Are diesels that difficult?

[FlyStar]

2021 Chevy 2500HD Duramax Diesel with LTZ trim and technology package.

[Riverbug]

Oh, one more tip...consider 3500 vs 2500. I found a nominal difference in price for similar trim and options, but a big difference (considering over several years) of annual registrations fees (in MN anyway). Rather than $800/year for the 3/4 ton, it's $140 for the 1 ton. Over a few years, it pays for any difference in price. Depends on how long you keep your vehicles I suppose. I had my F150 for 18 years and hope to keep the diesel at least that long. And I don't mind the extra payload either. When we decide to upgrade campers, we'll have flexibility to a point.

[Wileykid]

Since everyone is going down the 1 ton road, consider that there is no difference in size between the 3/4 and 1 ton. Both have about the same ride comfort (it is a truck), and with the 1 ton, you make up the difference in the less payload due to the heavier diesel. Also, usually the difference in price between the two, are only $1-2,000.

[goducks14]

GM's your best bet if you truly desire a 3/4 diesel with more payload.
Fact is there's really no reason to get a 3/4 ton diesel instead of a 1 ton diesel. 3/4 ton diesels are built so whatever/where ever restrictions can be met. Think HOA or registration purposes.

You can order an F150 with the Heavy Duty Payload Package (HDPP) and it will net you a payload in the 2300-2500 range. You then get to have better gas mileage and better ride when empty. Downside is you have to order it but then again you will be lucky to find an F250 on a dealer lot in the configuration you want that won't have a huge markup. Ordering should eliminate the markup.

The other issue with going F150 HDPP vs say a 250-350 is the F150 with the HDPP will cost almost exactly what the 250 will excluding markups.

[CWSWine]

Try this.... Go to the NADA used trucks price guides and select a truck model 3 to 6 years old. Price it out with the same options except one with diesel and one with gas and see what the used price difference is. What I found the difference between a used gas and used diesel is really close to the price of the diesel options. The more milage you put on the truck the bigger the difference in used price.

What I tell people is below 10,000 pounds gas is fine and every pound over 10,000 it because more important but the exact number is your tolerance for high RPM and lost of performance

[krsmitty]

Get a diesel and don't look back! You won't regret it!

[goducks14]

Try this.... Go to the NADA used trucks price guides and select a truck model 3 to 6 years old. Price it out with the same options except one with diesel and one with gas and see what the used price difference is. What I found the difference between a used gas and used diesel is really close to the price of the diesel options. The more milage you put on the truck the bigger the difference in used price.

What I tell people is below 10,000 pounds gas is fine and every pound over 10,000 it because more important but the exact number is your tolerance for high RPM and lost of performance

I would go even further and throw where you tow at in the decision.
I had a brief stint with a 2018 Ram Hemi 6.4 with 4.10 gears in a 2500. The 6.4 is rated at 410 HP and 429 TQ.
Living in the PNW I almost always tow up a hill or mtn. 80% of the time I'm heading over the Cascades at 5.000' el.
You lose 3% of power for every 1,000' of El.
410 - 15% is 348 hp
429 - 15% is 354 tq.
Those are abysmal numbers if you're towing near 10,000 lbs like I do. I tow 9600 lbs so I much prefer a diesel because of my towing area.
FWIW I took that same TT and truck over the Tetons and it was not pretty. 10% grade at 9,000' in 1st gear wound out at over 4500 rpms was not fun. Coming down the Tetons was an adventure as well.

So point being if you tow in more flat land and not in the mtns at higher elevations then I could see the 10,000 lb rule. BTDT at 150' El on a flat freeway near me the Ram does great. Up in the mtns it was not as nice and the mpgs were terrible. Lots more stopping for fuel.

[krsmitty]

My approach, as well as many others, is that I have a 37 1/2 gallon tank on the truck...plus a 60 gallon aux. tank in the bed. The aux. tank can be filled to a recommended capacity of 95%, so when I leave on a trip, I have approx. 94/95 gallons of diesel. Since I never drive a long enough day to empty all of that diesel out of both tanks, it allows me to do a "normal" travel day for me and then after getting to a campsite and unhitching and setting up, I can drive just the truck to refuel wherever I want to refuel....mostly away from truck stops where the diesel is normally less expensive. That method worked perfectly for us last year on our 5000+ mile trip out west and back. My longest day was 475 miles and I burned about 58 gallons of fuel that day.....which means I had well over 30+ gallons left onboard.

X2...Same here.

[Gronk1]

One thing that needs consideration, is usage. If a truck is going to be a commuter, grocery getter (short tripper) when not towing, short drives & extended idling will kill the DPF. The engine needs to get to temperature to go into regen. Of course there is the option of deleting this.

When I worked, I drove my Jeep or rode my bicycle to work as it was only four miles one way. BUT DW liked driving our pre-monkey pee (DEF), after DPF diesel all around town for errands. After a couple of years it finally did kill the DPF, even though I would take it & blast down the highway once a week to get it to regen.

[DC22RBE]

No problem finding diesel - replace standard tank w 55 or 60 gallon - well worth it - 7 to 800 miles w out tow - good 500+ w tow. Love our F-250 6.7 turbo 10 speed.