quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:
My income has nothing to do with YOUR wanting to buy a 2015-2018 Chevy diesel truck. My comments here just dispel the myth, rumor and hearsay of owning one.

Don't buy the right deal buy the right truck comment does have to do with income.

Trying to do both.My comment was its not as easy to say hey that is right truck even if it does push me to point where I race less than I could with right deal. Little counter productive there. I understand its easy to think everyone should buy what they need and not worry much about cost. Heck I was poster child for that ad when we where running funny car deal. Car needs it to win.Get it don't care. Lesson learned

yea on the 4x4. I have old Dodge 1500 4x4.Its already rough and resale would not cover cost of motor and trans I have in it. Better off being my beater truck till something major goes boom.

Not looking for 4x4 in this truck.Have been told 2wd is better for towing along with better mileage. 3.73 vs 4.11 just make last part overly stated . Was under impression durmax had 3.73 gear pretty much across the board and not aware it was 4.11 with 4x4. Another reason for 2wd other than cost which should be better.

Think I stated earlier about one I thought I was going to get. Seems dealer decided to add 20% to original price .30k vs 36k. Still not terrible deal just rubs me wrong way.Yea stubborn comes easy in my family. LOL Yes I would have probably done same if found out I could get extra 6k.

Well, I would never buy a Government Motors, nor am I considered a friend of edward, but buying new is not necessarily more expensive. I haven't bought a used truck in over 20 years. I buy new and drive them ~ 300,000 miles. I know exactly how they are maintained and driven, I take care of the "small" problems before they become big or numerous. Over the ownership of my NEW pickup, I spend less than most of my colleagues that buy used thinking that they are saving thousands of dollars. Some of them are buying 3-4 used trucks while I am still on the same one. Their interest is high. I don't finance anymore. I have time to save for the next one. I pay myself a payment every month and when it comes time to replace, I can pay cash with my trade and savings. I would finance if 0% was offered and make money for my next one.

Not everyone can swing the initial new SuperDuty style pickup, but if you can the long term cost aren't any higher.

Thats funny I had a salesman other day tell me had lots of Fords he could sale me. I made him a bet he couldn't. Easy money because nobody is that good of salesman. I owned two fords.Both at same time First and last and guess you could call it 3 with only.

Was first car and my fault. Short of it dad goes to auction ask if I want him to buy me a car(my money).Being more interested in T & A at pool . I said yea even if its a Ford. He brings home a bad azz 1960 Corvette and a 73 mustang. Want to guess which I got?

I know a couple of folks that bought new chevys in the past few years and had cab water leaks, water in the headlights, seats ripping and electrical gremlins.

I'd like a new truck but all I hear are nitemare stories so I'll keep my ancient 1st Gen Cummins for now.

My 2015 DMax is a 4x4 crew cab, and it does have the 3.73 gears, which I wanted for highway MPG. Personally, I don't know why they even put 4.11's in these trucks, the torque is so plentiful they could probably get by with a 2.73 ratio. I know the base 4x4 has the 4.11's, but I think one of the option packages I have is what brought the 3.73 with it, (Power package, Z71 package, or LTZ package?).
My entire experience with this truck has been great. Only malfunction in 109,000 miles was the heater in the DEF tank, (which I doubt is ever really even needed here in TX). But it brought the warning message on, so the dealer replaced the entire DEF tank/heater assembly in same day, even though the factory warranty had expired. Covered at no cost to me, (under the 100,000 mile Emissions warranty). Loaned me a new truck while they did it.
Best hwy MPG (no load) was 23.6, combined is 17.3, with my old gas 6.0 best ever was 14.0. Driving strictly city, gets about 12.5, towing 10,000 LB at 70-75 gets 10-12 mpg depending on terrain and headwind.
No fuel system issues, no additives used at all, but I do change the fuel filter when it gets around 50% life, (works out to only 1x per year / 25K miles). And I do not put bio-diesel in it. At least not beyond the standard small percentage variation that you see on pump labels. I have heard Bio fuel is the cause of 80% or more of fuel system problems in modern diesels.
I gotta say, if you pull an enclosed trailer with a turbo-diesel, after pulling same with gas, it will make it very tough to even consider going back to gas, unless you decide to go old school, open trailer. Like Larry said, you can set the cruise control, & relax. Watch it glide up long steep grades at 75 mph / 1900 RPM towing your loaded race rig without dropping a single mph, or hearing a single downshift.

Still looking. Tough finding what I want for what I can spend,well spend and go in debt at same time.

Not sure what changes made in 2017 from previous years,but 140 tq on top of almost dbl gas numbers is hard to pass on. Heck the 300 hp cat in motor home is only 900 lbs tq and 2017 and up 910 lbs. Gas motors are high 300's.

Took some shopping and going blind looking thru ads on internet. Finally found a truck That is about as close as I was going to get with funds I have, Picking up 2015 2500 duramax Monday morning. Mileage little high than wanted but hey it is 5 year old truck. Not first color choice but then beggar can only be so choosy.

Did get nicer wheels,super clean,new tires and oil change and fuel filter changed. At least I can pull trailer w/o sucking seat cover up my (well you get point) every time passing tractor trailer.

Nice Chris. Hope you have many trouble free miles.

Me and you both. First diesel truck,well regular truck.Motor home has 300 hp cat and already had one injector cost 9k worth of damage. Throw in nfew horror stories about bad fuel and replacing system and it makes you little uneasy.

Thanks and hopefully regular maintenance will keep troubles away. LOL

Not all the trucks had issues. According to the guys who work on them every day- the c4 pump is can be the issue. The folks I use say to install the C3 early pump and forget about the truck. If I’m not mistaken some of the diesels (cummins etc) use the same pump. My son has the 14 dually GMC also no issues. My 03 will run with my sons 14. Same power now. You cannot hurt them! Rick Fletes ( RF Garage ) has the LB7 03 in his 70 chevelle. It has been 9.70 pretty easy stock shortblock big turbo and injectors. He also tows a trailer to the races that they stay in!! He towed to Florida Diesel drags, won the event, towed to Indy, won the event! He just won a super street event here too! Pretty stout car and gets 33 mpg empty!

If the OP bought the right truck and not the best deal he shouldn't have any issues with this truck

Again x3...

quote:

Originally posted August 03, 2020 09:12 AM by 1320racer:
2015 3500 DENALI HD CREWCAB DURAMAX SRW, 11,500 GVWR

200,000 mile Update ...

It's been 2 1/2 years since I posted about this truck which is now 5 1/2 years old and has over 200K miles on it. It's been trouble free. No issues either pulling 14,000+ lbs. down the road.

Gets new OEM brakes and tires every 75,000 and got new OEM shocks, glow plugs and flushed the coolant at 200,000. Nothing else but fuel, oil and trans filters.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 1320racer,

Those new diesels might actually have 900+ lb ft but do you really get all of it? Maybe in higher gears. Torque management. Engineers know that the truck won't take full torque right away, so they tune the ecu's for it. One more reason I am for a gas burner, and the GM gas burner disappoints horribly, hence the reason GM 3/4 and 1 ton pickups are almost all diesel. Nobody wants that gutless 6.0. We have one at work and it is, in fact, gutless, but in it's defense hasn't given us any issue (yet) aside from using oil. But also in it's defense, all 75,000 miles of it were in front of a trailer, and all of it (well most of it) on the floorboard attempting to pull. It pulls, just don't get in any hurry. The 2020's have the new 6.6, which supposedly is a big improvement. Don't know how it compares with the 7.3 Ford. Dodge (Fiat) still stuck on the 6.4 hemi, and it's really weak down low.

The shop's 6.0 GMC pulls about as good as my old 200,000+ mile 7.3 diesel, power-wise. Not a huge difference there, but the noise it makes and the costs to maintain it. Mine takes 15 quarts of oil and a $12 filter. If I feed it T6, it's over $100 for an oil change. T4, it's about $75. The GMC oil change is under $40. Air filter for my 7.3 is about $60. GMC? $14. You get the idea. My next truck will likely be a gas burner...ain't in no hurry these days, and frankly even with the newer diesels, better not get in a hurry with those either. I see guys all the time trying to drag race them and they're still slow. Remember-there's a few tons of weight to lug around, with torque management, and an engine that only turns 3500 RPM or so.

quote:

Originally posted by mavman:
Those new diesels might actually have 900+ lb ft but do you really get all of it? Maybe in higher gears. Torque management. Engineers know that the truck won't take full torque right away, so they tune the ecu's for it. One more reason I am for a gas burner, and the GM gas burner disappoints horribly, hence the reason GM 3/4 and 1 ton pickups are almost all diesel. Nobody wants that gutless 6.0. We have one at work and it is, in fact, gutless, but in it's defense hasn't given us any issue (yet) aside from using oil. But also in it's defense, all 75,000 miles of it were in front of a trailer, and all of it (well most of it) on the floorboard attempting to pull. It pulls, just don't get in any hurry. The 2020's have the new 6.6, which supposedly is a big improvement. Don't know how it compares with the 7.3 Ford. Dodge (Fiat) still stuck on the 6.4 hemi, and it's really weak down low.

The shop's 6.0 GMC pulls about as good as my old 200,000+ mile 7.3 diesel, power-wise. Not a huge difference there, but the noise it makes and the costs to maintain it. Mine takes 15 quarts of oil and a $12 filter. If I feed it T6, it's over $100 for an oil change. T4, it's about $75. The GMC oil change is under $40. Air filter for my 7.3 is about $60. GMC? $14. You get the idea. My next truck will likely be a gas burner...ain't in no hurry these days, and frankly even with the newer diesels, better not get in a hurry with those either. I see guys all the time trying to drag race them and they're still slow. Remember-there's a few tons of weight to lug around, with torque management, and an engine that only turns 3500 RPM or so.

Quite true. That's why I went gas. I have driven both. Motorhome? Well in a pusher and with that kind of weight, a diesel is the only thing that makes sense. But pulling a 9k lb trailer is hardly a huge challenge for a 6.0 gas unless you have significant grades to pull. Is the diesel doing it more effortlessly? Of course. And I don't much care for the shift programming of my 2010 chevy 6.0L. But it gets me there every time, and I keep up with traffic. If we are pulling a 12k lb tri axle 500 miles, sure upgrading is going to make that trip a lot easier.

Well I backed out of duramax deal. SHort of it. If it seems too good to be true,maybe it ain't. Too clean for 118k miles,dealer reviews not worst but not great especially after the sale.

All night with zero sleep and very bad stomach. Pushing too hard to make it work. All just things just said no.

Looking for gas 2500. I have very few steep climbs to make. I have FL70 motorhome need some cosmetic repairs and new set of tires. Can tow long haul and sleep in comfortable bed with A-C. Plus if gas truck loose fuel pump it cost me 200 bucks and cpl hour under truck cussing it and beats the hell out of 4500 bucks and looking at truck in driveway because can not afford to use it.

^^^^ Incoming PM...

I wish I had bought more popcorn. Like in a movie when you know they should ask her to go to prom...but they don't.

I get it. My money tree needs watered too!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bry-war,

quote:

Originally posted by wideopen231:
Well I backed out of duramax deal.

Here is my '11 2500 HD Duramax 4WD that I bought new when I blew up the 8.1 gas engine. I had lot's of troubles with it the first 4 years but all covered by warranty. Since then I've only had an oil pressure sending unit go bad but that's it. The '11 was the first year with the DEF system and a new engine and model so I bought a lot of problems. Since then I love my truck. I don't need it anymore but it's mine and only got 71k miles and in great shape. I get it serviced at the dealer every 5000 miles. They charge 75 bucks for oil, filter lube, rotate the tires fill up all fluids and wash it.
The reason I say I don't need it anymore is because I sold my enclosed trailers and went back to old school.

quote:

Originally posted by Floyd Staggs:
Here is my '11 2500 HD Duramax 4WD that I bought new when I blew up the 8.1 gas engine. I had lot's of troubles with it the first 4 years but all covered by warranty. Since then I've only had an oil pressure sending unit go bad but that's it. The '11 was the first year with the DEF system and a new engine and model so I bought a lot of problems. Since then I love my truck. I don't need it anymore but it's mine and only got 71k miles and in great shape. I get it serviced at the dealer every 5000 miles. They charge 75 bucks for oil, filter lube, rotate the tires fill up all fluids and wash it.
The reason I say I don't need it anymore is because I sold my enclosed trailers and went back to old school.

Two nice looking trucks & I like the old school trailer!

I'm trying to upgrade my old school trailer with a long overdue enclosed. They don't seem to want my cash very bad, but I'm sure I'll find a dealer that will.