers, as I exceed the GVWR, but nothing else.

[FishOnOne]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Diesels are just a money pit! Only 400K or so on this one.

I think the OP is inquiring about a new diesel truck with a DPF with all the latest emissions and it would be nice to see someone bragging on their high mileage DPF equipped diesel truck.

BTW... Nice boat :W

[eichacsj]

NEnative wrote:
OP here. We are towing close to 12000 pounds. I know we have to at least move up to a 350. Just trying to make a decision as to diesel or another gasser, single wheel or dually. Thought we may move up to something heavier once we retire. This will be my vehicle into retirement and don't want to make a mistake.

That size load, I think you have to go diesel. No way I would pull that with a small block gasser.

[Cummins12V98]

Diesels are just a money pit! Only 400K or so on this one.

[kw_00]

OP even though I'm a gas fan...I would say go diesel since ur going to retire and wanting to move to a 3500. If u are going to a larger camper then it makes sense to go diesel. Now I will say that the newer ones will cost more then any gas truck over time. Get which one u want or need. I am a believer that gas trucks are lasting much longer now, diesels tend to have lost that edge with the new emissions. My experience only, we uses diesels everyday and the emissions are causing issues. If u go gas then any of the big 3 will work.

[hotpepperkid]

Vanished wrote:
This sounds like stirring the pot... We all know a gasser can hit 200k+ easily as well as any diesel that can hit the same or more.. Very few of us run trucks over 200k miles regardless...

Oh I have a 2000 7.3 with over 200K and Im going to drive it until the wheels fall off and then put on new wheels and go on down the road

[DutchmenSport]

My previous truck was a Chevy Diesel Duly 3500. Not a thing wrong with the engine or transmission after turning 120,000 miles. But the fat fenders were made of fiberglass and had really bad spider cracks in them. To replace them meant replacing the entire side of the truck bed and at $4000 a side, that was just too rich for my blood.

The doors started rusting out at the bottom. When inquiring about repainting, the body shop would not do it; said the new paint would not stop the rust inside the doors and within a few months would each through the new paint and they would not be liable for a faulty paint job and declined to paint for me.

So we traded at a dealership and still got $18,000 in trade in value, which surprised us to no end! Dealer bondo-ed the spider cracks, slapped some paint on the rust and sold it for $30,000! I imagine that truck is still on the road, strong as a Clydesdale Stallion! But I bet that body is near gone now!

Parts fall apart LONG before the engine and transmission! With good upkeep, a diesel should last all your life! If you don't mind paying the price for body and parts to be fixed!

[NEnative]

OP here. We are towing close to 12000 pounds. I know we have to at least move up to a 350. Just trying to make a decision as to diesel or another gasser, single wheel or dually. Thought we may move up to something heavier once we retire. This will be my vehicle into retirement and don't want to make a mistake.

[W4RLR]

223K on my Ford F-250. I have replaced the radiator and the thermostats, and refilled with fresh coolant. Just had a brake job done all around. Throw in the oil changes and that is all the truck has needed since I bought it used a year and a half ago. The previous owner commuted between Indiana and Florida, pulling a boat he used for a charter fishing business. I had no hesitation about buying the truck with high mileage, the interior still looks new and it was well taken care of. The only other accessories I have added are the HF and VHF amateur radios.

[Me_Again]

We are on our third diesel truck. As long as we are towing we will continue to own one. Chris

[FishOnOne]

NEnative wrote:
I am thinking of purchasing a one ton deisel dually. Currently I have a 250 gasser. Can any of you senior members that have been towing for years with a deisel tell me how many miles I can expect out of a deisel if follow factory maintenance schedule. Not asking any particular brand, just the engine expectancy. Trying to justify the cost!

It's very hard to justify the cost of a diesel especially when out of warranty repairs come in to play of a diesel vs a gas engine. The reason for a diesel is for the towing confidence and driving experience, the power and performance. Also with todays diesel there will be a time that the DPF will need to be replaced or some of the emissions equipment that a gas won't ever have to worry about.

[wanderingbob]

Idad Has It Correct ! You do not have to justify , get what ya want .
I had a gentleman at the gas station telling what a dummy I was for paying extra for a diesel . He was smoking a cigarette and wearing a two hundred dollar pair of sunglasses , and I was the dummy !

[IdaD]

No need to justify the cost of a diesel. If you can afford the higher upfront cost and want one, buy one. If you can't afford a bit more up front or don't want one, don't get it. Same deal as with luxury packages and trim levels, except on the diesel you actually get some of your money back when you sell it.

The difference in total cost of ownership between gas and diesel is immaterial when you add up what you'll spend on fuel, maintenance, tires, aftermarket add-ons, repairs, depreciation and etc over the life of the vehicle.

[eichacsj]

OP sounds like you want a diesel and are trying to justify it through costs. Looking at new you can never justify the cost, the diesel option, in most states diesel is as high as premium and when towing still around the same MPG, it won't add up. I ran it once and it came to like 300k miles for a break even. However if you plan to compare to buy a today's new 250/2500 with those small blocks I would go diesel anyway. I wouldn't even consider a small block for heavy towing.

My last gasser pickup went 360k before I traded for what I have now