Diesel vs gas......................

[blt2ski]

OK folks, there have been a few to many diesel vs gas threads that have shall we say gone to "Hell and a hand basket"! So if all of you would put in you BEST, no flaming reasons for going gas vs diesel, pro and con, I will either leave your thread, or copy and paste pertinant info to the 4 posts of pro and con of diesel or gas. This can include the GM 8.1 vs Dmax or Ford V-8/10 vs PSD etc too.

Be real and honest in you answers, not hear say, flaming etc PLEASE!

If posts are good ones, I will leave, if inflamatory or trolling in nature, they will be deleted! I will get this stick'd to the top for future parusing for those that need this type of info.

Added 6-23-04

We are getting closer to answers I am looking for etc.

Stuff like Ken's - T-Bone posts are good. There are a few others of you that have not posted, some with a 9 point question and answer type to figure out how you went with one or the other. If you are one of those, PLEASE repost in this thread. I may have to look up whom has done this and PM you, but if you think this is you, you now know what to do.

Also, for those of you with $ per gallon for either fuel right now, I would prefer to see a post with ...."in my area, diesel is typically .10 less than unleaded" then explain your numbers. As currently in the Seattle area, diesel and unleaded are any where from 2.05 -2.30 per gallon, with mid test .10 more and premium about .20 more, with equal high low splits. Two weeks ago those prices were upwards of .30 -.40 per gallon more. people were posting $ per gallon that were for me. "I wish" If someone is reading your post a year from now, they may want to know where your paying 1.65, when the price of fuel is over $3 per gallon. Let's keep prices out of it if possible.

Bert and tin tipi, got into a good discusion on the pros and cons of RPM's, drive train etc. I would prefer to NOT see the quote of the other in responding threads, maybe just write a quick wording of re tranny gearing, instead of the whole 40 words or so in that paragragh, so the repsonse is shorter if possible quicker and easier to read etc.

I have deleted some 15+/- posts, that were off topic etc. Please note, I am trying to keep this at the top, as the ONLY gas/diesel thread in this area. So if one is trying to decide, we do not have to go thru this BS any more. As such, I will be deleting ANY future posts close to resembling this type of topic. I may have to change "this" title to a better one, if one has a better sounding title, to be more positive, better claification, let me know here, or in a PM/e-mail, what ever you feel most comfortible with.

Again thank you for all of you that are keeping responses positive, etc.

Also we could use a few more positive reasons to go gas, as many can see I have both gas and diesel, both have a place! Both have positive reasons to buy that fuel, lets keep the threads etc to that purpose only!

Marty

[pablovox]

You guys are silly, dickering so forcefully about what's better.

I like a post from WAY EARLY in this thread.

Basically, it stated, Rv'ing isn't a financially smart thing to do. Some if not most have spent more than $70,000 (not pesos) but american dollars on not one but TWO depreciating assets.

For my family, the experience of the journey and memories we're creating for our kids is worth way more than anything I'd ever spend on gas.

Frankly, I don't care how much I spend on gas. Here's why:

I have to have it so I buy it. I have a 2005 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab, 6.5 bed, Allison Tran, 8.1, with a 26 GALLON TANK! How's that for a double whammy!! I love the truck. It suits my needs.

My wife thinks it's neat and my kids love driving in it with the DVD player. My son and I have our cowboy hat hangers tucked into the ceiling and we look, act and play like real cowboys when we travel and my daughter is the cutest thing in her purple cowboy boots and pink felt cowboy hat. My wife ont he other hand just rolls her eyes. THAT'S what it's all about for us. Spending money on my kids and my wife while the kids are still young and want to be with us. I'd spend just about any amount of money to leverage that time in my favor.

It's not a financially smart thing to do but I'd rather have a less comfy retirement and know I did the right things with and for my kids and my wife.

Remember the big picture.

[Safari_Cynthia]

Recommendations are needed for which manufacturers trucks/engines (incl whether gas or diesel) would be better to pull a goosneck horse trailer w/living quarters (13-14,000 lbs). The frequency of towing will be 6-10 times a year with 500-1000 miles per trip. Keep in mind that in between towing, this will also need to serve as my primary run around vehicle.

Any direction you can provide is highly appreciated. Thanks ~ Cynthia

[mr__losi]

hello, this is my first post, so please dont kill me...

i have read most of this thread, it is interesting, some good points all around...

here is my story, i have a 23 foot kz toy hauler, it has a gvr of 7000 lb...

i live in wisconsin, so the roads are relitivly flat...my old truck was a 6 liter gmc cc 2500 hd...wonderfulll truck...i could get 13-14 mpg on the highway

it would get between 7 and 10 mpg hauling...the problems i had with the truck was this,it had adequate power, but the power was up high..iwoudl spin 3500 rpm or more pulling...i just felt the truck was working too hard i replaced the truck with a 02 cc dmax alli, i have not yet pulled my camper, but i am sure the truck will do better that the old one.

i really think it a choice that an individual must make,

[rvgonda]

Adirondacker John,

What a great signature - best ever!

[Paul_Clancy]

Seems like a great deal to me. I have yet to meet anyone with regret about getting a more powerful tow vehical. It changes the whole experience. If you enjoy towing as is and feel the current truck is enough dont bother. You know how the rig handles currently. I'd never go back to an LD truck (or gas). As with most things its about money but its also about safety. Its travelling the passes that makes the difference. I wont take my family over those without the brakes and engine/tranny combo to keep it all safe. Last year on augest long weekend I went over the rockies with a zillion other travellers on Canadian hwy 1, idiots passing on solid lines, blind corners etc, coming at me in my lane. In my old half ton I always felt at the mercy of others with little chance of avoiding any accident situation. In my hd truck I always feel I can make any manuver needed to do everything possible to avoid the accident. The load is NOT driving the rig. Price of the Dodge $34,500--Feeling of total control priceless.

[Adirondacker]

Yesterday I noticed diesel was at $2.99 per gallon.
About 50 cents higher than unleaded reg. I guess this
will continue as long as they keep building all these
McMansions that need #2 oil to heat their supersized
living rooms and vaulted ceilings.

That's a killer.

The high costs of trucking is gonna put a hit on the
economy in higher prices for goods.

But I guess it puts less of a dent than having all
the gas guzzlers pony up and extra $5-$10 per fill-up.

Meanwhile these big fuel companies like Exxon/Mobil are
having record profits. Greedy rat-bastages!

Well that is the end of my rant.

...gotta gas up and head to work.

[187]

I have to admit after reading through this forum I drove down to my local Dodge Dealer to look at the 06 Ram 2500 4x4, Cummins, quad cab and every option with the exception of leather and DVD player. The sticker price was around $44,000. I currently have a 03 Ford F150 (with 29,000 miles) 5.4L 4x4 with 3.73 gears and tow package. I towing a Jayco Baja 25k which weighs approximately 4500 empty with a gross weight of 6500. I don't have any idea what the actually trailer weight is, I'm guessing around 5700lbs. Anyway the truck pulls the trailer OK, I'm not going to win any races but then again who wants to race while pulling a trailer. Before leaving the dealership they offered me $19,000 trade in on my truck and offered the 06 to me for $34,500 with the 0 interest for 60 months. Seems like a good deal. I just haven't decided if a diesel is what I need right now. We camp about 6 to 8 times a year and never travel more than 3 hours away about 500 miles round trip. I haven't ruled it out yet.

[rrondog]

I have a 2005 F250 4X4 with the 6.0L. I get about 13 mpg around town, and about 19 on the highway. I tow a 12 x 6.5 ft utility trailer with two dirt bikes and two quads and then get around 15 mpg.

Diesel in the San Diego area is about 30-40 cents per gallon higher than gasoline.

I love the power of this truck. I traded in a 2004 Toyota Double cab with the 4.7 v-8 because it was a dog - any kind of load or headwind and it was running at 4,000 rpm, bringing mileage down to around 10 mpg.

[FamilyCamping]

FullTimeDad wrote:
I apologize if this question has been asked, but it would take me a month to go through all 77 pages here. I know hands down the diesel would be the best choice for towing, but I don't have the luxury of owning a single duty vehicle. So that said, with today's modern diesel engines would they be practical every day trucks. I have a gas excursion now, would love to have a PSD excursion for towing our TT, but could the diesel handle everyday family life too? I was always under the impression that you start a diesel and never shut it off? Can the diesel handle going here and there, the store, kids to school...etc? Is the starting and stopping the slow death of a diesel? Or have today's diesel engines become more family use friendly?

Thanks for any info on this.

I use my 4x4 diesel pickup to drop the kids off at school everyday before I go to work. All this within about 4 miles of home. Never had any problems.
Another thing to remember is UPS trucks are shutdown & restarted every few blocks/miles, and then pushed hard over and over and over. Yet all the ones I've seen are all diesels. I think diesels handel this kind of on/off abuse as well as if not better than gas rigs.
Besides they have a cool, tough sound to them too!

[LX178]

I have a chevy 6.0 gas and get along fine. My dad has a PSD 7.3 and it has all the power you would expect. Here is what I have found with gas VS diesel. My gas pulls my 31 ft TT just fine and gets about 7.5 mpg on the avg. I used the Ford PSD last year to go to Orlando from Illinois and it got 8.2 for the 2350 mile trip. I loved being able to set the cruise and the needle never moves of the speed I set it at. My chevy will slow on a good grade. I was going to trade for a diesel untill I saw the gray film on my awning bars. It took me about 8 hours to get the film off and wax the TT again. This was my experience with the diesel. I prefer the gas but this is only my opinion. I have friends with cummins and duramax diesels and they seem to not put as much film on their campers but the ford does. It's not just my dad's ford either, others have talked about it before. To sum it up, I like the power of a diesel but still prefer the gas.

[memmer96]

this might be a little late but for you people that are wandering how long diesel fuel can sit witout worry, then i will tell you that at a pump station that has 3 350 turbo cummins diesel driven pumps we have a tank that holds 1200 gals. Six to seven hundred have been in the tank for over TWENTY YEARS and we are still using that same fuel today. This is an emergency pump station in case you wandered how the fuel lasted so long. Hope this makes you rest easy 1995 ford 250 ex cab 4x4 7.3 psd

[JIMNLIN]

I would get what you want. With a very long commute every day a diesel will save you money as some of us have. Its the same reason folks that hotshot, for examlpe, use the diesel. Even the used diesel truck is worth more for trade in/resale so thats a wash. If you choose a diesel then you need to go with the one that is cheaper to maintain and the better mpgs. All diesel don't get the same mpgs so choose the brand that is puttin' down the best mpgs.
If you have a shorter commute then a gasser may work better. If fuel consumption is a biggie then use a "pencil on actual mpgs and fuel costs" in your area.
Disregard any comments from a diesel owner when puttin' down a gasser for a tow vehicle. Same goes for the gasser crowd when puttin' down the diesel.
.........JIM

[PADZZ]

Since I don't drive my Cummins but 3-4 times a month (company car to drive), I can't say I'd get a Diesel now. HOWEVER, yes it tows much better, I just got 24 MPG on a trip to Dumont dunes, but if you're not going to keep it long, I'd get a gasser...maybe. Never mind, get the Diesel.

[hone_eagle]

resale my boy resale-take good care of it and you will get a good chunk of your $ back,just like any other option,leather, CD, anything and in the mean time you will save a bit on fuel, don't ever calulate how many miles you have to drive to recover the cost,and don't worry about short trips or not working it hard,all nonsense ..eg half the cars in europe are diesel and they never tow and do plenty of short trips they get along just fine

[SUMRX4]

I don't need it for my current TT but if I upgrade TT I will need to upgrade TV. As with everyone here my main ? is gas or diesel. Althought it has most likly been covered here(I don't have time to search)am I asking for trouble to buy a diesel to run as little as 10-12K per year and most of that is short weekend trips. Others have told me that with that little mileage I would never recover the extra expense of the diesel. Most of my towing is on flat land along the east coast. I know a gas would do fulfil my needs and I know a diesel would do it easier but is it really worth it in my situation.
I know each situation is different and I am not asking anyone to make the decision for me. Any input is appreciated!