moparmaga2 wrote: How about the cost to buy? Lets see, $13000 new vs 45000-50000 for a billy bob diesel.
If you really want to get into it, calculate the interest on a $50000 dollar truck loan vs a $13000 truck loan.
After you do that, calculate the maintenance expense on my $13000 truck vs your 50000 diesel.
Keep in mind my "teeny tiny" truck has never been in the shop a day in its life, after all the miles of towing. Rocky Mountains, Desert, Coast, Plains, everywhere. I am still waiting for it to self destruct like all the "experts" on here tell me it will.
You do the math on that one. Suffice to say, I could go on trips for years and years on the interest I saved alone.
I will admit, I would love to have a diesel, they are better trucks for towing. At the present prices though, it would just sit in the yard. If I was a wealthy man, and could stomach a $175 dollar fillup for 400 miles, I would have one.
I was only looking at the fuel consumption of truck A vs truck B. You do not have to spend 50K on a diesel just like you don't have to spend 50K on a SUV or any vehicle for that matter. The out the door price for a diesel truck vs a gas truck of the same trim level is not much difference in the grand scheme of things. IF you are comparing a new Dodge Restiol version at 56K vs a Chevy Cheyanne at 20K then yes there is a world of difference in price. But to make this debate fair you need to compare apples to apples, not apples to lemons
There is little doubt that some 30 foot 5th wheels would be too much for older Tundras. Might even be a FEW 30 foot 5th wheels that would be over the limit for the new ones but not many. I saw a Tundra towing a 30 foot trailer passing an F-350 going up Monarch Pass on US 50 a month or so ago. That didn't mean anything either
Come on, moparmaga2, why the "billy bob" diesel remark? I'm not a "billy bob" and neither is my 2003 Dodge Ram 3500 diesel 4x4. Got it because the 2003 Ram 2500 gas 2 wheel drive wouldn't do squat getting out of my snow covered drive (600' long) in the winter and didn't do well on mud, therefore, I knew it sure wouldn't get up the 1/4 mile fairly steep hill I live on top of in inclement weather or get me out of sand. Also, I'm getting up to 22 mpg on the diesel when not pulling and didn't get anywhere near that with the gasser. And that is driving narrow back country twist and turn roads. Bought the gasser (fifty some thousand miles on it) last Sept. and the mpg on it wasn't near the diesel's. Traded it in on the diesel (thirty thousand miles) about a month ago and didn't pay anywhere near the lower amount you quoted. Of course, its used, well cared for and still under warranty. I love my big diesel and feel it will handle most anything I decide to upgrade to so I won't have to invest in another truck as well as a new 5th wheel. I also expect it to last for a heck of a lot longer than any gasser I've ever had. Savings for the future. Got rid of my newer Honda CRV when I inherited my aunt's 1993 Toyota Carolla with thirty thousand miles on it this year. Super mpg, but still use the diesel as well when not pulling the 5th wheel. Maintenance? Well, I have an excellent repair shop that I've used for years that I'll have do any non-warranty work on it and their prices are extremely reasonable. Interest rate, well, have to admit I do have an advantage there as I'm retired, had enough put back and with the trade-in, was able to pay the difference in cash. Regardless, I feel very comfortable and satisfied with what I bought. You feel the same about what you tow with. There have been some RVers that I thought were towing with too small a vehicle, expecially when there were visible indications of such. I just say a prayer for those people and hope they don't have any accidents. I promise not to call your's a name if you don't call mine one.
Ooops! A little mistake on my part, the Ram 3500 quad cab 4x4 diesel with a Cummins engine that we have is a 2006, not a 2003. No tuneups needed and no overhaul until 250,000 miles. We customized the back seat area for our 100 lb. German Shepherd. Just saw another post on, I believe, the Full Timing Forum, labelled "Diesel" that started out with a post about losing the transmission on their smaller tow vehicle.
I've towed with several 1/2ton pickups over the years, and let me say that the 3/4ton pickup is like night and day! The trailer is not pushing you around, brakes are far more superior, and fuel economy compared to 1/2ton is not all that far off. MHO
2008 Fleetwood Prowler 235RLS
2005 Dodge Ram 2500 4x2 5.9L Diesel 3.73Limited slip 6speed manual
Pullin' 5ers since 1988....Have a nice day
My father-in-law towed a 4000lb, 20ft fiver with a Dodge Rampage, the old FWD car with the back cutoff, 2.2L with a 5sp manual, 120hp. It did nicely. Would maintain 45mph on 6% grade and 70mph on the flats. He did shop for a trailer that was only 7ft wide and minimum height to minimize wind resistance.
Many of us already have a truck and want to haul a trailer so we get one that fits our use. We don't use it often enough to justify buying a TV to suit the trailer. I calculate my annual mileage where 99% of my driving is without the trailer so having a big diesel (or gas) engine is just not in the cards for me right now.
Someday, when I will be towing 10,000mi a year and living in the trailer for more than a a couple of weeks at a time, I may get a bigger truck, but, for now I'll stick with my little one.
charlie
2006 Toyota Tundra Crew Cab
2003 Skyline Nomad 24ft Fiver
Me and Wife
Maggie the Old English Sheepdog
Owned six 1/2 ton trucks, owned 1 3/4 ton Diesel truck and will never look back. As long as Diesel is sold at gas stations I will will own one. 1/2 ton trucks are great but can't compare to 3/4 and 1 ton trucks for towing..........P.S I'm not in this hobby to count pennies. And my diesel was a 2006 I paid 28,000 for with 10,000 miles..
2006 Ford F250, Power Stroke, Banks Exhaust, Air Lift Bags, Factory Tow Command, Mag-Hytec Diff cover, Toyo Tires, Fox Suspension and onboard air.
2007 Raptor 3612DS
2007 Yamaha WR 450
2005 Honda EX250
2005 Honda XR 70 ONE OF A KIND
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