regrets after purchasing 8.1

THE BIGPUNN · February 7, 2003

anyone here with 8.1 that wished you would of laid down the extra $ and got the duramx instead. see, i found a dura, but i would have to sell my truck or wait another year or two to be in the right monthly payment. i also found an 8.1 i could deal on right now. its difficult figuring pluses and minuses between the two engines. if i hit the lotto, i would get a dura no questions asked. but i dont have the patients to wait for a dura, i want some serious towing power now!

Shaners · February 7, 2003

The Duramax would probably be everyones choice.

The only two disadvantages, are the long return on the investment (years to recover), and the diesel isn't suited for everyones driving style (short trips).

Around here fuel is about $0.15/gallon more than gasoline, but you will be able to go on the avg 25% further on that gallon (more on the highway).

The Dmax isn't a smoker and it doesn't have terrible exhaust fumes, but you will still have the fuel smell on your hands when you fill her up.

The 8.1L is thirsty, but it doesn't seem to get much worse when pulling. The only 8.1L I have driven was in an Avalanche, and I was very impressed. I would think it would be even more impressive with a load behind it and the Ally tranny underneath.

Roofer · February 7, 2003

The main downfall I see in the 8.1 is the mileage. If you do alot of short trips, then the mileage doesn't matter much. For the average person, a 8.1 will pull anything you want it to as well as the Dmax. When I got payment options, the Dmax was only $50 a month more than the 8.1. Also the there were more Dmax's to choose from than 8.1's. My very shortest trip I have to make is 9 miles running 55-65 mph. This makes the Diesel more effective for me.

My choice was easy though. I wanted a 2500HD and I wanted mileage close to my previous Z71. What I ended up with is in my sig. and I am pleased.

The Dmax cost a tad more for extra oil (10 quarts), fuel filter($20), but it all evens out with the mileage. It will also be worth more when I sell or trade it in.

If you really want a Dmax, I would say wait it out till next year, unless you can get a good deal. I hear of a power increase for next year, although nothing is in print yet.

WileE1 · February 7, 2003

I love it here in Juneau, the price of deisel here is 10 to 15 cents cheaper a gallon then regular unlead.......I love life!

JimWilson · February 7, 2003

Depends on what you're going to do with it. If you drive a lot of long trips and tow something very heavy then the dmax is the choice. But if you do a lot of shorter trips -- stuff around town -- or you don't have anything too heavy being towed then the 8.1 is probably better. But, realistically, they're both pretty good motors. They just have different pros and cons.

HDguy · February 8, 2003

Why have regret? You got a great truck. Did you expect to get 20 mpg with a 496 in a 3 ton truck?

I think the choice between 8.1 and Duramax all depends on what you want in a truck. Nothing sounds better than a big block V-8. The diesels I have heard with the aftermarket mufflers sound like crap, IMO.

Also, go out in nice clothes, better not have to stop to fuel up in a diesel.

Not to mention how your garage smells in the winter when you start up a diesel inside and close your door as soon as you back out.

And of course you will get more on trade in with the oil burner, you paid alot more up front.

BUT, if I was pulling a big load around all the time, I would probably be singing a different tune.

Stepside Z · February 8, 2003

You have to want a diesel to own one because it come with a price and I am not talking the sticker. You don't fuel up in in your Sunday going to meetin clothes. The maintance is alot more but not as often. When the temps get down into the single digits it time to break out the extention cord and the timer. But the first time you head up a hill in your 6K lb + truck and that diesel reaches down and grabs onto that 500 + ft lbs of torque you will feel nothing but love.

Batgirl · February 8, 2003

The diesels are strong but I like the sound of the gas powered trucks better.

Roofer · February 8, 2003

But the first time you head up a hill in your 6K lb + truck and that diesel reaches down and grabs onto that 500 + ft lbs of torque you will feel nothing but love.

Amen brother!

jelisfc · February 10, 2003

You'll NEVER get ahead finacially with vehicles. Your current truck is losing money and the new ones more expensive. I love my Dmax but if I didn't have the up front cash I'd be driving a big block. It's pay now or pay later unless you put a ton of miles on.

bummed-n-Md · February 10, 2003

diesel or Gas? Good question;

Great responses....

my $.02

I have 2002 8.1 ally 4x4 CC. Get up and gone is great. (My first choice was actually the turbo cummins but dodge does not make a 'real full size crew cab', but the is a topic for another debate.)

As was stated earlier, diesel is about .15 more than regular in this area.

Diesel: Better milage, but only if trips are longer than about 10 miles. (my shortest trips are 12)

8.1: Never had a single problem starting even on the coldest mornings (coldest start to date was -2 degrees). no block heater needed. On cold mornings I will idle the truck for about 5 minutes (while waiting to put my daughter on the bus) and then within 3 miles, I have plenty of heat in the cab to warm my toes.

When the snows hit this weekend, I ended up helping pull 'land yacths' (lincolns, caddies', etc) from the ditches next to my church's driveway (a hill). the 8.1 had absolutely no problem pulling them out. lots of pulling power.

8.1: on the highway, I get a steady 12 to 13 @ 70+mph. no load. only loaded trip so far (about 2K lbs worth of sheet rock) had no measurable impact on milage. haven't had to tow anything yet. so I can't report on it.

Guy here at work has the dura. runs good, really likes it. doesn't tow/haul. complains about fuel prices, but likes milage. Doesn't like the 'cold morning starts' though. 'too long to warm up.'

When all is said and done, it will all boil down to personal choice.

the only real complaint I ever had with the 8.1 was 'high oil consumption' when I first bought it. I was going through 1 qt every 1200 miles. Now with almost 24000 miles on it, the oil burn rate is finally down to an almost acceptable 1 qt in 2000 to 2500 miles.

Good luck with either of them.

bummed

CMNTMXR81 · February 10, 2003

Depends on what you're going to do with it. If you drive a lot of long trips and tow something very heavy then the dmax is the choice. But if you do a lot of shorter trips -- stuff around town -- or you don't have anything too heavy being towed then the 8.1 is probably better. But, realistically, they're both pretty good motors. They just have different pros and cons.

Really!

Last I checked they were rated to tow the same! Also the 8.1's get a gearing advantage, 4.10's that the D-Max doesn't.

Stock for Stock, I'll pull anything a D-Max diesel will and can do it with just as much ease. I'll just use more fuel doing it.

Modified for modified is like comparing apples to oranges though.

If you plan on modifying it significantly (I'm talking more than bolt-on stuff), the D-Max will fit your budget better. In order to make that same modified power with an 8.1 will require either tearing into the motor or adding a blower. Both of which are rather costly at this point in time. This is the dilemma I've been facing.

Both are great, both have pluses, both have minuses but I don't have any regrets. I just wish it were cheaper to do motor work on the 8.1.

JimWilson · February 10, 2003

Really!
Last I checked they were rated to tow the same! Also the 8.1's get a gearing advantage, 4.10's that the D-Max doesn't.

Who said anything about tow rating? I said "if your going to tow something heavy then the dmax is your choice". And I stand by that statement; most people who've towed a heavy trailer with a diesel will not go back to a gas motor for the same load. Me included.

Mortgage Paul · February 11, 2003

For the Up front Price of the Diesel, you can put a blower on a 8.1 Now you have something. I have yet to see a diesel outpull a gasser with a load less than 10,000 LBS. Over 10,000 Lbs, the diesel has a SLIGHT advantage. Keep in mind, we tow 4,000-10,000 feet in elevation and grades up to 26%. Diesels dont accelerate either like a gasser, with or wthout a load.

Also, I have friends with diesels and when they tow 8-10,000 lbs at 80-85 MPH they get 7-9 MPG also. yah, they get better mileage at 55 MPH, but is that a concern since whos towing at 55? No one Ive ever seen.

Ive owned 3 crew cabs in the last few years and each time did the math on Cost VS Mileage VS years to recoup up front cost.

Last time I did this, regular 87 was 2.99 per gallon in the eastern sierras, diesel was 2.29. In the cities it was 2.19 gas, and 1.99 diesel.

My trucks are used for Towing only 6-8 hours one way, other vehicles for daily driver. In 2000, with the high gas prices it would have taken me 6.5 years to break even on the diesel cost, and after gas prices went down and were way less than diesel, that figure rose to 8.69 years to break even with the miles I tow. Diesel NOT cost effective

Chances are the vehicle is wore out or sold way before then. Glad I got the gasser.

BTW,BOTH vehicles depreciate the same once you drive off the lot. Diesel VS gas is no different than Cloth Vs Leather, 2wd vs 4wd, the higher resale is just because of the higher initial cost, depreciation roughly equal, at least around here.

If I couldn't buy a gasser, I'd buy nothing, or another brand. The other thing is, the diesel boys have needed jumps from me to get fired on those cold mornings. That seems like a hassle considering my last truck had remote start, and while they are looking for a jump, mine was warming up while Im still in the blankets waiting for the coffee to finish brewing.

Ive had a few bud with D-maxes and Strokers go back to gas, once they figured out the cost vs time to recoup extra cost isnt worth it, or the high price of oil and fuel filters etc etc.

Ill leave the diesels in the tractors, Bobcats and other equipment.

CMNTMXR81 · February 11, 2003

Really!
Last I checked they were rated to tow the same! Also the 8.1's get a gearing advantage, 4.10's that the D-Max doesn't.

Who said anything about tow rating? I said "if your going to tow something heavy then the dmax is your choice". And I stand by that statement; most people who've towed a heavy trailer with a diesel will not go back to a gas motor for the same load. Me included.

You comment said for HEAVY towing, get the D-Max which insinuates that a gas Big Block falls apart when pulling anything that big.

I simply supplied facts that GM gives them both the same rating, so contrary to your comment, the gasser can lug just as much.

For what it's worth, I've had well more than the "GM maximum towing capacity" for either motor and my weak gasser Big Block still pulled it. I may have had to rev it a little more than a comprable diesel (due to torque curves) but it still pulled it at 70mph with relative ease. And yes, I probably went through more gas than a diesel would go through diesel pulling it, but at the end of the day, the same trailer was pulled the same distance at the same MPH as would've been had it been pulled with a D-Max.

As to the comment about those that go diesel for pullers, never go back to gas. That may be true, but I also suspect that those that pull for a living or have a bigger trailer on back a healthy percentage of the time, I don't. Conversely, I pull mainly only in the spring/summer. I'll gladly trade the slightly better fuel economy of the diesel for a gas station on every corner, the lightning quick reflexes of an SFI 496 cube motor. For an everyday driver vehicle, the Big Block just makes better sense. So even though I do pull heavy trailers occasionally, I'd still stick with gas.

My only tempting reason for the D-Max is that cost of modifying HEAVILY! I'm not talking sh*t considered bolt-ons that I've already done. I'm talking about removing the engine, balancing, blueprinting, machine work (I.E. oversizing the motor), cam, worked heads, headers, re-programming then running a blower or turbo on top of that. That runs into big $$$. Whereas, with the diesel you pay the additional $4,800 up front which you can bury in your monthly payment, then invest less than $1,500 for a juice box, added boost controller as well as all the bolt-on's I currently have and call it a day.

For the Up front Price of the Diesel, you can put a blower on a 8.1 Now you have something.

See what I wrote above. While in sheer $$$ numbers that may be true, I can't bury a Whipple S/C and a built motor into my monthly payment to GMAC like one can with a D-Max. It's something you either have to pay the $5k+ in cash for (which would've required months of saving) or drop it on the credit card which will require a little more than a few months to pay off and paying an insane A.P.R. on top of which.

Both are great motors. Both have plusses and minusses. For the amount of time I spend pulling extremely heavy trailers (which the BBC will still pull without breaking a sweat), I'll live with slightly less fuel economy and all around better user friendliness and ease of maintanance.