Looking for some truck advice, please

Jessie

Jessie

US Veteran
Joined
Aug 5, 2013
Messages
8,865
Reaction score
15,211
Location
Virginia
My better half has given me the nudge to get a new truck.
I currently have a 2002 C1500 which I bought new and has been a great truck. 2 problems, its not a 4x4 and we have a 26' trailer we would like to start using again and it will eat my truck up in the hills and mountains.
I pulled it from Ky. To Va. When we moved and it wasn't fun.
I've narrowed it down to a 1 or 2 year old C2500 or an F250, 4x4. I could go either way depending on price, cond., etc.
I can't decide on deisel or gas. The trailer is very occasional use so not an over riding factor.
Any advice from those who know?
Thanks
 
Register to hide this ad
I had an F250 diesel for a few years. it cant be beat for hauling, but if its only occasional id say gas for sure.

though they've improved, theres this slight hesitation that I didn't care for.

I want instant throttle response driving in the big city. getting cut off by a-holes was drivin me nuts.

not to mention higher fuel costs
 
Jessie said:
I can't decide on deisel or gas. The trailer is very occasional use so not an over riding factor.
Thanks
Click to expand...

I'd vote gas then based on the very occasional trailer use. Since you're looking at 1-2 year old used trucks, the gas motors will have more torque and HP than the diesels of 15 years ago and the modern diesels with their emission controls don't get the great mileage that will get you any kind of return on the extra money you have to pay up front for them.
 
A few years back GM switched over their engines to direct injection and active fuel management (cylinder deactivation). I have no idea if those will be long term pluses or minuses with reliability, that may be worth thinking about.
 
Jessie said:
5k to 10k / yr
500 to 1000 / yr
As long as possible...10-15 yrs
Click to expand...

The mileage numbers would lean toward one of the gas offerings, your longevity goal towards the diesel. :D


On the used market, expect to pay about $5000-7500 more for the diesel version of the same truck. Resale value will be higher, but the gap will shrink as depreciation takes its toll.


Out of warranty expenses and repairs will also likely be higher with the oil-burner, though they may be less frequent in occurrence.


If you need (want!) the extra power for those times when you will be towing, diesel is the obvious, if more expensive, choice. If bottom-line dollars are more important, a gas engine may be the way to go.
 
Gas vs. Diesel: The Bad Investment Only Fleet Managers Know About - Article - Government Fleet



A widely quoted 2013 study comparing the total cost of ownership (TCO) between gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute concludes that owners of diesel vehicles enjoy a cost advantage over owners of gasoline vehicles. However, the study was heavily slanted toward diesel automobiles from Volkswagen and Mercedes and only covered the first three to five years of ownership, when diesel resale values enjoy a decidedly higher advantage. The study's conclusions for trucks include the following:

"Vehicles in the medium-size pickup segment have a mixed picture of TCO in the three-year timeframe. The Chevrolet Silverado 2500 saves the owner $3,673 more than the owner of the gas-powered version of the vehicle and the GMC Sierra 2500 owner saves $2,720. The Dodge Ram diesel owner saves only $67 more than the owner of the gas-powered version. The F-250 diesel owner pays an estimated $1,395 more than the owner of the gas-powered version," the study stated.

It should be noted that this study compared vehicle costs operated by ­consumers rather than vehicles operated in commercial/­fleet related service.

Another well-known and often-quoted source of vehicle cost data is Vincentric. In a 2012 study comparing gasoline vs. diesel vehicles, the company found: "When all costs to own and operate a diesel were taken into account, the average cost of ownership for diesels was $1,203 more than their all-gasoline-powered counterparts, with results assuming an annual mileage of 15,000 over five years."

These findings were largely unchanged in the company's follow-on study in 2014.




If I needed a truck for the tasks you described, I would be hard-pressed to look past the excellent 6.0l (Chevy) and 6.2l (Ford) gas engines.
 
Last edited:
As much as I love diesels, and have owned a couple of them in my life (most recently an F350), I have to agree with what others have said. Although the diesel is far superior, IMHO, for a heavy workload, the additional costs associated with it don't really wash if you're only going to be occasionally working it. I don't know how it is where you are, but here in north Texas, diesel is nearly the same price as gas, and for a little while, was actually cheaper. However, since I no longer pull anything or haul anything much more than will fit in a U-Haul trailer, I have gone to an F150 Crew Cab with a small V8 gas engine. I sure miss my F350, though, but it was simply waaaay more truck than I needed.
 
Last edited:
A 3/4 ton truck is never a bad choice for a tow vehicle but don't ignore a 1/2 ton. With your 26' camper I would assume a loaded (gross) weight of 6,000-7,000 pounds, well within the abilities of a 1/2 ton.

I tow a 35' 9,000 pound travel trailer with my F-150 4X4 supercrew. It's equipped with the 3.5 ecoboost V-6 and max tow package. It's rated to tow 11,100 pounds with approx. 1850 pound cargo carrying capacity. The V-6 pulls with ease and will accelerate up a 4 degree hill while towing the trailer. Your 26' camper will not strain it.

The 5.0 V-8 in the newer trucks has the same or nearly the same tow rating. The difference in performance is that the ecoboost makes it's max torque at 2,000 RPM while the 5.0 needs 4,000 RPM to max out torque. (I previously owned a 5.0 supercrew and towed with it.) In real life the ecoboost will accomplist at 2,500 RPM what the 5.0 needs 4,000 RPM to duplicate. It's not that the 5.0 is bad, the 3.5 is just very good.

To be completely honest, If I were towing my camper in the hills out west, I would go with a diesel. For those I encounter in northern Arkansas it's just fine.
 
I have owned both. Ford and Chevy in diesel and both were/are expensive to maintain and run. With my current Chevy, the DEF system has been the Achilles heal (thanks EPA for costing me $3500!) and finally had the system deleted. Since you are not towing that often, I would probably get a 3/4 ton gasser.
 
If money were no object I would get a Toyota even though I don't like the looks of them, Ford would be a close second. I am currently in the market for a two year old truck for my business and Dodge are much cheaper on the used market around here. Several friends have Dodges and seem to be quite pleased with them and their reliability apparently is improved over the last decade. One friend claims his Hemi gets over 20 mpg on trips fully loaded and I have seen 2014 Rams with under 40K miles for around $17K on Autotrader and a Ford/Toyota would be WAY higher than that.
 
Any of the big three will work, each having advantages and disadvantages. I would go try each out and see what you personally like best. Right now, GM is offering some killer rebates.

For what it's worth, a C2500 is two wheel drive, and you said you wanted 4x4, so you need to look at K2500's.

Diesel has advantages and disadvantages. Disadvantages are they cost more initially, need DEF and typically, the fuel is higher than gas. They will also take longer to warm up in the winter and use more oil since they hold 8 to 10 quarts. The advantages are they get better mileage, especially when towing, tow far better since they have much more torque and now have exhaust assisted braking, and maintain their resale value better than gas.

On the topic of DEF (Diesel Emission Fluid), it needs to be added periodically, about every 8,000 miles, but the cost is relatively low, running around $15 for 2 gallons at Wal-mart to as little as $3 at truck stops (semi trucks also use it).

Going to a 3/4 ton vehicle also has the advantage of being able to handle a larger trailer, should you decide to upgrade. For that very reason, I would consider going with a one ton, single rear wheel model. They typically aren't much more in cost but have more carrying and towing capacity. Remember though that capacities are effected by the type of truck body and bed. For example, an extended cab 2 wheel drive short bed will be rated higher than an crew cab 4x4 long bed, simply because the extra weight is counted towards the total carrying capacity of the truck. That's another reason why, if you are going to get a 4x4 with either extended cab or crew cab, I'd consider a 1 ton single rear wheel over a 3/4.

I've been a member of the diesel truck world since 2006, towing a large 5th wheel from as far east as Maine and as far west as Alaska, and I moderate on a GM diesel truck forum, so if you have any questions, let me know either here or via PM and I'll try get answers for you.
 
My suggestions may be a little outdated. I have a 2004 GMC Sierra 2500HD with the DuraMax diesel. I currently have just shy of 230,000 miles on it. Normally, I average about 16 mpg with local driving, and about 18 mpg highway, whether I am towing or not. Operational costs have been low, provided that the fuel costs are reasonable.

Repair costs haven't been a major issue, but they are starting to appear. To date, I have had to replace:
1. Two instrument clusters (under warranty)
2. Two idler pulleys
3. 3 sets of front hub bearings
4. The brake lines two years ago
5. Currently in to have the fuel lines replaced, they recently rotted out.

Other than the normal replacement of brake linings, shocks, and fuel filters, my truck hasn't been a burden.

I don't know how the new gas trucks are, but I understand that the manufacturers have done away with the screw on gas caps on the diesels, which I don't like. If I were to replace this truck, I would most likely lean towards the gas models, since the diesel premium of about $8000 is beyond my budget on disability and pension.
 
Thanks for all the replies. As usual, I'm learning alot.
I'm leaning towards the gas engine. Haven't decided on make, but I want an extended or crew with the short bed.
It's fun looking, up to a point.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
Four years sure flew by...
Replies
6
Views
979
Capt Steve
C
T
Karma on the highway
2
Replies
34
Views
2K
lawandorder
lawandorder
LVSteve
Reflections on a road trip to Reno
Replies
8
Views
811
CH4
CH4
walkin jack
Childhood memories
2 3
Replies
40
Views
2K
pmanton
pmanton
Nevada Ed
I hate it when a plan falls apart.
Replies
2
Views
460
Old 44 Guy
O

Latest posts

Back
Top