Diesel vs. gas truck for heavy towing, I changed my mind after 40k miles

I ran a gas 6.2L for two years hauling a 12k lb gooseneck around Phoenix, and honestly it did fine on flat ground. But last month I did the same route with a buddy's 6.7L diesel and the difference going up the Grades near Flagstaff was night and day. The gas truck downshifted twice and ran hot around 210 degrees, the diesel just held speed at 1900 rpm without breaking a sweat. Fuel economy was about 4 mpg better loaded with the diesel, but the upfront cost was like 8 grand more and maintenance scares me. I'm torn now, is the towing comfort worth the extra price for someone who only hauls heavy maybe 15 times a year? Has anyone else switched back and forth and landed on one side for good?

1 comments

1 Comment

parkerh3822d ago

Man, that's the exact tradeoff I keep going back and forth on myself. I sold my old diesel after the emissions stuff started acting up, and now I'm back in a gas rig. Yeah, it works on the flats, but the first time I pulled a loaded trailer up a long hill and watched the temp gauge creep, I missed that diesel grunt real quick. What gets me is everyone talks about the 8 grand upfront, but nobody mentions how much a CP4 pump failure or a turbo actuator costs when it goes out. That's a whole different level of anxiety than just swapping a coil pack. I haul heavy maybe 20 times a year myself, and some days I think the peace of mind of a simple gas motor is worth the slower climb. Other days I'm watching that fuel gauge and doing the math on diesel savings, and it makes me want to sell a kidney. It's a real gut check, no easy answer.