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

[lakecitycamper]

just bought 2005 f250 super duty 5.4 3.73 wanting to pull a 4000lb trailer to colorado two or three times a year anyone know if it will pull well through the mountains

[tbax46]

I do drive one and I don't know why you were crying.

[muttjeff]

had an 03 f-250 7.3 diesel, traded on a 04 f-350 v-10 gaser cried to my wife until last week and got an 05 chevy 3/4 ton 6.6 diesel. Needless to say im am no longer crying and very happy to be back in the power and mileage. if youve ever drove a v-10 you know why i was crying lol.

[rvgonda]

"G" wrote:

Hishdeer wrote:

ilovetocamp wrote:
Paying $1.55 a gallon for diesel and getting over 20mpg.

2004 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel
2004 Challenger 32TKB 5th wheel with 3 slides.


You are NOT getting 20mpg pulling and 32 foot 5th wheel with 3 slides. I'm NOT buying it.

I would bet he is, depending on his driving!

The $1.55 diesel cost in ilovetocamp's statement apears to have been made many months ago rather than recently. Could it have been a re-posting of a dated post from another forum? If not, I ask again ...
Where is diesel this price in August 2005?

[Hishdeer]

"G" wrote:

tgatch wrote:

"G" wrote:

Hishdeer wrote:

ilovetocamp wrote:
Paying $1.55 a gallon for diesel and getting over 20mpg.

2004 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel
2004 Challenger 32TKB 5th wheel with 3 slides.


You are NOT getting 20mpg pulling and 32 foot 5th wheel with 3 slides. I'm NOT buying it.

I would bet he is, depending on his driving!

I don't take sucker bets.

Nobody... and I mean NOBODY can get 20 MPG towing a 12'8" tall by 8' wide, 10,000+lbs 5er. I don't care what driving habits one has. The only way for that to even be remotely possible would be to be driving down hill ALL of the time.

If that Cummins is getting 20MPG towing that kind of size and weight, I'm trading my truck in TODAY!!!

You have till the end of the month for employee pricing on the new Dodge's. When I first picked up my new 3500 4X4 short bed I was only getting 17.5 mpg without the 5th wheel. I took it back to the dealer after 2500 miles and they did a "reflash" on the engine.I now average 26.5 mpg without the 5th and 20.5 with. This mileage is at 2200 rpms, about 70 miles an hour. I have had ford and gm diesels and was a little leary about buying the Dodge but I have to admit, this is the best truck I have ever towed with hands down. I cannot imagine what will happen when I install a chip. Keep you posted.

You don't know how to figure gas mileage. PLAIN AND SIMPLE. You can't get 20.5mpg going downhill with 60mph tailwind. There is no chip or a reflash made that will increase your mpg by what you claim. Get a new calculator and ask somebody to show you how to figure gas mileage and then have your odometer calibrated. Did Paul Bunyon do your mpg calculations?

[Hishdeer]

"G" wrote:

Hishdeer wrote:

ilovetocamp wrote:
Paying $1.55 a gallon for diesel and getting over 20mpg.

2004 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel
2004 Challenger 32TKB 5th wheel with 3 slides.


You are NOT getting 20mpg pulling and 32 foot 5th wheel with 3 slides. I'm NOT buying it.

I would bet he is, depending on his driving!

Sorry, I just am not buying that somebody is pulling a 32 foot Fifth wheel and getting 20mpg. The frontal surface area creates way too much wind resistance. Read the posts here and see what everyone is getting pulling a 32 foot 5vers with a diesel ..AND IT SURE ISN'T 20MPG.

I just had my post removed on another thread where some guy claimed he got 10mpg better mileage using Canadien gas. That is impossible. There is no gasoline on the planet that get you 10mpg better while towing in the mountains over running flat and level!!!!!! The guy is flat out 100% telling a big falsehood because a 10mpg increase using Canadien gas is a JOKE and a lie.

I'm NOT buying that 100% false fairy tale story either.

[Sagebrush]

20.5 mpg? Yeah right, mine gets 20.4 pulling 14,000 pounds of RV right up mountains at 70 mph. 🙂

Some people could believe this BS, this site should be a resource of correct real life info, or at least close to reality. 17 to 19 mpg running solo with a light foot is normal. 26.5 mpg... only in your dreams buddy. Or perhaps all down hill? I get 18 plus mpg at 60 mph with a Cummins Dodge, the first Gens could get the mid to high 20's but, they didn't have 325 hp and 610 pounds of torque in stock form either.

Plus, every diesel truck I've been around has a break in period, our 2003 Dodge picked up a couple miles per gallon of #2 just after 14K and again at 24K. The power increased too, it runs better at 30K than it did with 8 miles on it. It ain't no tree hugger ride, at almost 10K with out the trailer it does well. I get 13.8 mpg towing an Arctic Fox 31W loaded heavy running 65 mph with a 3500 4x4 CTD. But, that's with a light foot in the South East. If I run 70 mph plus that will drop to 11 mpg very quickly and I'm not pulling a higher profile 5th. My lowest is 10.1 pulling a 15K load in the mountains at 65 to 70 mph. That's reality, GCW's of 21 to 24K produce the mpgs stated above. 😉

Then again I could claim Diesels get 20 mpg towing 12K through Colorado. I'm sure they do, I've read it right here on the forum, it must be true.:B

[_G_]

tgatch wrote:

"G" wrote:

Hishdeer wrote:

ilovetocamp wrote:
Paying $1.55 a gallon for diesel and getting over 20mpg.

2004 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel
2004 Challenger 32TKB 5th wheel with 3 slides.


You are NOT getting 20mpg pulling and 32 foot 5th wheel with 3 slides. I'm NOT buying it.

I would bet he is, depending on his driving!

I don't take sucker bets.

Nobody... and I mean NOBODY can get 20 MPG towing a 12'8" tall by 8' wide, 10,000+lbs 5er. I don't care what driving habits one has. The only way for that to even be remotely possible would be to be driving down hill ALL of the time.

If that Cummins is getting 20MPG towing that kind of size and weight, I'm trading my truck in TODAY!!!

You have till the end of the month for employee pricing on the new Dodge's. When I first picked up my new 3500 4X4 short bed I was only getting 17.5 mpg without the 5th wheel. I took it back to the dealer after 2500 miles and they did a "reflash" on the engine.I now average 26.5 mpg without the 5th and 20.5 with. This mileage is at 2200 rpms, about 70 miles an hour. I have had ford and gm diesels and was a little leary about buying the Dodge but I have to admit, this is the best truck I have ever towed with hands down. I cannot imagine what will happen when I install a chip. Keep you posted.

[rvgonda]

================================================================
----------------------------------------------------------------

Paying $1.55 a gallon for diesel and getting over 20mpg.
----------------------------------------------------------------

2004 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel
2004 Challenger 32TKB 5th wheel with 3 slides.

----------------------------------------------------------------
You are NOT getting 20mpg pulling and 32 foot 5th wheel with 3 slides. I'm NOT buying it.

----------------------------------------------------------------
I would bet he is, depending on his driving.

================================================================

If he's not pulling the 32 footer he probably is getting 20 mpg, at least on the flats.

But my question is where in the world are you guys getting diesel for $1.55 or $1.57 per gallon?????

The prices here in New England are running around $2.60 to $2.80 per gallon for diesel and either +/- 10 cents more for premium gas???

[tgatch]

"G" wrote:

Hishdeer wrote:

ilovetocamp wrote:
Paying $1.55 a gallon for diesel and getting over 20mpg.

2004 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel
2004 Challenger 32TKB 5th wheel with 3 slides.


You are NOT getting 20mpg pulling and 32 foot 5th wheel with 3 slides. I'm NOT buying it.

I would bet he is, depending on his driving!

I don't take sucker bets.

Nobody... and I mean NOBODY can get 20 MPG towing a 12'8" tall by 8' wide, 10,000+lbs 5er. I don't care what driving habits one has. The only way for that to even be remotely possible would be to be driving down hill ALL of the time.

If that Cummins is getting 20MPG towing that kind of size and weight, I'm trading my truck in TODAY!!!

[_G_]

Hishdeer wrote:

ilovetocamp wrote:
Paying $1.55 a gallon for diesel and getting over 20mpg.

2004 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel
2004 Challenger 32TKB 5th wheel with 3 slides.


You are NOT getting 20mpg pulling and 32 foot 5th wheel with 3 slides. I'm NOT buying it.

I would bet he is, depending on his driving!

[_G_]

Michigan Area
Average Diesel Price $1.57
2001 Golden Falcon 25'
2005 Dodge "600" CTD Auto 4X4

20.6 MPG over 6k miles

[hone_eagle]

If you look at a diesel as just another option like air,power,leather,extended cabs,etc,etc you dont have to worry about "payback" until its sold.In other words to me it is the only option that pays back a bit as you use it.By the way I bought mine used and it was $4000(cdn) more than the V10 next to it,so do you think the original owner did ok?
PS the V10 is assembled in our town by my fellow auto workers so keep those oders coming or they might go away,they just laid off a bunch of guys and girls

[Hishdeer]

kennard04 wrote:

maryb1976 wrote:
I would like some info on the Ford V10 vs the diesel. My husband and I are buying a new truck to tow a toy hauler.. I've heard different stories on each. Does anyone have the Ford F-250 V10? or the diesel. Can you tell me what gas mileage you get.. empty and full? V10 or diesel.. Thanks!!!!!

I get 12-15 solo, depending on how many kids in hot rods I have to show what 'real motor' means. I get 8-11 towing depending on hills, altitude, etc. I would say if you're going to be towing alot, for many years, you will get more out of a diesel. I do not tow full time so a diesel wasn't a good choice for me. Typically you'll get 2-5 mpg more in a diesel. But for very heavy loads, and lots of towing you'll be happer than with a gas motor. The gas engine will tow whatever you buy, but it will work considerably harder at it's tow capacity. I tow around 10K, and the V-10 is a monster for that weight. It's smooth and quiet and very fuel efficient for a big, hard working truck. Drive both, see which one you like, then sit down and figure fuel mileage, fuel costs (diesel is alot higher out here), fuel availability and higher initial buy in costs. At 100-150K miles you should break even with the gas motor for cost. If you buy a new truck every few years you need a gas motor. If you will keep your truck 10 years a tow only, or mostly with it get the oilburner.

Kennard,

Of all the posts I read, your post hit the nail on the head. For the first 150K miles there is no financial advantage of a diesel over a gas engine. People just don't keep a diesel over 150K miles because most are afraid of the big engine repair bill.

[Hishdeer]

Jeff Tow Truck wrote:
I HAD GAS AND GOT TIRED OF THE 7 MPG. SO I WENT LOOKING FOR A DIESEL. NOW THAT I HAVE ONE, I GET 10 1/2 TO 11 MPG. THE GAS HAD MORE POWER BUT THE FUEL ECON. IS BETTER FOR MY WALLET.
GAS IS AROUND 2.05 AND DIESEL IS 2.25 TO 2.30 HERE IN VA. NOW. BACK WHEN I BOUGHT THE DIESEL I THINK I REMEMBER DIESEL WAS CHEAPER THAN GAS?

LOL...I got a 1986 23 foot MH with a carbed 350 gas with a turbo 400 transmission and I get 10-12mpg between at 55-60 mph. A turbo diesel today doesn't show me much at all on fuel savings. I have NEVER got less than 9.0mpg...NEVER...and 9.0 was fighting a headwind.