I'm looking at getting an '05 Duramax 2500HD 4x4 Crew Cab with 3.73 gears. With the rebates GM has right now, I'm looking at just over $38K. The same truck in a 6100 gasoline with 4.10 gears (apparently that's the only gear option they offer in gasoline) is just over $32K. My driving is probably 80% city, 15% highway and very little towing. Here's the question:

I'm more interested in the fuel economy of the diesel with the 3.73 (with a Superchips modification to be done) vs. the gasoline with 4.10 gears.

What kind of mileage is everyone getting not loaded with the DMaxes, and is the mileage increase good enough to justify an additional $6K up front, especially with diesel as high or higher than premium gasoline in my area right now?

The $6k up front is made up by the increased value on resale. Check out values on used trucks.


There are already a gazillion threads on mileage, should be easy to get the info you need in those.

6.0 with auto tranny only has 4 gears... mileage won't get over 10 city/hw.. gusslers..I filled up twice a week.. gas bill was over 300 a month. (the 8100 can have the allison though, still bad on mileage)

6.6 Duramax with Allison has 5 gears.. mileage is way better and power is untouchable.
I fill up once a week..gas bill is cut in half

been there done that.. I should have gotten the diesel to begin with.
when gas prices go back down you will thank yourself for getting the diesel.

good luck just my $.02

Another option for you is the new 1500 Crew with the 5.3.

get the diesel it gets much better mileage, 6.0 gassers are very bad and not great for towing like the Dmax. I had to make the same choice, plus diesels last longer, get the diesel

Just some quick math. I alot myself 50 miles a day = 1500 miles a month = 18000 miles a year and I have been hand calculating between fillups 17.7mpg and at $2.40 a gallon, thats $2440 a year on diesel +/-. If I bought the same truck in a gasser, 18000 miles at lets be generous, 11mpg at $2.20 = $3600 a year. With a diesel, there's a $1200 savings a year. Over 4 years, the diesel engine pays itself off. Then of course, the resale is better

My DMax gets 4 mpg overall (city and Highway) than the 8.1 gasser I used to own. The 6 liter doesn't do any better than the 8.1 from all I have read. Your resale on the DMax will be higher by far than the gasser.

And with a few system upgrades (within reason), the benefits only improve.
Joe Isuzu (remember him?) would be proud!

My DMax gets 4 mpg overall (city and Highway) than the 8.1 gasser I used to own. The 6 liter doesn't do any better than the 8.1 from all I have read. Your resale on the DMax will be higher by far than the gasser.

Hey guys - newbie here, but I can confirm this statement just from the trux in my immediate family. I have a duramax/allison/3.73 and my Dad has an 8.1/allison/3.73 and I also have a small-block suburban w/4:10 rear. The 8.1 with the 3.73 beats the snot out of the small block with the 4:10 at everything: mileage, acceleration, and towing. The 8.1 definitely does have a more sporty feel than the diesel, but hook up a heavy trailer and I wouldn't trade my duramax for anything. (Plus that diesel white noise puts the baby right to sleep...)
...but that's just my 2c...

I had a 2000 1500 silverado 2wd with 5.3L stock. I got 17-20mpg. With my Duramax I get the same mileage when I drive it the same way I did the gasser.

Just some quick math. I alot myself 50 miles a day = 1500 miles a month = 18000 miles a year and I have been hand calculating between fillups 17.7mpg and at $2.40 a gallon, thats $2440 a year on diesel +/-. If I bought the same truck in a gasser, 18000 miles at lets be generous, 11mpg at $2.20 = $3600 a year. With a diesel, there's a $1200 savings a year. Over 4 years, the diesel engine pays itself off. Then of course, the resale is better

Using the same math as above but applying it to my Duramax mileage and fuel prices where I am.
Duramax (my mileage average mainly city miles)
18000 miles a year
15.0mpg
$2.49 a gallon
thats $2988

Gasser using data from above:
18000 miles
11mpg
at $2.09
thats $3420

Going off these numbers you can see the difference varies greatly. For me (meaning my mileage, fuel prices in my area) the difference would be 432 per year going on the numbers listed above.

gotta throw my .02 worth in here,
my 02 Z71 with 5.3 sucked as far as power and mileage, traded on on a 03 2500HD 4x4 with a 6.0 and 5 speed, couldnt aford to keep gas in it, got maybe 12 mpg every once in a while and couldnt spin the 285/75 R16s.
now the 04.5 LLY that i have gets around (in town )16 (i drive the s$###t out of it and leave black smoke at every light and evrery pass), on the interstate i get around 19-20 mpg. Not to mention the bang for the buck on computer upgrades vs the gasser. I put a hyperteck on the 6.0 and couldn't really tell it was on there, the Predator on the LLY is frikin awsome, and i dont want to take it to the limits or i know something will give in the tranny if i don't get it upgraded.

From a purely economical standpoint, I really don't think anybody can truly justify a diesel over a gasser if it's a personal vehicle and towing isn't thrown into the mix.

Yes, I'm far happier with my Dmax than my 6.0 gasser, but fuel savings are offset by a lot of other costs. Some of the time, there really isn't a legitimate fuel savings when diesel is higher priced.

You've got to remember that maintenance costs are quite a bit higher on diesels. More oil that's more expensive to begin with, fuel filters, etc. all play into the equation.

Bottom line: I won't be driving a gasser again if I can help it. I love diesels, and they work well for me. However, I couldn't justify one if all I was considering was economics.

I love my diesel, but don't be under the assumption that you're buying any sort of economy car. It's still gonna be expensive to run it. I know I get slightly better mileage than I would with a 6.0 or 8.1 gasser driven the same way, but it's not dramatic. I get an honest 10-14 in all around driving, maybe more towards the 13-14 if I'm cruising downt the highway. Hook up my 10K toyhauler, and I'm at 6.5-8.5 tops.
Not exactly a Rabbit Diesel pickup.


Gar

my 02 Z71 with 5.3 sucked as far as power and mileage, traded on on a 03 2500HD 4x4 with a 6.0 and 5 speed, couldnt aford to keep gas in it, got maybe 12 mpg every once in a while and couldnt spin the 285/75 R16s.
now the 04.5 LLY that i have gets around (in town )16 (i drive the s$###t out of it and leave black smoke at every light and evrery pass), on the interstate i get around 19-20 mpg. Not to mention the bang for the buck on computer upgrades vs the gasser. I put a hyperteck on the 6.0 and couldn't really tell it was on there, the Predator on the LLY is frikin awsome, and i dont want to take it to the limits or i know something will give in the tranny if i don't get it upgraded.

I'm completely amazed that you get that sort of mileage.
I have a similar setup and driving habits but do not come even close.
Does the Predator work that much better than the Edge/Attitude setup?



Gar

6.0 with auto tranny only has 4 gears... mileage won't get over 10 city/hw.. gusslers..I filled up twice a week.. gas bill was over 300 a month. (the 8100 can have the allison though, still bad on mileage)

6.6 Duramax with Allison has 5 gears.. mileage is way better and power is untouchable.
I fill up once a week..gas bill is cut in half

been there done that.. I should have gotten the diesel to begin with.
when gas prices go back down you will thank yourself for getting the diesel.

good luck just my $.02

+2
i just trade in a GMC 2500HD ext cab 4x4 with the 6.0L...best it EVER got was 10.2 mpg pulling NOTHING

my new Dmax gets 12+ towing, and near 18 not towing

Why would you buy a 2500HD if you didn't tow much?

I am very happy with my Duramax MPG but I travel over 80% highway and 80% of that towing. City stop and go with the Duramax is absolutely horrible as far as MPG. This is the reason you see the huge differences in MPG people are getting. This is a cowboy cruiser. I average 16mpg empty driving around this one stop light town and 20 mpg on highway going slow. 13.5 mpg highway towing a 5k trailer. In hardcore stop and go it is really bad towing or not. You would be lucky to 8 mpg empty REALLY.

If want a hotrod tank, it is a different story....but the 2500HD is not a good city vehicle for MPG gas or diesel. If I lived in a city I would buy a 350Z or a Supercharged Tacoma

I had a 5.7L 1995 1500 Silverado that really got almost as good highway MPG as the duramax and actually better city MPG empty. Towing it was awful highway MPG almost half what my Duramax get 6-8 MPG vs 13.5 MPG. Definitely not a stable and comfortable ride towing but fine running empty.

I just bought a new 2005 Duramax Reg. Cab LS w/ the 6 speed manual. I'm looking forward to the extra power and better fuel mileage compared to my Dodge 360 gasser.

Anybody know the difference in fuel mileage between an Allison Crew Cab and the 6spd Reg cab? Just curious. Thanks :ro)

-Brooks

6.0 with auto tranny only has 4 gears... mileage won't get over 10 city/hw.. gusslers..I filled up twice a week.. gas bill was over 300 a month. (the 8100 can have the allison though, still bad on mileage)

6.6 Duramax with Allison has 5 gears.. mileage is way better and power is untouchable.
I fill up once a week..gas bill is cut in half

been there done that.. I should have gotten the diesel to begin with.
when gas prices go back down you will thank yourself for getting the diesel.

good luck just my $.02

Sold my Avalanche with the 295 HP 5.3 which got the same or better milage than my 2005 dmax and Diesel fuel is MUCH more expensive. Also insurance is more expensive and maintenance is more expensive for a Diesel truck. I cannot image that the 6.0 is that much worse on fuel than a 5.3 and the weight is not soo much different either.
Only crazyness, fun addiction or the need to pull a HEAVY weight can justify a dmax IMHO.:lol:

Go with the DMax- I have owned both. My 03 2500 ecsb 6.0 was a gas guzzler. If I saw 13 to 14 on the interstate i was like a pig in *&#%. Around town I saw between 10 and 11. With my DMax i am getting 16 around town and 20 over the road. With the driving I do that equates to a savings of one tank a month. I have gone from 3 fillups in 2 weeks to 2. Extra money always helps... + what I got on trade in on the gasser really sucks. Go with the DMax

The $6k up front is made up by the increased value on resale. Check out values on used trucks.


There are already a gazillion threads on mileage, should be easy to get the info you need in those.
It`s nowhere near $6,000 difference if you compare it to the 8.1L Out the door price is much closer to $3200 And with the mileage difference that money can easily be made back in the first 75,000 miles, if not much sooner.

We could debate this till the cows come home. Since I bought my Duramax my average diesel cost has been lower then the price for regular unleaded, and I have averaged 18.78 mpg, and after rebate and discounts, I paid about $3,000 more for Duramax then what an 8.1L would have cost me. So I easily paid the $3000 off in about 50,000 miles, and the best part, my truck is still worth $4500 more then if it were a 8.1L
Using the same math as above but applying it to my Duramax mileage and fuel prices where I am.
Duramax (my mileage average mainly city miles)
18000 miles a year
15.0mpg
$2.49 a gallon
thats $2988

Gasser using data from above:
18000 miles
11mpg
at $2.09
thats $3420

Going off these numbers you can see the difference varies greatly. For me (meaning my mileage, fuel prices in my area) the difference would be 432 per year going on the numbers listed above.

I'm looking at getting an '05 Duramax 2500HD 4x4 Crew Cab with 3.73 gears. With the rebates GM has right now, I'm looking at just over $38K. The same truck in a 6100 gasoline with 4.10 gears (apparently that's the only gear option they offer in gasoline) is just over $32K. My driving is probably 80% city, 15% highway and very little towing. Here's the question:

I'm more interested in the fuel economy of the diesel with the 3.73 (with a Superchips modification to be done) vs. the gasoline with 4.10 gears.

What kind of mileage is everyone getting not loaded with the DMaxes, and is the mileage increase good enough to justify an additional $6K up front, especially with diesel as high or higher than premium gasoline in my area right now?

Hi,

I owned the same truck in my sig (2003) with a 6.0 & 4.10s. The absolute best mileage ever seen with the 6.0 was 14mpg. I just got back from a trip to the Dells in WI (200 mile each way) and averaged 20mpg, with speeds of 65-70mph. It is hard to justify the diesel with fuel savings only when driving 15-20K per year, but I like the power, especially with the camper and boat loaded. I assume (hope!) that I will make up for the price difference come resale time!

hey guys, my first post but had to chime in on this one, just traded my 03 1500 hd 6.0 gasser crew for an 05 D-max 2500 hd crew, when i got the 03, was getting 11 mpg(canadian) about 9 US, and best I ever saw was 18(can) the D max is averaging 19.4 and the best so far is 24 ! Have towed my 30 foot camper with both and the 1500 did it but the D-max laughs at it!

hey guys, my first post but had to chime in on this one, just traded my 03 1500 hd 6.0 gasser crew for an 05 D-max 2500 hd crew, when i got the 03, was getting 11 mpg(canadian) about 9 US, and best I ever saw was 18(can) the D max is averaging 19.4 and the best so far is 24 ! Have towed my 30 foot camper with both and the 1500 did it but the D-max laughs at it!

What is a canadian mpg? :joke:

I have had the gasser the mileage is hard to get over 11 mpg anytime. I just came back fron canada again , Dmax crew cab 4x4 loaded 3.73 gaers allison,3 people xtra 52 gallons fuel 872# gear (had to weigh before we got on the float plane) 20.6 mpg never ran over 70 in states, 21.6 mpg never ran over 60 in canada, predator 65 tune plus amsoil 5 30 hdd, did a run to michigan for new trailer 19.7 up max speed 75 back with trailer 65-70 13.5 to 14.5 mpg.

It`s nowhere near $6,000 difference if you compare it to the 8.1L Out the door price is much closer to $3200 And with the mileage difference that money can easily be made back in the first 75,000 miles, if not much sooner.

I agree, but I was using the original thread starters figures. He said a "6100" (either an error on the 6 or the 1) so I went with the error on the 1 and didn't discuss the 8100

By the way, the difference in price for the 8100 versus Duramax is $5855.

You don't have to get the allison with the 8.1 but if you want an auto with the Dmax you have to belly up and pay the money for the allison.

So I don't know where you get your numbers for the difference in price because it is right at $6,000 all day long, and closer to $7k versus the 6.0

.