Race - Gasser vs. Diesel

[NevadaNick]

My Tiffin Red gets average of 8mpg, the Sightseer 8.1 gas that it replaced was 14ft shorter and on its best day got 8 and one trip was 4. The noise differance alone is worth having the DP. We have owned this MH since March and put over 8k mi on it and there are alot more to come, so it doesnt just sit parked. I never looked at it as an economics thing or we would have bought a Prius and a tent.

[CampDaven]

Originally Posted by WeatherTodd

Win what? I see alot of diesel guys talk the talk... but never seen one test the limits of their fuel economy.
I can guarantee you wont be seeing double digit fuel economy.
My gasser has gone 550 miles on a tank... towing a trailer at that.

Diesel pickup owners are even funnier. Never has "operational cost" been in such denial. Fuel pumps, oil pumps, injectors...etc.

Sure diesel rigs are nice... but the repair bills are not. And there is no denying they are expensive to operate & repair.

I am fulltime and my 6 YO 42ft is 42,000 loaded with toad. I get 7.5 over my annual 8000+ miles. I put 18,000 on the toad!
I'm happy, and feel like I win with a RR10S chassis and a smooth quiet ride that can go over 1M miles. Long-term ownership has great benefits, and beats down the overall cost through the term. Have had no $ surprises so far. I spent more maintaining my gassers.
I pass some of both as I climb hills, salute those that pass me, and politely wave when they are at the next light or pulling to a fuel station.
Happy Trails

[Mr.Geritol]

I read an magazine article a few years ago. I can't remember who wrote it to give him credit , but he did an apples to apples comparison of owning a DP over a comparable gas unit. He compared purchase price, insurance and maintenance costs along with average fuel costs for both types. The short story was that he calculated the cost difference for the average RV owner.
It would take the average RVr 107 years to recover the difference between the Diesel over Gasser. His comment was the wife may get tired of the upholstery by then.
It is definitely a matter of preference.
Mine is a gasser and it is what I prefer. I like the fact that if I need parts or service I have more options. But if you prefer the diesel all is good. You can pass me on the hills all you want. In 360 days I have no intention of travelling anywhere in a hurry.
Mine is a 34 foot Firan Raven.

[IC2]

AHA - this thread finally degenerated into gas vs diesel.

DD - I really miss my F350 9-10 local mpg gasser

Towing - I really prefer the ease of hauling at 12-13 mpg with my F250 with F350 11200 pound suspension, diesel.

Cost of ownership - gasser is always less. Just the fuel filters on a 6.7 PSD are in the AMAZON 50 buck range vs 12 bucks for the same Motorcraft brand name, 18 buck oil filter vs a 5 buck gasser. Fuel for the diesel is currently $2.50/gallon, $2.15 for gas. 13 quarts of oil every 7.5K miles is ~$60 vs 7 quarts every 5K @ $21. If I need a single fuel injector for my diesel, it will cost the same as all ten for the gasser. But I really hated 'rowing' my gasser up our Northeaster hills with the shifter to make it over the top at a reasonable highway speed at 4500 RPM.

If I ever decide to stop pulling a fairly large 5er, yes, there will be a gas engined truck in my future but until then, it will be 400+Hp and 800+ lb ft of oil burner hauling power.

[1bigmess]

Originally Posted by IC2

Fuel for the diesel is currently $2.50/gallon, $2.15 for gas.

Where I am in CA Diesel is anywhere from $.15 or better cheaper than regular unleaded gas.

13 quarts of oil every 7.5K miles is ~$60 vs 7 quarts every 5K @ $21.

The oil change interval for my truck is 15k miles. Almost the same price as the gas comparison you posted, quoted just above.

If I need a single fuel injector for my diesel, it will cost the same as all ten for the gasser.

Emphasis added.

[triker08]

I was told by a long time RV salesman that it is all about TORQUE. if the two rv's have the same amount of torque, they will go up the hill the same speed. Seems to make sense. He talked me out of buying a used DP for that reason, and cost of repairs.

[1bigmess]

One is directly related to the other. This article is for gas engines, but the principle doesn't care what fuel is being used.

What is Torque vs. Horsepower - Engine Power Delivery Explained - Hot Rod

[lynnmor]

Originally Posted by triker08

I was told by a long time RV salesman that it is all about TORQUE. if the two rv's have the same amount of torque, they will go up the hill the same speed. Seems to make sense. He talked me out of buying a used DP for that reason, and cost of repairs.

I knew it would come down to this bad advice. Horsepower is the only measure of the amount of work that an engine can do.

[NC25T]

Originally Posted by lynnmor

I knew it would come down to this bad advice. Horsepower is the only measure of the amount of work that an engine can do.

If that's true then why can't my lighter and more powerful (hp) Bounder 38P with the workhorse chassis stay anywhere close to the soon to be X in laws Fleetwood discovery?

[JFNM]

It is good to see that this thread has degenerated into another "which is better" thread. I had hoped to keep it open for those guys that like to race against people that are not aware that they are in a race but...

Originally Posted by Mr.Geritol

I read an magazine article a few years ago. I can't remember who wrote it to give him credit , but he did an apples to apples comparison of owning a DP over a comparable gas unit.

This is simply not possible. There is no way to do an apples to apples comparison when the two types of equipment are so different. You need look no further than GCVW. Because they are different and because the DP can carry something around twice as much weight, one should not expect maintenance costs to be similar. I wrote all of this in the article I referenced earlier (here).

Originally Posted by Mr.Geritol

It is definitely a matter of preference.

I agree that it CAN be a matter of preference but more likely it is not. If you "need" to haul more "stuff", a DP is likely your only option because a gasser cannot safely haul the weight.

[JFNM]

Originally Posted by lynnmor

I knew it would come down to this bad advice. Horsepower is the only measure of the amount of work that an engine can do.

As stated previously, dollars move motorhomes - nothing else.

[JFNM]

Originally Posted by triker08

I was told by a long time RV salesman that it is all about TORQUE. if the two rv's have the same amount of torque, they will go up the hill the same speed. Seems to make sense. He talked me out of buying a used DP for that reason, and cost of repairs.

Not to pick on your triker08 but I see this fairly regularly and I don't really understand it. A DP is built to carry a much heavier load, why are people that do not require this looking to buy them? Is it a case of our society demanding that we always get far more than we need or is it just a cool factor? Perhaps it is the much better and quieter ride? I'm really not sure. I can imagine though, that it is these people that complain the most about the cost of maintenance. They "over bought" and are now not happy?? Just thinking out loud....

[dix39]

1bigmess, thanks for posting the link to the torque-horsepower article. IMHO, a very good one.


I think in much of this thread there is not enough consideration given to weight which is a big factor in the torque/horsepower discussion. Personally, with RVs I have always given more consideration to torque, at what rpm peak torque is developed, and the shape of the torque curve. Then the drive train needs to be configured to take maximum advantage of engine output.


Back in the early 80s I put together a truck to haul our 11.5' camper using a '69 F-250 4WD, Perkins 6-354 diesel engine, International 5 speed trans with 18% OD in 5th, Watson 2 speed with direct and 20% OD going into 4.10 diffs. I planned for a cruising speed of around 65mph running at or just past peak engine torque at 1650 or 1700 rpm (as well as I remember). I spent a lot of time studying what was needed and was very happy with the results. We used the old truck for annual trips across the US until '93 when we bought a Dodge Cummins and I gave the Ford to my oldest son. It was not any one of the parts that made the truck successful, but the combination of all of them. IMHO, the same is true for any vehicle.


Steve

[Cat320]

I've had both, and speed is really irrelevant, we are all travelling about the same speed. However, while the diesel is loafing along, the gasser will be sucking wind...it's the nature of the beast. After several hundred thousand miles, the diesel will still be loafing along the gasser will be dead...it's the nature of the beast, an apples to oranges comparison.