Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum > GENERAL DISCUSSIONS > Tow Vehicles & Towing
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 01-21-2007, 03:06 AM   #1
Wrenchtraveller
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,568
M.O.C. #4890
Interesting ad from the General

This is quite interesting to watch and apply to your situation.

http://www.whygasengines.com/
 
Wrenchtraveller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2007, 03:42 AM   #2
Ozz
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
Ahhh, the open can of worms is a tangled web of controversy......
Ozz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2007, 06:45 AM   #3
Glenn and Lorraine
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Clearwater
Posts: 10,917
M.O.C. #420
OK I'll take first the shot into this controversy......

Gasoline engines cost less than diesel.
True but diesel engines have a much longer life span. Most gas engines are lucky to last 100,000 miles and at 100,000 miles a diesel is just broken in.

Gasoline is more readily available.
Again true but I have yet to have a problem getting diesel whenever and whereever I needed it.
AND gasoline better be more readily avaiable. A gasser only giving 7 to 8 mpg when towing needs to be fueled up a lot more often than a diesel getting 13 to 14 MPG. I won't even mention the non towing MPG.

Quiet operation
Hardly noticeable with the newer diesels.

Good solution for lower mileage operations. (less than 25000 miles per year)
Not sure I understand that one but if that were true it would probably be irrelevant with Rvers especially us full timers who generally put on a lot more than 25000 miles a year.

Easy to service.
My GM service center isn’t complaining and considering my GMC only needs service every 10,000 miles in the long run it’s probably cheaper.

Fast cab heater warm up
Got me on that one but who needs heat when it’s 75 degrees outside?
Glenn and Lorraine is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2007, 07:04 AM   #4
Montana Sky
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Down the Road
Posts: 5,627
M.O.C. #889
Interesting.... I guess it is a good thing the top 3 make a gas motor and a diesel motor. It all comes back down to personal choice, as Rich says "buy what fits your needs at the time".
Montana Sky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2007, 07:52 AM   #5
Charlie
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Cooper
Posts: 1,230
M.O.C. #3029
Glen-
You did fit resale into the equation....
Charlie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2007, 08:26 AM   #6
Wrenchtraveller
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,568
M.O.C. #4890
The cost calculator in this ad is badly flawed. I just did two entries, one at 5000 miles a year and one at 25000 miles a year. I entered the fuel at 3.75 a gal for gas and the same price for diesel which is the way it is here on Vancouver Island. Both times the saving were identical at 9224.00 for the gas. This can't be correct.

Gasoline engines in the sixties were lucky to last only 100,000 miles. With proper oil changes in today's gas engines, a 200,000 mile life is very common and a 300,000 mile life is not uncommon.

Many gas pickups in the scrap yard are there for other components wearing out before the engine.
Diesel pickups share these same components. The diesel pickup is not a highway tractor by any stretch of the imagination.
Wrenchtraveller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2007, 08:55 AM   #7
BillyRay
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Malta
Posts: 3,075
M.O.C. #607
either way, I like my diesel
BillyRay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2007, 09:17 AM   #8
JimF
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: anywhere
Posts: 912
M.O.C. #6260
Send a message via ICQ to JimF Send a message via AIM to JimF Send a message via Yahoo to JimF
To each his own. I, personally, wouldn't haul with anything other than my diesel..
JimF is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2007, 09:26 AM   #9
BillyRay
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Malta
Posts: 3,075
M.O.C. #607
I may be one of the few who don't "need" it, but I have it and love it.
BillyRay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2007, 10:27 AM   #10
wileecoyote985
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Munising
Posts: 158
M.O.C. #2134
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Wrenchtraveller

The cost calculator in this ad is badly flawed. I just did two entries, one at 5000 miles a year and one at 25000 miles a year. I entered the fuel at 3.75 a gal for gas and the same price for diesel which is the way it is here on Vancouver Island. Both times the saving were identical at 9224.00 for the gas. This can't be correct.

Gasoline engines in the sixties were lucky to last only 100,000 miles. With proper oil changes in today's gas engines, a 200,000 mile life is very common and a 300,000 mile life is not uncommon.

Many gas pickups in the scrap yard are there for other components wearing out before the engine.
Diesel pickups share these same components. The diesel pickup is not a highway tractor by any stretch of the imagination.
I'd say 150,000 - 175,000 miles life for a modern gas engine would be common and 200,000 not uncommon.

That would be for automotive applications and not for the towing work many RV'ers put their engines through. Most gasoline engines that are towing heavy are pretty well worn out (or at the very least somewhat unreliable) at 100,000 miles.

While I'd agree with your post concerning the remainder of the running gear, the fact remains that diesel engines are generally designed to be capable of producing a higher percentage of their maximum rated HP/torque over a longer period of time than a gasoline engine.
wileecoyote985 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2007, 11:43 AM   #11
sreigle
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
If in decent shape at tradein time the seller will usually get most, maybe all, of that diesel premium back. Used diesels bring a premium price.
sreigle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2007, 12:35 PM   #12
Glenn and Lorraine
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Clearwater
Posts: 10,917
M.O.C. #420
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Charlie

Glen-
You did fit resale into the equation....
No not really but Steve's response pretty well says it all...
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by sreigle

If in decent shape at tradein time the seller will usually get most, maybe all, of that diesel premium back. Used diesels bring a premium price.
Glenn and Lorraine is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2007, 12:49 PM   #13
trukdoc
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Sulphur Springs
Posts: 748
M.O.C. #2220
Send a message via MSN to trukdoc
If I simply used my PU for driving around I probably would buy a gasser, I can buy a lot of gas for the price difference.
BUT for working and towing I would not be without the diesel. I have gone over many hills passing trucks obviously struggling to pull their trailer and I still have the cruise control set. As for heating up the heated seats start warming up within a couple of minutes, and the 6.0 PSD within a couple of miles is warmed up enough to start feeling heat.
trukdoc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2007, 01:07 PM   #14
richfaa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
Do you think that they were trying to sell a gas Motor?? The comparison gas vs diesel is senseless, It is an apples /oranges comparison. Better fuel mileage. If my primary concern in rv'ing was MPG I would as I have said before , still be towing a pop up with a Ford Ranger. My 4 banger Honda civic got better MPG than Helen's V-6 Honda Accord.. senseless comparison. Gas is more available than diesel..well of course it is, another senseless comparison however when fueling with one of these things behind you it is difficult finding a station that you can into and out of without a struggle gas or diesel. Gas motors cost less than diesels..who would have thunk.(there are many that wonder why they do?) You get more on trade in with a diesel....duhhh. We will get more on trade on our V-6 Honda Accord than our 4 banger Honda Civic..another senseless comparison.
A diesel ..motor will last much longer than a gas motor...another ..who would have thunk..of course they will..they are designed to..However at 100k miles or so the truck is most likely worn out..not the motor..the truck. Most rv'ers trade in the TV when the Warranty expires, I personally have never owned a TV with 100K miles.What I gather from the Gas vs diesel arguement is that I should get the diesel because it gets better MPG and I can get more on a trade in and here I was going to buy one because it best served my towing needs..silly me. My V-10 has pulled this 3400 everywhere I pointed it without a problem.Which is exactly what I wanted it to do when I purchased it. Our travel and towing needs have changed and we will, i hope, get the diesel..because it best serves our all over needs.nothing else..Now that you want a Gas or diesel for no other reason than..well..you just want it..that is a good thing.. I, so says Helen, have plenty of things that I don't need..but just had to have them...
richfaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2007, 01:39 PM   #15
Wrenchtraveller
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,568
M.O.C. #4890
I had 3 diesels over an 11 year period and I still would have a diesel if my 04 6.0 would have been reliable.

I do find it interesting that so many diesel owners want to get rid of their truck before warranty expires and that is only at 100,000 miles. In spite of the diesel's long life expectency, the extremely high cost of repairs keeps people going back for a new one on warranty. The resale price of diesel trucks usually get your original cost back,at least it used to. Cummins an Dmax have a good reputation as does the 7.3 PSD but the word is out on 03 and 04 6.0 Fords and a lot of them are sitting in GM, Toyota, and Honda dealer lots. When the last 6.0 is off warranty and people are shelling out megabucks to keep them on the road, I think a used 6.0 will be a tough vehicle to sell and even the old reliable V10 gas guzzler may fetch a higher price.
I hope for Ford's sake the new 6.4 PSD is a real winner like the Dmax and the Cummins are.
Wrenchtraveller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2007, 02:01 PM   #16
Cat320
Montana Master
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location:
Posts: 1,696
M.O.C. #5751
I've towed with big gassers (duallys and srw) and with diesels, (duallys and srw)...IMHO here is the difference:

1. The diesel is almost indestructible, it'll last hundreds of thousands of miles. While towing the engine acts the same as when not towing...same RPM, same sound, better fuel economy, good acceleration, etc. It acts as if it's just another day at the office. At the end of the day, it seems to say..."is that it, a lousy 10 hours hauling this little ole 14k trailer though the mountains, is that all I have to do, can I do it again tomorrow?"

2. The gasser is destructible...at 100k, I'm looking for another truck. While towing, it will pull the load, although not as well, but it screams bloody murder, the RPM gauge is WAY over to the high side, not as good acceleration, have to stop for fuel more often. At the end of the day, it seems to say..."damn I'm tired, can you lighten the load, can I have tomorrow off?"

Initial price difference, diesel is more...I don't care, (I'll get lots of it back at trade) the diesel is worth it. Fuel cost, diesel is now higher...I don't care, the diesel is worth it.

Some things you can't justify by logic, money, need, trade value, fuel cost, etc. Some things you just gotta have...I my book, this is one.
Cat320 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
General insurance ??? PktChg General Discussions about our Montanas 13 01-16-2014 08:29 AM
General Tires ?? RLVoumard Tow Vehicles & Towing 37 10-29-2006 08:27 AM
General tires Wagonmaster General Discussions about our Montanas 5 05-19-2005 05:06 AM
General Tires 16" gone now Jetson Montana Problems, Problem Solving & Technical Help 14 08-19-2004 07:03 AM
General Survey Montana_1603 General Discussions about our Montanas 0 06-02-2004 08:01 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana RV, Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:51 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.