Most of the time on this board the problem is people trying to get buy with the underpowered/sized tow vehicle. The reality is that it is really the rare horse person that needs a diesel to pull a horse trailer. Years ago, you could make an economic case for the diesel because diesel prices were lower comparative to gas and there was no DEF. Now diesel is more expensive and you have to use DEF, so there is no cost savings to offset the higher price of the diesel engine.
4 Likes
my concern is Stopping the rig, a diesel truck has to have a vacuum pump working for the power brakes to work, we had the vacuum pump fail on our F350 diesel which made the truck with trailer and horses Very Hard to stop.
We have not used a diesel for over a decade, just got tired of the issues, let alone the initial cost difference. The older days it was diesel fuel was cheaper, the fuel economy of the diesel was greater than a gas so there was at least a chance of actually being economically feasible. Also then adding a diesel engine to a new truck purchase then was under $4,000 these days it is a major add on to an already very expensive truck with diesel fuel being more expensive then add DEFā¦ just not worth it.
7 Likes
Not much.
But that doesnāt stop everyone on here from saying you need a 3/4 or 1 ton truck to pull anything.
Iām the one always making the case that smaller rigs can be just fine if the driver has a brain and maintains their equipment.
Fear not, I am not a die hard ābig truck or bustā person. But diesels do pull harder. Thatās a fact.
ETA: Here, for Ram: āThe 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 engine has 410 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque. The 6.7-liter I6 Cummins turbo diesel has 370 horsepower, which is less than the 6.4-liter HEMI, but it makes up for this with 850 pound-feet of torque and a greater towing capacity.ā
As with anything, itās a trade off. I said upthread that my current diesel will be my last.
2 Likes
I vote gas and Ford for a new truck.
2 Likes
Same here.
People get weirdly brand loyal and hate on the competition for no good reason. Iād go with gas, and pick the rest based on your preference.
ETA: if youāve got a mechanic you like or happen to have married (lol me), pick the brand they suggest. Itāll keep everyone happier 
2 Likes
Haha! My vote was cast based on Mr. LSā professional opinion. Heās a big truck mechanic by trade. He has a whole slew of opinions based on what size and what year truck is being considered.
I know OP only listed Ford and Chevy, but for late model new trucks as a tow vehicle his preference would be Dodge or Ford gas. Only diesel if one must have a dually. And then he recommends marrying a diesel mechanic and buying an old one.
6 Likes
Exactly why we wonāt be replacing our diesel with another.
I bought my diesel F350 in '02 when diesel was $.99/gal. Gas vs diesel was a much easier choice back then. Many good points have been made here. I would also consider what you estimate to be total miles ten years from now. Bigger numbers would sway me more to diesel. There is a higher cost for a diesel engine but you will see a better resale value when you sell it.
3 Likes
Much as I love dieselsā¦if all I was pulling was a horse trailer or other non CDL required trailer? I would go with a gas truck. The only possible exception would be if I lived in truly mountainous country and was always hauling in and out on mountain roads.
We have a 2013 or 2014 diesel. It is expensive, expensive, expensive. If DH didnāt have to have it for work, we would sell it off yesterday.
I really wish they would put the Allison transmissions in gas trucks again. We have an ancient Chevy gas 2500 from 1992 that has the Allison. I love it. Unfortunately it is completely rusted out.
1 Like
Mine is a sentimental thing. It was a huge purchase that my father who has since passed helped me with. Otherwise Iād sell it, get a used gasser, and pocket the difference.
1 Like
I did the math and laughed all the way to the bank with my F250 gas (2012). It was my only vehicle for a couple years, but since 2016 itās only used for hauling. I donāt do a lot of mountain driving, but Iām in the foothills of the Appalachians, so itās not flat either. I do mostly 7-8 hour hauls to Florida and back all winter, some long hauls periodically and endless short hauls. Itās been shockingly reliable. Does it get great gas mileage when towing my 21ā custom bp thatās 8ā0 wide? Hellz no! Especially since thereās a carriage, fjord, 8 billion lbs of stuff in there and another carriage in the bed of the truck, plus me, the corgi and another billion lbs of stuff in every book and cranny. But then I look at the price of diesel and laugh some more. Seriously, Iād hurt myself giggling if I thought about diesel maintenance and itās 11 years in and Iām pretty sure the loss of mpg hasnāt even touched the extra bucks of i had paid for diesel.
Now if my job was to regularly cross over mountain ranges and put 40k+ miles of hauling per year or if I had a really big rig, thereās is no other option but diesel. But realistically I suspect the math is not favorable to most peopleās actual usage. It sure wasnāt for mine!
4 Likes
I appreciate all the responses ā VERY helpful!
Last weekend I test drove and then ordered a Ford F250 with a gas engine. Because of this and that, the estimated delivery is between 3 and 6 months. So, it will be a while before I can provide an update, but I certainly will!
8 Likes
might keep an eye on the pending union strike, the F250 is built at the Kentucky Truck Plant, 99% of the workers voted to strike
1 Like
