MinnesotaYoung
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Re: Diesel vs gas......................
I tow a 24ft Jayco Talon Toy Hauler. I've made some modifications to the interior to fit 2 full size and 2 youth sized ATV's in it. I started pulling my toy hauler with a Durango, 5.9Liter and 3.93:1 axles. It had enough power but the wheelbase made it one scary rig to drive. Because of the wheelbase, I wasn't comfortable towing over 65mph. Towing my trailer in flat Minnesota with the 5.9 Liter gas I got about 7 miles per gallon. When I went to get a bigger truck, I really wanted the Crew Cab Chevy K2500HD with the 8.1 Liter. All I could find were the 6.0 Liter gas or the 6.6 Liter Duramax Deisels. I asked a number of different dealers why and the answer was always the same. "If you really need the power of the 8.1 Liter, then you really need the efficiency of the Duramax." I was reluctant to get a deisel because I drive only 8 miles to work every day and I was worried about the impact that would have on the longevity of the engine. I was also worried about starting it when the thermometer hits -20 degrees F. I was finally convinced when I learned that the Deisel engine comes standard with a 100,000 mile warranty which I'd have to pay a lot of money to get on the gas engine. I got the deisel and I love it! I've had it for two years next week and I haven't had one problem with it (I do make sure to plug it in overnight the winter). I tow the same trailer with an extra ATV in the bed of the truck (total 5 ATV's) plus 100 gallons of water. No problem towing at over 70 mph through Mountain states. With the higher speed and the heavier load I get 12mpg. Almost double the mileage. This weekend I put on over 500 miles with just a small utility trailer (no camper). I averaged 20.7 mpg with the Deisel, I would've averaged about 16 with the Durango. On the maiden voyage with the new duramax I left one full hour later than my father-in-law who was towing a similar load with a Dodge 5.2 Liter gas. When I passed him on the freeway he decided that deisel was the way to go. He got a Cummings by our next trip and hasn't looked back since.376Views0likes0Comments
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