Gas vs diesel pickup, routine and non-routine maintenance costs

[Back2PA]

In the motorhome arena it's generally acknowledged that both routine and non-routine maintenance costs are substantially higher for diesel vs gas rigs. Considering a switch to a fiver and wondering if the same holds true for pickups.

I'd be interested in feedback from those that have owned diesel pickups long term, and those that have owned both gas and diesel pickups long term, comparing both routine costs and non-routine (for example, the diesel has a turbo so that's obviously a large potential non-routine item)

I'd also be interested in typical MPG numbers for towing and not towing for diesel and for V10 gas, long distance freeway driving.
Thx

 

[Rob&Deryl]

In the motorhome arena it's generally acknowledged that both routine and non-routine maintenance costs are substantially higher for diesel vs gas rigs. Considering a switch to a fiver and wondering if the same holds true for pickups.

I'd be interested in feedback from those that have owned diesel pickups long term, and those that have owned both gas and diesel pickups long term, comparing both routine costs and non-routine (for example, the diesel has a turbo so that's obviously a large potential non-routine item)

I'd also be interested in typical MPG numbers for towing and not towing for diesel and for V10 gas, long distance freeway driving.
Thx

Just FYI, the Ford Ecoboost gas engine has a turbo too.

On the diesel, the routine service is more but the intervals are larger.

 

[Back2PA]

Just FYI, the Ford Ecoboost gas engine has a turbo too.

Yes, sorry, forgot about that. I'd probably be looking pre-2012

 

[donniedu]

Gas vs diesel 1500 2500 3500 wars have raged for as long as the forums have been up.  The bottom line is really simple.
GET THE CORRECT VEHICLE FOR THE JOB AT HAND!
Struggling with an under powered gas motor trying to pull a too big trailer is just plane stupid.  The same holds true for maintenance.  A class 8 truck will obviously require far more maintenance than a Prius.  But can a Prius pull 80,000 pounds?  Heck no!  You really need to decide what YOU want and then pick an appropriate tow vehicle, one that safely handle the load regardless of maintenance costs.  If your not willing to do that, then maybe you need to look at another hobby.

 

[Back2PA]

Gas vs diesel 1500 2500 3500 wars have raged for as long as the forums have been up.  The bottom line is really simple.
GET THE CORRECT VEHICLE FOR THE JOB AT HAND!
Struggling with an under powered gas motor trying to pull a too big trailer is just plane stupid.  The same holds true for maintenance.  A class 8 truck will obviously require far more maintenance than a Prius.  But can a Prius pull 80,000 pounds?  Heck no!  You really need to decide what YOU want and then pick an appropriate tow vehicle, one that safely handle the load regardless of maintenance costs.  If your not willing to do that, then maybe you need to look at another hobby.

With due respect, I get it - I wasn't exactly asking if I could pull a fiver with an F150. There are a substantial number of people, many on this forum, pulling fivers with V10s and the numbers easily work. In fact, in some cases the V10 has better numbers. It is therefore a perfectly reasonable question, assuming the trucks in question are both rated for the job and therefore appropriate tow vehicles, to ask which costs more to maintain routinely.

 

[ksbowman]

I have a gas Dodge 2500 for the farm and I have a Dodge 2500 diesel that I use to pull our 5th wheel. The power difference is like day and night and the cubic inch displacement is almost the same. The diesel is much more suited for pulling the 5th wheel.

 

[triplethreat]

Some real world numbers.....2016 F350 4x4 Dually CrewCab 6.7 diesel with 3.73 rearend.  Around town....aprrox. 14-15 mpg.  Highway/interstate not towing and running 70 mph....about 17-17.5 mpg....I live in TN, so hilly/mountains.  Towing a 35', 12.5' height Toy Hauler that is usually at 12.5K lbs....and again, a lot of hilly mountain terrain....9.5-10 mpg...and that's running 65-67 mph.  My previous truck, which was a F250 CrewCab 4x4 diesel (6.7) and a 3.31 rearend, could get almost 20 on flat ground not towing and running about 70 mph.  Towing was 10.5 on the interstate and running 65-67 mph.  So the Dually is a little less mpg, but it's a heavier truck and the rearend is 3.73  vs. the 3.31 in the F250.

 

[Back2PA]

Some real world numbers.....

Perfect, thanks.


Close but a bit better than I had guessed by a couple MPG.

 

[triplethreat]

Not sure how much this affects the mileage but my previous truck..the 2011 F250 6.7 had a published rating of 400 HP and 800 ft. lbs of torque.  The 2016 engine has 440 HP and 860 ft. lbs of torque.  So between the more power thing, the heavier truck, and the 3.73 rated......the Dually is a bit lower on mpg.

 

[steveblonde]

Xrated is right on the money and great numbers.my 17  dually actually gets better mileage than my 13 duramax srw but thats because of  2 reasons one is the diesels today are more fuel efficient than even 3 or4 years ago and the other reason as xrated eluded to is the gear ratio my 17 has a 3.55 my 13 was 3.73

 

[steveblonde]

Xrated is right on the money and great numbers.my 17  dually actually gets better mileage than my 13 duramax srw but thats because of  2 reasons one is the diesels today are more fuel efficient than even 3 or4 years ago and the other reason as xrated eluded to is the gear ratio my 17 has a 3.55 my 13 was 3.73

My 08 duramax with same rear end as my 13 but a dually was 8 mpg lol what a pig it was lol

 

[Back2PA]

My 08 duramax with same rear end as my 13 but a dually was 8 mpg lol what a pig it was lol

Wait. You?re saying your 2008 diesel got 8mpg?!

 

[steveblonde]

Wait. You?re saying your 2008 diesel got 8mpg?!

Yep it was the first year of the new generaton diesels with the def tanks 07s werebgetting 22mpg then the new cleaner engine was introduced lol what a joke. I traded the 08 for a 2010 6.2l gas it was such a pig. I then bought a 2013 diesel and kept the 2010 for pulling the boat and used the 13 for pulling tge 5thvwheel i have now which i got in 15
Good 06 or 07 duramaxs in good shape if you can find one are worth thier weight in gold. But try finding a 10 yr old truck here in canada that isnt beat to ****

 

[Back2PA]

Good 06 or 07 duramaxs in good shape if you can find one are worth thier weight in gold.

There are several for sale that look decent, but that's the 6.0L right? Isn't that the engine that everyone says stay away from or spend $4K to "bulletproof"?

Edit: I'm noting these seem to be Powerstrokes. The towing guide only shows a single displacement diesel, was the Duramax an optional engine of the same displacement?

 

[steveblonde]

There are several for sale that look decent, but that's the 6.0L right? Isn't that the engine that everyone says stay away from or spend $4K to "bulletproof"?

Edit: I'm noting these seem to be Powerstrokes. The towing guide only shows a single displacement diesel, was the Duramax an optional engine of the same displacement?

6.0 l is powerstroke 6.6l is duramax

 

[Back2PA]

6.0 l is powerstroke 6.6l is duramax

Hmmmm 6.6L isn't even listed in towing guide  ???

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

What towing guide and what year?  GMC and Chevy pick-ups offer a 6.0L gas engine but the Duramax diesel has always been 6.6L. Trailer Life lists it as "6.6L TDV8" (TD=TurboDiesel). GMC and Chevy Tow Guides show it as "6.6L V8 Diesel"

 

[Back2PA]

What towing guide and what year?  GMC and Chevy pick-ups offer a 6.0L gas engine but the Duramax diesel is 6.6L. Trailer Life lists it as "6.6L TDV8" (TD=TurboDiesel). GMC and Chevy Tow Guides show it as "6.6L V8 Diesel"

Ah. As I mentioned I was focusing on the Ford guide initially just to understand the numbers. That would explain why it isn't listed.

 

[Grandpa Ron]

The saying "You can never have too much truck"  is correct.

You can however have "A more expensive to maintain truck than you need". 

Some folks like plenty of power and ability in reserve, regardless of cost. Other folk just want something that will get the job done.

Neither is wrong, it is a personal preference.

Be safe 

 

[Back2PA]

The saying "You can never have too much truck"  is correct.
You can however have "A more expensive to maintain truck than you need". 
Some folks like plenty of power and ability in reserve, regardless of cost. Other folk just want something that will get the job done.
Neither is wrong, it is a personal preference.

My thoughts exactly, hence all the questions. Would a gee wiz latest crew cab dually be ideal? Yup. Are there gas (and diesel) trucks out there that will legally and safely do the job that many are using, at 1/4-1/3 the price? Yup

My previous coach was a 40' Bounder powered by a 460 Ford - great engine but I don't think anyone would argue it wasn't underpowered. There are many in the "gotta be a dually" crowd that would have probably said I was endangering myself and the world driving that rig. Did it climb the hills a little slower? Yes. Was it dangerous? No.

I'm trying to educate myself as to the best truck that will likely spend most of its life as a grocery getter and med-long distance (non-towing) transportation vehicle, while still needing to be legal and safe for occasionally moving a fiver a few thousand miles.

If I can find one that I don't have to replace two more tires, doesn't have a turbo, doesn't use DEF, uses easier to find fuel and a shop to work on it, and isn't temperamental in occasional 10F weather, that seems like the way to go. However, it's a bit of a unicorn hunt so we'll just see how it goes. I appreciate the input that I'm not nuts for just asking the questions. "Knowledge is power."