mglobe

Keep the Duramax. Satisfy the 7-year vehicular itch by buying some sort of fun and relatively inexpensive daily driver. Maybe a used Boxster S or something along those lines.

Problem solved. Next question?

Gary R.

Just what I need, the voice of reason....

pmason

With the gas prices keep going up and higher than diesel, I'm starting making my F250 Diesel as the daily driver again and parking the Mini :-)

Gary R.

Diesel is always at least 10% HIGHER than gas here, but that has nothing to do with my choice..

consolidated

I have a 2012 F250, the 6.7L diesel is a monster with 800ft/lb of torque, it runs as quiet as a gasser. BUT, the injection system runs at 30,000psi, I got one tank of bad fuel (water so says Ford) and it took out the high pressure fuel pump sending metal thru the system and consequently the entire fuel system to the injectors.

The bill was $11K, FMC won't even talk about warranty repair, my insurance company paid, but most won't cover bad fuel. The new diesels require pristine fuel and have no tolerance for reduced lubricity, they won't just run rough thru bad diesel, they die by it. I'm not the only one, there's an NHTSA study going on.

rlm328

F250 6.7 l is a monster 400 hp with 800 ft-lbs torque. 15 mpg in town and 21 mpg doing 75 on the highway. Trailer is a 26' enclosed and it is 13 mpg at 65 mph. Diesel is about 12 to 15 cents more per gallon here then regular. I would stick with the diesel if I were you unless you are going to up grade.

fatbillybob

I always wanted a real truck. I pull with a 2500 4x4 8.1L suburban. I love that thing but it is no more the new suvs can't tow. I hate the urea p!ss I would have to put into a ford or a chevy diesel. I just bought a 2500 4x4 Ram with cummings diesel...NO UREA! It is fantastic. The torque is amazing. I'm pretty loaded with laramie, megacab, ram boxes, sunroof, Nav, remote start, Jake brake the works and it was under 50 before T&L. It is an amazing machine and when the warrantee is out I can do the deletes for huge HP/Torque increase. But quite frankly what it has is plenty. Contrast to Ford Chevy the Ram rebuild on the motor is 300k miles. You may never get that far but it is nice to know the motor can do it. I looked at all the SUVs (even turbo cayanene and Q7) and Gaser trucks and none could even do what my Suburban does. I thought about the f150 ecoboost and made a deal to buy one then stopped because still people are blowing up engines and trannys in those. The Ecoboost is the only gasser that gets close to a 11K tow capacity and it is always nice to tow with much more than you need. My Ram is my DD and I love that thing.

Veloce Raptor

8.1 L Suburban 2500 was a pretty fantastic package. Sucks that emissions regulations prevented GM from making it available in the current body style 2500's.

P.J.S.

2011 gmc 3500 Denali with 23k trouble free miles and tows my 24ft enclosed nicely

Half ton whatever and enclosed non trailex trailer is not ideal IMHO

Def fluid is no trouble at all - just top it up at oil changes

Car and driver this month has a truck comparo of the 3/4 ton diesels and GM wins.... Again

All are good options but the duramax Allison combo wins in real world testing even though it does not have the same Hp/tq numbers as ford and dodge

I would not switch to gas - keep your truck

Here is an interesting read from a year ago:
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2010/11...m_medium=email

jaje

I'll stick up for the Honduh Civics. Stop on by my area sometime when we have a race weekend (www.drivenasacentral.com) and I'll let you drive my '89 Civic at a track and see how you feel afterwards as it will surprise the hell out of you what a 2,100 lb - 170hp car can do (on full tread R888s and a basic suspension it runs sub 2:00 laptimes full track HPT). In fact read up a little on Sorichiro Honda and how he focused his company to race to learn (not advertise) how to make them better (how he made grandiose claims he'd win the Isle of Man TT w/in 5 years of founding the company or how they won their first F1 race). I can't speak much of their cars today as he died in the early 90's and you can see how his affect has waned significantly.

mooty

09 duramax, 79000 miles. zero prob.
keep it.

Dan Jacobs

Keep it or new Duramax easy choice

U4EEAH

The complexities of modern "clean" diesels have ruined the simple low maintenance operation that made diesels so desirable. Now they are high maintenance and of questionable reliability. I had a 05 GM 2500 with the 8.1 which was amazing... a diesel in gas clothing. Now have a 6.0 2012 2500. Fabulous, strong and luxurious...does not have the lazy low end grunt of the 8.1 or a diesel, but just towed to Atlanta, and only in the mountains did I miss the low end torque. Go gas and put the savings into the race car. Maintenance cost savings alone will offset the gas cost.

FrankyV

Yes, towing gas mileage is horrendous. I had a 2000 Suburban 2500 with a 4.11 gear that got 10 mpg towing a 24 foot lightly loaded (6,000#) enclosed trailer. I replaced it with a 2011 with a 3.73 gear (4.11 NLA) and it gets less than 7 mpg towing the same rig. Fast or slow, tow mode or no, the mileage sucks. I have to give Chevy a call and see if they can reprogram something as this is ridiculous, it would be cheaper to have my car shipped to the track.

Veloce Raptor

Wow, i wonder if there is something wrong with your drivetrain? I had a 2007 2500 with the 4.11 rear, and got 11 MPG towing (heavy steel open trailer with 3000 lb M3 on it). Now I have a 2011 2500 like yours, with the 3.73, and get about 12 to 12.9 MPG towing (depending on terrain) with a slightly lighter aluminum trailer and the same m3. I realize the enclosed trailer kills you with wind resistance, but 7 MPG? Wow...