Need help deciding

[rpgerstner]

My wife and I are looking to move up our camper size (travel traveler) and want to make sure we have enough vehicle. The camper weighs approx 7,800 pounds, and fully loaded it maxes out at 10,000.

Would you suggest getting a 5.7 L Hemi Gas 2500 (crew cab - 13,500 max towing), or go to the diesel ((17,000 max)?

I appreciate your help in advance.

 

[HemiXpress]

Personally if it was me, I would go with the diesel.

 

[14hemiexpress]

Depends on how much you plan on towing. If you plan on towing this setup a lot and though mountains get the diesel if you plan on pulling it 50 miles every few weeks on flat land save your cash and get the hemi.

 

[fat1]

6.4L is also an option with 4.10 it would be a bad ****. The issue with diesel is all the maintenance costs and additives and crap you have to run now, not that they were ever cheap before. Oil changes can be $300 at the stealership, still takes GALLONS of oil to do it yourself. It really comes down to how often, how far and what type of terrain you will be traversing when you tow. If you want utter confidence then get the diesel. If you want good enough get the bigger hemi and look at the gears pretty hard.

 

[loveracing1988]

6.4L is also an option with 4.10 it would be a bad ****. The issue with diesel is all the maintenance costs and additives and crap you have to run now, not that they were ever cheap before. Oil changes can be $300 at the stealership, still takes GALLONS of oil to do it yourself. It really comes down to how often, how far and what type of terrain you will be traversing when you tow. If you want utter confidence then get the diesel. If you want good enough get the bigger hemi and look at the gears pretty hard.

I would bet that the oil change difference between the 6.4 and Cummins isn't that much. Yes the Cummins takes more oil but it is conventional oil vs the synthetic srt oil the 6.4 takes. One oil change for me was going to run $95 for my 6.4. The Cummins oil change from the same dealer was $115 and they have coupons on that, they don't for the 6.4.

 

[14hemiexpress]

I would bet that the oil change difference between the 6.4 and Cummins isn't that much. Yes the Cummins takes more oil but it is conventional oil vs the synthetic srt oil the 6.4 takes. One oil change for me was going to run $95 for my 6.4. The Cummins oil change from the same dealer was $115 and they have coupons on that, they don't for the 6.4.

As the oil changes not being to far off is true. But you still have to run DEF and diesel is 50-60 cents a gallon more plus replacement parts are triple a gas injector is 1-200 depending and diesel one is around 700 at the end of the day the best way in my opnion to choose gas vs diesel is by determine your drive is far is it often is it though the mountains thats how I would choose.

 

[loveracing1988]

As the oil changes not being to far off is true. But you still have to run DEF and diesel is 50-60 cents a gallon more plus replacement parts are triple a gas injector is 1-200 depending and diesel one is around 700 at the end of the day the best way in my opnion to choose gas vs diesel is by determine your drive is far is it often is it though the mountains thats how I would choose.

All of that is true, but if you mention the cost of diesel over gas you also take fuel economy onto consideration. I am averaging 12.6 or so (last I looked). A cummins truck like mine would be averaging 15 to 16, so around the breakeven point, but then you lose payload and have to step up to a 3500, then you deal with the rougher ride, etc. etc.

 

[14hemiexpress]

All of that is true, but if you mention the cost of diesel over gas you also take fuel economy onto consideration. I am averaging 12.6 or so (last I looked). A cummins truck like mine would be averaging 15 to 16, so around the breakeven point, but then you lose payload and have to step up to a 3500, then you deal with the rougher ride, etc. etc.

Yep we could brake this down all day but untill we know from op is drive and plans it's truely hard to determine witch is a better option.

 

[fat1]

Then we can debate frequency vs distance as to which matters most! This place rocks!

 

[clh1220]

Oil changes are not the same cost if you run synthetic in both.

 

[loveracing1988]

Oil changes are not the same cost if you run synthetic in both.

If you throw that variable in, you can change the cost of anything. I'm just comparing apples to apples with the required oils.

 

[clh1220]

Oh sorry I ran synthetic in my ctd. And everything else I own. To me that is apples to apples. Conventional to synthetic is apples to oranges to me.

 

[14hemiexpress]

Oh sorry I ran synthetic in my ctd. And everything else I own. To me that is apples to apples. Conventional to synthetic is apples to oranges to me.

I get what both of you are saying. Loveracing is saying synthedic 0-40 is required for the 6.4 for warranty and conventional is what's minimun for the ctd and the cost would be close. Synthedic to synthedic the ctd is going to cost more.

 

[audio1der]

How often will you tow?
Long, far trips, or just short?
How else will you use the truck? (Daily driver or dedicated tow vehicle?)

If you tow long distances often and it's not a daily driver I'd go gas (5.7 or 6.4 is up to you)
I assume this is all 3/4 ton, not 1 ton? Have you considered the 1 ton if it will be a dedicated tow vehicle the price difference for an apples to apples truck is about $1K, and future proofs you for trailers.

 

[jadocs]

Or do the oil and fuel filter changes on a CTD yourself. Saves big $. I did both on mine last week. I had over 10,000 miles on the truck and still could have gone further (with the oil). Fuel filters still had some life, but figured I'd change them anyway (since the weather was nice).

I went straight through the wheel well to remove and install the new oil filter. No need to remove or disconnect anything trying to access it from the top of the engine.

12 quarts of Rotella cost me like $50, the OEM oil filter was like $9.

Both OEM fuel filters I purchased for $110 shipped off ebay.

So total cost for oil and fuel filter changes was around $170.