6.7L ..... Worth It?

What, the hemi's aren't diesel? I thought from the ticking......

I just upgraded from a 2020 6.4L to a 2020 6.7L. We tow from Denver to OH to visit the inlaws at least twice per year. My 6.4L would get 6.5 - 7 MPG pulling our 9k, 38' bumper pull TT - loaded up it's more like 10.5k - 11k. I also never had more than 12 MPG w/o a load, but that's a mix of city/hwy since we live on the west side of Denver and use the freeways quite often. After the upgrade, our last tow trip was over 10 MPG and in the mountains, the engine brake feature is amazing! W/o a load, I'm getting 14.5 MPG + so although the unloaded is minimal, 50% with a load is a HUGE adjustment. Yes, there was a significant cost to purchase the 6.7L, but if you look at the book value for 6.7L vs 6.4L trucks that are 5 years old, you're still getting ~ 70% of the upcharge back in the value. That being said, you also get the better performance and efficiency during the 5 years of ownership. If you can swing the extra in the beginning, it's totally worth it.

Thank you for the info. What I have been seeing on the used market is not that far apart in cost between the two. 2015 6.7 35-39K same in gas 33-37k
After researching the possible turbo issues I think at least for me, the diesel is the best choice. Mainly because I dont use it as a daily driver and most of its use would be pulling our 5th wheel.

Things I've noticed over the years, is the economy of gas vs. diesel is overblown. They equal out in the long run for use in an all use situations scenario (not including only for towing and only for grocery runs.) The bottom line is the ease of use. Diesel is so much more enjoyable for towing. But for a grocery getter, you lose the advantages. MPG on around town running in a diesel is very bad. YMMV

GsRAM said:

Well that changes things a bit then. I've always thought, north of 10k your in Cummins territory. With the new 8 speed trans and 4.10s you'd still be fine though, but your borderline. If you don't tow much though and dont put on many total miles each year, I'd still go 6.4 hemi.

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I had a hard decision to make on the oiler' (diesel) last month. I bought a gaser.

I've had oiler's for 20 years. The only one I was ever impressed with (okay, maybe not impressed, but slightly satisfied with) was the Ford 7.3. Since then I've had another Ford, Chevy's, GMC, Ram. None of them performed as I expected. I must have way higher expectations than most people. Now, I did not add a programmer, so that's a huge thing. All my friends who did, blew their tranny within a year. All of them. 3/4 ton, 1 ton. You name it. Most people must be lying, because I've never had an oiler I liked. They ride like crap when not loaded. So made the decision to get a 2020 Ram Limited. Holy crap. It's a Cadillac that can tow. Yes. It sort of sucks towing, and that's the thing. I only tow 5% of the time now. So 95% of the time I'm driving a comfortable truck. That's a big deal.

So let me say. If that changed, and I towed 10,000 + miles per year, then I am afraid I'd be stuck with an oiler again. And who knows, maybe that will happen in the future. Let me also say, I am not super impressed with the Hemi. It's pretty good, but not life-changing. The 8 speed is the game changer. Here's to hoping it has all the bugs worked out.

Book value is not Life Cycle Cost Analysis - it is a single cost factor. Again - those who have gone through the entire exercise report the payback for diesel is beyond 200,000 miles today. The hard data is not fan boy based.

I've always like diesels. Still have one in my tractor. And I'd never buy one again in a truck.

dby_limited said:

I had a hard decision to make on the oiler' (diesel) last month. I bought a gaser.

I've had oiler's for 20 years. The only one I was ever impressed with (okay, maybe not impressed, but slightly satisfied with) was the Ford 7.3. Since then I've had another Ford, Chevy's, GMC, Ram. None of them performed as I expected. I must have way higher expectations than most people. Now, I did not add a programmer, so that's a huge thing. All my friends who did, blew their tranny within a year. All of them. 3/4 ton, 1 ton. You name it. Most people must be lying, because I've never had an oiler I liked. They ride like crap when not loaded. So made the decision to get a 2020 Ram Limited. Holy crap. It's a Cadillac that can tow. Yes. It sort of sucks towing, and that's the thing. I only tow 5% of the time now. So 95% of the time I'm driving a comfortable truck. That's a big deal.

So let me say. If that changed, and I towed 10,000 + miles per year, then I am afraid I'd be stuck with an oiler again. And who knows, maybe that will happen in the future. Let me also say, I am not super impressed with the Hemi. It's pretty good, but not life-changing. The 8 speed is the game changer. Here's to hoping it has all the bugs worked out.

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ZF transmission is reported by users to be very good and robust. But a pain to service. Germans had to screw up something. Whereas Chrysler RFE is marginal with a poorly-designed valvebody, but easy to service.

dby_limited said:

I had a hard decision to make on the oiler' (diesel) last month. I bought a gaser.

.... They ride like crap when not loaded. So made the decision to get a 2020 Ram Limited. Holy crap. It's a Cadillac that can tow. Yes. It sort of sucks towing, and that's the thing. I only tow 5% of the time now. So 95% of the time I'm driving a comfortable truck. That's a big deal...

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From your sig, it looks like you must have a 1500. Why would a gas 1500 be more comfortable than a diesel 1500??? Also, when you are talking about 2500's the ride pretty much sucks when unloaded regardless of engine. I went from a 21 GMC 1500 with 6.2 to a 22 Ram 2500 6.4/8Sp/410 because I decided I needed an HD truck for the new travel trailer. But I'm not kidding myself about the ride...no where close to the GMC 1500 (or Ram 1500's I've ridden in) as far as ride quality.

As for MPG, on a recent trip of about 1900 Miles pulling the 7600 pounds loaded travel trailer, I averaged 7.5 MPG. That's in MN, IL, IN, MI and WI so no mountains, just lots of rolling hills. That's only a little less than I used to get with the GMC put that was pulling 6000 pounds. But its pretty much what I expected. I knew what I was in for when I bought it, so I'm not complaining.

Too much maintenance cost to just drive around. If you USE it everyday pulling and working it maybe but not to just show off in.

dby_limited said:

I had a hard decision to make on the oiler' (diesel) last month. I bought a gaser.

I've had oiler's for 20 years. The only one I was ever impressed with (okay, maybe not impressed, but slightly satisfied with) was the Ford 7.3. Since then I've had another Ford, Chevy's, GMC, Ram. None of them performed as I expected. I must have way higher expectations than most people. Now, I did not add a programmer, so that's a huge thing. All my friends who did, blew their tranny within a year. All of them. 3/4 ton, 1 ton. You name it. Most people must be lying, because I've never had an oiler I liked. They ride like crap when not loaded. So made the decision to get a 2020 Ram Limited. Holy crap. It's a Cadillac that can tow. Yes. It sort of sucks towing, and that's the thing. I only tow 5% of the time now. So 95% of the time I'm driving a comfortable truck. That's a big deal.

So let me say. If that changed, and I towed 10,000 + miles per year, then I am afraid I'd be stuck with an oiler again. And who knows, maybe that will happen in the future. Let me also say, I am not super impressed with the Hemi. It's pretty good, but not life-changing. The 8 speed is the game changer. Here's to hoping it has all the bugs worked out.

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Because you've never had one you liked, the rest of us are lying? Really? Wow.

My 2500 with factory air (and all stock) rides very well empty or loaded. But it is our towing machine, not our grocery getter. Just got home from a 950 mile tow today. Such a pleasure to tow with. Solid a rock for towing, but a very comfortable ride. 14.6mpg average hand calculated, 73mph, towing a 21' bass boat.

HEMIMANN said:

Book value is not Life Cycle Cost Analysis - it is a single cost factor. Again - those who have gone through the entire exercise report the payback for diesel is beyond 200,000 miles today. The hard data is not fan boy based.

I've always like diesels. Still have one in my tractor. And I'd never buy one again in a truck.

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Have any links to that info? I'd be curious to see the math. Thanks.

jejb said:

Have any links to that info? I'd be curious to see the math. Thanks.

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My real world data based off of hand calculating every tank on my hemi 2500 and my diesel 2500 that right now with 120K on the diesel I have recouped $7k of my $9k diesel option vs what my hemi was costing me to operate. That is fuel, fluids and filters factored in on both. Also that was calculated using the cheap 87 octane gas pricing (in my area), if you are running 89-91 it will be even more pay off for the diesel. The remaining $2k I will get back ++ in resale value. So win win for me to be in a diesel.
This is daily driving, a little towing, grocery getter all of the above.

Now calculating that "today" as in this bizzaro F'd up situation we are in right this second those numbers are going to be skewed a little more but up until ~6 months ago that is were I stood with my numbers.


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mtnrider said:

My real world data based off of hand calculating every tank on my hemi 2500 and my diesel 2500 that right now with 120K on the diesel I have recouped $7k of my $9k diesel option vs what my hemi was costing me to operate. That is fuel, fluids and filters factored in on both. Also that was calculated using the cheap 87 octane gas pricing (in my area), if you are running 89-91 it will be even more pay off for the diesel. The remaining $2k I will get back ++ in resale value. So win win for me to be in a diesel.
This is daily driving, a little towing, grocery getter all of the above.

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I'd think it would turn out that way for most, which is why I want to see the math Hemimann is talking about.

Still waiting...

jejb said:

Because you've never had one you liked, the rest of us are lying? Really? Wow.

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I did not say everyone, just most people. Nothing personal. I'm un-impressed by many things. Maybe I am just unreasonable. I would be very happy with my current vehicle if it sold for half the price. Maybe that's it. **** costs way more than it is worth. Trucks cost twice as much, sometimes 3 times as much as they are worth. My Opinion.

jejb said:

Have any links to that info? I'd be curious to see the math. Thanks.

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Search the forum - there was a big long discussion on it. Somebody did ALL the math. took up an entire screen. I'm just encouraging you to be thorough and not cherry pick data you want to convince yourself. If that's what you want, fine - but don't come in and try to convince others with your cherry picked data. We won't agree.

I like diesels too. There's nothing personal about this.

Simple, buy what you want and to heck with everybody else.

HEMIMANN said:

Search the forum - there was a big long discussion on it. Somebody did ALL the math. took up an entire screen. I'm just encouraging you to be thorough and not cherry pick data you want to convince yourself. If that's what you want, fine - but don't come in and try to convince others with your cherry picked data. We won't agree.

I like diesels too. There's nothing personal about this.

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Since you are the one to claim this data/math exists, I'll leave it to you to post a link to it. The only posts I've seen doing the math on this have had big errors, like not considering the increased trade in value.

I sure hope you Diesel Brothers have extra filters, oil, and fuel on standby. My friends are having problems finding filters and oil. Moreover, I keep hearing - 'here or there' - there's shortages of parts, oil, & filters. If these parts become unavailable, do people think those items won't go to transport over citizens? What happens when there's barely enough diesel to deliver food?

Diesel is 5.15 and gas is 3.55, so it doesn't take a mathematician to see they equal out with mileage. However, after you add DEF and the extra maintenance - diesel is currently more expensive to run. Since we're bringing up resale, we should bring up the added insurance premium to run diesel engines. My insurance would have been $17 more a month to have a Cummings.

JIC, gas is 68.9% of the price for 1 gallon of diesel, in GA. If a diesel only gets 30% more milage, than its a wash, until you add up the other diesel costs. I only see 20-25% better rate, but that's math without feelings. Using examples here, I see 7.5-9 gas vs 10-12 diesel towing, using worst-to-worst or best-to-best those are under 30%. Without towing the differences are still the same with consumption (14-17 gas 19-22 diesel).

I wanted a diesel badly, I've never owned one, and will still get one if parts, fuel, and service come back to pre-"pandemic." My prediction is, 3/4 & 1-TON GASSERS will be more coveted and demand higher $ soon, because of these issues.

I have a 2013 3500 Bighorn diesel and it tows great! My issue is that it is my everyday truck. Trading down in size to a 2020 2500 Hemi Longhorn...I figured I would not have an issue towing my boat (26ft center console, approx 6500lbs at capacity)......this thread has me second guessing myself.