OK guys....I'm sure this subject has been discussed before, but I'm old and have a short memory.
We are going to purchase a gas powered class A. We are full timers now, but will build our lake house next year, so the MH will become a vacation type vehicle.
Talking with the DP owners advise me to go with diesel. When I ask why, they mostly state....you'll see when you're going up steep inclines at 10 to 20 mph.
The coach I'm looking to buy has a 362 HP engine. I see many DP's with 300, 340, and 350 HP engines. Now, I realize that the diesels do well in higher altitudes, and our diesel(365 hp) p/u pulls the 35 foot fiver well up mountains with no problems.
So, can I really expect the gasser with the same or more hp than its diesel counterpart perform so poorly?
Honestly, I would rather have the DP, but with only a few trips per year, I really don't see the extra cash.
All I can say is ...... What's your hurry? Going up a mountain fast is not a big priority to me.
If I went diesel it would be more for the handling or the more heavy duty frames of the chassis, the engine noise in the back instead of the front, a little quieter generator maybe that would be on the front of the motor home away from the bedroom.
All that is not worth the price difference to me unless I am full time. Respect the diesel and their benefits big time but I do not envy them.
Skip N Barb Team wrote: OK guys....I'm sure this subject has been discussed before, but I'm old and have a short memory.
We are going to purchase a gas powered class A. We are full timers now, but will build our lake house next year, so the MH will become a vacation type vehicle.
Talking with the DP owners advise me to go with diesel. When I ask why, they mostly state....you'll see when you're going up steep inclines at 10 to 20 mph.
The coach I'm looking to buy has a 362 HP engine. I see many DP's with 300, 340, and 350 HP engines. Now, I realize that the diesels do well in higher altitudes, and our diesel(365 hp) p/u pulls the 35 foot fiver well up mountains with no problems.
So, can I really expect the gasser with the same or more hp than its diesel counterpart perform so poorly?
Honestly, I would rather have the DP, but with only a few trips per year, I really don't see the extra cash.
What say you, experienced folks?
Thanks..
Skip
Should you ever decide to get rid of it...you'll get your $$ back on the DP part of it......and never forget its not the DIESEL that your paying for...its all the other things that come along on a DP coach is what makes them so nice.
2000 Country Coach Allure; Cummins ISC 330 HP; 71/2 - 8 MPG regardless
2002 Jeep Liberty
Major features in DP
torque/power
air ride
quiet
exhaust brake
ahh...the ride
Joan and Bruce
05 Excursion 39L
powered by 350 KittyCATS on a Spartan
2010 Traverse LT toad (Blue Ox & Breakbuddy)
...and a "road dog" named Max and his gabby sister, Abby.
"May the wind be always at your back and your destination the one you chose"
For your purpose, I would expect a gasser to serve your needs well. We previously had two gassers before buying our current dp and even though I don't meet any of the conventional "wisdom" offered here about number of miles driven yearly, etc, I would not go back to a gasser. This is just my personal preference and in no way reflects on anyone else's experience.
RognBon
1997 Monaco Dynasty 40'
Cummins 8.3 325 HP
2008 Ford Edge Toad
Horsepower doesn't get you down the road or up a hill, torque does. Since horsepower is torque times a constant, times rpm, and diesels do not rev up as high as gassers, a diesel and a gasser with the same torque output will always have the gasser rated much higher horsepower. End result, a 300 HP gasser and a 300 HP diesel are NOT equivalent, at all.
If you only take one trip a year, and are willing to put up with poor performance climbing hills, especially at altitude, by all means, get the gasser. BTW, the performance at altitude is due to the turbocharger, not whether it is gas or diesel.
Save yourself a lot of money and buy a gasser. I have owned two gassers and one 40' DP, and the DPs are highly overrated, in my opinion. You can get a gasser with just as much bling as a DP for considerably less dough. Good luck!
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