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Looking at a 2015 2500HD Z71...

bjaxon

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mzodarg Senior Enthusiast

mzodarg

Posted
Posted

Ignore us if you want, if you want to dream that the Duramax is perfect and you will never have a problem then go ahead.

 

We can all justify the diesel if we want, if the option was really only 5k I am sure lots of us would jump on it but that is NOT the case!

 

Both are great motors, one is underpowered, gets 10mpg, and makes noise when reved out pulling and the other has emission issues, head gaskets, and CP4 issues while getting better mileage, and a TON more power.

No one said it was perfect, neither is the gasser. Those who don't have the diesel seem to justify not spending the extra by repeatedly bashing it. The extra money to you is not worth it, I don't know your financial situation nor do I care to know for that matter. I do know I drove both and money was not a factor for me and the diesel won IMO hands down no comparison.

 

Thanks for responding. I'll be sure to not read any of your useless post in the future as you have proven your my point.

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Chevor Senior Enthusiast

Chevor

Posted
Posted

Dad has about 220,000 miles on his 2013 duramax. Has done nothing to the engine. Recently encountered first problem of a leaking power steering line. That's it.

 

IMO most problems with the newer diesels are do to not being driven enough.

Cowpie Senior Enthusiast

Cowpie

Posted
Posted

I do know I drove both and money was not a factor for me and the diesel won IMO hands down no comparison.

 

 

 

Well, I like driving my semi truck as opposed to my 2015 2500 also, that doesn't mean it is a viable alternative to the 6.0L 2500 I have. It is one thing to drive something, it is yet another thing to deal with any issues a particular setup has. Diesels are far less forgiving of user inattention than gas equipped vehicles are. Diesels have their particular good points, but they also have some serious wallet busting bad points. Many folks like what a diesel offers, yet they do not have any perspective on diesels to understand the particular quirks they have, that fuel can gel in winter, that fuel filters need regular changing, etc, etc etc. And the ultimate issue, running out of fuel and having to manually prime the system. Diesels offer a lot, but they also demand a lot. For someone who is well versed with diesels, it is a non issue. For someone that is not, they better learn quickly or they might find themselves in a situation they have no clue how to deal with. And I haven't even mentioned the emissions stuff yet.

 

Diesels are great. They have a definitive place in the market. But they are not the greatest thing since the invention of the internal combustion engine for all situations. If diesel fits well into what you are doing, you understand diesels, and you can justify the cost, then go for it. If one can do very well with the gas version, then save yourself some scratch and go with that, maybe even save some pain and suffering if you are a novice with diesels. What a country! Choices, choices, choices! Something for everyone!

  • 3 months later...
bjaxon Enthusiast

bjaxon

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Well... a follow-up to my original post of July 28th...

 

I did purchase a 2015 GMC Sierra 2500HD SLE 4x4 (gasser), shortly after my initial post. Beautiful truck, great ride but underpowered towing a 34’ Airstream. The truck pulled fine on level ground and on slight rises but did not do very well in the mountains coming back to Texas from Rhode Island via Tennessee, Cumberland Gap. Don’t get me wrong, it made it up those hills albeit slower than traffic and running close to 5K rpm’s on occasion...uh, on a lot of occasions climbing. Gas mileage towing was about 9 mpg’s - sometimes 11! Mileage not towing has been 13-15 with a one-time high of 18 (alas, never repeated).

 

We’ll be headed out west in the spring hitting the Rockies - having experience through Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee and the hills in those states, I can’t imagine what the Rockies would be like... as such, we worked a deal with the dealer and traded the GMC in on a 2015 Silverado 2500HD Duramax crewcab. This one is a 4x4, LTZ and loaded (leather, navigation, etc., etc) - dealership was anxious to get it gone at the end of the year and knocked off close to $12K. Made it a wash with my GMC with 7500 miles on it now.

 

I’m familiar with Ford diesels having had a F250 Lariate diesel in the past - am expecting the duramax to be a better truck as it’s a newer vehicle and that year Ford (2006), had a lot of problems. One thing I am looking forward to in the mountains is the exhaust brake on the way down... it certainly will take the drive up a lot easier than with the 2500 gasser.

therink Enthusiast

therink

Posted
Posted

You will love towing with the HD. Much more robust than any 1/2 ton. I have owned 3 6.0 HD GMs 05, 08 & 12. They were all excellent for towing 10k rvs. The 2012 was the best. You can't go wrong with the 15. The 6.0 is proven and bullet proof and loves high rpms for torque. Dont expect any more than 14 mpg for daily driving.

Z71 CC LB Enthusiast

Z71 CC LB

Posted
Posted

I have owned a 2003 2500 Duramax, a 2006 3500 dually duramax and now have a 2015 2500 gasser. The duramax never came close to the claims I hear for fuel mileage. Not even close and that goes for both the 03 and 06. With that said, they towed great. I tow a 12000 lb GVW 5th wheel and never wanted for power. I tow the rig a few times a year and at one point the 3500 wasn't my daily driver. Do not let your duramax sit with out driving it. No big revelation here, just some friendly advise. The towing I do is one major trip to Bar Harbor Maine from Long Island which is just over 500 miles, and any other trips are usually local. I will post my findings on the 6.0 towing the rig some time in September. I am not expecting eye popping performance but rather I am hoping it gets me there without issue. I had 64000 miles on my dually when I sold it. For the one major trip and the fact that I don't drive many miles, diesel is not the right choice for me. I think it's more about application than anything else.

George C Enthusiast

George C

Posted
Posted

Well... a follow-up to my original post of July 28th...

 

I did purchase a 2015 GMC Sierra 2500HD SLE 4x4 (gasser), shortly after my initial post. Beautiful truck, great ride but underpowered towing a 34 Airstream. The truck pulled fine on level ground and on slight rises but did not do very well in the mountains coming back to Texas from Rhode Island via Tennessee, Cumberland Gap. Dont get me wrong, it made it up those hills albeit slower than traffic and running close to 5K rpms on occasion...uh, on a lot of occasions climbing. Gas mileage towing was about 9 mpgs - sometimes 11! Mileage not towing has been 13-15 with a one-time high of 18 (alas, never repeated).

 

Well be headed out west in the spring hitting the Rockies - having experience through Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee and the hills in those states, I cant imagine what the Rockies would be like... as such, we worked a deal with the dealer and traded the GMC in on a 2015 Silverado 2500HD Duramax crewcab. This one is a 4x4, LTZ and loaded (leather, navigation, etc., etc) - dealership was anxious to get it gone at the end of the year and knocked off close to $12K. Made it a wash with my GMC with 7500 miles on it now.

 

Im familiar with Ford diesels having had a F250 Lariate diesel in the past - am expecting the duramax to be a better truck as its a newer vehicle and that year Ford (2006), had a lot of problems. One thing I am looking forward to in the mountains is the exhaust brake on the way down... it certainly will take the drive up a lot easier than with the 2500 gasser.

If you tow, you should buy a diesel.

I drive a Ford F-350 Powerstroke as my summer DD and tow machine.

 

I always buy a gasser for my winter and plow truck. I don't want the extra engine weight of a diesel on top of an 1,100 lb. plow, and I dont want to deal with the winter diesel headaches when the temps dip to -20 here in the north.

 

IMO, You can't go wrong with the DMax and the Silverado, and you made the right choice by trading off the gasser. Congrats.

SMiller Senior Enthusiast

SMiller

Posted
Posted

Some people can't handle seeing the tach at 5k rpm and the noise it makes, the 6.0 can handle it for a TON of miles without a single issue!

 

Sounds like you got the truck you really wanted and it didn't cost much, driving the Duramax is a real pleasure and the exhaust brake is nice.

 

For those with gassers hold the throttle down and let it rev all day, use tow/haul mode and it will hold a gear going down hill, you can't hurt them and they are stone reliable!

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