Hi , Im 20 years old and have never owned a diesel before . I have been doing alot of research on them and just need some questions answered and some opinions on what to get.
I need to know if it is true they get better mileage per gallon and how much better. And i read that diesels require ALOT more maintnance is this true and if so what kind and whats a rough estimate on the annual cost of this maintnance.
Im looking to get a 2500 hd 4x4 what years should i consider looking to buy used. and what years should i avoid that have issues ?
Please help me out

email me at
shawnm21@sbcglobal.net

or just post to this.

would REALLLLY appreciate it..

First start reading many of the post you can stand in each of the generation sections. Each have pros and cons. After you do that rad some more and then read more. After that then read some more. 2nd and 3rd generation would be the perferred over the first gen. Mostly injector issues but all generations have injector issues. Just changing them in first LB7 is more work to do. Generation 4 is fine. Similiar to 3rd generation but extra emission controls and get few less mpg because of it. As for mileage they really arent considered better than gas unless towing is considered. A 1/2 ton 5.3 vortec gas can do about 17mpg. The 6.6L duramax diesel does about 17mpg as well. But start pulling 5000lbs and diesel would start to break even and hit 10,000lbs and you will be ahead. Diesel at the moment is more than gas but today looked like gas top diesel for the first time in 10months. Wonder why HAHAHAHA. Maintance is more. Fuel filter, and Allison spin on transmission filter to be changed. Uses 10 quarts of oil plus filter. But can normally go twice the distance on changes for oil and filter. Fuel filter says can go 15,000 but never got past 12,000 myself. Always change that at the same time as oil and filter changes and rotate tires. Roughly ever 7500 miles. So maintance is higher. Dealer service pricing would run around $200 if you let them provide the fluids and filters for oil and filter, fuel filter, allison spin-on, rotate tires when I last calculated with them. Or do it your self for about $75 and a few hours labor once you buy everything from one of many vendors here.

You forgot to mention that diesels are easy to modify for more power and WAY more fun to drive.

what kinda money do you want to spend? i didnt have much to work with but found an 05 for a good price. kinda wish i could of gotten an 06 for the trans and other upgrades. that would be my choice but im kinda new to the dmax's.

when do you leave? we go apr 09

as per maintenance compare to a gas truck. well theres no tune-ups. no spark plugs or wires to change. It does hold twice the amount of oil a gas motor has (10 qrts) is like changing the oil twice but it last twice as long, so it comes out even. The fuel filters are not cheap ($25 +_) and depending on the year you get it can be a pain to replace, at about every 10K +_ miles. Air filter can go from what I see for over 25-30k miles but again not as cheap as a gasser. So for the most part you come out ahead, got more power, I get 3 mpg better towing the same weight than I did with my gasser, plus did I say it has more power and is alot more fun to drive. So how can you beat that! I would never go back to a gasser and espacially a half ton.

'06 2500HD CC SWB 4x4 Dmax/Ally vs. '00 1500 5.3l ext cab SWB 4x4
Mileage: I get 1-2mpg better in town with larger Dmax and 2-3mpg better on highway with Dmax than with lighter 1/2 ton gasser. I get 16.5-17.5 around town and just over 20 mpg in 7200lb Dmax, not too bad. That is completely stock w/ regard to engine, tranny, etc. no performance modifications.

Maintenance: I do all my own fluids, grease, filters, etc. on Dmax. Info above is good, more oil, more expensive filters, but they last longer than on a gasser. However, if you have some type of serious problem that needs a certified tech or mechanic to find/fix you will find that working on diesels can be much more expensive when it comes to shop rates.

IMO, the 2006 LLY/LBZ thru the 2007 Classic LBZ are the best combination out there. Plus i don't like the new body style that was packaged with the LMM and the LMM has emissions crap on it that affects mileage, drastically in some cases I have seen here.

Army huh??? Well I've been around there for 20 years now.
Anywho, I finally broke down and bought my first civilian diesel. I have worked on and modded many diesels for other ppl and I have to say I love the sound and availability of having a manual in the Dodges, Fords are nice with the variable vane turbos, ut the Duramax, from what I've dealt with, is the easiest to mod, get the best mileage and seems to be a bigger aftermarket for, than the others. But this is only my personal experience.

Also, I have been getting 18.6 mpg around Ft Knox city type driving, where-as my old 06 1/2 ton gasser (5.3l) was getting 12. Plus I haul either a car trailer or an 18' enclosed trailer of bikes and quads and still get 21 on the highway. This is with the muffler deleted and an Airaid intake. It still has the cat on too.

It's an 05 w/ the LLY, I wish I could have afforded an 06 / LBZ motor with the 6spd allison. And you gotta have XM radio. I have had it in 5 different cars/trucks and addicted to it.

As for maintenance, I'm learning from alot of friends who live, eat and breathe diesels. They say fuel filter @ 7500 miles, tranny @ 15k-25k depending on if and how much you tow, and the engine oil, we run Amsoil and send in a sample every 10k. I have friends that have 30+k and have only changed the filters every 10k and their samples have came back good every check. over 30 thousand miles on less than $150. Plus yesterday, I saw an 01 Dually duramax with 520,000 miles on it and the owner said it still pulls like new. He just said he kept it well maintained.

As for brand new, the folks here will get you more up to speed. I know there are a lot of sensor BS with the new ones. I know when I was looking a few months ago, there were alot of 06's with low mileage. From what i understand, those are the best ones. LBZ motor and not alot of sensor BS.

Have fun, good luck and I love mine.