Tincan931
Eden, NC, USA
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Joined: 08/17/2003
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Quote:Tincan931,
Throwing rocks at gassers? My oh my, has it come to this? Are we a bunch of kids here? Wait, don't answer that.
Gosh, I can hear the chest beating already.
I guess so! We are only Big Boys with Big Toys![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/awink.gif "awink")
Tincan
2005 Jayco Eagle 322FKS, 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 QC, Cummins
Equalizer sway control
Me, wife and of course Moose!
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tgatch
Meridian, ID
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Joined: 08/13/2003
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Sack,
Well put. The 8.1 is a monster gas engine and is every bit a pulling monster. Mated to the Allison it is one impressive towing combination.
Like it has been said it boils down to how many miles you drive per year, how many miles you tow, how much weight you tow, how far you want to go on a tank of fuel, where you tow, and lastly what you are willing to spend.
My truck is my daily driver and my tow vehicle. So far my truck has 11,205 miles on it with 5162.6 miles of towing on it. Boils down to the fact that my truck tows about 46% of the time.
I know that I can go 380 miles on a tank before I need to refuel. That leaves me about 5 gallons in the tank. I'm gonna say the typical 8.1 will be at about 100 miles or so less depending on tank size.
I know that I can pull with the same gusto at 11,000 feet as I can at sea level due to the fact that I have a turbo charged engine. The 8.1 will also pull very well at 11,000 feet, just not as well as it does at sea level.
Right now I tow 7100lbs, but the wife really likes a 32' Hitchhicker II. So my 7100lbs will increase to over 10,000lbs here in the near future.
Lastly, my truck payment is what I can live with. This is probably one of the most important aspects out there for most. But being there are plenty of used diesels out there, I'm sure most people can get one for less than a new BB gasser.
Tom
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alaska511
Southcentral Alaska
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Joined: 05/15/2004
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Quote:You remind me of that dog, Joe. You enter a thread and add nothing of substance. You then bite someone and then sit back waiting for the fur to fly
LOL ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/biggrin.gif "biggrin") Bert, that is good stuff......
2017 Wildcat Maxx 295
2015 Silverado LTZ Duramax/Allison
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sack1
Kent, WA
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Joined: 08/16/2002
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tgatch,
I think we can all agree that as long as you are happy then that's what counts.
If I'm careful I can average 9 mpg on a tank of fuel. The tank on ours has a capacity of 34 gallons although I can squeeze more than that into it. I am able to get past 300 miles on that tank.
I do tow into the Cascades now and then but not enough to be of any real concern towing wise. Our 5er grosses at about 12k, together we have a combined gross of about 19k.
I drive my truck to work and back but usually use our other cars for errands and small trips. It just doesn't make sense to fire up a HD truck just to go get some washers and a stainless steel bolt at the hardware store or get a sack of groceries no matter what's under the hood.
I have nothing against diesels really. They are at the top of the food chain though cost-wise. Not only is the engine itself an added expense but they only are available in the HD trucks. When I see recommendations for people wanting to tow relatively light trailers with TD's it almost makes me cringe. It's obviously an option but in some cases thast option can be tens of thousands of $$$$ more than an otherwise suitable tow vehicle. Try to explain that difference in diesel fuel savings and it gets more than a bit screwy.
Everyone needs to evaluate things for themselves. It's great to get opinions but it's clear that some are so narrow focussed that nothing other than what they hold near and dear will do for them...or anyone else!
'03 Chevy 2500HD 4x4, LT, Ext. cab, LB
8.1/Allison, 4.10
'03 32' 2955 Montana 5er
XM Radio/OnStar
Valley Hitch
Honda EU1000i
1984 VF700F Interceptor
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tgatch
Meridian, ID
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Joined: 08/13/2003
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Sack,
You and I agree quite a bit.
I see no need for somenone to purchase a diesel to haul a lighter TT or 5er. The reality of my situation is, I have a very light set-up and 14K GCW. Ultimately that is going to change, as I plan on a larger 5er in the future.
Also, my travels are going to include a lot of mountains in the near futur as I am moving to Idaho in August. Lots of beautiful country up in those mountains.
Even still, it does not require a turbo diesel to tow in those mountains. Your 8.1 is quite capable even at 11,000 feet.
I've had my truck since early February and I am already at over 11,000 miles. In a little less than 6 months I have put a few miles on it, and I will have at least two more round trips to Idaho. I figure with the amount of miles I drive, now and historically, diesel made sense. I plan on putting a lot of miles on my vehicle and owning it for a long time.
Tom
* This post was
edited 07/10/04 05:05pm by tgatch *
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#20 Home Depot
Mississippi/China
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Joined: 03/25/2004
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Ok I did not read all 13 pages but is there anyone out there that, for their primary TV, started with gas and moved on to a diesel and then decided they would have much rather had a gas??? I would guess maybe so but they would be hard to find. On the other hand if purchase price were the same how many more gassers would have bought a diesel or wished they had regardless?
#20 Home Depot
04 GMC 2500HD SWB EC D/A SLT 4x4,Michelin LTX AT2
Timbrens, Bilsteins , color backup cam, Doran tire pressure monitor Reese Tow Beast, Torklift tiedowns w/ fastguns
Lance 8SCS Polar Cub AC Honda EU2000">
2007 Chaparral 256 SSx
2005 Jeep Wrangler
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luvmydodge04
Mt. Pleasant, PA
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Joined: 07/10/2004
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I have owned 3 gas 1500 dodges 97,01,02 went straight to the diesel. For one reason I wanted better fuel milleage and did not believe that the HEMI would give me that. Plus I have much more power with this truck and will be able to do more with it. I love my new 2004 Dodge. I have read some of the reply's about the diesel v gas and most really like the diesel. I would like to say to some of you that I have had mine just 7 months and have yet to get any fuel on me just in the truck, also have found that Some fuel really does smell really bad so just shop around, don't fill up until you find the right stuff. Some have said about finding fuel difficult that is mostly true also check this out before buying I have several places to buy close to where I work on my way home and at home. Mileage is much better. This GIRL will keep this Truck for some time.
Sue
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sack1
Kent, WA
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Joined: 08/16/2002
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#20 Home Depot,
I have thought of that myself. If diesel was a no added cost option would any people buying gas still buy gas?
I think the added cost is the primary reason for not buying a diesel. Up to about a $5k premium is not small potatoes for many. They could save that or put it into other areas of their truck which is what we did in many ways. Instead of the diesel I put the money into 4WD and the LT package and all the goodies. Opting for the Duramax at the time would have netted me only an additional 65 lb/ft of torque which in my book isn't too significant. That's about what a big Harley produces.
Other than cost is the diesel rattle, which is much quieter on the newer engines but not gone completely. There's the smell which is more offensive to some. There's availability of diesel fuel. It's not at all stations or at all pumps. Some people don't want to deal with that even though those that have chosen diesels certainly learn to work around it and it is of no real concern for them.
I have ridden in two Ford PSDs and the level of engine vibration sometimes was shocking to me. Ours is so very dead smooth almost all the time I guess it stood out. For PSD owners I'm sure most don't even notice it. Anyone want to comment on the Cummins in the Dodges? How smooth are they relative to say the average car engine?
For us we travelled only about 12k miles in each of the two years we have owned the rig. Any fuel savings a diesel would have brought to the table would not offset the initial cost difference for many many miles down the road. I may still own ours at that time but who's to know. I have a history with our vehicles of owning them past 10 years and a couple past 20.
What would have made me consider a diesel more when we bought? If we were to really rack up the mileage. If we had an even heavier combo to tow, although ours is rated to tow the equal of the diesels. If we towed into the mountains much more often.
But again it's a personal thing. Some people just want a diesel because they have come of age and are all the rage in some circles. Buy what makes you happy.
Last year I had a stranger come up to me in a campground and he acknowledged that we had a gas rig. He asked if the gas engine handled the load well. I told him of course it did. He related that many of his buddies are all about diesels and he had thought that surely the big gas engines do well.
But what do you do when the "in" thing in many circles are diesels? To some it has become an issue that when you tow you do it with a diesel and that gas engines are bush. Nothing can be further from the truth in my experience.
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PSDExcursion
Millstone NJ
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Joined: 08/17/2001
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sack1, do you think you would tow better with the Chevy 6.0 if it had more HP than the 8.1 even if it had much less torque ?
2002 Chevy Express 3500 8.1 155" WB passenger van
41 Ft 2003 Thor Citation 41-ZBSR TT w/ Hensley Arrow
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#20 Home Depot
Mississippi/China
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Joined: 03/25/2004
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It would really be interesting if an 8.1 or V-10 powered truck ran in the annual pull-off the diesel page guys do every year. That would settle things as far as and pulling goes.
Another point to be made is that todays diesels can be easily modified to provide tons more HP and torque while remaining just as reliable and efficient as stock. With a gaser to try to get anything close to these increases it would take tons more money and alot of major work and reliability and fuel mileage would go out the window.
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