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What should i know before buying first diesel truck? Should i even buy one?

I replaced my 86 F150 with a 302 in 2 wheel drive, it was a great truck., with a 94 4x4 F250 with a 460. Never looked back and still have that truck. In 02 I bought a 4x4 GMC 2500 with a 496, leaps and bounds of power over the 460. 460 being top dog when I bought it. The 460 is actually more fuel efficient pulling a trailer over the 496. But the 496 is like driving a 60s muscle car. In 05 after Katrina gas was @ $3.50 a gallon so I bought a 05 Dodge 2500 4x4 with a Cummins. Big truck capability with small truck fuel mileage. Had that truck all over the continent. If you drive a lot, that's where a diesel shines. And pulling is what it does best. I have gotten in the 20s pulling a trailer with it. But staying in your budget is going to be tough in this market. I'd hate to have to look for a vehicle right now. And fuel efficiency isn't going to be the same as with the fuels of old.
 
My buddy is real big into Mopar diesel trucks and may even have one available.
Lemme know and I’ll ask him.
Funny story …we did some maintenance in his 95 service truck including injection pump, fixing a linkage issue in order to take it to the Mopar nationals towing my Cuda behind it in a trailer.
We made it all the way to the Nat’s from west Ga and back with zero issues.
They dropped me and my Cuda off in Jasper and I drove it home to Dahlonega.

As soon as my buddy got in his driveway his fuel pump burned out and the next morning his water pump failed.

The Mopar Gods were on our side during that trip.
 
before you buy a diesel call around some shops and get a estimate for new injectors and maybe a injector pump

After you wake up from fainting , figure out how much of a gas truck that would pay for . I’m gonna guess it would pay for half of a gas truck .

Friend of mine has a first gen duramax diesel dually that’s currently in the shop for a fuel pump and injectors .
I bet it’s gonna cost $10k for the repair .

I’ve driven them all . Fords Chevys tundras etc
And the tundra crewmax with the 5.7 motor is by far my favorite truck . Plenty of power plenty of room inside and rides like a car .

The Chevy crew cab 2500 I drive now is the roughest riding vehicle ever .
My nephew drives a 2020 Kenworth W-900 18 wheeler and the Chevy rides rougher than the kenworth .
 
before you buy a diesel call around some shops and get a estimate for new injectors and maybe a injector pump

After you wake up from fainting , figure out how much of a gas truck that would pay for . I’m gonna guess it would pay for half of a gas truck .

Friend of mine has a first gen duramax diesel dually that’s currently in the shop for a fuel pump and injectors .
I bet it’s gonna cost $10k for the repair .

I’ve driven them all . Fords Chevys tundras etc
And the tundra crewmax with the 5.7 motor is by far my favorite truck . Plenty of power plenty of room inside and rides like a car .

The Chevy crew cab 2500 I drive now is the roughest riding vehicle ever .
My nephew drives a 2020 Kenworth W-900 18 wheeler and the Chevy rides rougher than the kenworth .
^^^ this
Find out $$$ for a fuel system swap for when the high pressure pump crapped out or a little water gets in the system. $8-12k easy.
 
I have a 2001 Chevy Silverado 4 x 4, 2500 H D with the 6.6 Duramax turbo Diesel. 248;355 miles on the clock. 4 door crew cab. I don’t pull a heavy load too often but I do pull my 33’ 6200 lb camper with it several times a year. Not pulling a load I get an average of 18 MPG. Pulling the camper with the Allison transmission in “Tow / Haul” mode and the tuner in “Towing” mode I get 17 MPG. Pulling the camper on the highway I run the air wide open, cruise on and cruise at 65 mph at 1800 R P M. Never down shift even when going uphill. Maintenance is Not that bad Oil change is 80 bucks. I do it myself but my owners manual says to change it at 10,000 mile intervals. it hold 10 quarts, but I change my oil every 6000 miles. Only break downs I have ever had is a water pump, alternator, and a serpentine belt tensioner bearing.
 
before you buy a diesel call around some shops and get a estimate for new injectors and maybe a injector pump

After you wake up from fainting , figure out how much of a gas truck that would pay for . I’m gonna guess it would pay for half of a gas truck .

Friend of mine has a first gen duramax diesel dually that’s currently in the shop for a fuel pump and injectors .
I bet it’s gonna cost $10k for the repair .

I’ve driven them all . Fords Chevys tundras etc
And the tundra crewmax with the 5.7 motor is by far my favorite truck . Plenty of power plenty of room inside and rides like a car .

The Chevy crew cab 2500 I drive now is the roughest riding vehicle ever .
My nephew drives a 2020 Kenworth W-900 18 wheeler and the Chevy rides rougher than the kenworth .


I bet it’s quite a bit more than 10k
 
You should double your budget or wait (I know I know easier said that done.)

Trucks are expensive right now. Toyota is even more expensive.

Maintenance costs are crazy on dealers injectors are what 5k? Need a battery, well that will be about 400 dollars. Oil year double the quarts. Avoid the ford 6.0 unless it is bulletproofed with full documentation and a mechanic verifies it. Diesels mechanics charge more than GAS ones and harder to find and they seem always busy.

If you do not TOW 9k plus pounds on a DAILY or weekly basis why would you buy a diesel?

Each diesel truck has some week points verify the brand/year you are getting, then verify that weak area has been fixed.

With all that being said you want a 1st or 2nd gen Tundra, just be prepared to pay for it, but their solid trucks.
 
No gas truck pulls like a diesel. Thats what theyre made for. If your going to pull more than 5k often or over 10k occasionally, diesel is the only way to go. If youre not pulling, stick with a gas burner. My .02
I’d agree if you said 8-9k often or over 12-14k occasionally, vehicle dependent. I pull 6-8k fairly often w gas 3/4 ton.
 
I’d agree if you said 8-9k often or over 12-14k occasionally, vehicle dependent. I pull 6-8k fairly often w gas 3/4 ton.
Our 2015 Chevy 2500 4x4 crew cab 6.0 pulls our Cat 302.7 mini X occasionally. It is grossly under powered, not enough brakes and feels like it’s wearing the truck down! Our 2019 F250 power stroke pulls and stops it like a boss with no problems and no smelly brakes or transmission when it’s done. Cat weighs 6700 pounds and the trailer is 2600 pounds. Diesel wins hands down.
 
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