tnord

well, my Silverado gasoline truck does absolutely everything you could expect a big V8 truck to do, hauls tons of crap, tows dead straight, cruises at 75+ mph with a 4500lb load, and also burns hella gasoline.

insurance on 2 cars, and payments on a truck i hardly ever drive hardly makes financial sense. i'm thinking of selling both the silverado and the integra and buying a diesel.

i was wondering who's got diesel trucks they drive on a daily basis, what kind of gas mileage you get loaded and unloaded. do you wish you had a seperate car to drive, or can you cope with the daily inconviences for the massive pulling power?

krshultz

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tnord &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">insurance on 2 cars, and payments on a truck i hardly ever drive hardly makes financial sense. i'm thinking of selling both the silverado and the integra and buying a diesel. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I was kind of the same way - thus the BMW is going unused. If I'm going to have a payment I want to drive the thing.

I drive the Excursion every day. Empty with mixed driving (I'd call it mostly city, driving the guys to lunch and stuff like that) I get just a hair under 18mpg. I've only towed with the thing once but I got like 13.5 at a pretty steady 80-85mph, definitely could do better if we slowed it down a bit. I run high tire pressures and have a very gentle right foot when I'm in the Excursion so I'm sure that helps. Basically if you stay away from the boost too much you're golden.

Not only do I not mind the inconveniences of driving this great big thing every day, I like it. It's comfy. It rides great. It's got a great stereo and an even better air conditioner. You can see *everything* sitting way up there. It's a bitch to park but I'm the guy who parks at the far end of the lot anyway, so it usually doesn't matter.

I don't know that I'd count on being able to recover the cost of buying a diesel strictly on fuel mileage. You have to drive a lot to do that. Me, I knew it was what I wanted, so I went and got it.

CRX Toad

I love my Ford PSD it is great but sometimes it gets to be a little much in Charlotte traffic, it 95 EXT Cab long bed, I get about 12-15 in the city and 18 hwy with tailgate down. It gets a lot better MPG that a gas engine on the long haul, and when pulling something. And it is so much easier to tune a diesel truck, the chips and everything makes it a snap, Banks make a chips that adds close to 100hp with out getting my hand dirty...Diesel are the only way to roll, much better than a gas truck. And it is even more fun to pull up to a unsuspecting vehicle and blow them off the line in a big truck...I only do that occasionally...

It is a little harder to get in and out of traffic but all in all it isn't bad, it won't slow you down that is for sure, if it starts to wear on me I just drive the CRX for a few days. And I got 360K on my truck and people are amazed by how good it looks and how strong it is.

2 for Diesels any other questions let me know....

tnord

i wouldn't think it would take long to recover the extra cost if you include insurance, maintenance, depreciation, and fuel economy of the two cars combined though.

plus diesels dominate towing.

CRX Toad

Just drive a diesel once and you'll never go to gas again....Everytime my wife and I are in the truck I thank her for letting me buy it...and everytime I drive is I say..."I LOVE MY TRUCK" The power is just amazing, and like stated above I park in the back of the lot next to the islands to protect one side of her

johng

I daily drive my '03 F350 and absolutely love it (although the 2005 Superduties are calling for me) My commute is 1 hour each way. We just drove it to Sonoma and back and cruised in comfort the whole way. It's got good brakes, good climate control, good stereo, good mirrors and visibility is great.

The best I've seen so far was 21 mpg empty (20.9 actually) on a trip Nash and I took to Portland and back. I do mileage calculations based on actual miles & gallons, not the overhead computer. Towing the flat trailer, I get about 14-15. Towing Rick's 24' enclosed, I get about 13-14. It really depends how heavy your foot is. Keep in mind I have a programmer, so I'm seeing about 2 mpg better than stock. I usually get 18.

I can keep going, but I think you get the picture.



Modified by johng at 1:36 PM 9/15/2004

krshultz

Well, thats true - resale value is certainly a factor, as is durability.

Previous tow vehicle was a 454 gas Suburban, 3/4 ton, with a 4.10 rear axle. Very powerful truck. The diesel Ford tows a little better and gets better fuel economy in all conditions. I'm a believer.

The maintenance on a diesel is a little more involved than a gas motor but it's not too awful. (Speaking for the 7.3L Fords here) You have to change the fuel filter every 15K - that's under 20 bucks and can be done in like 10 minutes. Oil changes every 5K and it's a LOT of oil - the PSD holds 15 quarts . You also want to be wary of where you buy fuel from - freshness actually counts with diesel. So buying at a place that sells a ton of it, like a truck stop, is not only cheaper, its better.

For me thus far I have not had much trouble finding stations that sell it. I mean, the X holds 44 gallons of the stuff, so when I fill up, I'm good for a long time. I'm pretty sure I did my last tow down and back on a single tank.

Ever notice how when you work from home, your post count goes up?

rambler

Diesel is the nectar of the towing gods!

That being said, I drive my Ram 3500 4X4 Crew Cab Long Box Cummins (305hp/555tq) every day and I love it. I get on the freeway for about 4 miles on my commute so a vast majority of my driving is city, around town type driving. I get 14 mpg as a composite. 60 mile tows on the freeway @ 75-80 towing a 5000# load the mileage is about 15-15.5. As mentioned earlier the key is to stay out of the booooooooost.

Summary - love it, love it, love it........

As an aside, be sure to consult your tax advisor as to the feasibility of tax write offs. do a google search on "bonus depreciation". Do this BEFORE you buy your truck so you are sure to have the correct pieces in place prior to purchase.

Nash - who thinks something is wrong when I don't hear the whine of my turbo

Shaun K

iTrader: (1)

I daily drive my 2003 F250 with a 7.3. I only commute 13 miles each way, usually in heavy traffic. I can go 3 weeks between fillups, but that still only means I get about 500-600 miles on a tank (I know some of you guys get better mileage than that).

It's alot bigger and harder to park compared to the Tundra I traded it in for, but I'm used to it now so it's not an issue. I actually like the size of it, once you get used to parallel parking and dealing with traffic. And if I do get tired of that I can just drive my EF wagon or my wife's TSX.

As far as maintenance, the truck will cost more. Incuding the $18 oil analysis, my oil changes cost over $60 each. However, I can go at least 5000 miles between them, so maybe it does balance out. As far as depreciation, the diesel will always win out. Mine is nearly 2 years old now and worth more than I paid for it, and alot more than I owe on it. It's got me thinking about trading in for a 2005 too

Check this thread for more good links and info on Powerstrokes in particular: http://corner-carvers.com/foru...15475

And this one is a good starting point on TheDieselStop.com: http://forums.thedieselstop.co...art=1

CRX Toad

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by krshultz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Oil changes every 5K and it's a LOT of oil - the PSD holds 15 quarts . You also want to be wary of where you buy fuel from - freshness actually counts with diesel. So buying at a place that sells a ton of it, like a truck stop, is not only cheaper, its better.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!! First time I did an oil changes I made, dinner, washed the car, mowed the lawn and by the time I was done it had drained all of it oil out...and holy filter!

I am on the dieselstop.com daily good resources there

check this out http://pages.prodigy.net/steve....html

Shaun who does your oil analysis?

tnord

just called the local Chev dealer.........i also have a FANTASTIC connection that can probably get me a steal of a deal on an 04. not to mention 5k in rebates sounds pretty darn good.

CRX Toad

Well its a Durmax, but I won't hold it against you...You will love a diesel better than sliced bread and out there in the flat land you'll have no problems. I hear the allison tranny in the Chevy is very nice

The site I posted up is for Fords but you can gain some general info about diesels there also

tnord

who wants to buy a GSR?

krshultz

Franza's towing with a Duramax Chevy and he loves it to death. I don't think you can go wrong with any of them (Dodge, Ford or GM), they're all great engines that'll last longer than you probably care to keep your truck. For me, I wanted an SUV body style, so the Excursion was literally the only game in town.

BTW, this is a pretty good chevy site: http://www.thedieselpage.com/

Do it Travis. You'll be glad you did.

tnord

i gotta sell the other 2 first. i also need to call insurance and see how much (if any) it would be over the current truck. i still need a $500 beater with a manual in it to keep me sane. or else i'll end up in jail from taking on-ramps at 1.4g's in the miata.

johng

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Shaun K &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Incuding the $18 oil analysis, </TD></TR></TABLE>

Help me understand those things. Maybe I'm old skool, but after 4-5k miles, it's time for fresh oil, regardless of what a analysis says. I just can't get myself to keep the same oil in there for longer than 5k miles.

Mr Hammond

I daily mine every day. Wouldn't have it any other way. I thought I would miss having a car to daily drive. NOPE. I'm sorry but there's nothing like a 5.9L Cummins running 22psi of boost through a 4" straight pipe at 7AM driving to work. The visibility factor is great. Driving it in the winter is great (4x4 for me) and if I feel like going up the mountains to an overlook or campsite it's awesome. I got about 16-17mpg stock. Mine's a '95 so my truck is even cheaper to make power and better fuel economy. All I have is a 4" straight exhaust, and some freebie mods to the stock fuel plate, afc housing and star wheel and boost control elbow. Gains are in the 40whp and 80wtq for free even with out an exhaust(with exhaust about $400 and gains are slightly more). Plus my EGT's dropped an average of 200-300 degrees all over. Milage is now in the 18-19 mpg range as well. I haven't even tapped into the truck. For under a grand in bolt-on's you can be in the 400whp/800wtq reliably and still get the same gas milage and low EGT's.

As far as maintance goes it's not to bad. Just know up front Diesels seep EVERYWHERE. For my truck I like to use either Mopar or Fleetguard parts. It's not really more expensive, just more quanity. It's nice to work in the parts world and have contacts at pretty much every dealership around. So 10% over cost on parts is handy.

Just for some values I was really shocked at: The oil filter is about as tall as 1 1/2 soda cans and probably 3.5" in diameter. My truck holds 1qt in the filter and 9 in the crankcase. (Small to the diesel world) The stock transmission held 17 quarts of ATF (now with a Mag Hytec pan 22 quarts). The cooling system hold 6 gallons of coolant. Oil Change is every 6,000 miles. Rotella T 15W40 (it's nice when you go go wal mart and the oil you need is sold in gallons ) Fuel Filter is every 12,000 miles for me. My truck has 160,000 miles on it. It runs like a champ.

The only other things I did were upgrade the front brakes and replace the rear with all new hardware. (The rear shoes are HUGE. 3" across and and probably a good 10-12" from end to end). My truck has the same brakes as the dually, but it's a base model and also the lightest by far. So it STOPS.

Towing I haven't towed a car yet. I have towed much more then my trailor/car combo will be, in the form of a construction trailor and skid loader. With electric trailor brakes braking feels normal and power wise it rolls through the back hills no problem. I've towed it twice now about 40-50 miles round trip. Didn't notice any drop in milage. 35 gallon tank filled up at right about the same spot. My truck varies VERY little. Like everyone says stay outta boost on the highway and as much as possible.

Just to let you know though.....that's impossible.

Good luck.

Diesel. It's what's for towing - MaddMatt

Track rat

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Shaun K &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Mine is nearly 2 years old now and worth more than I paid for it, and alot more than I owe on it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Huh?? Oh come on now! if that's true, "Take me to your dealer!" I'll take two!

I've been shopping, and new PSD 4dr Fords are anywhere from $38k - $48k depending on options. 2-3 year old PSD trucks with about 50K miles are abundant for about $30K or less.

Track rat

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by johng &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Help me understand those things. Maybe I'm old skool, but after 4-5k miles, it's time for fresh oil, regardless of what a analysis says. I just can't get myself to keep the same oil in there for longer than 5k miles.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Remember, there's like 15 quarts of it, so it takes longer before it becomes saturated with crap, and new diesels burn cleaner and pass less crap into the oil.

Shaun K

iTrader: (1)

I just like to know how mine is breaking in. I bought it used with 6800 miles, so it's just something I do for peace of mind. As the miles rack up, it will be a useful tool to see if there are any internal problems brewing.

Oh yeah, and if I ever need to sell the truck, it's something that will help reassure prospective buyers that the truck is running well.

I sent in a sample of the OEM breakin oil from our TSX too. Should be interesting to see what they say about that.

johng

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ShaunK &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Oh yeah, and if I ever need to sell the truck, it's something that will help reassure prospective buyers that the truck is running well.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Good point. Didn't think of that.

Greyout

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by johng &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Help me understand those things. Maybe I'm old skool, but after 4-5k miles, it's time for fresh oil, regardless of what a analysis says. I just can't get myself to keep the same oil in there for longer than 5k miles.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

an engine oil analysis is not to detirmine if its time to replace the oil When you change the oil, you send a sample off to some lab, and they do all kinds of crazy moon tests on it, to check for certain metallic content and whatnot. It can give you hints about things that are wearing down or that are suggesting signs of big trouble later.

Batoutahell

T- you got amnesia or something, forget about the huge Ram CTD that I have parked in my driveway. I daily drive it, get 21-22 mpg mixed (less in city, more on highway), and 16-17mpg towing. I wish my truck was quieter and had a more reaonable turning radius, but those shortcomings are nothing compared to how well the thing tows and hauls all my gear.

tnord

yeah yeah jim..........i knew you had one, i just wanted a second opinion.

i'm going to the dealer in 30min to drive an 05 3/4ton duramax. 5500 in rebates on the 04's.

johng

Right. I just read about the guys over on the dieselstop having those analysis done and not changing oil for like 9,000 miles because the results come back clean. I don't agree with that, but I do see the value in a test every so often.