Make up my mind already

[kwasyd]

Hey folks. I have logged in to get some advice from some general motor fans. Currently I am driving a 2001 Sierra SLT. We are about to have more rugrats in the family so instead of a minivan we are looking into a crew cab as a family rig. I will be staying with General Motors, but my decision sways between a gas or a diesel. I will also add this. We do spend a good deal of the summer camping. I have a 27 foot tow behind trailer. So based on your opinions.. What would you do.. but a gas or a diesel of you had the option???

Thanks

[jt1quik86]

I just traded my 2000 SLT 3/4 ton 6.0 Liter. With one child and a 27 foot boat, 9000 lbs., I bought a GMC 3/4 Crew Cab with the Duramax/Allison. In hindsight I should have done it sooner. The 2005 Diesel is unbelievable. Good Luck!

[71GMC_3/4T]

If you can afford the Duramax, I'd say Go For It!

I couldn't, therefore I have a 6.0, but I still like it a lot.

Someone was telling me you need to log over 20K mi/yr to justify the added expense of a diesel.

I had a guy dust me in my '71 with 402BB off a stoplight. He was running a Duramax in a Dooley. Very impressed, I was! He launched and I nailed it, but I never caught up any distance to him...

There are pros and cons for the Diesel, but I think the pros outweigh the cons by a long shot. I would have one if I had an extra 6 to 10 grand laying around. Maybe next truck...

I also shoulda looked into the 8.1 496 CI a little closer. Apparently it gets comparable fuel mileage to the 6.0, and there's just no replacement for displacement!!

[kwasyd]

Nice!!! Thanks guys for the quick response...

Anyone else want to throw in their two bits?

The more opinions the better.

[XTOAK]

Some considerations -

 

If you live in a northern climate, it does take longer for a diesel to warm up in the winter and it won't warm up just by idling in the driveway - even if it's on high idle. I've had three diesels including a Duramax and all I got was "When will we see some heat?" from the wife.

 

Diesel can be more expensive than gas in some regions of the U.S. and even with the better MPG's can end up costing you more.

 

The diesel is $4500 - $5500 more than the gas engine depending upon your negotiation skills...that will buy a ton of gasoline.

 

When you do an oil change, you don't want to buy your oil in quarts as it will shock you how many a diesel will take...buy it in gallons. Unlike a gas engine, an oil change is expensive unless you do it yourself and then it is still more spendy than a gasoline engine oil change.

 

If you like the smell of diesel exhaust, nothing smells better on a cool fall morning.

 

Th diesel engine is heavier than a gas engine and have been known to get stuck very easily in sand and muddy pastures, and then are a chore to get towed out of the muck.

 

For all of the above reasons, I bought an 8.1L as it gets the same mileage as the 6.0 and comes closer to the get up and go of the Duramax. Granted, there is no substitution for the Umph that you get from a diesel but you've really got to want that. You might try driving a 6.0, 8.1 and a Durmax, and make the call for yourself.

[Bgdsub72]

I agree, if you have the money for the duramax then do it...I could not afford it so I too ended up with the 6.0L

[8100 Power]

 

If you got the money go with the diesel, ive drove them both, 8.1 and the Duramax, no comparison really. The diesel has alot more power and gets almost double the mileage of the bigblock, although, i love my truck.....

[dcalex]

Your question is a good one and it had me standing on one foot and then the other for quite some while. I just ordered a Dmax....and I'll tell you why and maybe it'll help.

I had borrowed my nephews 8100 to go back to Iowa (from Calif.) to pick up a tractor. What a beautifull truck and engine....I fell in love with it....except for one thing....It would NOT pass up a gas station. It got 10 mpg empty on the trip back to Iowa and I refused to even do the calcs loaded on the return. The 8100 will definitely get the job done for you, if you don't mind the mileage.....some don't....I do. There's just something about paying at the pump that I can't get over. I'll pay it up front for the diesel though. My calculations put the diesel at $3860 MSRP more. (shoot...I had the breakdown here a couple of days ago and threw it away)It sounds like a lot more when you get the big power package, but if you pull out the extra's that come with it and then calc it out, you get a better picture of the actual costs for the diesel itself. A good chunk of that package is the Allison and I would NEVER have a pulling truck without that tranny after having used one. I figured that the diesel should pay for itself after 60 - 70,000 miles even with the higher maint. costs the guys refered to.

 

On the negative side....the diesel injector problems that are being had by all the newer diesels.... due mostly, I've learned, because of the higher emission standards being imposed and the makers having to boost injector pressure way up to meet them. There's boards running polls right now and the Dmax is getting about a 20% failure rate. Dodge a little less....but it's endemic to the new diesels. Warranty is doing a pretty good job of covering them, but if they go out after warranty.....there's the potential for a fight and/or a really tall repair bill. Injector warranty on 2001 - 2002 models have been extended to 200,000 miles and may have to happen on later models as well....many think it will happen. Even with warranty, there's guys that have waited up to 6 weeks for injectors to get in to the dealer....that's not good and it tells how big the problem is. This is not a slam at GM.....they are all having problems with them.

The other thing to be aware of is the 2007 diesel fuel standards that are coming. Big question mark on what the new low-sulpher fuels will do.....could be very good....could be bad......no-one really seems to know.

 

After all that........Yup.....my Dmax is on order......go figure.

 

I'd look hard first, but wouldn't let it all scare me away. I think a lot of it may not be as bad as it sounds, but it's worth some head scratchin'

 

Good luck.

[linda]

i agree, with the above...if you got the money go diesel. It will help with the towing it sounds like you are doing. The following statement is my personal preference, not a fact, so please lets not start the diesel/gas war here......

I am planning on getting a supercharger with the money i saved on the 8.1L instead of getting the diesel. I have riden in a supercharged 8.1L and i can tell you, you will have no problem outpulling, or outrunning any diesel. It was unbelievable!! I have riden in a 2004 DMAX (not sure if it was an LLY) that had been fitted with the juice. It also was very impressive, and probably was comparible to the s/charged 496, but off the line i just dont like waiting for the diesel to spool up.....that 496 just shear launched like a mad dog. Anyhow, as far as buying stock trucks, i think the diesel is you best bet when unmodded, especially for your towing needs. Good luck in your hunt.....like someone else said, the best thing to do is a few test drives to make up your own mind.

[dcalex]

Oh....one more thing.....it's pretty well agreed that resale on the diesel will be quite a bit more and some of it's cost's will eventually be recovered there.

 

And guys that don't keep their trucks beyond warranty, don't sweat injector issues. That seems like a waste of money to me for the average guy. One of the big selling points of a diesel is their longevity.....at a 100,000 miles it's just getting used to you.

[gcope63]

I went through the same thing earlier this year and I ended up with the 8.1... At the time I bought mine the diesels were at least $8000 more due to better rebates on gas motors plus the dealer was more willing to negotiate on the gas.. I absolutely love my truck!! The off the line acceleration is awesome and it runs nice and quiet until you step on it... The only thing that dissapoints me is the range.. I don't mind as much the 11 -13 mpg I get but with the shortbox 26 gal tank i only have a range of about 250 - 300 miles... I will probably someday install the 46 gal aftermarket tank and then I'll have the range i want!!!

I have several friends with Duramax's and they love them and that is great, to each his own!! (As long as they are GM!! )

 

Gary

[dewfpo]

I just bought a 2005. I checked out the 6.0, 8.1 and the DM. I live at 7,200 so the 8.1 performs like a 360 at sea level. The 6.0 was fine but I like the instant power of the 8.1 when going up mountain passes (over 10,000 feet). The DM pulled like a freight train once the rpms were up. Very impressive. But the diesel option was about $3,500 more than the 8.1, $1,000 LESS rebates and diesel fuel here is now 29 cents more than leaded regular. That along with the noise, smell and I don't drive many miles a year or tow very often made me go with the 8.1

 

DEWFPO

[Machine]

Hi –

 

What a fun decision you have to make. I remember being in your situation a few years back and the choice I made is now my only option for the future when it comes to pulling heavy loads and logging a lot of miles. I chose the diesel route to do the job. Linda indicated that he plans to go the supercharger route for his 8.1. That will be a substantial increase in power – but it will likely decrease the already poor mpg that the 8.1 is getting when loaded. I SC’d my former 6.0 Escalade and used it to pull a 4800# boat. The difference in power over stock was very, very noticeable, but my mpg suffered a drop of about 1 mpg when compared to the stock 6.0. After 6 months I bought a Duramax and I have never looked back . Don’t get me wrong, I love gassers, but for the type of application you indicated, diesel would be my vote.

 

The cost to acquire a diesel isn’t too bad when you consider that you’ll get a portion of that back at the end of ownership. Good luck!

[THE BIGPUNN]

i agree, if you can afford dmax, go for it no doubt! i love my bigblock but the mileage is bad. i know its a big truck with a big engine but with higher gas prices now, i wish i had a dmax for the better mileage. im gonna keep the bigblock for now, the injector trouble really bothers me with diesels.

[linda]

as a side note.....i dont know what deals they are giving right now, but when i bought my truck they were pushing the diesel real hard. I actually could have had the diesel for about $500 more than i paid for the 496. I was just remembering back a few years the kind of power my 396/375 camaro had, and i was gung ho for the big block. I am still very happy with my decision, as i dont really tow much.....but for straight up, off the lot, power for towing, i would go diesel. Be a hard a$$, you would be suprised how much they will bargain once you start throwing numbers around. I held a $15,000 down payment over their head, and they were more than happy to wheel and deal. You may try some of the "online" routes as well. I went through "autobytel.com" for my deal and they put me in touch with a local rep, who found the EXACT truck i was looking for. It was about 500 miles away, and they had it towed in for me. Good luck.