Diesel Pusher vs. gas

[KarenS144]

We don't have a lot of experience with our new to us DP but in the short time we've had her, we've decided that a DP wins hands down over a gasser.

We had a short G'town gasser for 3 1/2 years and made 2 4 & 6 week trips and many many shorter trips. The heat & noise from the engine, the doghouse hump, the white knuckle handling, the rough ride and getting blown around by trucks are something we do not miss.

Did we really NEED a DP for what we do? Probably not but we were looking for comfort as well as being able to get from point A to B or C or ???

[Triker56]

The gas MH will have a gas Generator.
The Diesel MH will have a Diesel Generator.

The Diesel MH will get better MPG and even with Diesel fuel being a higher price.
Cost per mile will be cheaper. And that savings will help on the extra maintenance cost. 10 MPG is a good average on a 2000 ISB.

With the Discovery you can join Discovery Owners and have a lot of help for any problems that come up and many hints & tips on the ownership.

Doing your own maintenance on a diesel is no more difficult then a gas'er. Just a few more filters.

PDF Brochure 2000 37V or 37G Discovery
Around 6K of CC

PDF Brochure 2003 Itasca Suncruiser
CC ?

[PushedAround]

One thing about a DP - they're quiet. Going down the road, you're in the front & the engine is in the back. When you're sleeping, you're in the back & the generator is in the front.

[Tha_Rooster]

It boils down to what is the power, quite and ride worth to you? My main advise to everyone is test drive the difference.

[jenandjon]

I am currently shopping. I want a dp but gassers are way cheaper. My budget is 30k. Of course that is going to get me a older one. I have no problem getting a cummins engine with 100k + miles and drive across the country without a care in the world.

But.I can get a comparable gasser for 10 to 15k with under 50,000 miles. However thats a 15 yr old engine that has been sitting around ALOT.

I know everything will brake down sometime. I think the diesel is more dependable. I have a diesel pickup. There is no comparison to a gas. According to my research it will be the same for a mh. dp should be more superior to a gasser.

Now I have to convince my wife with little mechanical knowledge. She cant understand why we need to spend 30 on a diesel when we can get a nice gas for 10-15.

[myshaggydog]

First, have you test driven the 3 units. I am sure it will be hard to not enjoy the ride in a DP vs. a gas unit. DP's can have higher mileage vs. a gasser and really should have no effect on your decision to buy a DP. High mileage on a gasser can be a deal breaker i/m/h/o. However, the DP s/b exercised monthly if at all possible and should have at least 4-5 thousand miles driven a year as a ball park figure for estimation figures. Next, are you buying the rig for weekend trips and a two week vacation per year? If so a gasser maybe the way to go . If you are fulltiming and plan to travel around a lot then the DP is the way to go. Best of luck and these are just my opinions when I was buying our Motorhome. Although storage and other factors were important in our decision as well.

Sorry I just read your last comment, be sure to take your wife on the test drives. That may change her mind. Again Best of luck.

[Uncle Dave]

Originally Posted by NYtravelers

Is there any benefit to a gas engine over a Diesel Pusher ?

we have found 3 RV's two are Diesel Pushers


two are 2000 Discovery 37-V diesel pushers which are basically the same one with 47000 and the other with 59000 miles and lots of extras both around $35K


the third a Itasca with a gas engine in mint condition,

2003 Itasca Suncruiser with 48000 miles and also loaded also about $35K




all 3 with two slides and the works, all about the same pricing and mileage although the two pushers are a little longer


Any thoughts and or pros and cons of the pushers vs gas

After having owned both these are my truths.

For the gasser-

1. In an all gasoline environment - i.e. motor homing with dirt bikes, quads, sand cars etc.. and other gasoline powered devices it is more convenient to deal with one fuel source and a gasser motorhome tends to work as well for less money making it better.

2.Older Gassers are cheap and can be souped up with aftermarket parts fairly easily. Brodix heads, cam , gear vendor overdrive etc. Brake kits.


For the diesel-

1. For efficiency, power /torque, ride, stopping, and carry capacity, lower maintenance frequency & long term operating costs, resale value.

When not having to share an environment with gasoline powered toys - the diesel reigns supreme.



UD

[CountryFit]

everyone has his/her own opinion, the judge is you. it's not uncommon that a gasser owner will promote gasser and a diesel owner will claim the diesel. drive both and you will know it yourself.

when i bought mine, i researched, studied and test drove extensively. homework and road tests convinced me to go with diesel. cost of maintenance? if you go with speedco for oil change, most likely once a year, that will be $170. how much can you save on oil change from gasser? all other items on coach are NOT diesel specific.

[darstar]

What it all boils down to is size matters. Gas engines will always have a problem when the weight increases. The RV builders went to diesel for a reason beyond user preference etc. , When you start loading up these big boxes with slides , longer WB and more comfort features you will soon run out of GCWR on a Gas job.

The truck builders learned this long ago, the hard way. There also was a time when there were some real big gas engines out there hauling freight. Most could not withstand the extreme over the road use, the wear factor magnified itself quickly. I remember a good example when GM came out with putting two v8 gas engines together as an alternative to diesel power. Like many things GM experimented with it did not work well, fast it was , lots of high end power, and lots of repairs, Maintance and total failures ....they abandoned the idea and instead went to two cycle diesel, that lasted well for many years, yes they were loud, leaked lots of oil, smoked , and could shake apart just about any truck cab in no time.....but they got the job done, and at a lesser cost to operate than any gas motor ever built.

Today, the cost of Diesel engines have become compeative with big gas motors in sticker price even in lighter duty services, so, there is no question, diesel is better, especially when the coach gets bigger , longer, heaver........that's why today The MH industry went the way they did , it became the only way to grow and to GO !

[Peralko]

Originally Posted by Triker56

The gas MH will have a gas Generator.
The Diesel MH will have a Diesel Generator.

Be aware that some older lower-end diesel MHs came with a propane generator rather than a diesel one. For the OP, check to make sure the DP you are looking at do indeed have diesel generators--that is what you would want if you go the DP route.

[Sky_Boss]

We had a 39' gasser and now a 43' DP. We full time so that plays into our evaluation.

Simply put, comparing them to each other is not fair. for US it is the DP hands down. Why?

• HP & Torque (More GVWR and towing capability go with that too)
• Quiete and comfort
• Handling (DP wheel bases tend to be longer for better tracking, they are heavier so don't get blown around as easy)
• Maneuverability (No big overhang and 55* cut overcome most of the longer length issues)
• Cargo Carrying Capacity (that normally includes bigger fuel, water and waste tanks)
• Amenities (Typically DP products from the same company will have nicer trim and "stuff" than their gasser cousins.)
• Better resale value

All that being said, it is still a matter of finding what fits your needs. If you look for something to handle weekend trips and relatively low miles a gasser can be just fine. They will also do well for occasional, longer trips. Perhaps the worst part is gasser handling. Why do you think there are so many handling and power upgrades out there for gassers? Beyond that, the amenities in many gassers are very nice.

One last caution about gassers...be very careful with CCC expectations. If you are carrying a family of 4 and stuff and want to carry full water and fuel, you may find you overload the rear axle. With our 39' gasser we loaded it for part time use, full fuel, water and had about 1/4 gray and blank tank levels when I took it to the scale. We were exactly at 15,500# on the rear axle which was it's max weight. That was only 2 adults and 2 German Shepherds. There was no way we could redistribute basement and living area stuff to fix that problem.

You have lots of homework in your future. Don't let it drive you crazy. In the end you will have to make a gut choice of what works for you, your family and budget.

DP envy is a very real disease! Be careful not to catch it without due cause.

[reubenray]

I have a gas rig now and I am looking to upgrade. I would love to get another gasser, but there are not many that have four slides plus a residential refrigerator. I don't notice the motor making much noise most of the time. I usually try to time my speed to keep the engine from going into the overload noise level.

I am comfortable with what I have - maintenance wise. I would be lost with a diesel, but if I want a four slider I may not have any other options.

[Dogpatch]

NYTraveler,

By the posts you've seen above, you can see that for the most part, diesel is the choice over gas. Most of us started where you are, with a quandary.

Yes, gas coach owners will have their points about why they picked this type, however, the consensus is that they have never owned a diesel.
The comments you see for diesel, in most cases are from those who started with a gasser and moved up to a diesel. What does that tell you?

Personally, I started with 2 gassers and am now on my 3rd diesel coach. I am not one for high use as I'm not retired. Ours are short trips and several 2 week holidays a year. Our reasons for going to diesel were many.

Gas Coach Pros and Cons

- Gassers have too long of an overhang. Forever bottoming out on driveways, service stations and ferries.
- Way too much noise on grades from High revving on grades. Couldn't hear each other speak.
- Too much heat coming off the dog house with engine in front. Not to mention tripping on the raised floor.
- Too light is crosswinds and oncoming semi traffic.
- Less Storage.
- Breaking system inadequate on down grades. Normally no exhaust brake on older gas units.
- Poor climbing on steep grades.
- Less cargo weight carrying capacity
- Lower towing capacity
- In my opinion, cheaper made all around.
- Cheaper oil changes and some maintenance.
- Fuel where I live is the same as diesel so no advantage.
- Cheaper to buy and you get a few years newer.

Diesel Coaches Pros and Cons

- The exact opposite of the above
- Less rear overhang and no bottoming out on driveways, service stations and ferries.
- No engine noise on grades or any other time. You can hear each other speak and have normal conversation all the time.
- No heat coming off the dog house. No tripping on the raised dog house floor because there isn't one.
- No issue with crosswinds and oncoming semi traffic.
- Lots of Storage capacity. More with a rear radiator but better with a side one.
- Breaking system adequate on down grades.
- Good climbing on steep grades with the torque of a diesel. Not a lot faster but still faster.
- Greater cargo weight carrying capacity
- Higher towing capacity
- In my opinion, better made all around.
- A bit more expense for oil changes and some maintenance but less frequent so a non-issue..
- Fuel where I live is the same as diesel so no disadvantage.
- Cost for cost a bit more expensive to buy but if you shop around you can get a few years newer.

There are 5 types of coach owners:

1- Gas coach owners from the outset
2- Gas coach owners that want to move up to Diesel and wish they had done it in the first place after owning a Gas Coach.
3- Diesel coach owners from the outset
4- Diesel Coach owners that had a Gas coach first and learned their lesson.

And

5- Diesel coach owners that went back to a Gas coach .....uh.....I doubt if you'll find one that did it by choice!

[Uncle Dave]

Originally Posted by Peralko

Be aware that some older lower-end diesel MHs came with a propane generator rather than a diesel one. For the OP, check to make sure the DP you are looking at do indeed have diesel generators--that is what you would want if you go the DP route.

Best mod I did to my Class A was replace the propane genset with a diesel.

The water cooled diesel gensets are far and away better pieces than almost every gasoline genset made. (the honda EV6010 stand apart but its discontinued)

UD