[PSYCHOFREAK3]

Hello, I am new to the site. I have a 2003 GMC 2500HD 6.0 with 4.10 and I get around 9.5 to 10.5 mpg doing a mix of city and highway while babying it a little. I have been interested in diesels for a long time but now I am really thinking about it. I am browsing around and I would be looking for a 2001 to 2004 so that would put me in a LB7. So I guess I am just looking for some basic input. Does this sound like a good idea, what would be a descent price and so on. Not looking for anything major just some off-hand knowledge.

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[soopretty]

wow another converted! lol juskidding well it sounds like a great idea.

 

[PSYCHOFREAK3]

Just thought I would mention also this would be my first diesel, so any basic maintenance costs and problems that you guys do regularly?

 

[mvnvltn]

Out here they are going for around $17-$20 with around 100k on them. (AT the Auctions)

 

[billygoat7c]

i would say for a loaded one should cost low 20's. no problems on my dads lb7 after 65k and looking at buying my own in the next week or so. they will also get better mileage than that 6.0L if your only getting 10 around town. mine gets about 14-15 in town hand calculated

 

[Grit dog]

Maintenance costs are high if you take it to a shop, or even buy filters retail at a parts store.
By ordering my filters at www.fleetfilters.com and doing my own service, I can do a complete oil change, air filter, fuel filter, and trans filter (spin on) for about $70 in filters and fluids. Fuel filter, I only change at every other oil change (could go longer per reccomended intervals), trans filter every other oil change (same as fuel filter, and up to 50k miles w/ Transynd atf), air filter, usually every other oil change as well.

 

[Timberwolf530]

Reasons to buy a diesel:
1. You tow heavy loads.
2. You travel alot of miles.
3. You just want one. You don't know why. You just do.

Not reasons to buy a diesel:
1. You think you will save money on maintenance costs. Everything is bigger and more heavy duty, so it costs more.
2. You don't travel alot of miles.
3. You think you will save money on fuel costs. Unless you travel an ungodly number of miles per year, the premium price you pay for the vehicle will never be offset by fuel savings. Especially with diesel fuel $.50 - $.70 a gallon more than gasoline.Thus the diesel costs you more in the long run.
Oh, by the way I love my truck and I wouldn't own any other.

 

[silverado_nolan]

so even with diesel costing $.30 more, and I get 9.1MPG..... you don't think I would offset the milage? I did the calculations and it sure seemed so?

 

[Timberwolf530]

so even with diesel costing $.30 more, and I get 9.1MPG..... you don't think I would offset the milage? I did the calculations and it sure seemed so?

How are you averaging 9.1 with a 360? People with the 8.1 are getting better mileage than that. I'm not saying don't get a diesel. I hope you do. I'm not saying you won't save some money on fuel costs. You will. But, you have to remember that you will be paying around a $3,000 -$5,000 premium for a diesel, and it will take a bunch of miles driven to recoup that extra expense. Having said that, I wouldn't trade back to a gasser for anything.

 

[PSYCHOFREAK3]

I did some basic math with mileage and getting 9.5 on a good day with my gasser and 15 for a diesel it equaled out to about the same price. Howevewr when we got to highway mileage the 10.5 from gas or the 19 for a diesel you save about 8-10 cents per mile on diesel fuel. But that's just using hand math with the numbers around me. But I am not looking to save on maitenance I am just looking for durability, length of life, fun (of course), and if I can have more power, better fuel economy, and a higher resale value then why wouldn't you switch. I am just looking to see if those approximate maitenance costs would outweigh the pros. But you guys mention that the LB7 has a problem with injectors, about how much do they cost to replace?

By the way, thank you guys for all of your input so far and lets keep it going.

 

[Dan L]

so even with diesel costing $.30 more, and I get 9.1MPG..... you don't think I would offset the milage? I did the calculations and it sure seemed so?

I had an '03 6.0 2500hd with 4.10's (the only gears you can get).Not a bad engine but hook my gooseneck on and mileage would sink like a rock to 5 mpg. even with a light load plus hill pulling torque just isn't there.Go DURAMAX and you won't regret it even with the higher maintenance and fuel costs wether you pull anything or not

 

[Timberwolf530]

I did some basic math with mileage and getting 9.5 on a good day with my gasser and 15 for a diesel it equaled out to about the same price. Howevewr when we got to highway mileage the 10.5 from gas or the 19 for a diesel you save about 8-10 cents per mile on diesel fuel. But that's just using hand math with the numbers around me. But I am not looking to save on maitenance I am just looking for durability, length of life, fun (of course), and if I can have more power, better fuel economy, and a higher resale value then why wouldn't you switch. I am just looking to see if those approximate maitenance costs would outweigh the pros. But you guys mention that the LB7 has a problem with injectors, about how much do they cost to replace?

By the way, thank you guys for all of your input so far and lets keep it going.

That's the cool part. They're free. Well, up to 200k mi or 7 years anyway.

 

[Mike Mac]

Psycho, if you tow, get a diesel if you can afford it. You will laugh at the gassers as you drive by them( power and milage)! The way I see it, my diesel gets very close to double what my old Rat used to get, in town or highway so diesel fuel would have to almost double for it to cost more. I do by the way, perform all my own maintenance, so I save there, and to know that it
's done right. And like all the rest on the "Place" I hope I never have to go back to gas

 

[PSYCHOFREAK3]

The question on the injectors, is if the warranty is transferrable. Also if the truck that I get had mods that would void the warranty for the injectors. So does anyone have an approximate cost on injectors and isntallation?

Thanks again.

 

[clancutters]

The warranty IS transferrable. I received the letter in the mail and im the second owner. Simply take out the tuner if you get one if you need injectors and they shouldn't give you any problems. I have an ATS tranny, cold air intake, and full exhaust. I removed the edge and the dealer never said anything. Ive heard of the jobs ranging from 2300 (remanufactured, which is what warranty covers) and 4700 for new ones I assume.

 

[PSYCHOFREAK3]

I know I am probably getting annoying by now. But by all of the posts and how common the injector problem is I am getting curious. With the transferrable warranty it is not as big of a deal, but how often are they going bad on you guys?

 

[ssm58]

Mine gets 19-21 mpg om hiway only with edge set 5/1 and speed @70 mph or lower empty. pulling 10k 5er 11-12 mpg. no problems @ 145k miles.

 

[silverado_nolan]

but what about my situtation, ifit really isnt going to be too much of a difference in price for fuel, I dont pull too much (mowing trailer in the summer), higer maintnence costs of diesel, but my truck is going down the crapper, and I dont have a working transfercase.......

but all that kinda equals out.....

 

[ray587]

lets see, how many people have injector problems vs those that don't. ratio is somewhere around 1 to 1000.

 

[LB76speed]

I just switched over from a gas truck also.
I bought a 2002 LB7 with 90k miles For $17k. It has the 6 speed and no power options. but it did have the edge programmer and a twin disk clutch already along with a cold air intake and an exhuast. It had all the diamond plate and chrome on it too. I am getting 20 mpg ( city highway mix being easy) and around 17 drivin it hard/towing. thats compared to 9.5mpg in my 351ci Ford. And i tow around 12k lbs a lot and the deisel pulls it a hell of a lot better. I will never go back to gas. thats all i have to say.