MPG Gas vs Diesel

mpjman

New member
Jun 22, 2020
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MPG Gas vs Diesel

Seeking advice:

Most of the driving I do a daily basis is city driving. Maybe only once a week on the highway. I occasionally tow a 7,000lb trailer and very occasionally tow a 10,000 lb trailer. Otherwise the remainder of the time it's just the truck with no trailer and no load.

I currently have a 2019 Duramax but I'm wondering if I will get better overall bang for my buck and save money with a 6.0 Liter or possibly even the new 6.6 liter gas motors

Any input would be greatly appreciated
 

Ne-max

I like turtles
Nov 15, 2011
3,361
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Lincoln, Ne
If staying with a 2500hd keep the duramax. Holds value better, way better milage, and great power. I recently bought a f150 ecoboost for a daily. I love it. Tows decent.
 

ironmax

chock full of goodies
Jul 7, 2010
502
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Col. Ohio
You can't beat the mpg of a diesel, and there towing prowess. The only reason I've switched back to gas was due to the simplicity of the motor and low operating cost. I tow almost daily ranging from 7-14k lbs. Trucks for the most part hold there value either way. I went looking for a another low mile used gas 2019 work truck. With 20k miles they still want 32-38k and for around 5k more I can get a new truck.
 

sneaky98gt

Member
Nov 5, 2013
109
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In the year 2020, with all of the advancements that have been made to gas motors in the last decade or so, your total cost of ownership will absolutely be less with a gas motor than with diesel, unless you're towing heavy 80%+ of the time. 1/2-ton gas motors are making 350+ horsepower and 400+ ft-lbs of torque, and 3/4-ton gas motors are making 400+ horsepower and 450+ ft-lbs of torque. If that's not enough to "occasionally" tow 7000-10000 pounds, I don't know what is. Most 1/2-ton gas motor trucks have better power-to-weight ratios than their 3/4-ton diesel counterparts, and they'll easily handle 10k pounds.

The gas motor is going to cost you a heck of a lot less in maintenance, and cost you less in fuel too (especially if you go with a 1/2-ton).

I love my LB7, but it's really a toy more than anything else. There's no way I'll ever buy a diesel truck again. I've got a good handful of friends, coworkers, brothers, etc. that have switched to gas motor trucks in the last few years after having diesels their entire lives. Not a single one has regretted it.
 

GMC_2002_Dmax

The Still Master
I bought my first diesel in 2002, my 2nd in 2007, then 2012, 2016, and a 2019 L5P

My 12, 16, 19 were all Denali 2500 Diesels.

I kept my 2019 only 18 months, the high cost to delete, the never ending DEF Use and shit mileage around town drove me to get rid of it.

I should have kept my 2016, that got wayyyy better mileage, was wayyyy cheaper to delete if I wanted to, and it was essentially the same as my 2019 exterior and interior wise.

I went back to a 2001, 2500HD Gasser, love the truck, no issues and for what I need a truck for it does everything I need it to do.

I drive my 2019 C7 Corvette daily, its way faster, handles way better, and with a convertible top down 10 months or more in SC I probably won't go back to a newer diesel anytime soon.

Maybe an LB7 again or a 15.5 or 16 DENALI LML
 
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Dozerboy

Well-known member
Jun 23, 2009
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In the year 2020, with all of the advancements that have been made to gas motors in the last decade or so, your total cost of ownership will absolutely be less with a gas motor than with diesel, unless you're towing heavy 80%+ of the time. 1/2-ton gas motors are making 350+ horsepower and 400+ ft-lbs of torque, and 3/4-ton gas motors are making 400+ horsepower and 450+ ft-lbs of torque. If that's not enough to "occasionally" tow 7000-10000 pounds, I don't know what is. Most 1/2-ton gas motor trucks have better power-to-weight ratios than their 3/4-ton diesel counterparts, and they'll easily handle 10k pounds.

The gas motor is going to cost you a heck of a lot less in maintenance, and cost you less in fuel too (especially if you go with a 1/2-ton).

I love my LB7, but it's really a toy more than anything else. There's no way I'll ever buy a diesel truck again. I've got a good handful of friends, coworkers, brothers, etc. that have switched to gas motor trucks in the last few years after having diesels their entire lives. Not a single one has regretted it.
Couldn’t have said it any better! All big fleet guys have been moving to gassers for years now. The GM 6.0l is just as durable as an modern diesel. Who knows about the new 6.6l gasser, but they are getting pretty good mileage.
 

Yngdmax92

Active member
Sep 26, 2013
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i live up in the salt belt ( upstate new york). I have a 2007 duramax and a 2015 tacoma. Only reason to tow for me is the snowmobiles in the winter. It is not worth while for me to drive my diesel in the winter, longer warm up cycles, overall value of the truck is worth more and depreciates super slow with it being from tennesee and never seeing a winter up here. truck is in ridiculously good shape. i always buy descent vehicles to drive year around that get descent fuel mileage. My tacoma gets 20mpg and still can haul 5k pounds and it wicked reliable. for my 2 cents, id rather have both. more options to drive, during the summer months the wife can take one of the trucks for a couple days while i work on her vehicle too. works out perfect for me.
 

NC-smokinlmm

<<<Future tuna killer
May 29, 2011
5,224
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At Da Beach
My diesel sits in the driveway and does family hauling duty and heavy towing. I use my regular cab 1500 for everything else, they can be just as fun as a tuned diesel just add boost. It's been covered that they cost less to own and operate, easily make power, are quieter and cost way less to modify...
 

GMC_2002_Dmax

The Still Master
My diesel sits in the driveway and does family hauling duty and heavy towing. I use my regular cab 1500 for everything else, they can be just as fun as a tuned diesel just add boost. It's been covered that they cost less to own and operate, easily make power, are quieter and cost way less to modify...

That is very true, I decided to go thru the LS 6.0 on my 2500HD, I changed every single hose, both serpentine belts, water pump, T-Stat & housing, knock sensors with harness ( all GM ), intake gasket, plugs, all fluids, trans service, etc.

Cost me a little over $1000 and took a little over a day not killing myself.

Compare that to a duramax waterpump and its not even close to overall operating costs.

Plus the cost to purchase a super clean, low mileage, rust free, southern gasser is 1/2 the cost of a clapped out, 300k mile, diesel.

I loved my diesels, but I have no need for one anymore, I just need a trucl to haul shit once in a while and use for my house to pick up stuff, other than that, it sits and I drive one of my vette's or porsche's.
 
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BoiseRob

Active member
Oct 12, 2007
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My DD is a 2016 Jeep GC Ecodiesel with 38k trouble free miles. It gets 22 mpg city and 32mpg on the highway...
 

RickDLance

Active member
Feb 14, 2007
1,276
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I'm pretty happy with my 1500 Duramax. In town mpg runs in the low to mid 20's. Out on the road I'm high 20's low 30's.
 

LBZ

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jul 2, 2007
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I went 6.6 gas over diesel for the exact reason the op is asking the question. That and I feel emissions testing might be coming sooner than later and didn’t want to get stuck with a 5g bill to make it stock again.

Also If I didn’t need the payload I would have gone to a 1500 6.2. The 1 ton I bought gets about 15mpg combined city and hwy on the average but cost of fuel and ownership will likely be less for the life of the truck. I just wish they would throw a couple more gears at it. Direct injection and only 6 gears make it less enjoyable to drive and probably harder on fuel.