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

[JumboJet]

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without letting emotions enter into the process or information regarding diesel engines that is either 10 years out of date or applies to the engines used in semi's and not the ones in pickups.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.

[JumboJet]

pezvela wrote:

JumboJet wrote:
A dealership here in NW Arkansas has advertised Lifetime Warranty.

All I got from my dealership is lifetime $65 oil & oil filter change + tire rotation.

Wow, that's a pretty severe "bait and switch"! :h

The "lifetime" dealer was not where I bought. I bought 4 months earlier.

[Skid_Row_Joe]

Mello Mike wrote:

Charlie D. wrote:
I believe that drive trains with a lifetime warranty is a myth as is any engine other than the one per state. I have done some research and can not find that info. anywhere.

Wow, some folks are difficult to convince. Here's the link: Warranty Forever Program

Mike, I kept an old Lincoln Town Car around for years because FoMoCo had a 'Lifetime Warranty' on any repairs you paid for in the late '80s. Their ads; "Pay once, then never pay again for parts and labor." Well, they did honor it, until they discontinued it. So, Lincoln Mercury's ads were inaccurate - you would have to pay again, when they stopped the program. I'd suggest anyone read the fine print before thinking you have anything; "lifetime."

[Redsky]

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.

[stickbowjoe]

Nice riggin' indeed, farmboy!

1010?

Joe

[kbaum]

Nice truck/rig farmboy!!

[1stgenfarmboy]

Well I see me farming till I die, so just hauling the camper will never be on the table.....

I guess my above statement was moot.

and as some have said, if you can get past the ride of the old dodge cummins they are a great truck, I am on number 4.

[stickbowjoe]

Dar-

Blasphemy is the sin which cannot be forgiven.

Perhaps there is still time to repent. 🙂

Joe

[1stgenfarmboy]

I am a diesel guy down to my core, but the line between diesel and gas is getting thinner buy the year, (IF) all you do with the truck is haul the camper and the camper is less than lets say 4,500 lbs I say a newer gas truck could be a bit better all around than a diesel, with the extreme high cost to repair to a newer diesel, and the high cost to maintain and feed a diesel, I am a farmer and the loads I haul on a gooseneck a gas truck just won't do it for me, but if I only hauled the camper I mite consider a........oh boy I can't believe I am saying this.......gasser.


Dar

[R2D1]

When I bought my RAM a little over a year ago they told me that if I would have been buying a Hemi they could have offered me the lifetime warranty, but they couldn’t with the Cummins. The way I understood it, that lifetime warranty was something only backed by that dealership. If the engine would have crapped out far from town, I would have been SOL. Since I didn’t plan on doing all of my camping within 100 miles of their lot, I figured that warranty wouldn’t have done me any good anyway.

Regarding the original question… I had a gas vs diesel discussion with my wife the other day. I was wondering if I should have bought a gasser and saved the extra money for fuel. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that I would have been disappointed having only half the torque to move the TC and would be lost without that exhaust brake. I can’t imagine towing or hauling without one anymore, I’ve been spoiled.

[pezvela]

JumboJet wrote:
A dealership here in NW Arkansas has advertised Lifetime Warranty.

All I got from my dealership is lifetime $65 oil & oil filter change + tire rotation.

Wow, that's a pretty severe "bait and switch"! :h

[JumboJet]

A dealership here in NW Arkansas has advertised Lifetime Warranty.

All I got from my dealership is lifetime $65 oil & oil filter change + tire rotation.

[Airstreamer67]

Quote: "From what my dealership told me, one dealership in each state is authorized to provide lifetime warranties on their engines (the drive trains already comes with one). It's fully transferable."


From Superstition Springs. Wow.

[Mello_Mike]

Charlie D. wrote:
I believe that drive trains with a lifetime warranty is a myth as is any engine other than the one per state. I have done some research and can not find that info. anywhere.

Wow, some folks are difficult to convince. Here's the link: Warranty Forever Program

[Charlie_D_]

I believe that drive trains with a lifetime warranty is a myth as is any engine other than the one per state. I have done some research and can not find that info. anywhere.