A Diesel will always get more mpg than gasser!! PERIOD!
Thank you for pointing out the ACCURACY of my post.
I averaged 10.5mpg towing our 5th wheel. My mileage was about the same with all my Cummins powered Rams.
And no, diesels don't "always" get more mpg than a gasser. The new ones especially.
Trailer Life October 2005
Dodge 1500 QC HEMI auto/3.92
16.6 mpg solo, 6.5 mpg towing a 5800 lb TT in the Rockies
Trailer Life Sept 2003
F-550 PSD CC towing a 13,605 5th wheel,
11.3mpg solo, 8.0mpg towing.
Took a 7% grade at 50mph 2600rpm
Trailer Life April 2004
F-350 PSD CC towing an 8180 lb TT
18.7mpg solo, 9.5mpg towing
6% grade 60mph at 2500rpm
Trailer Life March 2001
F-550 PSD CC towing 15,040 lb 5th wheel
11.1mpg solo, 8.3mpg towing
7% grade 35mph at 2800rpm
Trailer Life February 2002
Freightliner Sport Chassis Cat 7.2L
9.65mpg solo, 7.17mpg towing 15,680 lb 5th wheel
38mph up a 7% grade.
Trailer Life December 2002
F-550 PSD CC towing 10,141 lb 5th wheel
10.9mpg solo, 8.2mpg towing
The towing report concluded,
8% grade at 22mph 2750rpm
Trailer Life February 2007
F-450 6.4L PSD 4.10 towing 20k lb 5th wheel
no mileage reported
7% grade 41mph at 2850rpm
Geeeesh, you just proved my point.....the DIESELS ALWAYS got more mpg towing, read what you yourself posted.........AND, the benifit of more power.
The only gasser I see you posted, was 6.5 mpg.........all the diesels you posted, were better than that,, it leads me to ask you to show me why you find my point is so hard to understand
Your numbers, , not mine in your quote
1994 Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel,3500,Dually (Oh YEA )
1991 Ford F-150
1993 Sandpiper 5th Wheel)
Prodigy Brake Controller
Honda EU3000is Generator
Raytek IR Thermometer,Garmin C-330 Nav./GPS
Doran Pressure Pro Rally's attended so far- 8 My Blog
The vast majority of my mileage as well as almost everyone else on these forums is running empty and even while towing we're NOT in the Rockies. 16.6mpg running empty in the Rockies isn't bad for a 4X4 full sized V8 powered pickup. Out here in mostly flat country, I average 8.5mpg towing our 10k lb 5th wheel 65mph and 14~city/ 17+mpg hwy empty. Some of the diesels, especially the new ones, get miserable mileage empty. You didn't say "towing" in your origional flawed claim. You said "always". Now you want to change what you said. I get better mileage towing and empty than the F-550s that TL tested.
I fully understand your point. It's flawed.
'05 2500HD Dodge 5.7L Hemi 5spd auto/3.73 SLT. 93k miles
ex '95 Cummins,'98 12v Cummins,'01.5 Cummins,'03 Cummins
'07 KZ Jag 28JFSS.
Having worked in the industrial construction business for years prior to my current job, traveling cross country was not unfarmiliar, I do notice that any area like home for me, that bordered or was close to any mountain range, the majority of vehicles around, locals and travelers had some sort of diesel. Powerplants in our trucks and the geographical location go hand in hand if u ask me. Crossing the many passes here in WA,ID,MT and B.C. are the pits on a gasser when towing any moderate weight, I did for years and even though it worked...it was a white knucle, watch the temp gauge mess.
'07 2500HD ClassicD/Max LBZ 6Spd Ally Westin nerf's,5'' mbrp turbo back
PPE airbox mod,Prodigy,Magellan nav,285 Toyo MT's,Chrome MB 16x8's,Firestone bags,level command compressor kit.Lund Fisherman 1700 My GaragePhotobucket
As I've said here many many times, if we lived or towed much in the mountains, I'd be driving my 5th Cummins powered Ram. Not trying to make the Hemi gasser out to be any more than what it is. Within it's limits it's a very reliable and powerful engine. But it does have it's limits. Towing our 10k lb 5th wheel in the mountains would be well over it's limits. I don't believe it would hurt the engine but, I wouldn't want to listen to it, a scratched record of my favorite song...
Hard one to decide.......I love the diesel.
Had a mishap with a diesel....well almost. Had my dads diesel with his TC in VA a few years back.....realized I needed to stop at the gas station for diesel.....that almost became a problem. Could not find a station that had diesel.
Have no idea why I told you this.....
I think the next couple of years many of todays trucks will have engine configurations we never expected before.....mpg will be up, if not way up.
What ever choice you make..... will be the right one....others will always challenge your decision. Diesel generally has a much better resale value. You'll get your money back on it for a trade or private sale.
Sir Buffalo!
2006 Zinger by Crossroads 27BHS
2007 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 5.7
Geeeesh, you just proved my point.....the DIESELS ALWAYS got more mpg towing, read what you yourself posted.........AND, the benifit of more power.
The only gasser I see you posted, was 6.5 mpg.........all the diesels you posted, were better than that,, it leads me to ask you to show me why you find my point is so hard to understand
Your numbers, , not mine in your quote
THrow in the V10, you'd see better gasser milage when towing. I get slightly over 7 when towing at 70 with hills and fully loaded (24,000 combined). WIth a "light" load of only 12,000 pounds in tow and keep it at 65, and I see over 9. Granted I have 4.56 gears which nets me about 1.5 mpg MORE than when I had 3.73 gears.
Bryan
2000 Ford E350 DRW Wagon (14-pass all captains chairs)
V10 w/ Banks PowerPack, Diablo Predator, 4.56 LS, 230,000+ miles
Had: Weekend Warrior 41' FSW (still looking for its replacement)
No need to idle the diesel after driving unless you've been working it hard, towing on the highway or pulling grades, for example. For around town driving, pull in, place in park park, shut off.
You need not warmup a diesel to full operating temperature before driving as was mentioned, either - for that matter, you'd be hard pressed to get a diesel to warm up much at all without driving it. Startup, wait 20 or 30 seconds for oil to reach all the proper bits and the combustion to stabilize across all cylinders, and drive away. Even in -20 and below weather I don't idle for more then a minute or so after startup, although I do drive gingerly for the first few miles.
There's lots of scary stuff out there about the special needs of diesels. Much of it is true, and even more is unfounded.
All in all, I'd say go with the gasser though for your needs since the upfront cost of the diesel (unless you buy used like I did) will never be recouped, nor do you really need most of the advantages it offers the other 99.9% of the time you'll be using the truck as a daily driver.
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