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10-21-2020, 02:24 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 9
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Gas vs Diesel 3/4 Ton
After being educated by the community that I need a 3/4 ton truck in my life I have been shopping around. I am trying to stay under the $35k figure but it's proving difficult for what I want, especially here in Phoenix were 4x4 trucks carry a premium.
Another question that has come up is if I am going to want a diesel or not? We live in Phoenix and make a few decent hauls a year. We make it up to Loveland, Colorado at least twice a year and probably an average of 10 or so trips up the AZ mountains to Flag, Prescott Mogollon Rim etc.
Trailer is a max weight #6,000 plus our family of 5 and pushing #1,000 of gear in the bed of the truck (bikes, generator, grill, coolers etc.)
Should I be looking at an older model year diesel or a newer model year gas?
I am partial to GM. My work vehicle is a Chevy 2500 gas and I like it. Have always had Chevy or GMC.
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10-21-2020, 03:02 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Palm Coast Florida
Posts: 12,995
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I have had 2012 a diesel for 6.5 years with zero problems... but...you have to be aware that the modern diesel is complex. Ultra high pressure fuel system with a complex emissions system. All trying to make a clean burning diesel. Lots to go wrong and expensive to fix. To offset all the complexity is a very powerful engine which in my mind is worth the risk.
Gas engines are much simpler with fewer things that will go wrong but with way less power.
Until 2020 the gas engines were not very powerful but the new GM 6.6 gas engine and the Ford new 7.3 engine are worth considering. But these are new trucks and way over 35k dollars.
In used gas trucks, if you like your work truck with the 6.0 litre gas engine you would love the Ram with the 6.4 Hemi or the Ford 6.2 Boss engine. Both are better than the GM 6.0 imho.
I would recommend a 2017 or newer Ford F-250 6.2 gas engine or the 2014 and newer Ram 6.4 gas engine.
The 6.0 GM gas engine would come in 3rd in my recommendation. The cooling of this engine is not sufficient from what I have seen. Power is also a weak area of this engine.
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10-21-2020, 03:06 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Dallas,OR
Posts: 4,584
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The biggest difference will be fuel economy. Having said that, towing at higher elevations you will also see a huge difference. Even at 6000 pound trailer loaded a diesel truck will just pull easier.
I got burned years ago with one of the infamous Duramax LLY overheaters, so personally Im not a real fan of GM products. If you go diesel, be careful. Ford/IH diesels were not really good motors. Post LLY GMs were good. Dodge Cummins are pulling beasts. My last teuck was a early version Dodge Cummins 6.7L and I really loved that truck. The 6.7 was coupled with a really great 68RFE 6 speed auto.
So, if I was spending 35K on a teuck today I would be looking seriously for a 2008/10 Ram Cummins in Laramie trim. They will get you the best bang for the buck if you can find a low milage copy that has not been deleted. Fords will fetch the highest prices except those with the 6.0 or 6.4 diesels. GMs will be somewhere in the middle.
__________________
Don and Lorri
Resident Dummy.
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10-21-2020, 03:42 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 534
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IMHO, diesel motor eats up a couple hundreds lbs payload of 3/4 ton truck. I’d go with 1 ton if I’m getting a diesel, 1 ton is probably 1k more expensive, but also around 1K more payload. I don’t care about the more firm suspension because they all ride like crap unloaded.
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10-21-2020, 04:05 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 661
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nutties
Trailer is a max weight #6,000 plus our family of 5 and pushing #1,000 of gear in the bed of the truck (bikes, generator, grill, coolers etc.)
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I apologize if I don't recognize your earlier posts but . . .
I'm not sure a 3/4 ton is enough for all of those passengers, gear in the bed and trailer. You might have to step up to 1 ton. 250-300 for your family (excluding you), 600-800 for tongue weight and 1,000 of stuff equals upwards of 2,100 pounds. And as noted, the diesel will take away from payload if you go that route. I'm not familiar with 3/4 ton payload limits because I was looking for towing smaller trailers and it's only my wife an me.
As for diesel vs. gas it is mainly range and also RPMs, although the large V8s are not that bad in the RPM range. Whether fuel costs more or less is regional. I opted for diesel to get range on a mid-size truck and I picked up a brand new Duramax Colorado for $33,000, but that wouldn't begin to meet your needs. Also, trucks are more expensive now than when I bought. I just checked out KBB and my private party range value exceeds what I paid 20 months ago.
BTW, most if not all the large diesels I believe come with 100,000 mile warranties.
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10-21-2020, 05:00 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Dallas,OR
Posts: 4,584
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Current 2500 series trucks have a GVWR of 10,000 pounds. A diesel truck depending on a number of facrors will scale ready to go betweenm7500 and 8000 pounds. Leaving around 2000 pounds for people, gear, and hitch weight. A 6000 pound trailer even using 15% number is only going to dump around 900 pounds hitch weight leaving 1100 pounds for people, and gear. For a trailer up to around 8,000 GVWR a well equipped 2500 even a diesel would be well suited.
__________________
Don and Lorri
Resident Dummy.
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10-21-2020, 05:19 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 661
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 450Donn
leaving 1100 pounds for people, and gear. For a trailer up to around 8,000 GVWR a well equipped 2500 even a diesel would be well suited.
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Did you miss the part about a family of 5 and 1,000 pounds in the bed?
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10-21-2020, 06:34 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 876
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I like a diesel for towing in the mountains.
__________________
6x12 cargo trailer with Starlink and mini-split A/C.
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10-21-2020, 07:31 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Dallas,OR
Posts: 4,584
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Goodspike
Did you miss the part about a family of 5 and 1,000 pounds in the bed?
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Whats the difference between a well equpiied 2500 and 3500SRW? Just looked it up. New 3500HD has a GVWR range from 10,750 to 11,500 pounds. So, in real world that means a 3500HD with 10,750 GVWR is only 750 pounds greater than a 2500HD with 10,000 GVWR. Using a more realistic 12% tongue weight of a 6,000 pound loaded trailer would give the OP in the range of 1400-1500 pounds of available payload for family and stuff.
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10-21-2020, 07:42 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 661
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 450Donn
OP in the range of 1400-1500 pounds of available payload for family and stuff.
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And again, it's him and four other family members and 1,000 pounds of stuff, leaving only 400-500 pounds for the non-driver family. 400-500 pounds would assume an average weight of the four family members of 100-125. That's possible, but cutting it pretty close (and assuming some of them are growing might not be true very long).
If I were my wife, daughter, SIL and granddaughter we'd be over, and the GD only weighs 40 pounds and the wife only 120.
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10-21-2020, 07:58 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Palm Coast Florida
Posts: 12,995
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I know a Ford F-250 has a GVWR of 10,000lbs while the F-350 has a GVWR of 11,500 most of the time. That is close to a 1,500lb advantage for the F-350.
I believe Ram is the same or maybe better than the Ford. I seem to remember seeing a Ram 3500 with 12,300 GVWR. Ram has had that rating for a few years.
Only the 2020 GM trucks now beat both Ford and Ram with the GM 2500 HD having a GVWR of way over 10,000lbs.
I agree with towing at higher elevation the turbo diesel is the engine to have. 3% power lost for non turbo gas engines per 1,000 feet elevation gain. I think gas turbo engine lose 1.25% per 1,000 feet and turbo diesel engines lose .75% per 1,000 feet.
Please look this up as this is from a bad memory.
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10-21-2020, 08:19 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Huntsville, AL/Helen, GA
Posts: 1,553
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I have not checked recent sales incentive programs, but I was considering a F250 XLT 2x4 with the 7.3 Godzilla engine. I could have bought it for $45ish 4 months ago.
Chevy's comparable model would have their new 6.6 liter gas engine.
Either would do the job for you. The gas engine would be about $8K less than the diesels in the same model.
I ended up buying a 2020 F150 STX SuperCrew 2.7 2x4 for $31K. It only has a 7K lb. tow rating, and I would be hesitant to tow anything over 5K lbs. with it. I kept my F250 diesel that's good to tow 13K lbs. if it's a fifth wheel.
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10-22-2020, 07:04 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,443
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Goodspike
I apologize if I don't recognize your earlier posts but . . .
I'm not sure a 3/4 ton is enough for all of those passengers, gear in the bed and trailer. You might have to step up to 1 ton. 250-300 for your family (excluding you), 600-800 for tongue weight and 1,000 of stuff equals upwards of 2,100 pounds. And as noted, the diesel will take away from payload if you go that route. I'm not familiar with 3/4 ton payload limits because I was looking for towing smaller trailers and it's only my wife an me.
As for diesel vs. gas it is mainly range and also RPMs, although the large V8s are not that bad in the RPM range. Whether fuel costs more or less is regional. I opted for diesel to get range on a mid-size truck and I picked up a brand new Duramax Colorado for $33,000, but that wouldn't begin to meet your needs. Also, trucks are more expensive now than when I bought. I just checked out KBB and my private party range value exceeds what I paid 20 months ago.
BTW, most if not all the large diesels I believe come with 100,000 mile warranties.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 450Donn
Current 2500 series trucks have a GVWR of 10,000 pounds. A diesel truck depending on a number of facrors will scale ready to go betweenm7500 and 8000 pounds. Leaving around 2000 pounds for people, gear, and hitch weight. A 6000 pound trailer even using 15% number is only going to dump around 900 pounds hitch weight leaving 1100 pounds for people, and gear. For a trailer up to around 8,000 GVWR a well equipped 2500 even a diesel would be well suited.
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I think both of these replies should have you thinking making the jump to a 350/350 diesel. The ride will not be that differnt, and nothing beats excessive payload.
__________________
Russ & Paula, Portland, OR. The Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 DRW Aisin 4X4 14,000# GVWR.
2005 Keystone Copper Canyon 293FWSLS Rear Kitchen 12,360 GVWR
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10-22-2020, 08:45 AM
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 253
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I agree that you can’t stay in the numbers with a 3/4 diesel. I went with a 3/4 ton gas. It’s great and I could I afford newer. In the current market you will pay a fortune for the diesel too. I always prefer newer over any other factor. The new gas engines are not slouches by any means. 35k will prob get you a 2017-2018 with lower miles. Might fetch a 2019 with over 40k. You aren’t getting a diesel for 35k unless you go back several more years. As far as “just get the 1 Ton” goes, there aren’t many on the east coast compared to 3/4 and the prices are insane. Good luck on the buying adventure.
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