diesel or hemi?

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red911sc83

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Hey Guys,
I'm looking to build a 2022 Ram 2500 and trade in my 2015 chevy 2500HD. I bought a house in VT this summer and bought all of his farm equipment and his truck that he used to plow his driveway. The Chevy is fine, but it's only a single cab. I have three huskies and travel back and forth from Boston to VT almost every week. The Chevy only has 6390 miles on it and with the used car market exploding I can get top dollar for it as a trade in. Is it worth the extra 10k for the diesel? How's the fuel mileage on the Hemi? It looks like the Hemi has plenty of power for towing.
Thanks.
Kenny
 

Irishthreeper

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With a 2500 go with the Hemi if you’re going to tow anything, say up to 12k lbs. Above that go with a diesel but keep in mind the 2500 Cummins has a more limited payload. Mileage on the 6.4 Hemi will probably be 14-15 mixed, 18-20 highway if you’re not a speed demon :)
 

matemike

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This has been discussed once or twice before.

How often do you tow and what is trailer weight? goose neck or 5th wheel? tongue weight?
How far is the drive to your VT house? Is it hilly? I believe it is having visited Killington, VT a few times in my life.
Are you going to keep the truck for a long time, or do you get new vehicles every few years?

There are more diesel fans than gas fans, with good reason, and they're going to chime in. But the Hemi is capable to pull average and even moderately heavy trailers, but the gas mileage is going to be terrible when towing. Running empty I'm seeing friend's real world numbers of 14-15mpg with the Hemi. One tank was 15.9, he must've been running with the wind the whole time. But more like 8-9mpg when towing.

The cummins are getting 17-19mpg whether towing or running empty. Diesels come with some extra costs of maintenance in addition to the upfront sticker cost. But if you tow for even 20% of your yearly miles then you'll want the diesel. They really don't mind hills or trailers in the hills, and they are preferred for long trips.

If you're going to spend 90% of the yearly miles getting milk and eggs being 10 mile trips then the gas might be preferred for you.
 

dhay13

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My son just bought a 2021 2500 Cummins Night Edition a few months ago. Has about 6000 miles om it. He has not towed with it but is averaging about 15-16 MPG according to his EVIC. He has never hand calculated so guessing actual may be closer to about 14-15. His commute is about 10 miles one way to work. Me and him both had (and I still have) 2018 2500's with 6.4 and 4.10's. Granted these had the 6 speed trans but I'm averaging about 12.2 overall with mine hand calculated. That's with about 800 miles of towing a 9000lb trailer over the 17,000 I have put on it so very tiny dent in the mileage due to towing. The 8 speed should get slightly better.
There is another thread on here that was started recently where a guy is only getting about 9 MPG in his 2500 Cummins towing about 8000lbs but I suspect something is wrong there. I get about 8.5 or so hand calculated towing our 9000lb boat and my son towed his 8100 travel trailer all over the country (9000 miles of towing) with his 6.4 and averaged about 8 MPG towing it.
 
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red911sc83

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My trip from the Boston area to VT is roughly 190 miles one way. I plan on keeping the truck forever. My driveway is 1/2 mile long...mostly going uphill. I'll use the plow on my truck just for the driveway. I do have a 2012 3500 dually that I use mostly for my 40ft racecar trailer...Its just too big, and I don't want to run 6 studded snow tires and chains when the weather gets really nasty. I've used the chains on the rear of the chevy 2500 once and it made a huge difference when going uphill with a plow connected. The driveway gets pretty slick at times.
The more I think about it, it seems the diesel is the way to go. I just keep hearing nightmares with any of the diesel trucks these days with issues with all the emission equipment bolted on. My 2012 dually doesn't require any DEF.
 

ALRedneck

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The diesel will get 2-3 MPG better than a gas when comparing apples to apples. Towing will drop your MPG in a diesel but will still get 2-3 MPG better than a gasser still. Those numbers may be single digits even with a diesel if towing heavy. You should look at the Power Wagon and see if that will work for you if getting caught in snow storms are a possibility
 

Bearcatrp

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If your not towing, just you and the dogs, go 6.4 with the 8 speed. Have driven truck in that neck of the woods years ago. The 8 speed will do fine. Your 1 ton dually can take care of your towing needs. Just traded my 2017 2500 6.4 with 6 speed. Almost went diesel but after looking at maintenance costs, DEF and diesel fuel prices, I went 1 ton with 6.4 and 8 speed. Pulls my 10,000 lb 5th wheel so much better than the 6 speed. BUT, if you will tow, go diesel HO. I went long box so I could get the 50 gal tank. Not offered in short box. Good luck on your decision.
 

OLEJOE

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Just traded my 18 CTD 2500 for a 22 6.4 Hemi in September. I haven’t towed with it yet but towing my 8K travel trailer with the CTD was a piece of cake. We towed it 5700 miles in 2020 through the SW and up through CO, WY, and SD. Up or down no problem for the CTD with the exhaust brake. As far as fuel mileage, 1 trip empty we averaged 19.5 hand calculated running 80 mph after spending 45 minutes in a traffic jam. But I realized that more and more we were just making short trips to town and stop and go driving and that is not the best for the CTD. So we decided to get a gasoline powered truck. I’m sure I will miss the power of the CTD but I think the 6.4 will be better for my situation.
 

WY-Dave

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I was in the same boat back when. Diesels aren't cheap to start with and not cheap to keep going. On my '18 book oil change intervals are 15k, but I was going to have the dealer do the oil change until the warranty was over. I had them do it at 50k but now it looks like I will be doing them myself. Still debating to go to 15k between changes. The last oil change went up from $120 to $180. 3 gals of oil.

The dealer wanted close to $300 for the dual fuel filter change. I did those since the first time and ever since for 1/2 the cost. (again at the 15k mark), DEF every 1500-2500 miles. Right now, DEF is getting scarce. EPA has me by the balls on that one. I picked up 2 extra jugs, Wally has a 3 jug limit.

I travel 25 miles one way to work. Mileage is 15-17. But around here the with the rolling hills and when we get 50+ mph western winds I drop down to 13-14. Good news is that I get this when heading east haha

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ALRedneck

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My trip from the Boston area to VT is roughly 190 miles one way. I plan on keeping the truck forever. My driveway is 1/2 mile long...mostly going uphill. I'll use the plow on my truck just for the driveway. I do have a 2012 3500 dually that I use mostly for my 40ft racecar trailer...Its just too big, and I don't want to run 6 studded snow tires and chains when the weather gets really nasty. I've used the chains on the rear of the chevy 2500 once and it made a huge difference when going uphill with a plow connected. The driveway gets pretty slick at times.
The more I think about it, it seems the diesel is the way to go. I just keep hearing nightmares with any of the diesel trucks these days with issues with all the emission equipment bolted on. My 2012 dually doesn't require any DEF.
Seriously, add the Ram Power Wagon to your list of trucks to research. You already have a tow vehicle so the limits of the off road features affecting your tow numbers won’t matter.
 

retired

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Have a defective 2020 power wagon.…it gets too good of mpg. I don‘t get to complain of poor mpg Like most FD818E89-05D3-4A8F-8D45-81AC384750D3.jpeg
 

JayLeonard

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I get 23 on the highway even if the truck is loaded moderately, and 13 towing a 30 ft TT.
I stay under 65 towing the TT, and in the lower 70s not towing.
I currently have 10K miles so the Cummins is starting to loosen up a bit.
The cummins are getting 17-19mpg whether towing or running empty
 

zogg

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I had a 2005 Ram with the pre-def fluid Cummins. Loved it and got 23-24 mpg and towed a 12,000 pound 5th wheel. Loved it.

Bought a 9,000 pound 5th wheel and traded for a 2012 Ram 2500 that had a 5.7 Hemi. Got 18 mpg hiway and towed pretty well….I was surprised at how well it did.

Our 2017 2500 had the 6.4 Hemi and I was overjoyed. It did everything very well.

We parked out 5th wheel in a campground and I traded the 3/4 ton for a 2019 1/2 ton Hemi. Much better ride but not much better mpg.
 

Summit1

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One very well proven concept of towing is that, "feet don't matter, but pounds do," except on social media. ;) Consider the weight (hitch/pin and total) of what you will be towing, and don't buy a truck solely based upon "gas mileage" (lest you be disappointed). The Cummins has the advantage of far more pulling power and an exhaust brake. It does not work anywhere near as hard when towing a heavy load. I bought my 2017 Laramie w/ 6.7 CTD to pull a travel trailer of ~8000# loaded plus a bunch of stuff in the bed of the truck and two adults and a dog in the cab (and more stuff in the cab, too. The CTD seemed at times like a bit of overkill, but it never had to "scream" its way up the long and steep hills... just loafed along at lower engine speed. I traded that TT for a ~12,000# Fifth Wheel and the CTD still tows and brakes like a champ. Had it been the 6.4 Hemi, it would have had to work far harder to get the job done.

DEF is not a problem, but is rather more an issue (big difference). Granted a 2.5-gallon jug of BlueDEF has gone from $12-13.00 to ~$16.00, but one can always buy def in "bulk" at truck stops (where the "turnover" is pretty frequent). You will use far less DEF when unladen than when loaded/towing.

As for Diesel versus gasoline, the cost difference between gasoline and Diesel is minimal lately, so the MPG difference (unladen) is probably a moot point.
 
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tron67j

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Hey Guys,
I'm looking to build a 2022 Ram 2500 and trade in my 2015 chevy 2500HD. I bought a house in VT this summer and bought all of his farm equipment and his truck that he used to plow his driveway. The Chevy is fine, but it's only a single cab. I have three huskies and travel back and forth from Boston to VT almost every week. The Chevy only has 6390 miles on it and with the used car market exploding I can get top dollar for it as a trade in. Is it worth the extra 10k for the diesel? How's the fuel mileage on the Hemi? It looks like the Hemi has plenty of power for towing.
Thanks.
Kenny
Another vote for skip the diesel on the 2500. It lowers payload, which you will max out on even a Hemi before you reach maximum towing capacity. If you want the diesel just because you want it, I would go with the 3500 just to maximize the pool of buyers if you ever sell it. Good luck and enjoy the ride.
 

Elkman

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Total cost of ownership is twice as much for a diesel truck and the reliability is much reduced as compared to a gas engine powered one. If one is towing more than 10,000 lbs on a regular basis, particularly in the mountains, then the extra low RPM torque and the available exhaust braking may be worthwhile.

Replacing the fuel injectors on a diesel engine costs as much as a complete gas engine rebuild. Diesel is a very dirty fuel with more than 240,000 particles per gallon of diesel even with 98.7% theoretical fuel filtration. These particles hit the injector solenoids at 40,000 PSI and to there is far more wear than with gas engine injectors.

Emissions controls also are added points of failure and these are still evolving. I had to abort three vacation trips do to problems with the emissions control system, either failing NOx sensors or DEF issues or flaws in the computer control firmware.

Diesel fuel is more of an issue in cold weather with fuel gelling and problems with bio-diesel and algae that can be expensive to fix.

For farm operation I would put my money into a rear locking differential and a winch and forget about the diesel engine.
 

Regcabguy

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With a 2500 go with the Hemi if you’re going to tow anything, say up to 12k lbs. Above that go with a diesel but keep in mind the 2500 Cummins has a more limited payload. Mileage on the 6.4 Hemi will probably be 14-15 mixed, 18-20 highway if you’re not a speed demon :)
The diesel can get out of it's own way with a load. The 3500 is a must with the rear leafs. I've had a 98.5 and my present '07 Cummins which will be my last. Helmet head in Sacramento would love to vaporize all diesels. I'd love a new Hemi .
 

danoday

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If you’re ditching the Chevy and you have 3500 diesel, it sounds to me like you need a very capable 4x4 in all weather and snow plow capable. Power wagon is the obvious choice and plenty of interior space for dogs, pig’s and chickens
 

BossHogg

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Nightmare stories of diesel emission systems may be just that, stories. While there were issues in the beginning days of diesel emissions, those issues have long been put to rest. Current emission systems are downstream of the engine with a little EGR.

I tow a 16K fiver, over 30,000 miles of towing, not a single issue or problem. You also have to understand, the success of the diesel emission system is working the diesel so it makes the heat needed to clean the emissions system. Look at your use case for a diesel truck, if it isn't going to work, then don't get it.
 

Ram Night

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I would go with the hemi all the way. Unless you plan to haul heavy equipment lije front end loaders daily for your job.
Also the cost to maintain the diesel is very high, and and the repairs are out of sight. Plus they stink worse than a old farmhouse or truck stop that it heated with fuel oil.
 
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