Powerstroke,Duramax or Cummins.......GO

[TacPro1O1]

Was wondering what you guys and gals on here think about the big 3. I'm not a brand loyal guy and was wanting input on your experiences and the pro & cons you have faced or noticed.

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[Unka-Boo]

New, used...?

Top of my head....they all have their problems....

Cummins....after treatment issues, egr system
Duramax.....Injectors
Powerstroke......Egr, inj, heads....

You may get lucky, you may have a lemon. You wonder why 20 y/o diesels are still $15K+?.... less issues because of no emissions equipment and less complicated systems. Diesels right now are in the equivalent stage that gas engines were in the late '70s, early '80s as far as emissions equipment goes. Still in it's infancy.

 

[Unka-Boo]

also.....do you really need a diesel? Towing a trailer once or twice a year doesnt really justify the increase in costs, ( buy in, maintenance, repair ) all two to three times that f a gas truck.

( just my grumpy ol' opinion )

 

[TacPro1O1]

You're good sir same thing my dad says lol. I'm using it to tow a ski boat and camping trailer. 2012 to present is what I'm looking at. I know that gas is more than capable of towing also but I have to itch to get another diesel truck.

 

[techiej]

Had the Duramax from 2011-2015 (GMC Sierra) and towed a 12,000 trailer from Vancouver->San Diego and back a couple of times. Left it in tow mode and other than due to traffic never took it out of cruise - a real champ when towing.

The good: fantastic tower (w/the Allison transmission), very good mileage (14 on long tows with the trailer, 18-20 in highway/city mixed driving getting up to the low 20's highway only), overall ran great and was very quiet both inside the cab and from the outside.

The bad: stupid DEF sensors would go off (report poor quality or low DEF when when OK/full) and dealer could never get it/keep it fixed...went to 2 different dealers; DEF fill was in back of engine - a real pain to get to with a hot engine, fuel filter sensor started to report problems (there weren't any/had tech's open up replaced filters twice to see if there was build-up inside; had them check fuel pump, etc.) in the last 6 months we owned it - if you reset the filter it would be back to 100% for hours/days/weeks before reporting 0% at the next start.

Only reason I got rid of it is we sold the trailer and couldn't justify the maintenance expense for the low yearly miles we were going to be driving after that - otherwise would have kept it and I do miss having a full size truck for hauling stuff.

Never had the Ford but had a Cummins in a large DP RV - ran well but noisy as heck.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Bought a new 2016 Duramax in September. Sold it 6 weeks ago. To much stuff to manage for not towing enough. On my 4th new tundra. Gasers are getting way way more popular again. Unless you buy a old diesel. Love to find a 1990 maybe with a 12 valve. For towing once in a while and use around the place and have my kid drive.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

LBZ or deleted LML duramax


i say this because betwen those 3 you can't beat an allison trans

if you get a 2011 duramax you will have after treatment issues. they redesigned the parts for it in 2012. same part # just updated parts. trust me. i work on them. daily.

 

[IronMonster]

You want my honest opinion, unless you are moving heavy loads (20k gross plus) frequently, like every month buy a gas truck. I own three one ton and two 3/4 ton trucks. Three are gas and two are diesel. I only use the diesel trucks when I am towing big loads. Why own all these trucks? Well it cost to damn much money to buy, maintain and fix the diesels so I have a whole second set of trucks to use for my daily needs. In the long run it's cheaper, which should give you a good idea why it's impractical to use a new diesel truck as a daily driver.

Buy a 3/4 ton gas truck. Unless the entire idea is to spend an extra $12,000 on one so you can pay more for fuel and maintenance for the life of it.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

You want my honest opinion, unless you are moving heavy loads (20k gross plus) frequently, like every month buy a gas truck. I own three one ton and two 3/4 ton trucks. Three are gas and two are diesel. I only use the diesel trucks when I am towing big loads. Why own all these trucks? Well it cost to damn much money to buy, maintain and fix the diesels so I have a whole second set of trucks to use for my daily needs. In the long run it's cheaper, which should give you a good idea why it's impractical to use a new diesel truck as a daily driver.

Buy a 3/4 ton gas truck. Unless the entire idea is to spend an extra $12,000 on one so you can pay more for fuel and maintenance for the life of it.

the 6.0 gasser in the chevs with the 6L90 trans are a good combo too. you'll miss the torque of a diesel up hill and also the fuel economy with the 6.0 is crap

 

[IronMonster]

the 6.0 gasser in the chevs with the 6L90 trans are a good combo too. you'll miss the torque of a diesel up hill and also the fuel economy with the 6.0 is crap

Yeah but in 200k miles you will never save enough in added fuel economy to offset the added up front costs of the diesel.

If you need a diesel truck there is nothing else that will do.

About 70% of people with diesel trucks, don't need a diesel truck.

It was different in the late 90's when you could buy a diesel for an extra $3500 and they were good for 400k miles. It made sense.

Today to spend $50-$70k on a truck that WILL eventually need expensive repairs just to be the cool guy is silly.

If you really need a diesel you put up with the expense and issues of the new trucks. None are bulletproof safe bets. They all are very expensive and complicated machines. I know of several 3-5 year old $60k trucks that are sitting because they need $20k+ repairs. That is the reality of all the new diesel trucks

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Hence why I dumped the new duramax.
Iron monster I will bet 90% don't need a deisel.

 

[Unka-Boo]

Hence why I dumped the new duramax.
Iron monster I will bet 90% don't need a deisel.

But...but.....tow mirrors...

 

[IronMonster]

And the new gas rigs have come a long way from the late 90's gutless big block gas hogs. Towing with one of those was an adventure. I can remember my dad training me to drive by the temp gauge, not the speedo.

 

[Walter Sobchak]

'99 3/4 ton 7.3l Powerstroke for me. For the reasons discussed above...

 

[Unka-Boo]

And the new gas rigs have come a long way from the late 90's gutless big block gas hogs. Towing with one of those was an adventure. I can remember my dad training me to drive by the temp gauge, not the speedo.

Yup....newer 1/2 tons have better tow ratings than '90s 3/4 ton trucks.

I know it sounds like I'm baggin' on people who want diesels....well, OK, I kinda am...but like it's been said, fewer people "need" them than "want". When I bought my current truck ( 8 years ago now..) the price difference between gas and diesel trucks was insane....well, 8 years and 120k miles later, I still haven't used enough gas to make up the difference...

 

[Oregonhunter5]

But...but.....tow mirrors...

Oh I changed my mirrors out for tow mirrors. I even drive a 3 place horse trailer. And a 28 foot snowmobile trailer. This tundra does just fine.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Throw back color
Like my 1980 22r

 

[L84Cabo]

also.....do you really need a diesel?

MAN card revoked! OF COURSE YOU NEED A DIESEL!!!!!


I kid...I kid! Sorta.

 

[L84Cabo]

Yeah but in 200k miles you will never save enough in added fuel economy to offset the added up front costs of the diesel.

If you need a diesel truck there is nothing else that will do.

About 70% of people with diesel trucks, don't need a diesel truck.

It was different in the late 90's when you could buy a diesel for an extra $3500 and they were good for 400k miles. It made sense.

Today to spend $50-$70k on a truck that WILL eventually need expensive repairs just to be the cool guy is silly.

If you really need a diesel you put up with the expense and issues of the new trucks. None are bulletproof safe bets. They all are very expensive and complicated machines. I know of several 3-5 year old $60k trucks that are sitting because they need $20k+ repairs. That is the reality of all the new diesel trucks

Why is this? What pushed the trucks from the $3500 up charge to the mess we have today? Geez, you would think the one think that American Auto Makers could get right is a diesel work truck.

 

[Caveman Jim]

As a lifelong Ford truck guy I have only had one lemon, a 1990 F250. I have never had an import, chevy nor a dosge. I have only owned one diesel and still have it for hauling an 18' flatbed trailer [occasionally), an 18' jet sled & my retirement truck camper. It sits a lot but when I need the power of Zeus baby I've got it.
I'd kill to have my 98 Ranger back though....