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Buying a truck gas vs diesel

Eqwhipped

Eqwhipped

Whiskey is the flower of my people.
Joined
Aug 16, 2020
Messages
2,258
Like the title says I'm trying to figure out if I should get a gas or diesel truck the primary purpose will be hauling a family camper and occasionally doing heavy hauling for yard work.

I've owned several half ton and quarter ton pickups in the gas segment. I am now looking to upgrade to a heavier duty one ton pickup and would like to hear your thoughts on which one I should buy.
 
What type of camper and weight? So 6.2 liter engine vs diesel? Too many variables, especially if it will be a daily driver.
 
Well, you said "truck", and "heavy hauling" so it has to be a Ford. Chevy is for taking a girl to the prom.

My grandson has the F350 diesel and it's a nice truck, I just don't like the price of fuel.20220306_141606.jpg
 
tone-ny said:
What type of camper and weight? So 6.2 liter engine vs diesel? Too many variables, especially if it will be a daily driver.
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Camper is currently at or below 7k fully loaded with water and gear it's a older 25ft Dutchman. But could be hauling a 30ft if I was pulling the parents camper.

Engine size:
Depending on manufacturer 250 - 350 to 2500 - 3500 GMC, Chevy, Ram or Ford gasser are as small as 5.7l and as big as the Ford Godzilla 7.3l

There are a lot of configurations available. But I'm looking for one ton trucks non-dualy.

It will not be a daily driver, only used for camper and utility purposes.
 
Before you even think about buying a new diesel, make sure there is a truck stop that has DEF relatively close. No trucks stops around here that have it at the pump. To buy in store if they even have it it is $16.50 for 2.5 gallons vs $3-4/gal at the pump.
 
Gas a minimum of 6.2 , as for diesel it will depend on usage/mileage. Initial price of a gas version vs diesel would go into your equation. Remember diesel maintenance is higher than gas. Tuners are available for both engine types that can help with fuel economy.
 
All good bits of advice, def is available nearby. Most used vehicles I have looked at have the EGR system deleted so no DEF required.

I heard about maintenance costing more, oil changes, injectors and the DEF system.

Are there any downsides to a giant gas engine? Lower torque, or fuel economy a big deal?
 
Eqwhipped said:
All good bits of advice, def is available nearby. Most used vehicles I have looked at have the EGR system deleted so no DEF required.

I heard about maintenance costing more, oil changes, injectors and the DEF system.

Are there any downsides to a giant gas engine? Lower torque, or fuel economy a big deal?
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I would be cautious of any vehicle that has had their DEF system deleted. Law enforcement across the country has been cracking down on that hard. If you ever have to get your vehicle inspected or get pulled over and caught with a delete. It is a huge fine.
 
PaulTra said:
I would be cautious of any vehicle that has had their DEF system deleted. Law enforcement across the country has been cracking down on that hard. If you ever have to get your vehicle inspected or get pulled over and caught with a delete. It is a huge fine.
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Michigan does not require emission testing, this is the first I have heard of being fined for def delete, but it makes sense. I guess I have more to think about now especially if we go out west. That would really put a damper on the trip if we got pulled over and fined for that.
 
CigarStone said:
Well, you said "truck", and "heavy hauling" so it has to be a Ford. Chevy is for taking a girl to the prom.

My grandson has the F350 diesel and it's a nice truck, I just don't like the price of fuel.View attachment 61403
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Good answer. I have a question. I have owned both a Chevy Diesel Blazer (7.0) and a Ford Excursion Diesel. The fuel was more expensive but the mileage was better so I always thought diesel was a better outcome. (I also had Gas Bronco's and Ford Expeditions). One thing I did notice living in Connecticut was in the winter months, as they lived outside) plugging in the engine heater my electric bill went up by about $60 a month.
 
Saxon9075 said:
Good answer. I have a question. I have owned both a Chevy Diesel Blazer (7.0) and a Ford Excursion Diesel. The fuel was more expensive but the mileage was better so I always thought diesel was a better outcome. (I also had Gas Bronco's and Ford Expeditions). One thing I did notice living in Connecticut was in the winter months, as they lived outside) plugging in the engine heater my electric bill went up by about $60 a month.
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It's so hard to accurately estimate hwat a particular item does to your bill because there are so many variables. I wouldn't think that a low wattage heater like they use would do that?

Call your electric company and ask if they have a device that will tell you exactly how much something uses, I have one and it's handy. You program it to what you pay per KWH and they plug it into the wall, and plug your heater into it. It will tell you exactly how much it will cost per day/week/month, etc.
 
CigarStone said:
It's so hard to accurately estimate hwat a particular item does to your bill because there are so many variables. I wouldn't think that a low wattage heater like they use would do that?

Call your electric company and ask if they have a device that will tell you exactly how much something uses, I have one and it's handy. You program it to what you pay per KWH and they plug it into the wall, and plug your heater into it. It will tell you exactly how much it will cost per day/week/month, etc.
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Thanks, when I retired I handed in the Excursion. We had some other issues with them (such as the State not buying real diesel so we had to buy commercially and it killed the budget.). If I did not plug it in, it was difficult to start in the winter (maybe the fuel was the problem).
 
Eqwhipped said:
New to the family, here she is boys.
2007 Chevy 3500 Duramax 189xxx mile's young
Top trim line, un-molested and the year before the put DEF in them.
View attachment 62451
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Looks like a nice truck! I bet you couldn’t touch anything like that new nowadays for less than what, 80-90k?

Truck prices are insane. I lease just to keep the payment down a bit, but I might buy the current lease when it comes off in a couple years depending on the market. Or if we are done camping, might move away from the pickup altogether.
 
2K6TBSS said:
Nice looking sled! We are currently looking at a 2002 Chevy 2500HD with the 8.2 gas engine and the Allison Trans.
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Just about everyone agrees that the Allison trans is the best you can get. As for the powerplant, I'm not sure I'm gaining much from diesel other than resale value and longevity. 8.2 is a monster! Hope you get what you are looking for.
{tpc} said:
Looks like a nice truck! I bet you couldn’t touch anything like that new nowadays for less than what, 80-90k?

Truck prices are insane. I lease just to keep the payment down a bit, but I might buy the current lease when it comes off in a couple years depending on the market. Or if we are done camping, might move away from the pickup altogether.
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As it stands we gave a little more than 20k for this truck. We briefly looked at new trucks and decided a new house payment would be less. Then you still have to insure it!

We already used this truck to pull our camper and the difference is just incredible. I feel so much more comfortable on the highway. We barely noticed the camper behind the truck.
 
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