A diesel or not a diesel? That is the question.

[Ameyryan]

Through discussions on my previous threads, I have narrowed my build down to a truck as opposed to a Subaru Crosstrek or Jeep Wrangler (see Which one?). But here’s my next question...

Should I go diesel or not?

We intended to purchase a 3/4 ton pickup with the diesel option, most likely GM, for towing reasons. We would like to have a 5th wheel travel camper for some family trips and a diesel would pull this much easier. But, I know that the suspension on a truck that size is much stiffer which is not as comfortable on off-road situations.
Our other consideration has been a 1/2 ton truck and just purchasing a bumper pull travel trailer instead.

What are your thoughts?

 

[leeloo]

if you buy used go for the petrol. Will you do may miles , long trips ? if so you will get a significant better fuel economy in diesel if fuel price is a factor.
In europe we have mostly diesels, so I know a lot about them. But I can tell you the models, after 2009 , because of the complexity of emissions control system, if the vehicle is older or has some miles on it, can lead to reliability issues. They need a lot of preventive work done and keep an eye on the engine constantly.

 

[4wheelspulling]

Ameyryan,
I have not followed your thoughts in your other posts. But here are my thoughts after my uses and life experience. I love my full-size diesel truck, I can camp in style and comfort with my pop top Alaskan Camper. It’s old but works great, IF I CAN FIT. But, I do go on trails, that would not be the best with my pickup. Sure you could, but why mess it up? So, I also have my Jeep XJ, for wheeling too. Cheap to wheel, cheap when you need parts, fits down the trails better. I need a truck to use as a truck. I have my Jeep to wheel.

Most diesel trucks do not wheel as well as gas trucks because of the weight of the diesel motor up front. My diesel Chevy was great, as a 4x4, my Dodge Cummins, not as much. But start towing anything and you are glad to have a diesel truck doing the work. Right now, it would be hard to have only one vehicle to drive and use. Even with the 3 vehicles I have right now, if I had to go to one because of where I live and my life style, it would be my Dodge Cummins truck and camper. Vance.

 

[Road]

I have a 3/4 ton GMC Savana (cargo van) with a 1-ton rear end, 6.6 Duramax diesel, and Xtra Duty Class V Trailer Hitch .

I've run diesel engines since the late 80's in both passenger vehicles and vans, and wouldn't go back to a gasser if I was paid to. Far less maintenance hassles, and much more durable, dependable, and long-lasting in my experience. My previous diesel van had over 500,000 miles on it when I retired it, more from body starting to go to hell than anything mechanical.

My current diesel van has 410,000 miles on it. The last mechanic I let work on it--a great mechanic with great diesel experience at Archie's (Terlingua Auto Service) on the border who did some maintenance work--was super-impressed at how well it runs, sounds, and that it is over ten years old. I don't really do anything special to it other than regular maintenance.

Even with my longer wheelbase and almost 10,000# GVW and towing an off-road trailer with a 3275# GVW, with both loaded I still get an avg 17mpg fuel economy. Around 21mpg without the trailer, even still loaded and heavy.

Heavier duty frame and more rugged suspension, you bet, all stock--though I do have Bilsteins--and it really hasn't bothered me a bit off-road and backcountry. A lot will depend on what you're used to for ride, what you're willing to do, and what your end goals are. It works wonderfully for me. I think a lot of folks new to full-sized trucks are so used to their passenger vehicles that they want their trucks to ride and handle the same.

You might really enjoy the extra capacity and towing ability of a 3/4 or 1 ton truck. Might be a 1/2 ton would do it. Though if you're gonna tow much of any trailer, I personally would go with bigger and with diesel.

If interested in more about backcountry trailer life you can find a ton of info and images on my insta:

 

[Road]

if you buy used go for the petrol. Will you do may miles , long trips ? if so you will get a significant better fuel economy in diesel if fuel price is a factor.
In europe we have mostly diesels, so I know a lot about them. But I can tell you the models, after 2009 , because of the complexity of emissions control system, if the vehicle is older or has some miles on it, can lead to reliability issues. They need a lot of preventive work done and keep an eye on the engine constantly.

One of the main reasons I kept my 2008 Duramax diesel is that it was one of the last years that doesn't use DEF. They are so much simpler and easier to deal with, though they are far better in glow plug time and reliability than they used to be in even older models. I never have to plug mine in, even in long cold Maine winters.

 

[stoney126]

If you end up going full size diesel I'd look at 1 ton. My 3/4 ton 03 7.3 superduty payload was surprisingly low. Had a life in camper and put me very close to to exceeding the gvwr and that was empty. It may differ in later years .

I second finding something with no dpf or the need def fluid.

 

[MidOH]

How often do you plan to tow? How heavy of trailer?

The gas 6.2 and gas 7.3 Ford engines are pretty tough. And a whole lot cheaper and simpler. I have no interest, at all, in towing more than 7000#. So a gas F250 was obviously the best choice. Generally, I recommend to avoid the diesels at all cost, unless you absolutely require them due to huge trailers or an F550 with a huge box or something. With correct rear end gears, the better gas engines tow fine. But yeah, if your strictly a GM guy, you're stuck with a diesel. My GM gas 6.0l trucks were dogs.

I'd also take a longer look at Dodge and Ford trucks for this kind of travel.

I prefer TT''s because of my adventurous style. I need bed space with a TT, or a utility trailer with a slide in camper, for kayaks, bikes, motorcycles, etc.etc. A 5'er eats up your bed space and is generally designed to be a towable house, not an adventurous mileage eating machine.

Ourdoors Rv, and the Grand Design Imagine trailers seem quite nice. I think I'll go slide in camper with a Bundutec hardside instead.

 

[Billiebob]

I have friends who have had diesel pickups since the 1990s, 5 of them have switched to gas over the past 4 years. The new diesels are not worth the trouble. Some of them sat at the dealers for a month waiting for proper diagnosis. Buy a 10 year old diesel if you must have diesel.

One of those guys owns a trucking company. He bought a new Dodge, traded it after v6 months for a new Chev, left the Chev at the dealers waiting to get fixed and bought a new Ford.... within a year he bought a new Chevy gas pickup and has not looked back.

No matter what you buy, if you need to tow, spec it to tow.

 

[Jeremiah Johnson]

I agree with avoiding DEF but I fully support getting a diesel. 5th wheels are heavy. Diesel gets the superior fuel mileage and range over similar capability gassers every time. For me I got tired of getting to the high mountain lake and having to buy their expensive gas, or bring my own in jugs. Since I've gone primarily diesel I can get into the mountains and setup camp, explore all week and come home with fuel to spare. For what it's worth I'm referring to extremely rough roads and not any real form of crawling or wheeling, but with two very different diesels (an 04 F350, and a 15 JGC ecodiesel) our speed and comfort was similar on the same nasty chunk of road. I would gladly take either vehicle again, but I would need to bring a lot of gas if I were to take our JGC Hemi or this tired old 4Runner.