everyday vehicle choice with plan for towing a trailer ?

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Campingnut16 said:
As a full time mechanic of both gas and diesel cars trucks and semis I always suggest steering clear of diesel trucks unless you have deep pockets . The average repair cost for any given diesel that walked through the last dealer shop I worked in was 3500 dollars. I have been trained and spent a lot of time working on a wide assortment of Diesel engines. They're more expensive to buy , much much more expensive to maintain and a breakdown can be more than most can handle . For example injectors for most diesel trucks run anywhere from 1500-2500 in parts alone . A turbo is over 1000... Everything is expensive and diesel work is 100-150 an hour at any given shop out there these days. The last 6.0 power stroke I did head studs , updated oil cooler , bulletproof egr cooler , updated stand pipes , any and everything that can and does normally go wrong and with parts and machine work had over 4000 in parts just to be ready for the road again . On the other hand today's gas engines from just about every manufactured if cared for go well into the 200's and often 300,000 miles plus before requiring replacement or rebuild . A rebuild of a gas engine or replacement will cost a small fraction of what a Diesel engine does . If you're hauling heavy loads daily or maybe weekly up a lot of hills or for business a diesel may be nicer for
You . However any of today's 3/4 ton gas engines will do the job just fine . A majority of people today think they need a diesel to pull a car trailer and it's not true at all . Lastly automatic transmission rebuilds for a diesel that is going to be pulling is often 4-5,000 where as a gas engine transmission likely can be had for half that if you shop around . You have to decide if buying diesel is worth it to you , to me no way .
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No question.....repairs are very expensive on diesels.  When mine breaks drivetrain warranty, I will either buy an extended warranty or trade it in.  Thus far, save a couple of reflashes, it's been 100% trouble free  Today's gassers are extremely good powerplants, and the only reason I bought a diesel is that I tow almost exclusively in the mountains up and down steep grades at sometimes close to 10,000' in elevation.  The Cummins makes it effortless.

That said, if I had it to do all over again, I'd probably have bought the 6.4 Hemi truck.  Yes, it would have to wind a little higher up in the hills, but it would get the job done and be a whole lot less cantankerous than the oil burner.  And it would have been $9000 less. 
 
SargeW said:
That's not too far fetched actually. I have a Ram 2500 SRW long bed diesel, and on the highway at 65 MPH 20 - 22 MPG is normal. Add around town and it drops to 17 - 18.  I pulled a 12,000# fiver with it for a while and it dropped to an average of 10 mpg.

Those numbers, and everyone else's are heavily dependent on how you drive it. Some guys are not happy unless they are doing 75 - 80 mph and are in front of everyone else.  I am a 65 mph cruise control  driver in the #2 lane. Never in a hurry. After all, speed is the biggest killer of mpg.
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I could get 20+ mpg in my 2002 Dodge diesel straight 6 cruising at 65 on a freeway without driving hills or in the mountains, but with this new powerful Duramax, no chance.
My wife also knew when I was coming home in the Dodge because she could hear me coming a mile from home. Man that puppy was loud, but what a great motor.

Stan
 
SargeW said:
and on the highway at 65 MPH 20 - 22 MPG is normal.
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donuts said:
I could get 20+ mpg in my 2002 Dodge diesel straight 6 cruising at 65 on a freeway without driving hills or in the mountains
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Just imagine what it'd be if y'all got out and pushed! ;D


 
SargeW said:
What I would probably get is a heart attack! It's still a 8,000 pound truck!
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But the fuel economy would be *epic*  :p
 
grashley said:
First, nobody ever complained about having too much truck to pull the camper!
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he may not complain then....... but what about the other 350 days that year when he still has to make a diesel truck payment, 
 
TonyDtorch said:
he may not complain then....... but what about the other 350 days that year when he still has to make a diesel truck payment,  just to drop the kids at school and go to work.
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My deisel cost me $10 k more than my 1500 i get 2x the mileage when towing, injectors typically go after about 150,000 miles my 6.2  gas wont last that long it will need a very expensive rebuild by then. I change my oil when the truck tells me too on the oil monitor. If your that worried about costs just stay home its cheaper.
 
and it's obviously well worth it for you.....but, 10 grand is a lot of money to some of us po'folks.... ;)
 
Could buy a lower mileage used motor with warranty
For that the injectors will cost without labor .
 
TonyDtorch said:
and it's obviously well worth it for you.....but, 10 grand is a lot of money to some of us po'folks.... ;)
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Sorry your missing the point in the short term yes is more expensive granted but in the long run its cheaper the 10k is for the extra cost of a diesel but with cheaper fuel costs in the summer for diesel when i do 99% of my towing over the life time of the truck lets say 10 yrs my gas gas jobber will need a total rebiuld $7k with the cheaper fuel and better mileage i will save $4000 thats an 11k saving - rough costs i know but you get the idea
 
ok but in the short term cost factor....

I'll bet the $10,000.00 truck savings..... will just about pay for that trailer he wants.
 
steveblonde said:
Sorry your missing the point in the short term yes is more expensive granted but in the long run its cheaper the 10k is for the extra cost of a diesel but with cheaper fuel costs in the summer for diesel when i do 99% of my towing over the life time of the truck lets say 10 yrs my gas gas jobber will need a total rebiuld $7k with the cheaper fuel and better mileage i will save $4000 thats an 11k saving - rough costs i know but you get the idea
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. Pay 10k extra for the truck then pay 2-3 times more for each oil change , then factor in fuel filters every other oil change , then factor in added cost of diesel fuel and yes I know it's not always more expensive but typically . Who told you your gas truck would need a total rebuild in ten years ? Maybe on a carbed small block 85 Chevy pickup . For your average joe towing a travel trailer to the lake once a month 6 months out of the year it's not remotely possible to equal out the added costs of a diesel truck vs gas . You just have to convince yourself it's worth the added cost and to you it is . let's not forget the cost of  the DEF you've got to add to any of your newest diesels.
 
and when you think about it an average new Ram diesel truck costs about $50k +/-  ......

then you still need a trailer....

or,  ...you can buy a nice older high end diesel pusher motorhome for about the same cost of just the truck.

after all, ....we all know that diesels will go for a million miles and the maintenance is not that much more..  right?
 
Campingnut16 said:
. Pay 10k extra for the truck then pay 2-3 times more for each oil change , then factor in fuel filters every other oil change , then factor in added cost of diesel fuel and yes I know it's not always more expensive but typically . Who told you your gas truck would need a total rebuild in ten years ? Maybe on a carbed small block 85 Chevy pickup . For your average joe towing a travel trailer to the lake once a month 6 months out of the year it's not remotely possible to equal out the added costs of a diesel truck vs gas . You just have to convince yourself it's worth the added cost and to you it is . let's not forget the cost of  the DEF you've got to add to any of your newest diesels.
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Wow are you missinformed oil change on my 1500 $69.00 cdn on my diesel $79.99 fuel filter ive used 1 in 3 yrs and 60,000 miles cost $15.00 def $14.00 every 2 months i own both 2010 6.2l 1500 and 2013 3500 diesel 2011 5.3l yukon
 
TonyDtorch said:
and when you think about it an average new Ram diesel truck costs about $50k +/-  ......

then you still need a trailer....

or,  ...you can buy a nice older high end diesel pusher motorhome for about the same cost of the truck.
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looked a 2016 Ram 3500 dually LOADED $100,000 cdn the other day thats sticker even knowning who i know $88,000 out the door gas jobby is only 8% less if you cant afford to play with 8% thats less the tax rate in some states you need to re-evaluate your priorities
 
steveblonde said:
Wow are you missinformed oil change on my 1500 $69.00 cdn on my diesel $79.99 fuel filter ive used 1 in 3 yrs and 60,000 miles cost $15.00 def $14.00 every 2 months i own both 2010 6.2l 1500 and 2013 3500 diesel 2011 5.3l yukon
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misinformed ? This is what I do for a living . If you're paying 70 dollars to change your oil in your gas pickup you're getting bent over stiff. If you've only changed your fuel filter once in 3 years you might want to start doing that more often 60,000 on a gas vehicle but no way Jose on diesel.
 
Campingnut16 said:
misinformed ? This is what I do for a living . If you're paying 70 dollars to change your oil in your gas pickup you're getting bent over stiff. If you've only changed your fuel filter once in 3 years you might want to start doing that more often 60,000 on a gas vehicle but no way Jose on diesel.
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Nope only use 100% synthetic Mobil 1 on my 1500.  Rotella T6 or Mobil 1 Delvac  on my 3500 my computor tells me when to change oil / fuel filters and ive been doing this for 30 yrs i am the area sales manager for Canada largest parts dealer and i pay Canadian prices which is 30% exchange right now thus the higher costs so no im not "getting bent over stiff"
 
steveblonde said:
Nope only use 100% synthetic Mobil 1 on my 1500.  Rotella T6 or Mobil 1 Delvac  on my 3500 my computor tells me when to change oil / fuel filters and ive been doing this for 30 yrs i am the area sales manager for Canada largest parts dealer and i pay Canadian prices which is 30% exchange right now thus the higher costs so no im not "getting bent over stiff"
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I would really rather not get into an argument over something so silly on the Internet to someone I do not know from Adam. I appreciate your opinion and I do know everything in Canada is much more expensive I had a friend who played minor league baseball up there . I am glad you're happy with what you've purchased. Anyways sorry to the original poster didn't mean to get things side tracked .
 
Getting back to my original dillemma over vehicle choice, I think maybe I just get an inexpensive commuter car.  I want 4WD though because my steep driveway will be hell in the winter.
  That will give me until next Spring to save and decide on a truck.

Actually, if I can rent a truck next summer for towing a trailer that would be the best.  That way, I can see how I like RVing before sinking the big bucks into it.
I'm going to look into that.  I appreciate all the inputs.  This has been great. :D
 
I'm late to this discussion, but I'll echo others and suggest a 3/4 ton..... if it's in your budget and so forth....

As others have said, some 1/2 tons have good capacity, but the added safety is worth something.

I once towed a heavy gooseneck with a 3/4 ton that was near its limit, then switched to a 1 ton dually.  I didn't need that 3500 on paper, but oh what a difference in comfort and safety it made!

Also, about buying a truck before the trailer....
don't just assume that because a pickup has towing package form teh factory, that it is geared to have a good weight capacity.  My silverado had served me well for my 18ft boat and my little pup trailer, but when I set out shopping for a larger TT and looked closely at my rear end gearing and capacities, I learned that I couldn't tow much of a TT at all with it!
 
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