What fuel mileage do you get in your 3/4 or 1 ton diesel? Which brand is best?

[jk96]

..........For me the extra cost up front and cost of maintenance (oil changes alone are $250) is paid for in peace of mind.

Wow - what all are you having done for an oil change to run $250? My 2012 cummins oil/filter runs $79.00 at our local Chrysler dealer.

 

[zing]

Wow - what all are you having done for an oil change to run $250? My 2012 cummins oil/filter runs $79.00 at our local Chrysler dealer.

Done at a local shop, not a dealership. Canadian prices are usually higher than American for pretty much everything, but this is about how it would add up.

- 18 litres of synthetic oil @ $10 per liter is $180
- filter @ $25 (just a guess, have no idea really)
- 1/2 hour labour at $55 per hour is about $28 (tires are rotated too)
- plus some tax

How the heck do you get oil, fliter, labour, and tax for $80 at a dealership? I am jealous!

 

[dodge man]

I see a lot of MPG numbers being thrown around. I owned a 2004 with a Cummins and it was suppose to be a year that got good mileage. I never saw close to 20 mpg. I've seen people throw out 17 mpg highway and 13 mpg around town. I would say those are realistic numbers for a modern diesel no matter the make.

 

[STx]

Done at a local shop, not a dealership. Canadian prices are usually higher than American for pretty much everything, but this is about how it would add up.

- 18 litres of synthetic oil @ $10 per liter is $180
- filter @ $25 (just a guess, have no idea really)
- 1/2 hour labour at $55 per hour is about $28 (tires are rotated too)
- plus some tax

How the heck do you get oil, fliter, labour, and tax for $80 at a dealership? I am jealous!

I change my own oil and it costs me almost $100. I use synthetic though at $20/gal (4 gallons) and the filter is about $10. I'm changing it on 7500 mile intervals, based on my Blackstone Labs oil analysis.

 

[milligjg]

03 2500HD 4X4 Crew Cab:thumbsup: Duramax gets 19+ and 14+ pulling the boat

 

[QueBota]

I probably posted to this before but here we go anyway. 2001.5 Dodge 2500, Cummins HO with 6 speed, stage II BD injectors and and Edge EZ box and BHAF (Big Honkin Air Filter), very mild mods.

Approx 125K miles since mods installed, average to date solid 18 mpg, all miles, running Michelin LTX 285/75/R16.

On the highway, keeping it under 70 mph, 24 mpg is obtainable depending on terrain and wind. I have gotten close to 28 under ideal conditions and around 16 running into a strong headwind, making boost running downhill, all hand calculated, the overhead is optimistic from the factory, totally confused by the injectors and the Edge EZ.

Truck weighs approx. 7800 lbs with me and one passenger and a half tank of fuel. Dyno says 850 lb/ft of torque and 350 hp at the rear wheels. My only complaint, at 16 years and around 140k, all the Dodge truck stuff is failing, drive train should run well after I'm gone.

Truck pulls hard, 40 mph to 80 mph in 4th or 5th to 6th gear, making about 36 pounds of boost, doesn't feel like it weighs 7800, I don't do it often but sure puts a smile on your face when you let her run like that; however, shows over at about 2400 RPM, after that your just spinning the engine.

On the plus side in granny low, 4 low, very little throttle, it pulls like a freight train. I have pulled some folks out of ditches that I thought wouldn't budge, low RPM torque and a heavy duty recovery strap, works very well, can't complain.

Q

 

[LD1]

Wow, $250 for an oil change is a bit high IMO.

I do my 5.9L cummins. 3 gallons of rotella T6 is ~$75 Napa gold filter is ~$10. $10/litre is crazy high oil.....even $20/gal is crazy high.

AS to MPG.....mine is a 05 dodge DRW (long wheel base quad cab long bed), and 4wd. Trip computer always reads 10% high.

Shortly after getting the truck, which was used with 70k miles, we made a road trip. ~180 miles down the interstate....filled up at the truckstop right by the onramp. Destination was 1/2 mile off the freeway. Came home and filled up as soon as we got off the freeway again. Cruise set at 73mph both trips.

Trip computer showed 21.3. Hand figured showed 18.6.

Doing other hand calcs at lower MPG's towing and all......it is spot-on 10% too high. While just driving around the rural roads....it shows 17-18 pretty easy. So real world 15-16.

Towing my 12-13k GN with 8 tires on the ground....computer shows 11-12. So real world 10-11

 

[Farmer495]

In 10-15yrs, you'd be very very lucky to find someone who can even drive a stick.

When I bought my 7.3 used I was specifically looking for a manual trans, there were next to no used manual trucks unless I wanted a 2wd cab & chassis. That was looking at an era of trucks that could be commonly bought in a manual versus like 0.5% of new HD pickups today. guy I bought it from had a hard time selling a 6-speed, everyone wanted an auto. If I bought a NEW pickup I'd be torn on getting a RAM just for the 6-speed or thinking more "big picture" for future.

 

[Code54]

Wow - what all are you having done for an oil change to run $250? My 2012 cummins oil/filter runs $79.00 at our local Chrysler dealer.

$89 at the local Dodge dealer everyday

 

[Diamondpilot]

My oil changes on my Ford's are $100 if done myself.

4 gallons of oil @ $20 per gallon and the filter is $20. I change the air filter every 15K and the Fuel filters every 30K

 

[Diamondpilot]

Best MPG truck I have owned is my current 06 F350. It averages at 17 MPG after 145,000 miles. I get a bottle 13 to 15 towing and best tank ever was 23.7 all highway. It's a SRW 4x4 6L short bed with a tuner.

 

[Tomtint]

I had a couple 06 4x4 F350 6.0s , one was a reg cab other was a crew. Both had tuners, they averaged 16.5 and on long hi way runs I could get 19.5 My 2012 F350 6.7 4x4 DRW got 13.5

 

[jk96]

Done at a local shop, not a dealership. Canadian prices are usually higher than American for pretty much everything, but this is about how it would add up.

- 18 litres of synthetic oil @ $10 per liter is $180
- filter @ $25 (just a guess, have no idea really)
- 1/2 hour labour at $55 per hour is about $28 (tires are rotated too)
- plus some tax

How the heck do you get oil, fliter, labour, and tax for $80 at a dealership? I am jealous!

I am not running synthetic.

11 Qts plus filter $54.10.
Labor - $21.95
Tax - $4.58
Total - $80.63

 

[dclynch]

I have a 2015 F250 crew cab 6.75' box Gas 6.2L I hand calculate every tank. Up until I hit 20,000 miles I was getting between 11 and 12 MPG. Towing around 10,000 lbs 9 MPG After the truck hit 20,000 miles I have been averaging 13 -14 MPG this is also towing a lite trailer and my mule every week end up to the property. Towing heavy I am seeing 11 MPG. Just recently I picked up a friends tractor and hauled it to my house which was about 300 miles round trip of course going the trailer was empty and I am not sure what an old Ford 4100 weighs and I was on 2 lane roads where max speed was 55 - 60 and I got 13.1 MPG. I for one just don't see the benefit of a diesel for the extra expense. If I was towing heavy every day then yes a diesel would be my choice.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have a 2015 F250 crew cab 6.75' box Gas 6.2L I hand calculate every tank. Up until I hit 20,000 miles I was getting between 11 and 12 MPG. Towing around 10,000 lbs 9 MPG After the truck hit 20,000 miles I have been averaging 13 -14 MPG this is also towing a lite trailer and my mule every week end up to the property. Towing heavy I am seeing 11 MPG. Just recently I picked up a friends tractor and hauled it to my house which was about 300 miles round trip of course going the trailer was empty and I am not sure what an old Ford 4100 weighs and I was on 2 lane roads where max speed was 55 - 60 and I got 13.1 MPG. I for one just don't see the benefit of a diesel for the extra expense. If I was towing heavy every day then yes a diesel would be my choice.

I agree. After 2007 I have refused to buy a diesel.

Chris

 

[jk96]

I agree. After 2007 I have refused to buy a diesel.

Chris

You must have owned the same 6.0 diesel that I did. Although I'm still driving a diesel due to the load sizes that I haul.

 

[Diamondpilot]

You must have owned the same 6.0 diesel that I did. Although I'm still driving a diesel due to the load sizes that I haul.

Actually, I have had 2 6.0's, a 04 and a 06. Both SRW 4x4 3.73 gears. Only issue with both and about 200,000 miles of total miles was a bad fuel gauge on the 06.

I have about a dozen friends with them. EGR valves and a few other items is all. Not a one has had a head gasket or any of the other stories.

I have had 4 diesels. A 99 Ford F350 7.3, a 04 Ford F250 6.0, a 05 GMC 3500 Dmax 6.6, and my current 06 Ford F350.
Only problem child was the Dmax.

 

[showcattle]

2005 Dodge Quad cab, short bed here. I average 15-16 around town. Drove it straight to Columbus and back one time (300 miles), never exceeded 70 mph, and averaged 20.1 mpg, hand calculated. Drove it to the beach in North Carolina, running 80-85 mph a lot, averaged 18.9. In the winter, it'll drop to 13-14.

 

[bspeedy]

When I bought my 7.3 used I was specifically looking for a manual trans, there were next to no used manual trucks unless I wanted a 2wd cab & chassis. That was looking at an era of trucks that could be commonly bought in a manual versus like 0.5% of new HD pickups today. guy I bought it from had a hard time selling a 6-speed, everyone wanted an auto. If I bought a NEW pickup I'd be torn on getting a RAM just for the 6-speed or thinking more "big picture" for future.

Same here. My 7.3 crew cab long bed 6 speed is a rare bird.

For guys like me, a six speed would appeal far more than an autobox. Automatic transmissions are frustrating to me for some reason. I will be one of those few people looking for a manual pickup second hand if my F250 lets me down.

I actually was surprised the first time I ever saw an automatic pickup as a youngster. Just thought all pickups had standard trans and AM radio and no air conditioning... What else was Dad not telling me???

 

[Farmer495]

Same here. My 7.3 crew cab long bed 6 speed is a rare bird.

For guys like me, a six speed would appeal far more than an autobox. Automatic transmissions are frustrating to me for some reason. I will be one of those few people looking for a manual pickup second hand if my F250 lets me down.

I actually was surprised the first time I ever saw an automatic pickup as a youngster. Just thought all pickups had standard trans and AM radio and no air conditioning... What else was Dad not telling me???

Mine is crew cab short box, wanted the 8 footer, but 6-speed was more important. Got the manual transfer case too

Hard enough parking this one, 8 foot crew would be two parking spots instead of 1.5 lol.

8 footer got the bigger fuel tank as well....that would be nice.