Diesel Question for truck campers

JumboJet wrote:

Redsky wrote:
If I had it to do over I would have bought the truck with the gas engine and the 4.10 gears instead of the diesel engine and the 3.73 gears for the simple reason that the benefits of the extra power from the diesel are negated by the harder time it is to find diesel fuel when traveling out of town and the greater difficulty getting basic maintenance done in town.

I go to Sears to get the best oil for the diesel engine as the GM dealer only stock a second tier type. I go to the local Allison dealer to have the transmission fluid changed as the ones recommended by Allison are not stocked at the GM dealers.

Smog controls were a problem with the first gas engines with the then new catalytic converters and MAF and O2 sensors but it sorted out after a few years. With the new diesels with DPF and using DEF and NOx sensors this is new technology with new reliability problems and the dealers' mechanics are not equipped to deal with them in an efficient and cost effective manner. And this is going to be the case regardless of make for the next 3-5 years.

If you have to have the added torque of the diesel then you will deal with it as there is no choice. For hauling a camper around you do have a choice. The problem is making the decision without letting emotions enter into the process or information regarding diesel engines that is either 10 years out of date or applies to the engines used in semi's and not the ones in pickups. The Cummins engines that go into cars and pickups are very different from the ones going into a Freightliner.

I have traveled in most of the lower 48 since I bought my first diesel in 1999. Never ever had a problem finding fuel. I stay off interstates as much as possible.

Some of the Freightliners use DEF too. Explain the difference in a Cummins 6.7 and an 8.1.

Who is having major costly problems with the newer diesel's? Don't mention Ford's 6.0 or 6.4 diesel's.