I have been down the road of gas vs diesel just as many other have been as well. I chose a DP. Have you driven both gas and a DP? I personally preferred the ride on the DP. I feel it is much more comfortable and quieter. In addition, I really like the air brakes and Exhaust brakes for stopping something that large. Also, remember, almost every truck on the road is diesel and they manage to find diesel mechanics to do the repair work.
You have to really ask yourself some basic questions:
1.) How often will you use the rv?
2.) Will you be making a lot of longer driving hour trips? or will it be short drives and a long time staying at wherever you get?
3.) How much gear and stuff will you be carrying, will it support your needs or will you be overloaded?
4.) Do you plan on towing a vehicle?
Doing oil changes myself, I consider spending $8 for dino oil on gasser, or $200 for synthetic oil on diesel a marginal cost.
Convenience of doing long intervals on diesel is more important to me, than the low cost of material.
Than for me diesel is to high percentage an investment, while gasser is disposable item.
And Kajek1 hit the nail on the head. It all in how you view it. If you view it as a disposable item, for short jaunts, get a gasser. If you want more of a serious RV, diffidently a DP. Our coach (built on a bus chassis, so it is solid and will last much longer then your average coach), we will have for many more hundreds of thousands of miles.
Also, fwiw, the 200 dollar oil figure is just a little inflated. It is really more like 160, but that is a minor point.
I've had both and always get a laugh out of the diesel owners that talk about longevity. With few exceptions, most don't put anywhere near 100,000 miles on their coach. Then again neither do the gassers. Most diesels do get a better return on their investment(percentage wise) when they sell it or trade it in, compared to a comparable mileage gas coach. Parts are more expensive for a diesel and good mechanics are harder to find. Chassis components and coach components are about the same. If you have a catastrophic failure with a diesel engine it will cost you close to three times as much as if you had the same problem with a gas engine. All you have to do is read this forum and you will find out that diesels are not immune to problems, and neither are gas coaches. The choice boils down to what engine is in the floor plan that you like. For most people, either engine will do fine.
As said previously drive them both and the logical choice will be diesel because of ride and comfort. It does cost more but not hearing the fans all the time and the much more stable ride was the reason that we traded our gasser in for the diesel...and never looked back.
i just had my valves done on a 3126 cat and the coolant changed(24qts)along with the thermostat and it cost me $495,00.i guess it's who you bring it to.yeah it cost more than a gasser but the ride of my dp is second to none!to each his own.
I've owned both and a DP will cost more to operate each year than a gasser. Not only because of the diesel systems (oil, filters, fuel filters, air filters), but because the systems on a DP are more extensive than a gas model. The air system requires a periodic air dryer change, the hydraulic system will probably need more maintenance than an electric system (jacks and slides), then there's coolant SCA, fuel additives, etc. Our Workhorse gasser didn't need much more maintenance than a car, and prices for components were much cheaper than our diesel. BUT, and this is a big BUT, the carrying capability, driving ease, and longevity of a diesel make the costs worthwhile.
Happily Fulltiming Somewhere
2006 Itasca Ellipse 40FD Our RV Blog
Thanks to the diesel owners for telling us what it costs for oil changes. They love ther DPs, but it costs to own them. They have low end power that is unbeliveable. A lot of people cannot justify the cost for the use they get, and that is great. The air ride and brakes are great, but you WILL pay for it. I would really like a front engine diesel with the air brakes, air ride, and engine braking, and still have an extra 35+ hp of not having to drive a cooling system of a dp. That would also keep the heat in the front for better heating and cooling, in the summer. Keeping the heat out of the bedroom makes for better sleeping the first night after traveling. There is something to be said for a large dp. To each his own.
When I bought my F53, I was also looking at both. The dealers advice was to choose dependent on what was the intended use. If the unit was going to be on the road alot then diesel. If in storage a lot a gasser. Diesel fuel does not like setting around. For me the MH sets all summer and most of the fall. We use it to go to Fla. for 3 months and a few weeks during the summer so we decided on the gas.
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