Been somewhat in the market for a diesel truck over the last year. But, retiring, moving, and other unexpected expenses have caused me to hold off, but the time to buy is coming soon.

I had a conversation with a friend of my wife's who is a diesel mechanic. He told me to get a gas engine, saying that the two months out of the year I would do towing is not worth the extra expense of a diesel engine. He said it would be different if I was going to use it daily for work.

I tow my boat, which weighs around 3500LBS, and my current F-150 handles it fairly well, although the tranny seals blew a couple of years ago. But, I will be getting a camper in the future, and spending a lot of time on the road. The camper alone means I have to upgrade to a 3/4 ton or 1 ton.

I know a lot of you have towed and had campers on both gas and diesel pickups, so I am looking for some opinions. Should I just get a gas engine and a big tranny cooler on the next truck or go with diesel?

Well two things. One you have run a diesel about 250k to break even in savings vs gas. Second is unless your doing a big fifth wheel then a heavy duty 3/4 set to tow will do you fine. Chev, Ford, and Dodge all have packages.

Many get the Duramax with the Allison to pull a fifth and Fords has come around compared to what they were a few years back. Dodge has a truck that is set and made to pull a heavy trailer. If you have the money and don't mind parting with it you will love a decked out diesel. Gas will do you fine also and cost you much less. Either way a bunch of $$$$$ are leaving you just have to pick how many.

How many miles a year?

I have a 2005 Dodge 2500 pull a 5th wheel and boat around a fair amount and its just now nicely broken in 105 K (bought it new). If I was running a gasser I would start worrying about whats going to go out next. Oil changes 49.95 at the dealer every 7500 miles, fuel filter every other oil change. For towing I like running a diesel and will pay the extra costs for the benefits. It really comes down to what you want, both will do the job just fine. Any money you save in fuel milage you will give right back in services. If I was buying a truck tomorrow it would be a Dodge 2500 cummings diesel.

I will forever only own diesel.

Period.

Love the fact that my powerstroke gets 21 mpg with the cruise on. With my camper and boat, I can still pass rigs on the uphill passing lane.**not getting 21 like this!**

With the new emissions standards on the diesel trucks the days of (honest) 20+ MPG are over.

OMG!

22mpg over a 70 mile trip. Give me a break. I could probably squeeze 25MPG out of my '07 Ram on a 70 mile trip. That doesn't mean I'll get that day in and day out. The real world numbers for the new Ford 6.7 won't be a 20+ MPG average.

I have a 96 Cummins, with lots of upgrades from Dyno Mite and I get conservatively 17 mpg towing my boat, around town, and on trips.

I also have a 06 honda civic and I just averaged 44 mpg to and from Bozeman MT, btw I dont drive my truck unless I have to.

Go to a forum dedicated to the diesels by any of the Big Three. You ask if adding a diesel particulate filter,EGR,etc has had positive or negative effects on fuel mileage. Then get back to me.

I hear ya. Mine is a '03 7.3 with 94K The last year of the good ones....

Cruise at 62 = 20.6 (Last tuna trip, since I was the only one onthe highway at 3 a.m., I set the cruise at 54 for chits and giggles. Full tank at my house, filled before I headed back home ... 22.6!

In town, typically I'm 16.4 - 17

**I also changed my original post, to clarify that I wasn't meaning 21 mpg, pulling a boat/camper uphill. **

As I work in the industry, I can advise you to stay away from any Ford diesel that isn't a 7.3. My boss just bought a house in Mexico off the 6.0, 6.4 and the 6.7 doesn't sound any better so far. The dodges are pretty bullet proof. The 5.9 will go forever! The 6.7 seems pretty decent but the factory clutches are pretty weak. The chevy duramax is very solid, we've not done any major repairs on any yet. If you drive easy you can get 20-22 mpg with most diesels depending on gear ratios etc. But these idiots who say they chipped their truck and now get 26-30mpg are just blowing smoke.

Buddy of mine who just went from a 06 to a 11 2500 dodge diesel told me there is an off road kit that includes a chip and bolt in straight pipe that will bring back the 20 hwy fuel economy. Guess the emission egr stuff is all bolted in so like he said "its made to come out"

Ripping all the emissions BS off your truck is all fine and dandy. Right up until you have to run it through emissions testing or have to have any warranty work done. The days of the dealers looking the other way when a modified diesel comes through thier shop are over. Thats why its sold as an "off road" only mod.

+10

There's no real point to spending an extra $7000 on a diesel unless you pull a heavy load daily. I'm getting rid of my '06 Powerstroke and NOT replacing it with a '11 Diesel because:

1) Its a piece of schit that crapped out TWICE in one month. Thankfully it's under warranty until December.

2) With Diesel being as much as or MORE than unleaded, there's no real point in spending the extra THOUSANDS. $8k will buy a assload of gasoline.

3) All the emissions crap they now require cuts fuel efficiency to roughly that of a gasoline engine.

I am pretty sure there are no emissions tests in Prosser...

Like said above it bolts in/out and you can pull the chip.

Thanks for the advice. I will be putting a lot of miles on the truck, especially after getting a camper. I will probably take off for a month or two in the winter to some place warmer, plus all of the visits to grandchildren in Alberta and California, and not to forget fishing trips.

One of the reasons I was thinking diesel is how long the engines last. I keep my rigs for 15 plus years and typically end up in the 140K range before getting a new one. I end up with an expensive repair or two, but it still seems cheaper then forking out the cash for a new one every five years. So far I have been lucky. I got 100K on the F-150 and other then blowing the seals on the tranny, no problems. But again, it won't take a camper. Plus, after 100K I get a little concerned about reliability on cross country trips.

I am looking for better MPG, but that has to balance in with the extra expense associated with a diesel. The F-150 only gets around 15 MPG with no towing, on the highway. I also know that the new diesels do not get the mileage the old one's do.

It seems that I will love the diesel when hauling the camper and boat, but for everyday stuff, it's pointless. Like buying a boat, it is a series of compromises.

I am staying away from Ford, unless I get lucky and find a 7.3 with low enough miles. Besides all of the problems with their post 7.3 engines, a lot of complaints I found on line were warranty related; where the dealers would kiss off things by calling a problem normal. I would want to see at least a couple of years go by before risking a 2011 Ford diesel.

I got time and I will keep researching.

I bought a 06 duramax and love it for towing my fifth wheel. Not sure about all the emmisions stuff and what years are affected. I bought 06 because I did not like the new body style coming out in 07. I get around 12mpg while towing my fifth wheel. Around 16 towing my boat and depending on how I drive 19-21 empty and that is not pussyfooting it. Just got back from the Twisp area and a combination of driving on dirt roads (scouting) and windy 35mph roads and the drive home over blewett pass getting stuck behind traffic (speed up slow down) passing when you can by flooring it to get around the motor homes etc I averaged 19.1mpg. My old chevy 3/4 ton 6.0L gas got around 15 empty and when pulling my fifth wheel got around 8. Steep passes you just accepted 40-45mph. With the diesel no problems maintaining the speed limit.
Bret

My 06 Dodge with the 5.9 gets an honest 19-20mpg kicking around town and 23-25mpg on the HWY. That is if I keep it under 75mph I check it the old fashioned way and don't trust the "Overhead Liar"
I have a few power adders that increase the HP & torque and have actually INCREASED my fuel economy (cold air kit, Smarty, etc).
Again, all is good if I keep my foot out of it. But, I do like to see it smoke and hear the turbo sing

If your going to tow, then diesel is the ticket.

2001 Silverado 2500HD 355 gas,9'6" Citation camper (Heavy mo fo) & driftboat.

200,000 + No issues still on the original brake's

The mileage sucks, 15 or less loaded but at that point does it really matter.

I am familar with gas chevy's so that's what I go with and you can't argue with the reliabilty. Don't stink,Don't rattle

Knock on Wood