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New to GM Want 3L Duramax


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I am new to the forum and new to GM. I am in the marked for new truck. This is Want truck NOT Need. That being said should I wait for the 2021 or just jump on deal on the 2020. I have not test drove it yet nor have I been to the dealer to check one out. Just started shopping on line and reading about it every chance I got. Since this is WANT truck I can certainly wait. Also I can't make up my mine about AT4 and Denali. AT4's are far and few, Denali is available everywhere. Also looking at the new Ram 1500 Laramie and Rebel with their Eco Diesel. 

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Welcome. The refresh isn’t happening until the 2022 MY, so there’s nothing worth waiting for on the 2021.


In my view, the Duramax leaves the EcoDiesel for dead. Smoother, faster, better trans.

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Diesel in my area sells for $1.25 more per gallon than regular gasoline at the pumps. I gain in driving range on a full tank of diesel with my 2500HD truck's 36 gallon fuel tank but by no stretch of the imagination do I save money any way you look at it. I have the 2500HD LML truck and I am fully aware of the much higher maintenance and service and repair costs for a diesel engine.

 

A big problem with the GM 1500 trucks is that they are the only ones where one gets a very small 23 or 26 gallon fuel tank and there are no options for a larger gas tank from the factory or later from Titan or other aftermarket fuel tank manufacturers. Titan stopped making replacement gas tanks but does continue to offer replacement diesel fuel tanks. Ford F-150 option for 36 gal tank, Ram has a 33-gal tank option, and Toyota provides a 38-gallon on all their trucks.

 

A diesel engine on a Ram 1500 with their optional 33-gallon fuel tank is currently the best truck. Ram also provides an option for an electronic locking rear differential but with GM and Toyota all one can get is the "anti-spin" rear differential which is really not LSD but rather "traction control" as has been found on cars for decades. The Ram Laramie with their off-road package or the Rebel are both available with the diesel engine but it is a $5,000 option.

 

Paying an extra $5,000 for the diesel engine and twice as much for batteries and fuel filters and motor oil changes and 50% more for fuel at the pumps does not make this a rational choice when compared to getting the V-6 or one of the V-8 engines.

 

For the Ram 1500 with the V-6 gas engine the max towing load is 7,460 lbs (with 3.92 gears), and for the V-6 diesel engine it goes up to 9,860 lbs, and with the V-8 the max is 11,410 lbs., and so the best engine for towing with a 1500 truck is the V-8 gas engine.

 

The diesel V-6 engine is a win win for the manufactureres as they make more money on each truck they sell and they get greatly improved CAFE numbers. The customers pay for the much more expensive engines and the higher costs of maintaining the trucks and dealers make much more money servicing and repairing diesel pickups. Diesel only makes sense if one is getting a V-8 with a 2500 truck and going to be towing more than 10,000 lbs on a regular basis and actually needs the greater torque provided. Otherwise it is a purely emotional decision which is fine if you are honest with yourself about it and not trying to find a logical reason for getting the diesel V-6. Not unusual considering all the 4WD and lifted trucks on the road whose owners will never take them off the pavement but think they look cool.

 

 

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On 5/30/2020 at 11:21 AM, Wintersun said:

 A diesel engine on a Ram 1500 with their optional 33-gallon fuel tank is currently the best truck. Ram also provides an option for an electronic locking rear differential but with GM and Toyota all one can get is the "anti-spin" rear differential which is really not LSD but rather "traction control" as has been found on cars for decades.

Given that the Ram diesel has had a lot of reliability issues and doesn't get the fuel economy the GM 3.0 does, I find it hard to believe that's the best truck on the market right now. 

 

As @redwngr noted, you can get a mechanical locking rear diff in a GM. It's Ram that offers an anti spin rear diff. 

And I've heard Toyota's auto LSD actually works pretty well if you know how to use it.

Edited by Cpl_Punishment
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Diesel in my area sells for $1.25 more per gallon than regular gasoline at the pumps. I gain in driving range on a full tank of diesel with my 2500HD truck's 36 gallon fuel tank but by no stretch of the imagination do I save money any way you look at it. I have the 2500HD LML truck and I am fully aware of the much higher maintenance and service and repair costs for a diesel engine.
 
A big problem with the GM 1500 trucks is that they are the only ones where one gets a very small 23 or 26 gallon fuel tank and there are no options for a larger gas tank from the factory or later from Titan or other aftermarket fuel tank manufacturers. Titan stopped making replacement gas tanks but does continue to offer replacement diesel fuel tanks. Ford F-150 option for 36 gal tank, Ram has a 33-gal tank option, and Toyota provides a 38-gallon on all their trucks.
 
A diesel engine on a Ram 1500 with their optional 33-gallon fuel tank is currently the best truck. Ram also provides an option for an electronic locking rear differential but with GM and Toyota all one can get is the "anti-spin" rear differential which is really not LSD but rather "traction control" as has been found on cars for decades. The Ram Laramie with their off-road package or the Rebel are both available with the diesel engine but it is a $5,000 option.
 
Paying an extra $5,000 for the diesel engine and twice as much for batteries and fuel filters and motor oil changes and 50% more for fuel at the pumps does not make this a rational choice when compared to getting the V-6 or one of the V-8 engines.
 
For the Ram 1500 with the V-6 gas engine the max towing load is 7,460 lbs (with 3.92 gears), and for the V-6 diesel engine it goes up to 9,860 lbs, and with the V-8 the max is 11,410 lbs., and so the best engine for towing with a 1500 truck is the V-8 gas engine.
 
The diesel V-6 engine is a win win for the manufactureres as they make more money on each truck they sell and they get greatly improved CAFE numbers. The customers pay for the much more expensive engines and the higher costs of maintaining the trucks and dealers make much more money servicing and repairing diesel pickups. Diesel only makes sense if one is getting a V-8 with a 2500 truck and going to be towing more than 10,000 lbs on a regular basis and actually needs the greater torque provided. Otherwise it is a purely emotional decision which is fine if you are honest with yourself about it and not trying to find a logical reason for getting the diesel V-6. Not unusual considering all the 4WD and lifted trucks on the road whose owners will never take them off the pavement but think they look cool.
 
 
G-80 is a locker, it has a single battery, and the oil changes are same price at the gas v8. I consistently get 500-600miles per tank so im not worried about anything larger.

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5 hours ago, Cpl_Punishment said:

Given that the Ram diesel has had a lot of reliability issues and doesn't get the fuel economy the GM 3.0 does, I find it hard to believe that's the best truck on the market right now. 

 

As @redwngr noted, you can get a mechanical locking rear diff in a GM. It's Ram that offers an anti spin rear diff. 

And I've heard Toyota's auto LSD actually works pretty well if you know how to use it.

 

Ram has all 3 options: open diff, limited slip, and manual locker.

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My opinion and advice: If you want a new truck with a Diesel engine - go for it. You only live once. If you think you are saving money by having a diesel, put the pencil to it. You may find that the diesel costs more. 

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17 minutes ago, SMW said:

My opinion and advice: If you want a new truck with a Diesel engine - go for it. You only live once. If you think you are saving money by having a diesel, put the pencil to it. You may find that the diesel costs more. 

I have done the math compared to the 6.2L I had previously and the 3.0L D comes out way ahead.  

 

Diesel in my area is ~ $2.60 a gallon vs $2.90 for premium.      6 months ago, the prices were closer - but still in favor of diesel.

 

DEF is pennies on a fill up and with as much as 40+% better mileage ...  3.0L wins hands down.

Edited by steve841
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1 minute ago, steve841 said:

I have done the math compared to the 6.2L I had previously and the 3.0L D comes out way ahead.  

 

Diesel in my area is ~ $2.60 a gallon vs $2.90 for premium.      6 months ago, the prices were closer - but still in favor of diesel.

 

DEF is pennies on a fill up and with as much as 40+% better mileage ...  3.0L wins hands down.

I only run premium in my 6.2 if I’m towing long distances. I agree if running premium all the time, the diesel is cheaper. Of course, repairs will be more expensive but that’s another story. 

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I have had my 2020 Silverado RST with LM2 3.0 Duramax for three months and love this truck.

 

It rides great and has plenty of performance and I have averaged 26 MPG since purchasing.

 

My low was 24.8 and my high was 29.8.

 

Diesel for me is the same as the mid-grade gas which is what I used before, so fuel costs have lowered for me since I am getting much better mileage.

 

My truck holds 7 quarts of oil, so the oil change is actually a quart less, so a little cheaper, oil filters are about the same.

 

Diesel does not like any water in the fuel so I change my fuel filter every time I change my oil filter. Overkill but keeps me from worrying, so that is an added cost.

 

So far i have not had to add any DEF, diesel exhaust fluid, the blue cap next to your fuel cap, but will someday so that is an extra expense.

 

I just love the diesel sound, although the LM2 is very quiet compared to other diesels.

 

I am pleased with my truck and would purchase another.

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I only run premium in my 6.2 if I’m towing long distances. I agree if running premium all the time, the diesel is cheaper. Of course, repairs will be more expensive but that’s another story. 
Diesel comes with alonger warranty as well so

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