Diesel Question for truck campers

[Bigfootchevy]

I believe a diesel engine is the best for hauling a truck camper.

With the price of diesel going up more each week is it still worth it?

Just looking for opinions.

Today in Canada a gallon of diesel is worth about 75 cents more than gas!

With the extra cost of the diesel engine and extra cost at the pump, I am starting to rethink my decision to order my new truck with a diesel!

I cannot see me not ordering a diesel, but I just got back from vacation and drove pass the gas station and saw the new diesel price of $1.39 per litre cost, was a bit of a shock. Gas was $1.20 per litre. I believe their are 3.7 litres in a gallon.

Thanks

Paul

[work2fish]

You can thank the EPA government regulations for clean diesels and science for Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), but it appears that they are meant to limit NOx as well as particulate matter, CO and HC:

From http://www.dieselforum.org/about-clean-diesel/what-is-scr-

"SCR technology is one of the most cost-effective and fuel-efficient technologies available to help reduce diesel engine emissions. All heavy-duty diesel truck engines produced after January 1, 2010 must meet the new EPA standards, among the most stringent in the world, reducing particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) to near zero levels. SCR can reduce NOx emissions up to 90 percent while simultaneously reducing HC and CO emissions by 50-90 percent, and PM emissions by 30-50 percent. SCR systems can also be combined with a diesel particulate filter to achieve even greater emission reductions for PM. In the commercial trucking industry, some SCR-equipped truck operators are reporting fuel economy gains of 3-5 percent."

[Bedlam]

EU standards favor controlling CO2 over EPA's NOx. How well these standards are enforced after a new vehicle is sold is discussion where both sides are rarely frank.

[AKSuperDually]

Less Stuff wrote:
Interesting news from Paris.
Love of diesel fueled vehicles may end

I've been trying to think of a way to respond to this as respectfully as I can muster.....having served with the french, and traveled in their country....I really couldn't possibly care less what they have to say on the matter.

[AKSuperDually]

In Alaska, it'll be easier to find parts in the local NAPA for an HD diesel pickup than most any other vehicle. Same for rural Oregon, Idaho, & Washington. Probably California too.

There's a reason why local farmers, mechanics, ranchers, etc. all use Domestic HD Diesel trucks....they work the best, and are most reliable and cost effective.

Still, no one's forcing anyone to get a diesel. No one is going to force you to get good gas mileage. I've done the math, for me...it makes a lot of sense. But...I didn't buy my diesel new from the factory. I did a lot of research, and found the exact model and year of 7.3L I wanted, then found a truck with it in it. 130K miles later...I've had almost no repairs to the engine, only enhancements. I also seldom get below 20 mpg in my average driving. Better when unloaded. Much better.

[Less_Stuff]

Interesting news from Paris.
Love of diesel fueled vehicles may end

[skyhammer]

Redsky wrote:
I can't believe that someone would post that the fuel consumption goes up with a load only for gas engines. My diesel pickup on the open road gets 18 mpg but with a camper in the bed it gets more like 13 MPG and in the mountains it is 11 MPG and with a head wind it can be as low as 9.5 MPG.

A very big cost to owning a diesel that is seldom mentioned is the difficulty in getting problems diagnosed and repairs done in a timely manner. It took multiple trips to 3 different dealers to get a faulty NOx sensor diagnosed and replaced. Had it happened out of warranty the cost would have been over $700 for this simple repair.

I know that if I had a problem with the truck while out camping the trip would be over as the odds are between very slim and none that I could find a Chevy diesel mechanic out in the rural west. I would need to limp into the biggest town I could find and then check in at a hotel within walking distance and spend a few days trying to get the truck fixed.

I have had breakdowns with my gas engine pickups while traveling over the years but getting the problem diagnosed and the repair done never cost me more than a day. The gas engine mechanic was easy to find and the parts for the engine were always available locally. Good luck trying to get that with any diesel engine in a pickup truck.

It is even more difficult with all the different model years. GM/Chevy for example has different diesel engines in its pre-2004, 2004-2006.5, 2006-2007, 2008-2010,2011-2014 model trucks. No local NAPA store is going to stock parts for a diesel engine. You may be able to find a belt or hose but that will be it.

If you plan to tow more than 12,000 lbs. then a diesel engine is the best choice and you deal with the higher purchase price, higher fuel cost, higher maintenance costs, higher repair costs, and greater difficulty in getting problems diagnosed and repaired. But this is a truck camper forum and no one needs a diesel to haul around a 5,000 lb. camper load unless they are also towing a 8,000 lb. trailer with its load.

There is an emotional appeal to having a big bad diesel truck that will out accelerate and out pull anyone's gas engine equipped truck and I have no problem with their boyish enthusiasm. I do have a problem when they try to rationalize their decision to buy a diesel. I have multiple friends who bought tractors for their 5-acre "ranches" and they can give me many reasons for why they needed a tractor and I try to listen with a straight face, which is not easy to do.

I pretty much disagree with nearly everything you posted.
There are literally 10's of thousands of diesel trucks in the rural West and most towns have very good diesel mechanics, if fact many people prefer them over the dealer ship mechanics.
In my closest town with a population of 1500, there are two very well known diesel mechanics with all the computers necessary to fix any diesel trucks.
Why, because in rural areas diesel trucks are more numerous than gas trucks.
Our NAPA In our little town has many parts for a diesel in stock, and can get parts in day if they have to.
When I travel from NW California to Easter Oregon and Idaho, I have a list of mechanics I can go to, and nearly everyone is is small towns with a population of under 5000.
I live on a 5000 acre ranch in the middle of no where. The closest town, population 350 is 30 miles away, and guess what, it has two very modern shops that work on diesels, these shops are 10,000 sq.ft metal buildings that have lifts, paint booths, and everything necessary to completely overhaul a diesel.These guys are always busy.
Most of these shops no matter where they are don't advertise, so you have to look around and ask.
Rural areas have to have these shops, otherwise the local economy would come to a stand still as the ranchers, loggers, farmers and construction crews need to get their rigs fixed.these people can't afford to drag their broken vehicle 200 miles to get them fixed.
If you are convinced that you will be out of luck in rural areas, you probably will be.

[Supercharged]

Bigfootchevy wrote:
I believe a diesel engine is the best for hauling a truck camper.

With the price of diesel going up more each week is it still worth it?

Just looking for opinions.

Today in Canada a gallon of diesel is worth about 75 cents more than gas!

With the extra cost of the diesel engine and extra cost at the pump, I am starting to rethink my decision to order my new truck with a diesel!

I cannot see me not ordering a diesel, but I just got back from vacation and drove pass the gas station and saw the new diesel price of $1.39 per litre cost, was a bit of a shock. Gas was $1.20 per litre. I believe their are 3.7 litres in a gallon.

Thanks

Paul

Why do everyone care so much about the price of fuel, the cost of the pickup , Ins, tags, many other things makes fuel not worth talking about anymore. Just spend what one can and enjoy them self. Just make more money.

[Butch50]

Yea and in a town with another town across the freeway with another one about 10 miles away with a combined population of over 170,000. I had my 2011 Ford 6.2 gasser that the remote start wouldn't work and it took 3 days to find and then I had to wait a couple of days for them to get the part. Guess what it was, it was the switch for the hood was broken. So the BCM (Body Control Module)thought the hood was open. If the BCM thinks the hood is open it won't allow the truck to start remotely. This is also with the Ford tech support on line helping them. I had put different tires on the truck and they were even blaming that as the cause so I had to take my stock tires in and they put them on and it still didn't work. I tried to tell them that the remote start stopped working about 3 months before I put the different tires and wheels on it. I told them I guess the truck figured I was going to change the tires and wheels and so the remote start just stopped working 3 months early to try and convince me not to change the tires and wheels. :h:S I sat at the dealership those days because I wanted to know what they were doing, it is a good thing I'm retired. They bought me lunchs and gave me a couple of free oil changes for taking so long.

I know this didn't cause me to not use the truck but with all of the electronics on either the gas or the diesel it is a cr** shoot whether they find it or not.

[Redsky]

I can't believe that someone would post that the fuel consumption goes up with a load only for gas engines. My diesel pickup on the open road gets 18 mpg but with a camper in the bed it gets more like 13 MPG and in the mountains it is 11 MPG and with a head wind it can be as low as 9.5 MPG.

A very big cost to owning a diesel that is seldom mentioned is the difficulty in getting problems diagnosed and repairs done in a timely manner. It took multiple trips to 3 different dealers to get a faulty NOx sensor diagnosed and replaced. Had it happened out of warranty the cost would have been over $700 for this simple repair.

I know that if I had a problem with the truck while out camping the trip would be over as the odds are between very slim and none that I could find a Chevy diesel mechanic out in the rural west. I would need to limp into the biggest town I could find and then check in at a hotel within walking distance and spend a few days trying to get the truck fixed.

I have had breakdowns with my gas engine pickups while traveling over the years but getting the problem diagnosed and the repair done never cost me more than a day. The gas engine mechanic was easy to find and the parts for the engine were always available locally. Good luck trying to get that with any diesel engine in a pickup truck.

It is even more difficult with all the different model years. GM/Chevy for example has different diesel engines in its pre-2004, 2004-2006.5, 2006-2007, 2008-2010,2011-2014 model trucks. No local NAPA store is going to stock parts for a diesel engine. You may be able to find a belt or hose but that will be it.

If you plan to tow more than 12,000 lbs. then a diesel engine is the best choice and you deal with the higher purchase price, higher fuel cost, higher maintenance costs, higher repair costs, and greater difficulty in getting problems diagnosed and repaired. But this is a truck camper forum and no one needs a diesel to haul around a 5,000 lb. camper load unless they are also towing a 8,000 lb. trailer with its load.

There is an emotional appeal to having a big bad diesel truck that will out accelerate and out pull anyone's gas engine equipped truck and I have no problem with their boyish enthusiasm. I do have a problem when they try to rationalize their decision to buy a diesel. I have multiple friends who bought tractors for their 5-acre "ranches" and they can give me many reasons for why they needed a tractor and I try to listen with a straight face, which is not easy to do.

[deltabravo]

Reddog1 wrote:
deltabravo, check your Private Messages

Wayne
Moderator

done

[deltabravo]

A friend once told me that if someone is trying to nit-pick the fuel economy of a tow vehicle, while trying to decide which one to get, they probably shouldn't be towing anyway, because they already appear to be in a budget constraining situation, so how the heck are they going to afford something to tow or haul?

[TomG2]

The OP was asking if the economics of purchasing a diesel made sense (cents) for him. I don't think people who RV spend a whole lot of time figuring out the costs involved, or they probably wouldn't do it. The calculations can be made if one knows all the factors involved; weight, miles of usage, cost of money, expected vehicle life, pride of ownership (appears to be huge), availability, intended use other than RVing, future fuel costs, and a whole lot more. Still would not matter, if the results are not the same as their "wants". I buy what I want, as we all should.

[kbaum]

TomG2 wrote:

deltabravo wrote:

TomG2 wrote:
I am curious as to why the diesel proponents feel compelled to preach the benefits of their Super Max, Super Duty, or Ram diesel fueled pickups.

We are preaching it because people are asking for our opinion.

Never heard of a Super Max truck though.

DuraMax, Super Duty, Ram, whatever, the names sound more like a male enhancement ad than simple fuel differences. Most of us know how to choose a vehicle, without being preached to.

Looks like most here are trying to give their opinion regarding OP's question. If you do not want to hear discussion regarding diesel trucks don't read or respond to the posts.

The question is a good one, sounds like you have your opinion why some select a diesel but it does not answer OP's question.

[Reddog1]

deltabravo, check your Private Messages

Wayne
Moderator