diesel or gas ?

[cowsrus]

Currently have a 6.7 L Dodge 3/4 T truck and i love it, but it's only a 2wd and i want to trade it for a 4wd. Can't decide on a gas or diesel rig. Diesel is so much higher at the pump besides costing about $7000 or more initially. Thought about a half ton for mileage, but i think i would be sorry if i did. I only occasionally pull a stock trailer about 30 miles to the sale barn. I'm just wondering whether the increased mpg for the diesel would be worth the extra costs involved. I don;t really know what the mpg is for a 3/4 T gas, but i'm getting 18-23 in my 6.7.

 

[Anonymous]

Newer diesels get about the same milage as the gassers. Maint is higher on the diesels. But engine life is still higher with diesels vs gassers. Comes down to personal choice and pocket book

 

[hillrancher]

Why buy diesel anynore? Int. cost more , fuel higher, repairs more, service more and heavier tire wear more.

 

[Angus Cowman]

Newer diesels get about the same milage as the gassers. Maint is higher on the diesels. But engine life is still higher with diesels vs gassers. Comes down to personal choice and pocket book

I wouldn't bet on that anymore Hook
I have seen several of the newer diesels that are wore out and junk at 100,000 miles especially in one brand
I have had several late model gas trucks go 250,000 miles with no problems while I had them and don't know how many more milesthe guys I sold them to drove them
and these trucks were worked everyday
back to the OP
if that is all your doing with a truck you are CRAZY for buying a diesel over a gas truck
it takes alot of miles and alot fuel to make up the cost difference of a deisel over the mileage of a gas rig

90% of the people that own diesel pickups don't need them or use them enough to justify owning them

 

[cowsrus]

if that is all your doing with a truck you are CRAZY for buying a diesel over a gas truck
it takes alot of miles and alot fuel to make up the cost difference of a deisel over the mileage of a gas rig

90% of the people that own diesel pickups don't need them or use them enough to justify owning them

Kinda what i've been thinking, and i've got two of em

 

[dun]

I've gotta agree with AC. My diesel doesn;t get used as much as it used to, most of the time it just sits for months at a time. I've been thinking of getting rid of the diesel and the small truck and just going with a full size that I can still pull with occasiaonlly and save on insurance over the cost of 2 trucks.

 

[hillbilly beef man]

Gotta agree with AC on this one too. Unless you are using it daily a diesel is not worth the money in my book. Any of the new gas ¾ will get around 15mpg vs 17-20 mpg for a diesel. When you factor in the extra initial purchase cost and the extra .60 to .90 cents a gallon you are going to pay for fuel, it is very hard justify a diesel financially. Figure in repair costs and you are going to have an even harder time. Case in point, had to put my company medium duty Duramax in the shop, came out with a $7,200 repair bill. I about croaked when I signed the receipt. They have since switched over to Ford V10s. The reason they gave us was the much lower repair costs; $7,200 would get you a new engine and transmission on about any gas rig.

 

[Jim62]

I have a Dodge 3/4 ton 4x4 with the hemi engine. I do real good to get 13 mpg out of it, and I don't know how anyone could drive it more efficiently than I do. Been planning to take it in and see it something needs to be reprogrammed or something. On the TV, they advertise "up to 20 mpg". I'd really like to see someone do that. Must have some real long downhill driving........

That being said, I still think I'm coming out ahead of the Cummins I replaced with diesel usually about .90 more than gas. I figured I could sacrifice about 4 mpg and still be ahead.

 

[cowsrus]

How do you think a 1/2 T with a v8 and beefed up suspension would work for occasionaly pulling ? You would get better mpg.

 

[tncattle]

If you are not pulling heavy loads then forget the diesel but if you start pulling over 10K lbs. that diesel will beat the gasser every time. I have 2004 3/4 Dodge with 5.9 Cummins and it pulls real good and gets good MPG. I bought it used and it wasn't used for anything except driving, never pulled anything but a light fishing boat every once in awhile. You can find good used diesels for 1/2 the price of a new one. The thing with heavy pulling is the gas engine has to work so hard and that ole diesel is just built for it. But again if you're not pulling real heavy and not very often then go with the gasser.

 

[bigbull338]

How do you think a 1/2 T with a v8 and beefed up suspension would work for occasionaly pulling ? You would get better mpg.

a heavyduty f150 4x4 would fit your needs nicely.an it will pull up to a 24ft gooseneck stock or flatbed.as i know a guy that does almost daily.the diesel engines are heavy enough that they will stick a 4x4 because of their weight.your better off going with a 4x4 gaser.

 

[gimpyrancher]

I have a gas car for daily travels. I have a 2500HD 4x4, LB/CC, Diesel that is used when I tow or need to pick up supplies. Don't tow with my high MPG car and used a real truck for any trucking needs with one truck. I bought a $50,000+ used 2 yo truck that drives like a luxury vehicle for $25,000 out the door.

If you need to drive a truck daily and need to conserve fuel costs, buy a small engine truck for mileage and a real truck for heavy duty needs.

On the property, I don't drive my truck or car. I have a Polaris Ranger so I can jump the truck when I need her. Researching changing to an electric farm vehicle for daily use next time around. Solar charge it for free. :hide:

 

[adrianglock]

Is it cheaper to just buy a new 4wd vehicle that converting it from 2wd to 4wd? I just wanted to ask these questions coz I'm also planning to have my truck replaced with 4x4 configuration.

 

[saltbranch]

How do you think a 1/2 T with a v8 and beefed up suspension would work for occasionaly pulling ? You would get better mpg.

Thats what I did, was running 1 ton Dodge Diesels.Have got to where I dont need/tow heavy anymore. Sold my gooseneck trailers, down to 1 bumper pull trailer, I figure heaviest load I will pull now is may 7k to the sale barn 20 miles away. Going to put Timbren overloads and big tanny cooler on it next week. Already have the brake controller installed. Run it till its time for the junk yard

 

[Bigfoot]

Get the gas burner. One good repair bill on the diesel would buy you a new engine for the gas burner, not to mention the $7000 you'll save the day you buy it.

 

[JSCATTLE]

Doesn't this go along with the thread about what size trailer to buy ? If I remember I was told that a 40 foot float was to much for a 3500 dodge . In my opinion that s not near as bad as putting a 24 ft gooseneck stock trailer with 12 1100 pound cows in it behind a f150 gas rig . There isn't any comparison in torque from gas to diesel . That's sorta like buying a 60 horse tractor to pull a baler . Sure you can do it but a 100 horse never even knows the baler is back there and the smaller one stays bowed up the whole time . Which one is gonna wear out faster ?

 

[Angus Cowman]

Doesn't this go along with the thread about what size trailer to buy ? If I remember I was told that a 40 foot float was to much for a 3500 dodge . In my opinion that s not near as bad as putting a 24 ft gooseneck stock trailer with 12 1100 pound cows in it behind a f150 gas rig . There isn't any comparison in torque from gas to diesel . That's sorta like buying a 60 horse tractor to pull a baler . Sure you can do it but a 100 horse never even knows the baler is back there and the smaller one stays bowed up the whole time . Which one is gonna wear out faster ?

I agree with you 100% on this statement
we always used the rule of thumb
1/2ton ==16ft trailer
3/4ton==20ft trailer maybe 24 for occasional hauling

24ft -28ft trailer =1ton
alot of this also depends on your terrain flat country you could get by with a little more trailer
also the 1/2tons these days are built with light suspension so they ride like cars instead of trucks and therfore don't handle trailers worth a crap

 

[JSCATTLE]

Doesn't this go along with the thread about what size trailer to buy ? If I remember I was told that a 40 foot float was to much for a 3500 dodge . In my opinion that s not near as bad as putting a 24 ft gooseneck stock trailer with 12 1100 pound cows in it behind a f150 gas rig . There isn't any comparison in torque from gas to diesel . That's sorta like buying a 60 horse tractor to pull a baler . Sure you can do it but a 100 horse never even knows the baler is back there and the smaller one stays bowed up the whole time . Which one is gonna wear out faster ?

I agree with you 100% on this statement
we always used the rule of thumb
1/2ton ==16ft trailer
3/4ton==20ft trailer maybe 24 for occasional hauling

24ft -28ft trailer =1ton
alot of this also depends on your terrain flat country you could get by with a little more trailer
also the 1/2tons these days are built with light suspension so they ride like cars instead of trucks and therfore don't handle trailers worth a crap

A half ton today isn't the same as a half ton of 20 years ago . Like you said everything is made to ride like a car .

 

[saltbranch]

I dont get how the length of the trailer determines the size of the truck to pull it.Spent many yrs pulling 40' trailer on 1 ton duallies Dodge and Ford hauling commercial loads, went into scales in alot of states with no issues. Down here you will see several hotshot rigs hauling 15-16k up and down the road all the time.
The 1/2 tons today have far more rated capacity towing and cargo than trucks built 10 yrs prior.

 

[dun]

I dont get how the length of the trailer determines the size of the truck to pull it.Spent many yrs pulling 40' trailer on 1 ton duallies Dodge and Ford hauling commercial loads, went into scales in alot of states with no issues. Down here you will see several hotshot rigs hauling 15-16k up and down the road all the time.
The 1/2 tons today have far more rated capacity towing and cargo than trucks built 10 yrs prior.

I think the old ROT for length has to do with the expected load. On flat land you can get by with a lot less truck then you can on the long steep hills around here.