Diesel or Gas

[MAYBELLINE]

With the new super high pressure fuel injectors and their related problems, is the diesel still more reliable and cost effective than gas? I plan to buy a 2500 or 3500 to pull a 32ft. 12,000# fiver. After reading so many diesel problems, I'm considering the 8100 gas. What do you think?

[JEBar]

simple answer, get the one you feel is best for you...as to diesel vs gas, all types of vehicles have some problems, for pulling and long life diesel is clearly the way to go .... Jim

[IndigoDually]

There is no doubt that the 8100 will do the job for you. It works great in my 37' motorhome that's around 25,000 combined with with car it's towing behind. The Allison works great with that motor also (I think a little better that with my Duramax). If you plan on keeping the truck for a rather long time and you plan on pulling a fair amount then I would go with the D-Max. If you don't drive many miles and turn over trucks frequently then try the gas, if it doesn't work that well for what you are doing then go diesel. Most of my use with my pick-up would dictate getting a gas motor but the diesel is personal preference. The gas would do the job just as well just with lesser fuel economy.
Good luck with whatever You get,

John

[MAYBELLINE]

Thanks for the replies. i guess the diesel is the way to go. P.S.Mybelline is my cat, I'm Wayne.

[ryeguy]

It was a tough call for me, too. In the end I went for diesel and I'm glad I did. The truck is too fun to drive (so I'm putting on half-again more miles than I was planning to, so better mileage is a Good Thing), and I plan on keeping it for a long, long time.

--Rob

[thechevyhdman]

I went through the same dillema when I bought my truck last year. We always had gassers usually in our pickups. Ive had alot of troubles with the 4L80E And definietly wanted the Allison, But couldnt dread the thought of the 8100 with horrible gas mileage and rising fuel prices. I did the math on it and figured out that for me It would take 3-4 years for the diesel engine to pay itself off. The 6.0 isnt a bad engine but the start up knock on it sounds like its going to throw a rod or has a bad lifter. I only know 2 people with the 8100 with Allys and they love em but wished they got the diesel. Especially when one guy told me he gets about 9 mpg or like 220 miles on a tankful of gas in town. Im like geez man Ive never gotten less than 350 on a tankful towing in town traffic. Its obviously your decision but you have to look at the long run with diesels.. If you plan on keeping it long. working it. towing with it(right there towing alone would make me buy a diesel) A diesel will be in your favor every time. Even at trade in down the road a Diesel is an instant value adder. Switching for the first time to a diesel pickup. Id never get a gasser again. I think the Duramax is an excellent engine and I and everyone else that I know havent had any problems even worth mentioning.

[Merle]

On the Diesel vs Gas, I bought the Duramax and if I had it to do over I would not. It has turned out to be unreliable. It is a 3500.

[srubrn]

I haven't had any problems with my D/6SPD to mention and I get 19 in town. Pulls like a freight train too.

[ChopperBill]

I had the same decision to make. Went for the D-Max after driving both. We just got back from a 2500 mile trip with our Lance camper and pulling 2 ATV's. A week after driving threw the Colorado mountains you still cant wipe the smile off my face! Cruise set at 65 or 70 and no mountain pass slowed me down even one MPH. It is a feeling you cant discribe!

[conradv]

I don't think I'll buy another diesel OR gas pickup new....I'm going to keep this one until it rusts away!

This may be sacrilege to some GM guys, but one of the closest things that driving my 2003 GMC D/A reminds me of is driving my '65 Mustang 289 HiPo.... smile.gif

[letsgo]

Why did I BUY diesel???
Before buying my Duramax I spoke to many people THERE WERE 2 IN PARTICULAR who owned D///es one a diesel his worst MPG towing = 11mpg. the other a gas V10 his worst MPG towing = 4.9mpg.

BEST BUY diesel and of coarse DURAMAX

good luck

[Eric Alan]

I am new to the diesel scene as well and thought between the 8.1 and the DMax. Dmax won out when my wife (don't laugh guys) drove both and said she would prefer the diesel (I would have had to think of another motivation factor for her if she didn't come up with that one herself!) tongue.gif

[zip]

Maybelline-
Either one of the engine choices will tow your trailer. I would be just as concerned with another question-- "will the 2500HD handle the loaded trailer as well as a 3500?" I would buy the 3500. I asked a similar question on the irv2 website. http://irv2.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=089094322&f=284094522&m=5693034286

zip
I'm sure most people here would agree with the dually since the trailer is pretty hefty. Hope you like your Duramax. We sure do! :cool:

[snowmo]

Maybelline, There's a million opinions out there and I struggled with the same choice until I happened to discuss it with the contractor that built my house. He has 5 friends / associates who have all moved up to the Duramax after buying the gassers (four from the GM 8.1 and one from the Ford V-10). Once the first one had and the rest had driven it it was goodbye gasser. In addittion I've never heard of anyone going back to a gasser after a diesel (I know there are probably some out there) but that was enough for me. Another thing that everyone talks about is that they will both pull whatever you have. Yes, thats true. My 6.0 L GMC pulled my trailer - but I didn't like the way it pulled. My Duramax - I LOVE the way it pulls.

[Jelisfc]

If you look at the percentage of 2500HD and 3500 trucks built with the 6.0 vs 8.1 vs 6.6 I'd bet the 8.1 comes in last. IMHO it's because if a person's going to spend the money on a HD truck and spend the money on the Allison they're more apt to go full bore and get the diesel. If you can't justify a diesel's cost in most cases the 6.0 makes do.

If GM has sound marketing. They aren't even offering the 6.0 in a 3/4 ton Avalanche and the 8.1 probably out sells the 6.0 in Suburbans. Why? Cause they get the same mileage and use the same transmission. An $850.00 engine upgrade is easier to palete then a $3100.00 engine and trans upgrade.

For me it was an easy decision. I wanted a power increase over my current 5.7L. The 6.0 did not impress me at all. My 5.7 pulls just as good. Since now it was between the 8.1 and Dmax the Dmax won only because I do drive enough miles to justify the expense and it gets better mileage so the miles driven per tank is better. Less time between fillups.

Having said all that. If GM offered a 1500HD 8.1/4L85E I'd have that on order not a 2500HD Dmax/ZF.

[GM Smitty]

MAYBELLINE-
I'm not sure if your into after-market upgrades, but it is a heck of alot cheaper to get an extra 100 HP out of the D-max than the 8.1. The after-market scene for diesels offers alot more for the consumer.