1500 with 6.2 or 2500 with stock engine

[flyingz06]

Daily driver about 20 miles a day. I have motorcycles also.

 

The 2500 catches my eye more. Mirrors, grill, taller, meaner.

 

but the 6.2 engine is sweet and seems like it would tow better with the higher torque and hp

 

can't decide!!

[LongrangeLauber]

The 2500 is gonna tow a hair more (just how it's setup over a 1500), but if your only towing motorcycles go with a 1500 with a 6.2. Hell, the 5.3 is more than enough but if you got the coin and don't mind it, get the 6.2

 

The gearing in the transmissions are obviously different between the 1500 and 2500 so that's one of the reasons it can tow more. Plus suspension, brakes, etc.

[flyingz06]

i have an avalanche now and I'm disappointed when i pull a tailer with 2 bikes. the engine ramps up easily like when going up hills and on highway. town no issues, but highway the engine disappoints. otherwise the engine is fine to me.

 

the new 6.2 numbers look impressive.

 

will the 2500 ride a lot stiffer? Im going to test a 2500 next week. I have the 6.2 as a demo for the weekend

[LongrangeLauber]

Yeah the 2500 will be a tad stiffer, but not terrible if you can live with it. Fuel mileage will also be worse with the 2500

[flyingz06]

Yeah the 2500 will be a tad stiffer, but not terrible if you can live with it. Fuel mileage will also be worse with the 2500

like what? 1 or 2 mpg?

[LongrangeLauber]

Around town I've heard claims on the 2500 getting anywhere between 9-12 mpg. This is all hear say since I don't personally own one.

 

The 2015 6.2's come with the new 8 speed, so that's also something to consider

[redwngr]

Trans ratios:

 

6L80 MYC 3.060 4.030 2.360 1.530 1.150 0.850 0.670

6L90 MYD 3.060 4.030 2.360 1.530 1.150 0.850 0.670

8L90 M5U 3.820 4.560 2.970 2.080 1.690 1.270 1.000 0.850 0.650

[flyingz06]

Trans ratios:

 

6L80 MYC 3.060 4.030 2.360 1.530 1.150 0.850 0.670

6L90 MYD 3.060 4.030 2.360 1.530 1.150 0.850 0.670

8L90 M5U 3.820 4.560 2.970 2.080 1.690 1.270 1.000 0.850 0.650

Ok......... Im lost. Ill admit it

[wfred]

like what? 1 or 2 mpg?

 

I have a '13 2500 HD with a 6.0L and 3.73 with 15k miles. Lifetime average mpg is 10.2. If its windy, you won't get 10mpg at 65 not pulling or hauling anything. The 6.0L is a dog and should be put down. I am trading in my 2500HD for a 1500 with max tow. I will probably go with a 5.3L so I don't have to buy premium fuel. The '15 1500 5.3 with max tow has 1400lbs. more towing capacity than my '13 2500HD.

 

I love my 2500HD, I love the stance, the ride height, etc. but the fuel mpg is a joke. If the 2500HD had the 5.3L motor, it would be perfect. My dad's 36' diesel motorhome gets better mpg pulling a car than I can get driving around town.

 

F.W.

[redwngr]

Ok......... Im lost. Ill admit it

Rear end ratios of the 6 speed in the 1500 (6L80) and 6 speed in the 2500 (6L90) and for good measure the new 8 speed for 6.2.

 

Trans ratios are not different in the 2500, but they do offer different rear end ratios -- the 2500 6.0 uses a 4:10 rearend for 2015 and has a 13000lb max trailer rating for ball hitch, 13800 to 14800 depending of truck options for 5th wheel/gooseneck.

 

(8L90 is so used in full size SUV and in corvette)

[tsdrumm]

 

I have a '13 2500 HD with a 6.0L and 3.73 with 15k miles. Lifetime average mpg is 10.2. If its windy, you won't get 10mpg at 65 not pulling or hauling anything. The 6.0L is a dog and should be put down. I am trading in my 2500HD for a 1500 with max tow. I will probably go with a 5.3L so I don't have to buy premium fuel. The '15 1500 5.3 with max tow has 1400lbs. more towing capacity than my '13 2500HD.

 

I love my 2500HD, I love the stance, the ride height, etc. but the fuel mpg is a joke. If the 2500HD had the 5.3L motor, it would be perfect. My dad's 36' diesel motorhome gets better mpg pulling a car than I can get driving around town.

 

F.W.

To the OP, I was in the exact same boat as you over the summer. But the post above is the exact reason I opted for the 1500 with the 6.2 and never looked back. Yeah, the 2500 is taller and meaner, but gasser mpg is terrible. My best 25 mile average on the 6.2L is over 21 mpg on the highway and it averages over 13 mpg all stop and go city driving. The 2500 was never going to best that.

[wfred]

To the OP, I was in the exact same boat as you over the summer. But the post above is the exact reason I opted for the 1500 with the 6.2 and never looked back. Yeah, the 2500 is taller and meaner, but gasser mpg is terrible. My best 25 mile average on the 6.2L is over 21 mpg on the highway and it averages over 13 mpg all stop and go city driving. The 2500 was never going to best that.

 

Do you have to run premium fuel in the 6.2L? Do you have any mpg numbers pulling with your 6.2L?

[BigKahuna]

I'm averaging 16.2 with my 14 Denali 6.2, burning premium. Figure a 10% fuel price difference and it's like getting 14.5mpg. And I baby it, driving for best mpg most of the time.

 

Knowing this, if I'd gotten a 2500 and got 11-12mpg I wouldn't be losing any sleep over it.

[nards444]

I dont know why your looking at 2500 for towing bikes. Specially when you can get a 1500 with the 6.2l when in all reality the 5.3 is more than enough. Id think youd be lucky to get 12mpg in a 2500 with that motor.

 

With recent gains and newer technology in half tons the capability gap has lessened between 1500s and 2500s. Personally IMVHO minus a few niche applications, I fail to see the idea of buying a 2500 gasser anymmore.

[BigKahuna]

Why buy a 2500/3500 gasser.. You want a daily driver, you need a big towing capacity/payload seldomly but once in a while, you don't want to spend $60k, and you want a truck that is simple/cheap to maintain and repair once the warranty is gone.

 

The duramax is a good engine, but personally I don't want to own ANY of these new diesels off warranty. I've had an 03 dmax, 08 powerstroke and a 12 cummins. 360 days of the year I didn't need them. The other 5 I could have done the job fine with a HD gasser.

 

For guys who tow frequently, put on a lot of highway miles, have a second vehicle for trips to the store, trade-in every few years, then maybe a diesel is the way to go.. But there are a lot of guys who don't want or need it.

 

A half ton is fine for most of the rest of us, unless you need the extra capacity a few times per year or have use for an 8' box. I bought a 1500 and should have just gotten a 2500 for the above reasons.