quote:

Originally posted by FastLane:
Thanks for comments, especially from the mechanics that see them everyday.

As mentioned, I have a 2015 GMC 1500 that I truly enjoy driving but it just doesn’t have the balls for a big trailer, nor was it designed for that purpose. A 1 ton like pictured would be a very nice truck to drive but I’ve seen some reports of issues on this model as well. Also had a buddy with an ‘18 2500 dmax and had trans issues. Still, it would be my preference to have a GM as I prefer their stying and interior.

Thanks for the comments. Still open to experiences and suggestions!

ALL brands of trucks will have issues....most of the issues I've seen however are from improper or lack of proper maintenance.....some components do fail, that's just how it is...but keeping up on them prevents the overwhelming large majority of it....

When I hear someone say they will keep it forever, and daily drive it, I wonder if they consider replacing body panels if they live anywhere in the midwest at least. 10 years and it begins regardless of how often you wash them.

For what's its worth to you.. I have a 2012 GMC 3500 SLT Crew Cab. 3 years a go I was getting a regen about once a month. then I started getting DEF codes. Talked to a fellow racer who has a performance diesel shop. Took the DPF off and through the computer disabled the DEF tank and opened the EGR. Put a very very mild tune in it and have been running it since. No rolling coal BS just runs like it used to with a little more umph. Not a single problem since. pulls hard and gets about 15 in the city 18 Hwy unloaded, 11 pulling a 34 foot bumper with door car golfcart and other creature comforts.

My F-350 DRW was a nightmare the first 40,000mi but everything was covered by warranty. Then I took it to a performance shop and after $3000 it has been flawless to 165,000mi. Every oil change has been done at the Ford dealer at just over $100. Has every creature comfort even a sun roof. Probably my last truck of this size.

2 weeks ago I towed my door car on my Featherlite open trailer to a track 90mi away with my F-150 4 wd and was really surprised at how well it towed. Might do that more often.

I have had a 2011 F450 dually, a 2018 GMC 3500 Denali dually and a 2019 Ford F450 dually in the last year and change. The 2012 had 200K on it before it was involved in an off highway excursion that left it with some issues. Prior to that outside of some DEF tank issues it was flawless and trouble free. The DEF issues were with the gauge "rods" they use getting coated with DEF and not reading. Replaced it once and that ways it. Also had t replace one EGT probe,both simple issues fixed easily. I sold it and bought the Denali with 4K miles on it in November of 2020. Was a loaded truck and very nice. I drove it back and fourth from Ohio to Vegas twice and it got fairly good mileage for what it was hauling stuff, 16.9 overall. It rode nice, drive nice had a nice interior and stereo. Didnt turn worth a pooh however and these are y daily drivers. Bottom line my wife did not like it much at all. Hard for her to get in and out of mainly due to side step placement. But it was a very nice truck. In July I found a low mileage F450 Platinum. I sold the Denali and make $26Kand purchased the F450 and so far have not looked back. Yes it rides rougher for sure but it has made a coupe cross country treks and I am very happy with it. But I have had 5 Ford Duallies over the years and I prefer them myself. Truck is much taller than the Denali was but with the folding step the wife is happiers with ingress and egress. And I love the turning radius on F450's FWIW we have a2007 Dodge 3500 Dualy as well that has 429,xxx on it and still runs like a champ.

If you have the money get a new diesel, AND a smaller one to DD.

Similar to electric cars. Many of us are nervous about the range and charging of EV's, so a lot of us are going to need both. EV to DD/commute and ice to take trips with.

I don't have that kind of money. Heck I don't have the money for a new diesel pickup. At what they currently cost, they're more than I paid for my house-and my house isn't a slum either. I refuse to take that much loss on a piece of equipment. They all depreciate. My house doesn't. And I can't sleep in my truck. Not comfortably anyway. Nor can I race the house.

If I have to replace my current truck, it won't be with another diesel. Those who know, you know. To get diesel, you have to get a 3/4 ton to get a real one. With that alone, you are getting a truck that weighs upward of 7500-8000 lbs, it's longer, doesn't turn very well, most get a crew cab 4x4 (and you definitely want 4x4 if you get diesel...that's a lot of weight on the nose of the truck), and a crew cab 4x4 doesn't turn like a 1/2 ton. You can't park it as easily, it doesn't ride as good either. Every one of my friends who thought they needed a 3/4 or 1 ton diesel to daily drive AND tow the trailer, bought another vehicle to DD, and or sold their truck for a smaller 1/2 ton. My coworker bought a 21 F250 6.7. Doesn't pull anything heavy, a 16' flat bed with a Polaris on it, maybe 4500 lb at the most, loaded. Within one month, he sold it to the dealership that I work for. Over $1000/mo payment (no down, purchased outright), insurance is high, personal property tax is a little more on a 3/4 ton, fuel costs $0.50-0.70 more per gallon than gas, plus they are all sluggish. I don't care if it's got 1000 lb ft, it's still slower than a 400hp gas burner. It gets old, and that's exactly what my coworker found out.

mine I see 12.5 mpg towing 24' enclosed with a door car in it. 7000 lb tow weight. Unloaded 18-ish driving normally. I can squeak 21 out of it if I drive like there's an egg between my foot and the pedal, but that also means slowing down while climbing hills, keeping it under 1800 rpm (which is 62mph), etc. So just with the fuel alone, if I am driving daily at 18mpg, there are plenty of 1/2 ton trucks that get better fuel economy with fuel that costs much less. I tow once a week to/from the local tracks and for what I do, and for what a lot of you do which is similar, a gas burner is a better option. The EPA ruined diesel engines, and ruined my opinion of them. If you tow every day, yeah diesel is probably a better option. But let's discuss this. Why are all the UPS and a lot of the FEDEX local delivery trucks gas powered now? At least in this area they are. Most of the UPS trucks were all old 7.3's which are aged out and you can't find/get replacement parts of them. The old 5.9 ISB's are long gone for the UPS and FEDEX fleets. Perhaps with the last 4 years of cheap gasoline had something to do with them switching back to gas, but now it's back up again and who knows what's gonna happen. jack the price of shipping up and use it to pay for electric trucks?

^^^nothing but opinion from someone that doesn't like and can't afford a late model diesel truck.

Meanwhile I've been driving a diesel truck for the past 17 years as a DD and both my past and current truck parks, drives and rides with ease and comfort. My 84 y/o mother thinks my 2015 Denali 3500HD drives like a Cadillac. Most important it tows my 14,000+ lb. 34 foot trailer with ease which is why I bought it.

I just bought a 2022 GMC 2500 crew cab 4x4 gas. I have the exact same truck in a 2015. The 6.6 gas seems stronger than the 6.0. Steering is much easier and smooth. Ride is similar. What I hate is the multi function tailgate and all the buttons for lights, windows, radio, seat, etc , etc.

I have had diesel trucks (gmc and Dodge). One was a dually. I don't do the mileage or weight anymore to justify the diesel. I went back to gas because I was afraid of the lack of mechanics that can fix newer diesel trucks. I would say 70% of the people I know with def diesels have issues. I will also say most don't use them much and that's a lot of the issue.

Lots of mileage and towing weight. It's a no brainer -diesel.

My gas tows my trailers with no issues and I don't tow far so it's 100% good for me.

My 2005 GMC diesel dually was the best tow vehicle I have ever had. You could go 80 mph and it felt like 50 mph(up hill or down hill). Never had one issue with either one and we had 2.

Congrats on your new truck.

I'll have to agree with all your statements.

After selling all my race stuff and now just towing a 3200# car on an open trailer and a 4000# boat, my 1/2 ton Ram with the Hemi does just fine. I average 17MPG daily driving. Oh and just for shyts and giggles, I ran it once at the track, 14.74.....not bad for a 5000# truck.

my truck averages 18.6MPG daily driving.

Most all of the new trucks (Gas or Diesel) are very nice and ride good. As nice as they are none of them justifies the price they are getting for them now to me. That is ridiculous. I refuse to spend that much money on a new truck.

The price of used Diesels is also unbelievable.

Possibly one of the reasons Diesels last so long and get such good mileage is because they usually run much lower RPM on the highway.

Still I do not want a high mileage truck because you will start having issues. Broken door latch, Suspension, front end etc. Little things that just become a pain in the tail and start happening more frequently.

In so many ways the newer trucks are better, ride smoother, quieter and they really do last good. Where in the 60's a car that went 100,000 miles was pretty much worn out. Now we expect them to last 200,000 with nothing but routine maintenance. We expect more than that from a Diesel and are getting it.

Right now I think the only up side to a new truck is the used truck prices are way up to. Probably temporary.

Housing market is similar and I think WAY overpriced and I think the bottom will fall out and it will get ugly. (My opinion) I think the Economy is heading for big trouble.

If you want a new truck then go get what ever you want. Your money you spend it how ever you want and you do not have to justify it to anyone here. I think all of the big Three are nice now I just think they are too high.

quote:

Originally posted by Curly1:
none of them justifies the price they are getting for them now to me. That is ridiculous.

says you, who is clueless, meanwhile demand is much higher than supply and the dealers are getting as much as $10k over window.

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:
, meanwhile demand is much higher than supply and the dealers are getting as much as $10k over window.

I got lucky. My wife called looking for trucks 4-6 months ago. Small dealer said it was coming. Finally came in a few weeks ago. Gave me rebates and upfit $$. Dealer fees were $250. Everything else I found was $5k-$10k over list with $1000 to $2500 in dealer fees.

New truck says 15.7 mpg so far with 1500 miles. I haven't checked it and doubt it's that good but could be?

you did get lucky. I have friends that have bought new trucks paying $8-10K over window

Great points from all .
I’m hearing mfg are attempting to get away from DEF. A great thing!
Smaller diesels / trucks are gaining popularity because they can get better fuel economy and hopefully more miles out of them. But they also cost way more! You cannot expect them to do the job as a bigger diesel or truck. Not going to happen.
I get offers all the time to sell my 03 DMax from dealers and private party’s. It averages 17-18 still! Highway empty means nothing to me. It’s made to work not cruise empty. I can’t justify selling because a new one even with a deal is way out of my grasp right now. Retired…
Over 200k miles. By far the best truck I’ve ever owned. Even with replacing injectors . I am a PM guy. I don’t wait for shyt to fail. Not saying stuff doesn’t happen but I try to minimize failures on the road. The ole truck is showing signs of wear though!
Size the truck accordingly with what you do and you’ll be fine.
Just my twice cents

BP

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:
my truck averages 18.6MPG daily driving.

My Ram dually did about the same.......not towing of course

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:
you did get lucky. I have friends that have bought new trucks paying $8-10K over window

Crazy right? We were offered $10k over by 2 customers the week after we got it. Arena GMC in Hammonton Nj. In business a 100 years and they are a lawn mower shop too, which is weird.

Lawn mowers at a GMC dealer?

GMC=Grounds Maintenance Company?

quote:

My coworker bought a 21 F250 6.7. Doesn't pull anything heavy, a 16' flat bed with a Polaris on it,

If this is the case then he has something seriously wrong with the truck he bought. My F450 is a 6.7, as was the one before it. They have both been back and fourth across the country and few times pulling my 34' trailer loaded with car, tools, parts, golf cart blah blah blah over the rockies with zero issues with power. Out here in the west every time we tow anywhere we have mountains to climb. I can put the cruise on at 70 and have zero issues with al but the highest grades across the rockies.

Yep I only get about 11mpg that way but it is a 4.30 geared truck so the RPM at 70 is a bit high but who cares I can afford it. My 40' deisel pusher gets about 6 doing the same and is a snail over the larger grades dropping to 40-45.

My current truck only runs high 15's here in Vegas at 9200lbs

AS for other vehicles we have plenty .I choose to use my dually as my DD beciase it fits me well, unlike many cars. I have been daily driving a dually since 1998.

One last point I was at the dealership this am for a steering stabilizer TSB. I was offered $92K for my 2019 F450 platinum with 40K miles. Thats above sticker FWIW

Al Alguire…KNOWS!