Gasoline vs Diesel

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Medasin005

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Nov 3, 2009
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I am seriously looking at class b rv's.  I recently took a road trip by car from Detroit Michigan to Church Falls, Virginia.  I noticed that diesel was consistently higher than unleaded gasoline.  So my question is ....... is it better to get an RV with a diesel or gasoline engine? 
 
I imagine that you will get an interesting bunch of replies on this....

Here is my thought.  I have owned a Ford V10 pickup and now have a Chevrolet Duramax diesel pickup.  The diesel gets consistently higher miles per gallon than the Ford V10.  The diesel has much more pulling power under all conditions, especially when at higher altitudes, since the diesel is turbo charged.

Having said that diesel vehicles cost more to purchase and a bit more to maintain (but will last darn near forever).  Not all gas stations have diesel, so you may have to check around occasionally to find one that does.  If you have driven a turbocharged diesel you will be aware that they are not sluggish, they will get up and go.

So it has to do with your pulling power, preference and your pocketbook.

As for me I love the diesel, but some folks don't.

Regardless of your decision, hope you get what is right for you, and have fun with it.

John
 
We have an article in our forum library on this.
 
is it better to get an RV with a diesel or gasoline engine? 
Yes.  ;)

Fuel costs vary a lot from state to state, but diesel generally costs more per gallon (not always, but mostly) and produces more miles per gallon in a similar size engine. Often, diesel even produces more mpg in a bigger engine, so you get more power as well as more mpg. Fuel cost per mile, however, may well be a wash.

Other factors:
(1) a diesel engine cost a LOT more up front, but returns a good chunk of that at trade-in.
(2) Maintenance costs are higher on a diesel - more oil, more filters that cost more each, etc. etc.
(3) The diesel engine has fewer moving parts and works at lower RPMS, so it lasts longer than a gas engine. Typically 3x-5x between major rebuilds (if you keep it that long)
(4) On a large heavy rig, you can't beat diesel performance and economy, but most people will never drive their RV far enough to recover the cost difference.

Bottom line is buy a diesel because it is a sweet-performing power plant for a big vehicle and not because you think it will save you money.
 
RV Roamer said:
Fuel costs vary a lot from state to state,

Driving from NY to FL this past winter I found Diesel fuel much cheaper in the southern states.
 
Your probably correct Gary. We re fueled every few states ( by luck the cheaper ones ) and GA was the last fill up along the way. We did not have a need to purchase diesel in FL I parked the RV and sold it. Ended up buying a class B gasser.
 
You can't make any decision based on the price of fuel. The price of gas and diesel vary from location to location and from time to time. You can't predict the price of either in the future.
 
I use a site called GasBuddy www.gasbuddy.com to find cheap stations and to plan during trips where to refuel along the way for best pricing.

Fuel prices are relatively predicated on oil prices (although the disconnect in the volatility has gotten more significant lately).  Gasoline prices track consumer spending...diesel is a combination of consumer spending and manufacturing.
 
I have owned both, but I have to say I like the V10 best. Maintenance is cheaper (6 qts. oil V10, 24 qts + - diesel. Regular air filter V10, Huge expensive air filter diesel. Regular fuel filter V10, 2 large fuel filters diesel. Diesel has a air dryer with another filter, more maintenance.) I have to add the V10 up front is pretty loud, you can barely hear the pusher diesel. Today's gas engines are dependable and last almost as long as a diesel. Just my opinion.
 
As others have said, no one's personal opinion is going to be right or wrong on this debate.  When I looked at a new coach I considered the following:

1) What's my intended use for the coach? Shorter local travel vs. long haul, how many miles per year. This will influence your operating costs.  The more you drive, the more the diesel makes sense.
2) Budget? You get a lot more for less with a gas coach than a diesel.  There is a LOT more involved than just the engine.  In fact, I think the biggest difference is the chassis/suspension design, with diesels being built for better long haul comfort/durability with air suspension, etc.  This is the primary cost driver, not the engines.  A ISB/C diesel engine is only about $5,000 more expensive to produce than a gas big block, but the chassis' that hold them are $40-50k more expensive than a high-rail Ford or Workhorse gas chassis.
3) Investment horizon?  Are you keeping this coach "forever"? If so, diesel starts to make more sense.  If you are going to resell in less than 10 years, the benefits begin to taper off on resale.
4) Maintenance?  Who is going to do it?  If you are like me and prefer to do a lot of your own maintenance, a gas chassis is basically a big car and about as cheap to maintain.  A diesel may require specialized expertise, tools, and equipment depending on the engine/chassis.
5) Personal preferences? Whadya like?  Always the wild card with any purchase.  No logic can overcome the hearts desires (or the checkbook's limitations).

So, at the end of the day, if the question was really just "gas or diesel" then diesel makes the most sense in heavy over the road vehicles, no question.  The issue is that gas v. diesel is rarely if ever limited to the engine choice.

BTW, I have a gas Ford F-53 chassis, and I have no issues with the engine at all.  All the power/torque I need and OK fuel economy.  The suspension on the other hand, is not great and I've had to make upgrades to improve performance. 
 

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