Wanted to get your opinion's, if I should get the Duramax.
I'am getting an 06' early next year, to replace my 95' K1500.
I currently only use my truck for camping, hunting and atv hauling.
I average less than 7500 mi per year with my truck. I have a economy car to commute 50 mi per day to work.

I have heard that the diesel's have to be used alot or they start to have problem's from under useage. At time's I dont drive my truck for 3-4 week's.
Would this be bad on a Duramax. Should I just stay with a gas motor?

Thank's for your input.:help2:

There are prbably a large % of us on this site that would have difficulty to cost justify a diesel over gas. I put on 18-20K per year and my truck, and would maybe see roughly $800 in annual fuel savings (assuming diesel prices come back down!). You will spend more on filters and oil with the diesel, and if you keep reading this site, you will spend more on perf mods!!

IMHO, you would be better off with a 1/2 ton, which gets decent mpg, low maintenance, and will leave you with a few more $$$ in the bank.

As far as short trips and limited use, probably not a big deal. My wife is the daily driver of our truck, and only put on 1000 miles per month over the winter, most of which was 2 mile trips to Target or the kids school.

i would say get a gas for what you do with a truck. i am sure you really want a diesel, but idk if you can justify the cost of owning one. they don't have to be used a lot, but when you run them it should be farther than a few mile to get something and then back. depending on the size of camping you do, if you get a 5th wheel, i would say yes, but most other campers aren't really a must for it.

i too think the money would be better spent if it was in the bank. if you keep your truck for a long time, it would probably hold value well due to the fact that it would be low miles.

let me stress, i don't think setting around hurts anything, but short milage is killer on any motor and a diesel esp. setting also does not really allow you to justify the cost of owning one. the ones that can justify it are the people that put miles on them.

your call though. diesels are great trucks if you can justify the cost of owning them.

I agree..in your case stick with a 1/2 ton gasser. With your current needs you will never utilize the Duramax. Diesels are mainly for hauling/towing very large loads that a gasser cannot handle if it tried.

Practically speaking and economically speaking you would be better with a gasser. Stick with the 5.3, the 6.0 will drain your wallet in gas money.

good luck

just my $.02

From a purely economic stance you, me and a whole lot of others here would be ahead by purchasing gassers. On the other hand, if you really want diesel and are able to handily afford it afford it, why not get it. Most folks with a RollsRoyce could get about just as well in a Chevy Cavalier. Why the Rolls, simply that they want it and in most cases can afford it. So, if you're itchin' for the diesel experience and your piggy bank is getting too full, go for it.

If money isn't an issue....like a lot of people already said....get a diesel....there fun!! Probably from a practicality stand point a gasser would better suit your needs. I really like the looks of the GMC 1500's. They are sharp lookin trucks.

I say go for the diesel and don't look back. You're already reading this site so you know you want one:D See you on the dark side:ro)

I just came back from Vegas (235mi) towing a car on a trailer in under 3 hrs over some very steep mountain passes. I could go as fast as I wanted on any grade was on. It never even downshifted.

A lightly modified diesel will crap all over a gasser in shear power.

I bought my diesel for the power, and I'm not disappointed. :D And the icing on the cake? Still gets excellent towing mileage (used just under 1/2 a tank) at high power levels.

If "A Truck is a Truck", get the gasser. If you like to be proud of what you're driving, get the Duramax.

If money is not a major issue, and you would prefer diesel, DO IT!!! Sometimes you just have to put money aside and live.):h But if it really doesnt matter to you go with the gasser. I run my truck about a mile a day right now lol, i wont be doing that for too much longer though. I just make sure my truck sees the freeway for a little drive at least once a week.

Get a diesel - 90% here can’t justify a diesel, but we all went for it anyway.

Get a diesel - 90% here can’t justify a diesel, but we all went for it anyway.
Were you in on writing the Bible? ):h

Have to ):h at MXdiesel. You know it is bad when you have to take your truck for a jog. :muahaha:

I wouldnt get anything but a diesel 4x4, but its personal choice. If you get the diesel you might be driving it more than you think. That diesel likes to get out on the road and go, not to mention the comfort and handling :grd:

I hope you weren't planning on using us to talk you out of the Dmax ;)

One more vote for if you can afford it get it and don't look back! These trucks rock!

Thank's for all the great reply's:ro)
Money is not an issue, and I want a rig that will last a long time and get decent mileage. I may do some moderate towing and plan on getting a cab over camper to boot.

So,I think I'm gonna pop for the Duramax!!!:grd:

Yea Baby, Yea! Now let's start planning your mods! :D JJ :)

Let us know what you finally do. My last piece of advice, no matter which way you go and contrary to what many will tell you here, leave it stock, give it good maintenance and it won't leave you by the side of the road.

"My last piece of advice, no matter which way you go and contrary to what many will tell you here, leave it stock, give it good maintenance and it won't leave you by the side of the road." :confused:

Counterpoint: These trucks are wonderful pieces of machinery that are adaptable to meet differing requirements. Some mods such as larger exhaust, water injection, etc., actually improve the operating characterics of these trucks. Conversely, if you opt for significant hp/tq gains this will require more maintenance and work the engine, tranny and suspensions much harder. Point is not all mods are bad! Take the time to do your own research and "get the facts" before ruling in/out any mods. :cool:

JJ's .02 cents worth. Later. JJ :)

Glad to see we convinced you! I agree with someone in a previous post that a large portion of us cant really justify having a diesel. Its just a personal preference, and in many casses (like mine) its an obsession! I also agree with JJ about mods, just choose carfully and dont do anything too radical if you want to keep good dependability. Like it seems certainly you cant go wrong with exhaust and intake to start :grd: .

Good decision:
Gas would have saved you money for instant gratification.
Diesel would have cost more upfront, but when the gassers are getting new engines you'll keep going, and going, and going...

If you are worried about economy at all, I would seriously recommend buying a motorcycle. Especially if you have a black truck. I find that my trucks stays cleaner longer if I dont use it for a peddly drive across town to work. My wife also found it difficult to split lanes with my truck.

I love diesels, I love diesels, oh wait I already said that.
Have had 4 of them, well five if you count my dads(I do all the work on it, and pay for the maintenance). 3 6.2 ltre diesels and 2 d-max.

End random advice.

Mine sits most of the time also. But I try to exercise it about once a week for about 20 miles.

I bought mine for towing a large TT. I am planning to get a 5'er in the future and that's why I went with Diesel.

I do pretty much the same as you do with having a go-to-work car and having the truck sit for most of the time.

However, if you really are not going to tow or load heavy, then get a gasser.

No offense to you short bed guys but, I bought my truck to work it. A short bed is almost no bed at all with a Dmax / Allison combo. And after all it's too heavy in the front to do any serious off-roading with too. The only reason I got a crew cab was because the boss said the daughter and the dog, (kids), would be too cramped in an extended cab. (And she said I could order it).

I like knowing I can put 2 ton in the back and the truck won't be crying for power. I also like pulling a 30ft TT and not having to white knuckle the whole trip or plan my maneuvers like the Exxon Valdez.

So, mine sits a lot, but she knows when it's time to work, it will be work.

One more consideration is resale value. Gassers are a dime a dozen, diesels are another story. The Duramax/Ally combo seems to hold their values very well. OK, before some economist or bean-counter jumps my sh_t vehicles are rarely sound investments, blah blah blah! Bye now! JJ :)

A cab over camper:eek:? That means you had better get a 3500 DRW. As long as you're taking the jump to a Diesel you may as well go all the way and get something that will serve your needs for the future.


'04 2500HD D/A CC SB

k15002nv,

When you get the Duramax, I bet you will drive it a lot more than you think you will.):h
I live 45mi from work and I use it everyday, and I :D every day.

With all this great advice, tell us, what have you ordered? Make, model and all the specifics. None of us are gonna sleep good until we know!!

I bought a 2003 2500hd with a 6.0 gasser, don't get me wrong, great truck. I could not justify the cost of the Dmax with the gas card I get from my employer. I made the switch because the wife was lusting over a big 5er and that was all the justifing I needed. Once you drive this vehicle you will be addicted like the rest of us. The truck will amaze you on a daily basis. You will never regret it.


C.S.

Its not if you have a use for it, its if you want it. If you always wanted one then get it if you dont then it will always be in your mind of things you want.

Resale for diesel is far better than gasser's. You need to drive 60k miles to break even from a gasser but it just feels better to be getting 17 mpg Vs. 9 mpg. Besides everybody is doing it, its the POP.

Gotta check in on this... Had a 2000 sc/lb 2500 6.0/4L80E with 22k miles on it that I bought from a local farmer when 0% first happened. I was replacing an '83 swb 2wd with 350k on it. Had the truck until 62k and couldn't stand the piston slap any more. Plus I had softened the old girl up some and was a little more flush on $. Went for an '03 2500HD 8.1/allison sc/lb. Thought serious about a Duramax but she wasn't that soft... Loved the kick in the butt horsepower for 53k miles and really liked everything about it except 10-11 mpg. She really thought I shoulda' got an ext. cab shortbed in the 1st place. I said I could take care of that pretty quick! :grd: Told her last fall that I really liked that new front end alot better and she said dammit, get what you WANT this time. I said no problem sweetheart. I LOVE MY DURAMAX!!!

I farm part time so I occasionally haul wagons of grain and hay and farm equipment and smaller stock trailers. Mostly I run empty. I'm an engineer full time and run 115 highway miles a day 50% 60-65 mph 50% 75-80 mph. Yeah I could get a puddle jumper for the drive, but I ain't gonna run I80 at 80 mph with anything but a big truck. Anyway, I didn't really have to justify anything about the purchase. I JUST WANTED IT!!!:blahblah:

16+ mpg helps though...

If "A Truck is a Truck", get the gasser. If you like to be proud of what you're driving, get the Duramax.need to frame that one.....read my mind.

A cab over camper:eek:? That means you had better get a 3500 DRW. As long as you're taking the jump to a Diesel you may as well go all the way and get something that will serve your needs for the future.


'04 2500HD D/A CC SB

Yeah baby! Why get a "boy toy" when for just a little more cha-ching, you can get a "man truck" :ro)

jk........):h