Curious about D-max fuel mileage compared to my 6.0

Sierra SS · February 16, 2012

My 2011 3500 DRW work truck with tool box body is getting just over 10 mpg if I drive easy which I almost always do. I had the truck weighed at a local quarry and it comes in at 9867 lbs with pretty much all of my tools. I may have thrown some more in since then so I'd say 10,000 lbs.

Do any of you D-max guys have 10,000 lb loaded truck and if so what kind of mileage are you getting. Just curious what i could be getting if I get a diesel next time.

sillywillie07 · February 16, 2012

For a 6.0l that is good mileage with it comeing in at 10,000lbs.

djmercer1 · February 16, 2012

i can get better than that with the fiver (~16k) in tow. last winter i hauled 2500lbs of drill supplies for about 650km(all highway) and used about 90l of fuel--supplies werre bags of sand packed tight in the pan--no drag. last summer, i pulled 750' of n steel on a bumper pull and went 700kms on about the same fuel....

the dmax is much better than you 6.0l; i have those in the fleet and the guys get about half the milage....

markw8 · February 17, 2012

At that weight with a 6.0 your as good as it's going to get. I had a 2000, 2500 ECLB 6.0 that I carried a truck camper with. It weighed 9810# . I got 8.5-11mpg but right at 10, 80% of the time. The same camper is now on an 08 CC DRW D/A. The loaded weight is now 11,600#. I get 11-12.5 mpg and 10.5-11 when I take my Jeep also. The difference in power is night and day. I didn't tow the JP when I had the 6.0.

Mark

Diesail · February 17, 2012

Don't have any personal experience with a truck like yours but IMO MPG will be better but cost is going to be about a wash. Cost of fuel is about 20%, oil changes are 10 quarts. Add in the fuel filters every 15-20k. So if you are looking to same some cash it isn't going to happen by switching to a diesel. But you will love how the truck drives with the diesel, it still amazes me when it comes time to merge on the highway with a trailer in tow what you can do.

Reid's Marine · February 17, 2012

Fuel cost will be about the same, only IF you get about a 15% improvement in mileage with the Diesel (depends what the fuel cost difference is at the time) - and that is a BIG IF.

I've had both forms of power. For what you are doing, being always loaded and pushing that big square box through the air, a Diesel will "feel" better doing it but It probably won't save you a dime on fuel and the maintenance and up front costs are much higher for the Diesel. Diesel specific forums are full of people complaining about poor mileage under load as well so who knows what difference if any there really is now. I can say Diesel made a whole lot more sense back when it was much less expensive than gasoline and the old gas 454's and 460's were not likely to ever see double digit mpg's - now it really comes down to a willingness to pay the extra up front and maintence costs for the extra power of the diesel.

Because you are operating at load all the time, Diesel may make sense for you - especially if you are pushing that box at highway speeds all the time. I went gasser this time because I'm usually light and almost never tow heavy for any distance - there simply is no Diesel advantage for my useage - and I'm very impressed with my new 6!.

[email protected] · February 18, 2012

Fuel cost will be about the same, only IF you get about a 15% improvement in mileage with the Diesel (depends what the fuel cost difference is at the time) - and that is a BIG IF.

I was watching CSPAN the other day - interesting debate over the proposed pipeline from Canada to the Gulf Coast.

Wonder why diesel fuel is so expensive now - compared to what it was 15 years ago? Bottom line is that the refineries on the Gulf Coast EXPORT diesel fuel to Europe. So you are paying "Global" prices for diesel.

Big Oil wants this pipeline from Canada - because the oil coming from there is heavy oil {not light sweet crude} - and our refineries on the Gulf Coast are the most efficient in the world at cracking that down into the various petroleum products.

Certain Senators want to allow the pipeline from Canada - ONLY IF ALL Oil delivered though it - is used to supply the energy needs of the U.S. If that happened, the price of diesel fuel would drop like a rock. Along with that the price of all truck transportation etc.

What do you think will actually happen?

FWIW,

Carl B.

dewfpo · February 18, 2012

Wonder why diesel fuel is so expensive now - compared to what it was 15 years ago? Bottom line is that the refineries on the Gulf Coast EXPORT diesel fuel to Europe. So you are paying "Global" prices for diesel.

Not only that, but think about how many more diesel (Dodge, GM, & Ford) pickup trucks there are now in this country compared to 15 years ago and how many are being driven as daily drivers. Demand for diesel fuel is way up all year round now.

DEWFPO

[email protected] · February 19, 2012

Yes - and Diesel automobiles are far more popular in all of Europe now than they were 15 years ago. Europe doen't have the same strict emisisons standards for Diesel that we do - so they get even better mileage out them there.

Reid's Marine · February 19, 2012

...

Wonder why diesel fuel is so expensive now - compared to what it was 15 years ago? Bottom line is that the refineries on the Gulf Coast EXPORT diesel fuel to Europe. So you are paying "Global" prices for diesel.

FWIW,

Carl B.

And the low sulfer Diesel costs more to produce than the old stuff did.

Diesail · February 19, 2012

Europe is using ULSD as well and if I'm not mistaken there standards are even stricker than ours.

Lt CHEG · February 19, 2012

Europe is using ULSD as well and if I'm not mistaken there standards are even stricker than ours.

Europe's diesel emissions standards are currently not as strict as ours. They are supposed to get stricter and eventually match ours but as of right now Europe's passenger and light truck diesel standards are significantly more lax than ours.

markw8 · February 19, 2012

Europe is using ULSD as well and if I'm not mistaken there standards are even stricker than ours.

This is what I thought also. I think most of the diesels there are now direct injection which gives more power and mileage.

Mark

Sierra SS · February 22, 2012

I know I'm sort of getting back to the start of the post but... I guess gas is the right engine for me. I"m sure the diesel will have more power although I really don't need any more power even when I tow a trencher or reel trailer. It works hard but not to the point of causing any harm. Thanks for your replies.