2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD gas vs. diesel?

[deezler]

Hay dude, obviously you need a diesel. You ton crazy loads almost daily. Most of us aren't like you.

OP was talking about buying a truck as a daily driver, and plow truck, in northern ohio where there are no mountains whatsoever. Maybe a couple modest river valleys over east of Cleveland.

Occasionally towing 10-15k is no sweat with a new gas HD pickup. The 6.6L "L8T" has over 400 lbf-ft of torque from below 2000 rpm to over 5000 rpm and GM finally has a smart transmission behind it. It will get pretty decent mpg in daily use and yes, single digits when towing heavy. No big deal.

I certainly get the appeal of a diesel HD pickup, as a do anything tool with huge capability when needed. But you pay a huge premium to buy it, fuel it (incl DEF), maintain it, etc. And as a daily driver... I would sure cringe every time I needed to take a short trip without warming it up all the way. Not to mention they are heavy, noisy, temperamental, and noxious. I was a diesel-head for a long time myself, but there's just no reason to choose one anymore unless you tow heavy on a near-daily basis.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Of course when a vehicle is expensed or written off for business, it can't be compared to personal use. A diesel truck you can totally write off on your taxes, and then still enjoy the good money you get by selling it off the books! It almost feels wrong!

 

[nikerret]

Well I’m towing more than 25,000 pounds, but not 20,000 miles per year and diesel is still my only option. Show me where gas works. I don’t think it must be over 25,000 pounds AND over 20,000 miles per year to justify diesel. And that’s only the hay I haul.
If I load a farm tractor and 15’ bush hog on my 35’ trailer, I will be beyond gas towing capability, too.

Not every end user fits into your perfect world formula.

Another consideration is resale. The gas guys will tell you ”$8,000 more for a diesel truck” and that is true. However, look at resale value. Used diesel trucks sell for thousands more than gas trucks. In fact, once you hit 200,000 miles, gas trucks are approaching worthless compared to diesel trucks. I would diesel ends up getting you $3,000+ back on trade in. So it’s more like a $5,000 option when it’s all done.

Diesel trucks are NOT for everyone, but neither are gas trucks.

Check my post, again. Here us the list I provided:


“-Towing around 20k, or more, often.
-You run almost exclusively highway miles with nearly zero trips being less than ten miles.
-The vehicle will be driven at extremely high altitudes, nearly all of the time.
or
-You want a diesel and can afford the mishaps and downtime.”

The part you are referring to, where I said, “Again, if you’re towing 25k and driving more than 20k miles, per year, I’m not talking to you“ is saying that if both of those things apply, the diesel is the obvious way to go.

My post isn’t a “you have to do it this way, or that”. It’s a guide based on my research and experiences. Provided for free, from someone you don’t know. I don’t care what people buy. Participation, in forums, is what gives them value. We don’t have to agree, but please, read what I posted, not what you think I posted.

As far as resale, you are right. The diesels still command more, at resale. What you didn’t mention is the cost of ownership, while you have the vehicle. With just scheduled maintenance, the diesel will cost more (how much is widely variable) to run. Some of that may be negated by the better fuel economy of the diesel, but it’s unlikely unless you keep the truck for hundreds of thousands of miles and never have a major issue.

The catch-all is always, if you can afford it, buy what you want. I took the OP as inquiring about needs, not wants, and wrote my post accordingly. After all, if he is properly informed and wants a diesel, that’s what he should get.

No matter the situation, no truck will be the best at everything, all of the time.

 

[Username Taken]

Before you go out and buy a diesel, be advised -- They are not popular with certain types. Certain mindsets that have power in goobermint right now.

The costs added onto a diesel in the form of exhaust treatments are already massive. And they're not all that well engineered so the cost of repairing them is frightening. Removing them is becoming more and more difficult. Virtually impossible.

OTOH, I've known people that have put 500,000 miles on their stock systems without a problem. But they've done that over a period of just a few years. We don't know how well that 'engineering' is gonna hold up over time.

One example of how those in power now dislike diesels.... If your DEF system goes haywire, the ECM can, and will, put you in Limp Mode (5 MPH in 3rd gear). And in doesn't care where you are..... In Deliverance Appalachia, the middle of the desert, downtown New Yawk on a Sunday Morning.... Don't matter.

Contrast that with Karen's Toyota Camry that loses an 02 sensor. She gets a light. No Limp Mode, just a light. Catalytic converter? No problem, drive it til you can't anymore. A new diesel? You're going into Limp Mode, punk!! We're gonna shut you DOWN!!! I think diesel fumes have a bad reaction with thongs.

There's things going on behind the scenes. The 'people' (I use the term advisedly) at EPA seriously dislike diesels. In fact, they had a meeting back in January mapping out plans on how to crack down even more on people with diesels. Diesel truck forums know about it. In fact, it's not a bad idea to join one if you're considering buying one.

Depending on your personality (some might say 'character') you might want to reconsider getting a diesel for that reason alone.

Me? Makes me want to run out and buy another one sooner rather than later. When the day comes that I can't outsmart a goobermint agency..... I'm just gonna quit.

I am not alone ---

Diesel Sales Up 28% in 2020 Boosting Truck Segment Fuel Economy

5 of top 10 fastest growing alternative technology vehicles in 2020 in U.S. are diesel-powered...

www.globenewswire.com

DIESELS RULE!!!!!

 

[4570Man]

Yes diesel pulls better, but no, there are scenarios where you will save with a diesel even part time towing. Like I said before depends on miles driven.

I deliver about 1200 tons of hay per year. My Cummins is rated to tow about 35,000lbs . If I had opted for the gas version, it would tow about 22,000lbs.
Each trip takes 4 hours.
Gas would take 109 trips to deliver the same as the diesel can do in 67 trips. Those 32 additional trips is another 128 man hours or 16 additional days per year. That’s 3 work weeks spent delivering instead of cutting or baling.

I won’t even get into fuel economy, but just for starters, I’m at 12.7MPG all stop & go driving and all the above towing. Truck isn’t broken in yet, so I expect it to be closer to 15.
Gas would be lucky to be 8.

The way I pencil it, I’m making money on a diesel in a 3-4 years

Most people on here aren’t towing everyday or even every weekend. Most people will never save money with a diesel and it’s a status symbol or because they wanted to. And most people on here aren’t driving trucks with more than 4 wheels so the tow capacity is pretty much a moot point. But yea if you’re buying a 5500 to haul often a diesel makes more sense. And I don’t like my gas trucks. I buy them because they’re cheap and they get the job done. My Kodiak thar I paid $2500 for has been a real workhorse and done a lot of work. A $60,000 diesel truck can’t come close to that value. If all I was ever doing was towing heavy I’d buy a single axel semi with a M11 Cummins or similar for like $5,000 but yes I know you didn’t want that option.

 

[5030]

Before you go out and buy a diesel, be advised -- They are not popular with certain types. Certain mindsets that have power in goobermint right now.

The costs added onto a diesel in the form of exhaust treatments are already massive. And they're not all that well engineered so the cost of repairing them is frightening. Removing them is becoming more and more difficult. Virtually impossible.

OTOH, I've known people that have put 500,000 miles on their stock systems without a problem. But they've done that over a period of just a few years. We don't know how well that 'engineering' is gonna hold up over time.

One example of how those in power now dislike diesels.... If your DEF system goes haywire, the ECM can, and will, put you in Limp Mode (5 MPH in 3rd gear). And in doesn't care where you are..... In Deliverance Appalachia, the middle of the desert, downtown New Yawk on a Sunday Morning.... Don't matter.

Contrast that with Karen's Toyota Camry that loses an 02 sensor. She gets a light. No Limp Mode, just a light. Catalytic converter? No problem, drive it til you can't anymore. A new diesel? You're going into Limp Mode, punk!! We're gonna shut you DOWN!!! I think diesel fumes have a bad reaction with thongs.

There's things going on behind the scenes. The 'people' (I use the term advisedly) at EPA seriously dislike diesels. In fact, they had a meeting back in January mapping out plans on how to crack down even more on people with diesels. Diesel truck forums know about it. In fact, it's not a bad idea to join one if you're considering buying one.

Depending on your personality (some might say 'character') you might want to reconsider getting a diesel for that reason alone.

Me? Makes me want to run out and buy another one sooner rather than later. When the day comes that I can't outsmart a goobermint agency..... I'm just gonna quit.

I am not alone ---

Diesel Sales Up 28% in 2020 Boosting Truck Segment Fuel Economy

5 of top 10 fastest growing alternative technology vehicles in 2020 in U.S. are diesel-powered...

www.globenewswire.com

DIESELS RULE!!!!!

When it's over close to 5 bucks a gallon (and it will be soon enough), then come back and revisit your comment. Should be 'Diesels will rule your wallet' as in empty it.

 

[Username Taken]

Used HD gassers are a dime-a-dozen everywhere you go. Everywhere, on every used car lot, every buy-here, pay-here redneck express car lot in the world.

And they still can't give them away.

Construction Companies bought cheby 2500's with the Vortech 6.0 by the dozen for Foremen to cruise from site to site. So did Cities, Counties and States. Go to a goobermint auction and you'll see a bunch of them. Drive down to Miami along 27th street where all the junk sits waiting to be shipped to South America on the rat-infested barges siting there and you'll see even more. The same can be said for Super Duty's and Rams (not quite as much, though).

If you need a HD truck, get an HD engine. Otherwise, what's the point?

The new F-150 3.5L EcoBeast makes 500 lb-ft of torque, which is substantially more than any of the HD gassers. So, why even bother??

If I don't get another Cummins (the War Department hates it [which is good reasson to keep it]) I'll get an F-150 with a 3.5L EB. They are seriously bad to the bone.

And I forgot to ask..... Does the cheby HD come with a ten speed transmission these days? The Fords do. And teh 7.3L Godzilla engine is pretty badazz for a pushrod motor. A step backwards for Ford, tobe sure. But they did it so it would fit in all those Van Bodies they use for Class C Motorhomes. And they use a ton of them. A pushrod engine is more narrow and the 6.2L OHC was getting long in the tooth anyway

 

[nikerret]

Used HD gassers are a dime-a-dozen everywhere you go. Everywhere, on every used car lot, every buy-here, pay-here redneck express car lot in the world.

And they still can't give them away.

It’s amazing how regional things can be. I had to drive five hours, each way, to get the gas engine truck I wanted. Finding any gas engine HD truck, in my area is very tough and has been for several years.

As far as the Ford 3.5 EB. Yes, it’s an amazing work of technology. No, it won’t beat an engine currently used in the HD lineups. More power? Sure. Put 15k behind it and it won’t last as long as the HD offerings.

One thing, maybe the only thing, we can all agree on is that there are a lot of very good choices.

 

[nikerret]

And gasoline will be that much cheaper? I don't think so. And $65 a bbl for oil isn't that bad at all. Especially considering who's running things these days.

Right now, diesel is only $0.20 more than 87 octane E10 gasoline. Not a big spread. Of course, those numbers can change.

 

[ruffdog]

The new 6.6L gasser has 11% more HP and 22% more torque than the old 6.0L gasser. It also is running a iron block instead of the aluminum of the 6.0 engine. From what I read, it is a sweet engine and much improved over the old 6.0 engine. The OP has a good idea of what the 6.0 gas can do and what a diesel can do. I think he was just wondering if the new 6.6 gas is a big enough improvement to meet his needs.