Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Diesel or gas?

I've had diesels, Ford and GMC, since 1988. With the price of diesel fuel and the extra initial cost I'm wondering if I can get buy with a gas engine. I occasionally pull a gooseneck horse or stock trailer, approx. 10 - 14K pounds, but not over 100 miles. I'm thinking I might be able to get by with a gas engine and 4:10 gears. Anyone here using a fairly new 3/4 ton with a gas engine? What kind of fuel mileage are you getting?

My neighbor has an F250 with the V10. He loves it. He uses it primarily towing a BIG fully-enclosed snowmachine trailer full of machines and pull-behind sleds. I believe MPG is around 10.

One of my buds just bought a new Dodge 3/4 ton gassy after owning diesels for many years. Amazed me!! But he loves it and does not complain about mileage, especially when his fuel is $1.00/ gallon less. Said he decided that like you, he doesn't tow enough to make diesel fuel and potentially higher repair/maintenance costs worth it any more. Even though his old Dodge diesel didn't seem to cost him much in repair and maintenance.

It is a very nice rig. And even quieter than the new diesels.

Thanks for the info. I would sure be interested in the mileage your friend is getting. I believe the Dodges have more horsepower than Ford or Chevy.I've never owned a Dodge, but would give one a try.

The big advantage of diesels is that they're just getting well broken in when a gasser gives up the ghost.

There was a time when I would have agreed, but gas engines haved improved and diesels appear to be getting less reliable with the new pollution controls. I only drive the truck about 10k a year and can not really justify an additional $8000 for the increase in durability.

It's a loaded question

When carrying a load, the answer is diesel, when running empty, the answer is gas.

With the price differential for diesel, it just isn't worth paying the premium for a truck that spends most of it's time with no load. If most of the time you're pulling a load, diesel pays for itself.

You can most likely get by just fine, heck you are only towing 100 miles a hop. You have driven diesels, so you should know what you are giving up when you buy a gasser.

In 1998 I bought one of the first 24 valve cummins in the dodge. I still have that truck 375K miles later and it runs just as well as the day I drove it off the lot, it pulls whatever I put behind it, it's a bit beat up though. It's been the least expensive vehicle I've ever owned, gets 22 mpg on the highway empty and I would have had to have bought two gas trucks to get the lifespan I've gotten out of this one. Keep in mind that diesel was $1.25 a gallon when I bought it.

Now it sits mostly unused except for pulling. I can't justify $4 a gallon diesel fuel at 22 mpg for a daily driver. I'd like a new truck but anything I'd want is over $40K for a diesel, I ain't paying that and with all the emissions crap on them today it'll be lucky to get 15 instead of the 22 mpg my truck gets. As much as I hate to admit it, between the fuel prices, the extra $$$ for the diesel motor, and the crappy fuel mileage it's just not cost effective anymore to buy a diesel unless you really require the extra power for towing.

You're in the same position I am. If we could only by a new 10 year old truck. I was hoping to find someone that's running a new truck with a gas engine to get some real world info on fuel mileage and their towing experience. I'm considering a new gas truck with 4:10 gears. My tows are short, but my stock trailer is 12k loaded and the hay trailer is 14k. Of course, I could haul less weight and make more trips. Last gas engine I had was a 1979 ford with a 400 ci. engine. Plenty of power, but wouldn't pass a gas station without stopping.

A properly setup modern diesel will get better mileage than a gasser making the higher cost for diesel fuel a wash.

You can "get by" with any 3/4 ton truck. The price difference in gas and diesel fuel is compelling, but I believe it is temporary. Last year gas cost more than diesel fuel here in Nevada. In the future biodiesel will bring down the cost.

Rock chuck is right about the value of trucks down the road. A gas truck with 140,000 miles is starting to get old, but a diesel is just getting started. I get up to 24 mpg out of my Ford 7.3 one ton. It has a few bolt on parts, but the current higher cost of fuel is more than compensated for the better mileage. Not to mention longevity, dependability, and better torque and towing capacity.

Diesel technology is rapidly getting better but I still love the old 7.3 liter engine. I am happy everytime it starts up, and it has never failed to start.

Diesel fuel will likely never again be lower cost than gasoline. Higher BTUs with diesel is the main reason for the "controlled" higher cost.

I always hear the argument that diesel truck will last longer. Maybe so but don't think they won't nickle and dime you to death just like every other old vehicle. Even on a gas truck it's all that crap that bolts to the motor that goes before the engine itself goes.

Best of luck with your choice!

The guys I know with 1/2 ton pick-ups are running them 250K with few problems. The last diesel truck I put 250K on, 1988 F250, when through 2 radiators and every possible part that bolts to the outside of the engine. Since then I haven't kept one much past 100K. Mainly purchased the diesels for fuel economy and lower priced fuel. Since the low sulfur fuel has been forced upon us my mileage is down 10% and the fuel is 15-20% higher in cost then gasoline. And, I'm not too confident in the reliablity of any of the new diesel trucks with pollution controls. If I had any idea of the fuel mileage on a new gas truck, I could pretty easily calculate the cost difference. My guess is that it is going to take about 250K miles to pay back the $8k difference in purchase price.

You're trying to talk yourself into something. Any gas truck with the same power as a diesel will still have only half the torque and get crap mileage. Any gas truck with 4.10 gears will get crap mileage. Towing 10-14K lbs won't be fun. Several years back my neighbor got a Ford 460 for towing his 5th wheel, thought it was the tits. Now 6yrs later he got a Dmax and all he can say is "wow, this thing is awesome, ain't no comparison." Towing, if you're gonna do it don't screw around. People spend time comparing costs and all that crap are missing the point.......there's no free lunch and even just for daily use, the power of a diesel is far more enjoyable to drive. But you're wanting to talk yourself into a gas truck, so get one.

Good post. After driving a Dmax for a couple yrs now I can't imagine going back to a gasser.

Without a doubt there is nothing like the pulling power of a diesel and a good transmission. I bought a 2006 Duramax/ Allison, 4x4 crew cab in December of 2005. It is a brute and pulls anything I have. Best fuel mileage ever was 22.8 MPG and last fall going to deer camp I got 20.8 MPG and my brother in law with his 4x4 V6 Tacoma got 20.3 MPG. Only problem was he was paying about $3.39 for regular and I was paying about $3.89 for diesel. But I must say I was comfortable and safe on my trip. Towing mileage is anywhere from 12 MPG to 14.5 MPG. Right now my truck has 50,000 miles on it and I expect that it will last me many more years.

If I didn't have campers and farm tractors to pull I would go back to gas. I had a 1/2 ton GMC 4x4 with the 5.3 gas motor and it was gutless as far as pulling the same camper. My diesel has twice the torque it had and it shows on big hills. As far as a pulling truck I will never go back to a gasser. Some truck company will have to come out with a big, strong gas motor to even come close to the torque of the diesel. Even then the fuel mileage advantage will go to the diesel. Lets face it the diesel is made for hard pulling and work
.

In most parts of the world diesel engines are used for everything from lawn mowers to outboard motors. Only in the US and a few othe places are people stuck with the entrenched technology of gas engines.

Moving forward, diesel technology will continue to improve and it is likely that some alternative cheaper fuel will be available to add to dino diesel. The original German design called for peanut oil.

i have a gas 3/4 6.0L 07 Chevrolet with 4.10's, I was getting 12 around town and about 16 on the Hwy loaded, then I ran a 255/85r16 I still get around 12 in town but on the hwy cruising at about 60 to 65 I can get 20, normally I get 18 but with a tail wind across Montana I pulled 23 once. When I drive this truck it is either loaded or with about a 8K lb trailer. While I'd love a diesel it wasn't in the budget when I bought the truck.