Diesel truck with best MPG

[crashz]

I wonder what the OP decided on?

Now that I have a beater car, I sometimes think I might have made a mistake by not getting a diesel. My gas 2500HD does everything I want, but mileage is dismal (12mpg best, 7 mpg worst). The power is good, but a moderate towing load (~7000lbs) is noticeable. You really need to plan your trip around fuel stops. And here in the northeast, you can't just pull a trailer through some gas stations. If I had to do that everyday, needed a higher total GCWR and put up with being cut-off by every fool out on the road, I'd quickly trade up too.

But reading the diesel threads keeps me from buyers remorse. I just can't justify or accept a possible injector swap for $6K or high pressure fuel pump replacement. And it appears all of the light trucks are affected by the poor fuel quality. For weekend warrior use, that's not an option. For commercial use that could be very different.

It seems to me that members opinions and suggestions are based a lot upon their own circumstances (like I just did). When a poster is looking for some advice, they are steered into a direction based upon somebody else's needs and then the mud starts flying. Half of this thread is about diesel cars, hypermilage, and VW Rabbit trucks. The OP is looking for a tow rig that drives daily and tows 7000lbs for half of its total miles. Kind of funny.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I wonder what the OP decided on?

Now that I have a beater car, I sometimes think I might have made a mistake by not getting a diesel. My gas 2500HD does everything I want, but mileage is dismal (12mpg best, 7 mpg worst). The power is good, but a moderate towing load (~7000lbs) is noticeable. You really need to plan your trip around fuel stops. And here in the northeast, you can't just pull a trailer through some gas stations. If I had to do that everyday, needed a higher total GCWR and put up with being cut-off by every fool out on the road, I'd quickly trade up too.

But reading the diesel threads keeps me from buyers remorse. I just can't justify or accept a possible injector swap for $6K or high pressure fuel pump replacement. And it appears all of the light trucks are affected by the poor fuel quality. For weekend warrior use, that's not an option. For commercial use that could be very different.

It seems to me that members opinions and suggestions are based a lot upon their own circumstances (like I just did). When a poster is looking for some advice, they are steered into a direction based upon somebody else's needs and then the mud starts flying. Half of this thread is about diesel cars, hypermilage, and VW Rabbit trucks. The OP is looking for a tow rig that drives daily and tows 7000lbs for half of its total miles. Kind of funny.

We had our company Christmas dinner last night. I sat with our mechanic. We have about 250 pickups on the road. We drove 3 million miles last year. The fleet is now mostlt all 2011 and 2014 GM 3500 SRW Dmax 4x4 and GM 1/2 ton 5.3 trucks.

We have 1 Dodge Cummins about 30 Ford F150's and about 30 F450 and F550's.

Anyway he said he spent 1/4 million dollars in unscheduled maintenance. He said the biggest chunk was on diesels, u joints, and bearings.

He said gas trucks averaged $200 per year and diesel trucks 10 times that amount.

Chris

 

[dodge man]

DP, of course you realize what you posted has no basis. Maybe the gas trucks are used like cars, maybe the diesels tow heavy or are always hauling a load. How are they used? Was your mechanics assement based on hard numbers that were computed out or based on his seat of the pants estimate? Look on the bright side, you've got one Cummins to help tow that fleet of Fords home.

 

[Loadstar]

DP, of course you realize what you posted has no basis. Maybe the gas trucks are used like cars, maybe the diesels tow heavy or are always hauling a load. How are they used? Was your mechanics assement based on hard numbers that were computed out or based on his seat of the pants estimate? Look on the bright side, you've got one Cummins to help tow that fleet of Fords home.

Probably a reason they only have one dodge. It gets too expensive giving everyone a tetanus shot.

 

[Diamondpilot]

DP, of course you realize what you posted has no basis. Maybe the gas trucks are used like cars, maybe the diesels tow heavy or are always hauling a load. How are they used? Was your mechanics assement based on hard numbers that were computed out or based on his seat of the pants estimate? Look on the bright side, you've got one Cummins to help tow that fleet of Fords home.

You are correct, the gas trucks are used different than the diesels. The heavy towing is left to the 450 and 550 trucks.

Hate to say it but there is a reason we have only one Dodge. My boss and I go round and round about Ford's and GM's but we agree on one brand.

Chris

 

[jix]

DP, of course you realize what you posted has no basis. Maybe the gas trucks are used like cars, maybe the diesels tow heavy or are always hauling a load. How are they used? Was your mechanics assement based on hard numbers that were computed out or based on his seat of the pants estimate? Look on the bright side, you've got one Cummins to help tow that fleet of Fords home.

Heh heh. Agreed

 

[jix]

My buddy has a '97 HD ram with a cummins 6.7 model before the fluid exhaust cleaners came out. He burns biodiesel. Sez he gets 33 mpg on hwy running empty with a stick shift tranny. but he has big bills for the fuel system breakdowns. Not saving any money with high maint costs figgered in.

 

[roadhunter]

You are correct, the gas trucks are used different than the diesels. The heavy towing is left to the 450 and 550 trucks.

Hate to say it but there is a reason we have only one Dodge. My boss and I go round and round about Ford's and GM's but we agree on one brand.

Chris

Yea the Cummins reputation is just terrible compared to the Ford and GM diesels. Oh wait. I'm thinking of Ford diesels with the bad reputation. Ford has by far the worst reputation for diesel trucks period. Cummins is at the opposite end of the spectrum with a proven track record of dependable and reliable engines in all kinds of equipment. Been that way for decades. Amazing how out of whack your views are compared to reality.

 

[zoedog2012]

Too bad we can't get a Cummins engine in a Ford body; best of both worlds!

 

[Loadstar]

Yea the Cummins reputation is just terrible compared to the Ford and GM diesels. Oh wait. I'm thinking of Ford diesels with the bad reputation. Ford has by far the worst reputation for diesel trucks period. Cummins is at the opposite end of the spectrum with a proven track record of dependable and reliable engines in all kinds of equipment. Been that way for decades. Amazing how out of whack your views are compared to reality.

Engine only get you so far when the rest of it falls apart around it. Worked on all three makers pre emissions trucks. They all have problems. Yes the mighty cummins has problems also. The only out of whack views are biased ones that believe there is "no problems to see here"