Diesel or Gas 1-ton?

[RichieW13]

I probably need to replace my current 3/4 ton gas truck in the next few months. I keep going back and forth as to whether I should get gas or diesel. I've never owned a diesel before, so don't know everything that involves. But I've read that diesels don't do great with lots of short trips. Here is my use case:

- Truck will be my daily driver, which is 10 miles round-trip to work. During a typical week I will drive 50-100 miles.
- Frequently on the weekend I do longer drives (300+ miles round-trip)
- I currently have a 7,500-pound travel trailer that I typically tow for around 3,500 miles per year.
- In the next 2 years I expect to upgrade the trailer to a ~14,000-pound fifth wheel. This is why I am looking at 1-ton. A gas 1-ton with 4.10 gearing would be sufficiently rated to tow a trailer like that.

 

[Docwagon1776]

- Truck will be my daily driver, which is 10 miles round-trip to work.

This fact is the only one that's relevant in this context. You will kill any modern diesel prematurely with a bunch of short trips due to how the emissions systems work.

If you need a 1-ton diesel for anything else you do, you need two vehicles.

 

[Dean2]

Buy a small inexpensive car for a daily driver. Get the diesel pickup for the rest of it.

 

[RichieW13]

Buy a small inexpensive car for a daily driver. Get the diesel pickup for the rest of it.

Yeah, this would be ideal. Unfortunately, the parking situation at my house sucks and not sure I would want to go that direction. But I have thought about it.

 

[rzr6-4]

Yeah, this would be ideal. Unfortunately, the parking situation at my house sucks and not sure I would want to go that direction. But I have thought about it.

You might be able to find an older pre-emissions bs diesel, or if you get a newer one it will be difficult but you may still be able to find someone that can do the delete.

A gasser will definitely pull that 14k but if you are doing it a lot, the diesel will do it so much better. Especially on the interstate.

 

[Docwagon1776]

Yeah, this would be ideal. Unfortunately, the parking situation at my house sucks and not sure I would want to go that direction. But I have thought about it.

Motorcycle commute, based on your photo maybe that's an option? I commuted on a Goldwing 35-ish miles one way for years. If there wasn't ice on the road, I took the bike. 10 miles you could do on any bike.

 

[Dean2]

Yeah, this would be ideal. Unfortunately, the parking situation at my house sucks and not sure I would want to go that direction. But I have thought about it.

I would convert part of my lawn to a parking pad before I wrecked a modern diesel driving it on multiple short trips. I have actually added paved parking and second garages on at least 5 houses I lived in, including this one, because the parking sucked.

This house has a 3 car attached garage and I still put on oversized double with a 14 foot door and a paved pad in the back yard the year we bought it. Never heard any guy say they had too much shop/parking or garage space.

 

[RichieW13]

Motorcycle commute, based on your photo maybe that's an option? I commuted on a Goldwing 35-ish miles one way for years. If there wasn't ice on the road, I took the bike. 10 miles you could do on any bike.

Sadly, my wife votes no on motorcycle commutes.

 

[Docwagon1776]

Sadly, my wife votes no on motorcycle commutes.

Unless she's driving you I don't see where you don't have veto authority on the vote, but ok.

 

[06 Dodge]

I would convert part of my lawn to a parking pad before I wrecked a modern diesel driving it on multiple short trips. I have actually added paved parking and second garages on at least 5 houses I lived in, including this one, because the parking sucked.

This house has a 3 car attached garage and I still put on oversized double with a 14 foot door and a paved pad in the back yard the year we bought it. Never heard any guy say they had too much shop/parking or garage space.

View attachment 585446

Could not build a new one at my current house to had to go along ways to find one that would fit my truck lol, here is what my new to me garage looks like, was surprised to find it also had 12 foot walls, a floor drain for when the show melts, along with spray foam insulation and its own 200 AMP fuel box with direct line from the power pole..

Edit: left out its 30x48, was surprised the City allowed it to be built, I was told he found lope hole in the rules, that is why it has 12 ft walls..

 

[Bramic71]

Sadly, my wife votes no on motorcycle commutes.

Thats only one no vote. All of your Ram Forum friends vote yes.

 

[2003F350]

I daily my diesels, but I'm driving 30-ish miles one-way minimum every day, so it's not a huge issue.

Since you're driving only 10 miles round trip, that diesel won't even get up to operating temp in the summer before you're shutting it back down. That is NOT good for diesels. Even with your frequent long trips on weekends and towing, I wouldn't want to use a diesel truck for that short of a commute. I mean it MIGHT be okay but I wouldn't want to do it.

For your purposes and your situation (in this case I am one of those who understands the 'no bikes' thing, I have a rural commute through farmland so deer are a thing), I'd go with the gasser. You're not towing that heavy, and even if you upgrade the trailer, a 3500 with the gasser will get the job done. You're also going to have lower maintenance costs even if it is thirstier.

 

[Sherman Bird]

Yeah, this would be ideal. Unfortunately, the parking situation at my house sucks and not sure I would want to go that direction. But I have thought about it.

OK, then get a Moped!

 

[runamuck]

the diesel might require more attention to maintenance because they dont do well on only short runs but it will pull your trailer better and get much better fuel mileage during the short runs than the gasser. the new diesels have gotten really pricey tho and you can buy a lot gas for the difference, just dont pay attention to the mileage if you go gas. we have a 2500 laramie dsl. and an Infiniti suv but we always seem to take the Ram when we travel because it is roomy and comfortable and always gets 20 or more mpg on the highway.

 

[Dean2]

So, have really short 5 mile drive each way daily. Been a member for 12 years so already know diesel is a bad idea for real short drives. Can't ride bicycle, motor bike or moped for daily commute, no room for small car or two vehicles. Thus presume you can't store diesel pickup off site when not in use.

Care to tell us, with all these limitations, none of which were in your original post, what you thought anyone would be able to provide for useful advice?

 

[RichieW13]

So, have really short 5 mile drive each way daily. Been a member for 12 years so already know diesel is a bad idea for real short drives. Can't ride bicycle, motor bike or moped for daily commute, no room for small car or two vehicles. Thus presume you can't store diesel pickup off site when not in use.

Care to tell us, with all these limitations, none of which were in your original post, what you thought anyone would be able to provide for useful advice?

I wanted to see if my short daily drives would really be a problem or not. Along with any other wisdom anybody might have related to the dilemma.

 

[Dean2]

Short trips where the vehicle never gets to operating temperature are a problem for a gas job and the bigger the motor the worse it is. They are a huge problem for diesels, and particularly DEF equipped modern diesels. How could you not know that after reading threads here for 12 years?

However I get it. You would really like a diesel and you are hoping someone will say it isn't a bad idea. I know where you are coming from, I do lots of things that don't really make sense. I have cars that can go over 200 MPH, unless I take them to the track, they never get close to that. I have a pickup that gets less than 5,000 miles a year put on it. Not everything we do makes sense.

All that aside, I STRONGLY suggest a 3500 gas. Upgrade it to diesel when your parking, daily drive distance improves, or the weight you are pulling gives you no other option. Best of luck and let us know what you decide.

 

[Rado]

Like many said short ride kills a Diesel !
They want to be worked !
That is why I went gas but LOVED it when I had a Diesel !

My buddies son has a F350 Diesel and when not used it dirty the Regen system and had to be driven a distance to clean it out !
I was Old school diesel so not sure of all or any diesel quirks today

 

[murderman]

This fact is the only one that's relevant in this context. You will kill any modern diesel prematurely with a bunch of short trips due to how the emissions systems work.

If you need a 1-ton diesel for anything else you do, you need two vehicles.

This post hits the nail squarely on the head.

 

[RichieW13]

Short trips where the vehicle never gets to operating temperature are a problem for a gas job and the bigger the motor the worse it is. They are a huge problem for diesels, and particularly DEF equipped modern diesels. How could you not know that after reading threads here for 12 years?

However I get it. You would really like a diesel and you are hoping someone will say it isn't a bad idea. I know where you are coming from, I do lots of things that don't really make sense. I have cars that can go over 200 MPH, unless I take them to the track, they never get close to that. I have a pickup that gets less than 5,000 miles a year put on it. Not everything we do makes sense.

All that aside, I STRONGLY suggest a 3500 gas. Upgrade it to diesel when your parking, daily drive distance improves, or the weight you are pulling gives you no other option. Best of luck and let us know what you decide.

I haven't read many diesel threads here because I have never owned a diesel.

Actually, it's the other way around. I would probably prefer to get the gasser. I was more looking for reasons that would be a bad idea. Gas 3500's seem to be pretty rare. None of the dealers seem to stock them.