Pros and Cons...gas/diesel trucks

sonocativo

sonocativo

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I will soon be in the market for a new to me truck. I am considering diesel but dont know the first thing about them (other than powerful)

Things Id like to know is what are the best older and/or newer models in diesels?

Do diesels get better MPG's than gas?

how much maintenance does a diesel require compared to gas?

I am very fond of Chevy and Dodge gas trucks, hate fords but am considering them ( bad past experiences with ford) I am looking at the quad/club cabs for room...possibly 2500 (1 ton-2 ton trucks )???

it will be a 4x4 as it is needed where I am at to get firewood as well as through the winters.
 
sonocativo said:
I will soon be in the market for a new to me truck. I am considering diesel but dont know the first thing about them (other than powerful)

Things Id like to know is what are the best older and/or newer models in diesels?

Do diesels get better MPG's than gas?

how much maintenance does a diesel require compared to gas?

I am very fond of Chevy and Dodge gas trucks, hate fords but am considering them ( bad past experiences with ford) I am looking at the quad/club cabs for room...possibly 2500 (1 ton-2 ton trucks )???

it will be a 4x4 as it is needed where I am at to get firewood as well as through the winters.
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I am diesel tech for few years. Cummins are best motor ever!!! Diesel's maintenance is pretty simple and much longer than gasoline. Diesel's motor oil interval around 10k to 15k depend on weight of towing/city/hwy.

Yes, mostly diesel motor got more MPG than gasoline motor at same weight of truck.

Dodge have great Cummins motor but chrysler's auto transmissions are junk. So manual transmission is bulletproof. GM have great Allison auto transmission but some of them have issue with fuel injector system. Ford still issue with ECU, engine with turbocharger and maintenance's pain in ass!

For Midwestern/Northeast
The diesel motor must have block heater plug on and additive fuel antigel for 20F or lower.


If I have money then I would buy Dodge 2500 cummins 5.9L (12v) with 6 speeds manual (NV5600)
 
Diesel trucks do get better MPG than gas trucks however maintenance on Diesel is considerably expensive compared to gasoline. If an injector or injection pump goes out on a diesel, be prepared to spend high dollars just for the parts. An oil change itself will cost a bit more than gasoline as well. Depending on how new you are wanting to buy should factor into your decision because newer diesels are expensive due to emission guidelines that manufacurers have to meet. I'm not sure either one is more expensive than the other in the long run. The diesel will save you money in fuel but maintenance will even out the savings you get over gasoline MPG. If you're towing/hauling a lot over long distances then diesel may be the way to go.
I'm don't have experience with new diesels other than hearsay so can't advise which brand or models are best. Can't go wrong with Cummins if you have the $$$.
 
Diesel is known to have longevity than gasoline if maintained. It is common for diesels to run half million miles without a rebuild.
 
The Highlander said:
I am diesel tech for few years. Cummins are best motor ever!!! Diesel's maintenance is pretty simple and much longer than gasoline. Diesel's motor oil interval around 10k to 15k depend on weight of towing/city/hwy.

Yes, mostly diesel motor got more MPG than gasoline motor at same weight of truck.

Dodge have great Cummins motor but chrysler's auto transmissions are junk. So manual transmission is bulletproof. GM have great Allison auto transmission but some of them have issue with fuel injector system. Ford still issue with ECU, engine with turbocharger and maintenance's pain in ass!

For Midwestern/Northeast
The diesel motor must have block heater plug on and additive fuel antigel for 20F or lower.


If I have money then I would buy Dodge 2500 cummins 5.9L (12v) with 6 speeds manual (NV5600)
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ooooohhhhhhhhh now that explains!!!! I didn't understand the joke that my friend posted.

1525493_668419263196132_1548089909_n.jpg
 
Yes I will want manual, hate autos as you lose MPG with auto as well as torque. I wont be pulling but it is something that may happen in the future, mainly hauling firewood and ???? Jiro...lol
 
Tousi said:
Cummins is better than Volvo?
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From what I heard, Cummins is easier to work on and more efficient in pulling power than Volvo. I suppose it's each trucker's preferences and depending on their loads.

Volvo has great engines and I suppose it'd be more expensive for parts and not many Volvo mechanics here. I'm sure there is Volvo trucks have Cummins engine in the powertrain.
 
After driving over 20K miles on my 7.3L Diesel in just a year, its been running strong and easy to work on. Had to replace whole glow plug system because my truck been in Florida until couple years ago, and because of lack of cold climate down there, glow plug seldom needed down there and it wears due to age. No regret traded from 6.0L to 7.3L, and please stay away from Ford Diesel 2003 or later. I can't image owning high maintenance cost associated with 6.X Powerstroke. Just read story about a guy who had 6.7L Powerstroke on his 2011, didn't make it 150K miles and had to replace the whole engine... cost? Ready???... $TwentyTwoK!

I realize that Ford made only one best Diesel engine ever and that was 7.3L

Yes, Diesel has higher MPG, usually almost twice of gasser. I drove to the west from east last year going 80 MPH for most of the time and I averaged 17.6MPG and I know I could get higher if I stay under 55MPH. Unfortunately after 2003 and later due to Emission regulation kicked in, it cost more to maintain these Diesel engines than old school Diesel so the saving may be cancelled afterwards with higher highway taxes imposed on Diesel (Twice of gas!).

This is based on my experience with Ford 7.3L and 6.0L and yes I had VW Jetta Diesel (before TDI came out).
 
Tousi said:
Cummins is better than Volvo?
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Yes, Cummins parts easy to find anywhere and lot cheaper than Volvo. I replaced the starter for Cummins ISX15 in around 40 mintues and Volvo took me around 2 hours. The starter is around 40 LB and did everything by myself. I am not really know so much about Volvo anything.
 
sonocativo said:
I will soon be in the market for a new to me truck. I am considering diesel but dont know the first thing about them (other than powerful)

Things Id like to know is what are the best older and/or newer models in diesels?

Do diesels get better MPG's than gas?

how much maintenance does a diesel require compared to gas?

I am very fond of Chevy and Dodge gas trucks, hate fords but am considering them ( bad past experiences with ford) I am looking at the quad/club cabs for room...possibly 2500 (1 ton-2 ton trucks )???

it will be a 4x4 as it is needed where I am at to get firewood as well as through the winters.
Click to expand...

Do research diesel vehicles before you purchase new or certified used...Take your time. Run Cummins forum or GM diesel forum, Dodge or Ford diesel forums, they are good informations. You know that the newer model year on domestic diesel trucks have lot problems with driverability, engines or electrical system than older diesel trucks like Diehardbiker's vehicle. Very expensive repairs what EasyRider01 mentioned...
 
I think what happened with quality of today's Diesel lies with mandatory changes in design in effort to combat pollution problems. Just like back in 70's when leaded gas start to phase out, there have been tons of problems with gasoline engine back then. Now it is much better, on other hand Diesel started having mandatory changes as of 2003... Eventually they will get better, only time will tell.

So Sono, my advise is get older one since your going haul firewood, you may get plenty dings on your truck, no point of fancy newer high maintenance cost diesels.

Don't forget 2013 I think, they requires DEF as Diesel Exhaust Fluid, they are not expensive but its requirement. So, thats why I see overall cost have even out with gas anyway, dang that high Diesel highway taxes!
 
I cannot site a source but I just know I have heard/read that it really takes skill at picking your shift points to get better mileage from a manual transmission than from a modern automatic transmission.
 
Jane B. said:
I cannot site a source but I just know I have heard/read that it really takes skill at picking your shift points to get better mileage from a manual transmission than from a modern automatic transmission.
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Yes, right. Good mpg is based on the driver's skill and proper tire air pressures... sometime mpg can be bad without any driverability problem
 
EasyRider01 said:
Diesel trucks do get better MPG than gas trucks however maintenance on Diesel is considerably expensive compared to gasoline. If an injector or injection pump goes out on a diesel, be prepared to spend high dollars just for the parts. An oil change itself will cost a bit more than gasoline as well. Depending on how new you are wanting to buy should factor into your decision because newer diesels are expensive due to emission guidelines that manufacurers have to meet. I'm not sure either one is more expensive than the other in the long run. The diesel will save you money in fuel but maintenance will even out the savings you get over gasoline MPG. If you're towing/hauling a lot over long distances then diesel may be the way to go.
I'm don't have experience with new diesels other than hearsay so can't advise which brand or models are best. Can't go wrong with Cummins if you have the $$$.
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I heard story about the Dodge dealer wants to installing all new 6 fuel injectors in Cummins 6.7 L of $2,500 PER injector, $15k for 6 injectors. Sounds crazy. I check Alldata, quotes $1,660 per injector as dealer price list. The labor is around 6.5 hours include valve cover removal to access the injectors. Horrible expensive repairs. Not much problems with these injectors as what I snoop all the forums. Sounds scare to you?
 
I don't believe that claim, 2500 dollars for set makes more sense than each. I have seen many diesel injectors from 200 dollars each to 600 dollars. Mine is about 300 each.

See for yourself

http://www.fordiesels.com/dodge-ram...-system-kit/?gclid=CPSa64b_6cQCFdcRgQodJI4A9A

deafsmogtech said:
I heard story about the Dodge dealer wants to installing all new 6 fuel injectors in Cummins 6.7 L of $2,500 PER injector, $15k for 6 injectors. Sounds crazy. I check Alldata, quotes $1,660 per injector as dealer price list. The labor is around 6.5 hours include valve cover removal to access the injectors. Horrible expensive repairs. Not much problems with these injectors as what I snoop all the forums. Sounds scare to you?
Click to expand...
 
diehardbiker said:
I don't believe that claim, 2500 dollars for set makes more sense than each. I have seen many diesel injectors from 200 dollars each to 600 dollars. Mine is about 300 each.

See for yourself

http://www.fordiesels.com/dodge-ram...-system-kit/?gclid=CPSa64b_6cQCFdcRgQodJI4A9A
Click to expand...

Wow, cheapest price... They are reman. Bosch fuel injectors, and 12 months warranty.
If you are about to replace any of the fuel injectors, you must identify a six-digit alphanumeric correction code that printed on the intake side of the fuel injector, you have to use a scan tool to calibrate the correction codes (enter correction codes into the vehicle's ECM. Don't mix fuel injectors when you removed from the cylinder head, place them in order. Best way to ID fuel injectors in the cylinder head prior to injector removal. Not recommend for DIYers without factory scan tool. I never been run across on these before. I'm glad that some diesel vehicles didn't show up my work.
 
deafsmogtech said:
I heard story about the Dodge dealer wants to installing all new 6 fuel injectors in Cummins 6.7 L of $2,500 PER injector, $15k for 6 injectors. Sounds crazy. I check Alldata, quotes $1,660 per injector as dealer price list. The labor is around 6.5 hours include valve cover removal to access the injectors. Horrible expensive repairs. Not much problems with these injectors as what I snoop all the forums. Sounds scare to you?
Click to expand...

I believe you got misunderstand. They mean $2,500 for SET.
 
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