Constant payload of 3-5k lbs gas or diesel?

LexISpooled · March 8, 2016

I will be carrying anywhere from 3-5klbs regularly and towing another 3-4lbs occasionally would the 6.0 gas 6spd suffice or is the Duramax really worth the $8k entry fee. I will also be making somewhat constant short trips/stops which I'm told is not best for a diesel and the concern of the cp4 pump failures doesn't help

hollywoodsle · March 8, 2016

diesel unless you want to stop at every gas station you see

SouthpawHD · March 8, 2016

According to Truck Trend magazine, the breakeven is 100,000 miles including the $8,000 price tag difference plus higher maintenance costs. Now that's running each truck empty.

Short trips SUCK for the 6.0L for MPGs, around 8MPG empty. But you are right, diesels run terrible on short trips and could cost you more in maintenance.

Tough choice in my book. But overall I would say gasser if most of your trips are shorter.

Cowpie · March 8, 2016

Well, I thru in about a ton of stuff in my 2500 yesterday and drove east 50 miles to the house with 20 mph south crosswinds and got 15 mpg with my lowly gasser 6.0L 2500. About normal for this pickup in warmer weather, which it hit almost 70F yesterday. True, might have gotten 18 with the Dmax, but that would have been pretty much break even with diesel cost higher than the E15 I was running in the gasser.

For the OP hauling numbers, it is going to to be a 3500 and a diesel if it was my option. The cost difference can be negotiated just like anything else. Shop around and pit dealers against each other. I would not buy from any dealer that is going to charge me $8K more for the Dmax than an equally spec'd gasser version.

KMGZ400 · March 8, 2016

no question in my mind i would want a diesel for that kind of weight.. if your gonna be driving that load every day your gonna want the diesel

LexISpooled · March 8, 2016

It's absolutely a draw in every way I've cut it up and with dealers not really budging much with that $8k price difference.. I expect to use this roughly 10k miles a year

If I went 6L gasser, lighter aluminum flatbed, black bear 92oct tune, intake exhaust would be a must

If I went Duramax keep it stock until warranty is over then dump emissions stuff

Reading several post, many say the dmax with emissions crap is only netting 13-15mpg and the gas stuff close to that so it's almost a mute point unless really pulling some serious weight. I won't pull a trailer but a couple times a month and it's not very heavy at 3-4k lbs loaded or 2-3k lbs on avg

The maintance is minimal difference, just more expensive oil changes DEF fluid on the dmax

Now the most important part is no downtime, if the truck is down for warranty issues or problems the price is

alway's too high because it's my income

Has anyone gotten a dmax option without the crazy $8k tax over a gasser?

Also plan on keeping this truck for 8-10yrs

LexISpooled · March 8, 2016

Also plan on keeping the truck for 8-10yrs

sahls01gmc · March 8, 2016

My truck is 15 years old and has close to 300,000 miles. This motor is a tank. You'll be just fine with the 6.0L. The bigger maintenance item down the road is going to be your suspension and brakes, not the drivetrain. You're not driving a race car, so keep your foot out of it and you can get decent mileage.

ShotgunZ71 · March 9, 2016

I use my Dmax for short trips all the time. Modern diesels, even with all the emissions stuff, don't mind short trips or stop and go driving l unlike the diesels of yesterday. When unloaded, my Dmax averages 13-15 in town and 20-22 on the highway. No complaints there. My oil change interval and DEF levels usually coincide, so I do it all at once. The oil capacity isn't but a quart or 2 more than the gas V8 engines, so that's not really an added expense unlike the diesels that hold 15+ quarts.

Ultimately, it's up to you, but be satisfied either way, and don't just "settle". Get what you want. Did I have to have a diesel over the 6.0? Not really, but I always liked the Dmax and when spending that kind of change, I got exactly what I wanted. I also got a deal with over $12k off sticker, so that also lessened the shock. Best of luck!

becker87 · March 9, 2016

The 6.0L will certainly do the job, just not as quickly, or as comfortably if you do any highway. MPG will be below 10, doesn't matter what you are doing, you're not going to get 15. If it were me I would go with diesel. Many people on this site and others have the diesels with the emission equipment and have no issues, it would not be my first concern, my first concern would be diesel sky rocketing again like it did about a year ago.

LexISpooled · March 9, 2016

Thanks guys the MSRP jump on the plain jane WT's have jumped so much I feel like if I am gonna spend low 30's why not go high 30's and have a dmax with much better resale down the line..

When I pulled a 4k lb trailer with my tuned 5.3L it did it just fine at 10-12mpg but felt like it was always struggling a bit on any slight hills constant stops lights merging onto highway so I feel like the 6L will be the exact same situation for 10yrs of use it would probably annoy me somewhat. Concerns me that the motor would be tired by 100k miles where the diesel would be begging for much more and well beyond

Cowpie · March 9, 2016

Irregardless of warranty, I would turn off EGR via ECM tuning. Not mess with anything else and no turning wrenches to remove anything. The downstream stuff doesn't really bother me, but stopping the motor from having to eat its own feces can prevent a lot of ills. Every time I have done this simple cost effective mod I have gained better mpg, smoother performance, and significantly less soot contamination in oil. Without modifying any other aspect of ECM tuning and no removal of any hardware, dealer is not going to pick up on anything. Just a simple code change that shuts off EGR and no fault codes. Every diesel with EGR that I have done this to netted a minimum 10% better fuel economy, with several getting 15% better. And less soot generation nets fewer DPF regens and longer DPF life.

KMK454 · March 9, 2016

If that's your daily work cycle, I'd get the most truck you can afford. I'm a believer in the 6.0, but if the financial case for the diesel works for you, go that route.

crankman · March 10, 2016

ROB I would make sure your look at the doorjamb label on the truck your considering just to make sure your good on the payload capacity. 3-5 thousand lbs is a nice chunk of weight to have plus your other needs.