Truck buying questions for HD owners

kirkl · April 2, 2002

Heres the deal, I have a 8ft camper but plan to get a 20-22 ft camp trailor. I drive 10 miles to work. and would camp in summer and take trailor or camper to hunting camp a few times a year. Heres the question. I was planning on getting the 6.0L which run about $26-27000. But i have a hookup where i can get a brandnew duramax/allison, 4x4, extended cab, pretty much everything but leather for $31,000. Would you get the 6.0 or the durmax with the driving/towing things i described. The price alone makes me want to get the durmax. my uncle just bought the duramax i described and it is sweet, I fell in love with in instantly. Boy that dmax is quite.

whats your opinions.

Thanks

Shaners · April 2, 2002

Welcome to the forum Kirkl.

Either truck will do what you ask of it. In fact the dmax is probably overkill for a 20-22' trailer. I pull a 32' with my 6.0L (8000 lbs).

However the deal on the new Dmax looks pretty good, and if you can swing it, you can never really have too much truck!!!

I think the 10 miles trip to work is sufficient enough to put some heat in the Dmax, so you should have nothing to worry about there...

tmg115tmg115 · April 2, 2002

Get the duramax!!!! :exclaim: :exclaim: :exclaim:

you will love every miniet you are in it and you get better millage and diesel is cheaper than gas(at least in texas). this is a great truck that you will love and when you pull the trailer you will not even know it is there.

antig24 · April 2, 2002

I'd go with the dmax with that good deal

Jpshostr · April 2, 2002

I'll be the voice of dissent here. Don't go diesel for your application, it'll kill it with those short drives to work, then sitting, then going a short ways home. The 6.0L is the best choice for you. It'll easily tow what you are asking it to, plus is more suited towards your driving style. Those short trips are terrible for any vehicle, but are really killers on diesels.

Beechnut · April 2, 2002

I think you will be very pleased with either. My 6L is a great engine. A suggestion if you have the option, take a long look at the extendable towing mirrors as an option. My 2001 HD was ordered with them and I really like them. 2001 was manual only, not sure on subsequent.

JEBar · April 2, 2002

Having used both gas and diesel engine equiped vehicles under circumstances similar to yours, I have to go with the majority of those above .... if you can swing the price, you won't regret the Duramax purchase. If you plan to keep this truck for an extended period, you will find the diesel cheaper to run from day one. If/when you plan to trade it in you should get a higher resale/trade-in price. With both you will get a fine truck .... with the Duramax you'll get the best truck!

kirkl · April 2, 2002

Thanks for all the replys. Ive never owned a diesel. How does it kill it if your not driving alot of miles everyday. Will it lower the miles you will be able to get out of the engine. Instead of getting 300,000 you will only get 250,000 miles out of the engine. Keep them coming. I plan on keeping my next truck probably close to 15 years.

tmg115tmg115 · April 3, 2002

Thanks for all the replys. Ive never owned a diesel. How does it kill it if your not driving alot of miles everyday. Will it lower the miles you will be able to get out of the engine. Instead of getting 300,000 you will only get 250,000 miles out of the engine. Keep them coming. I plan on keeping my next truck probably close to 15 years.

it will not hurt a diesel too bad to not drive long distances. they are relizing that people are buying diesels just to go to work and they are making them were they can work in both worlds.

regcab02HD · April 3, 2002

If I had it all to do again I would have probably gotten the Dmax. I love the 6.0. But I would like to have the better gas mileage of the Dmax. I get 12-12.5 mpg no matter what now. I believe with the Dmax you should get about 18 mpg. Soon I will be driving 50 miles to school and the Dmax would have saved some money. But I have had no problems with the 6.0L. It's a great pickup.

SteveSierra · April 3, 2002

If you can get an 02 ext cab 4x4 w d/a for 31000, snatch that up. That is an unheard of price. No question.

I just opted out an 02 Chevy 2500hd w d/a 4x4 ls pkg, towing, cd player, bucket seats, lock diff, forged alum wheels and invoice came out to 35,300 msrp was 40,400.

Where are you getting this absolutely unheard of deal? Wish my dealers around here would knock four grand off of the invoice price. And on a Duramax/Allison combo?

Man, I sure must be livin in the wrong part of the country.

1BADHD · April 3, 2002

My driving habits are almost exactly like yours. I drive 8 miles to work and my parents have a 28' Playmor Camper that I pull on occasion for them. The 6.0 will do anything that you are wanting to do. I got mine new off the showroom floor for 27600. That is for a loaded LS Extended Cab 4x4. Now as far as mileage goes. I run my truck pretty good but not all out either. I am consistantly getting 14.2 to 14.7 mpg. Best on a all highway road trip was 15.4 mpg. I know that is uncharacteristic of the 6.0. I have a K&N filter and true dual exhaust though, so that may help. Now my Dad has the same truck and only gets 12.2 to 13.2 mpg. His only has 2500 miles on it though. It may get better once broke in. Any other questions, feel free to PM me.

kirkl · April 3, 2002

Im not worried about the 6.0 not having enough power and im use to the gas mileage it gets, i get 12 in my 91 chevy 350 and about 14.5 on the freeway. But with that price of the Dmax i about cant turn it down. Well see when it comes time to buy. There getting these trucks out of canada. Only dealers can get them but another thing the canadians do is they have 6 month lease plans then anybody can buy one, my uncle checked on them and i guess you can get them cheaper than 31,000 and they only have anywhere from 2-8000 miles on them.

BDBWTE · April 30, 2002

This is a personal preference more than anything else. Either truck is very capable of pulling such as trailer. I own a 2500HD 6.0L with a 5spd and 4.10 and I pull a kronkrite trailer with a 963 Bobcat on it weighting around 10,500 at a conventional hitch. You know it's back there for sure but the truck is just built great and impresses me every chance I get and I love it. Now my dad owns 7 2500HD with the DMAX/Allison Combination for his construction company and all of the foremen as well as the old man swears the truck is indestructible. I've had the pleasure of racking many miles on a Duramax and I love the truck and it will pull more than the truck can handle that's for sure. I rolled on the scales and truck and trailer weighted 25,000lbs. Surprisingly the truck did very well. Sorry to get off the subject but I was just pointing out that both trucks are very capable trucks. It comes down to your personal preference. The DMAX is a great motor but it cost more to own in maintaince and less in fuel, whereas the 6.0L saves on maintenance but costs at the pumps, not that much if you drive with common sense. I hope I didn't just confuse you more. Best of Luck picking a truck your looking at two really good trucks.