Question For Diesel Truck Owners

[grundy53]

I have never owned a diesel but am probably going to be purchasing one relatively soon. I've seen quite a few being sold at around 100,000 miles. I've heard that a diesel is just getting broken in at 100,000- 125,000 miles. Is this true? At what milage would you consider it too high to purchase? Thank you for any help you can give me.

[sebek556]

as with any truck it depends on the owner's maintenance. But that being said, my dad's 99 cummin's has 290k still going strong

[gasman]

as with any truck it depends on the owner's maintenance. But that being said, my dad's 99 cummin's has 290k still going strong

 

My brother has a power stoke that is over 300,000 miles.

Personally I would like to look for a used one in the 40K to 60K mile range, but for th right truck, 100K would be OK also.
 

[JohnVH]

lower miles = more money, get what you can. I bought my cummins a year ago with 135k on it, awesome truck!

[uplandhunter870]

i dont personally own a diesel rig but ive been around/worked on/ drove a good number of them. at 100k i wouldnt say just getting broke in but would say its broken in.

as what sebek said it depends a lot on the previous owners maintenance diligence. my dad has an '03 F-350 with around 275k on it hes real ocd about regular maintenance, only part that has had to be replaced was the alternator (went out around 200k) hes used that truck to haul trailer loads of fruit over the pass to the west side when we were packing and selling our fruit ourselves that truck also hauls loads within its limits all summer long for the farm as well as towing his 20' alumaweld. i wouldnt hestitate to buy that truck if he wanted to sell it.

on the flip side of the coin i know a guy with a 2000 F-250 with around 175k on it and i wouldnt take it if he gave it to me free and clear simply because i know his maintenance, or lack there of, routine that truck has more problems than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs

if it were me id try to find one in the sub 100k range but if the previous owner was good about maintenance the 150k neighborhood wouldnt bother me

[6x6in6]

Not really a whole lot different than a gas power plant really.  Maintenance is key.  If you can get trusted service records I wouldn't think twice about a 100k+ diesel if all was well. 
At a 100k you need to think more about the trans (auto internals or manual's clutch) then the engine really, assuming the engine was well maintained.
Also, the little things add  up too.  U-joints, ball joints, axle shaft joints, steering components, brakes.  It all adds up.

Were you thinking of a specific flavor of truck?  Hopefully you'll be wise and say a Dodge.

[netcoyote]

I've heard that a diesel is just getting broken in at 100,000- 125,000 miles. Is this true? At what milage would you consider it too high to purchase?

I've purchased three Dodge Cummins trucks since 2002 so I feel that I have some experience to speak to your question. My first Ram was the 2002 that I bought new. I've done all the regular maintenance; oil changes, brakes, filters,etc. I liked the truck so much that when my daughter needed a truck to pull a horse trailer, I recomended that she buy a Dodge diesel. We found a used 2001 with about 80k miles and good maintenance records. The third Ram was a 1998 that I bought a few years ago that had 95k miles on it that I use to haul a travel trailer. This truck also appeared to be well maintained.

A few observations to get to your question. All three trucks needed to have lift pumps replaced. The stock Dodge pump just is not reliable and up to the task of supplying enough fuel to the injector pump. As far as I see on dodge forums, this is a common problem. One Dodge has an Air Dog pump and the others have FAST systems installed. If you get a Dodge with ANY miles on it I would recommend upgrading the lift pump as a starting point. If you wait too long on lift pump replacement, you run the risk of burning out your injector pump. Had that happen on one truck and that fix will set you back about $2500.

I read in forums that you still can expect injector pump problems somewhere after 100k miles. I'd just factor that into the price of a used rig. I replaced one on my 2002 but the others are still running strong at over 130k.

I've heard all sorts of stories about brakes on these trucks, but I think brake wear is purely a function of what quality brake parts are used and the drivers habits. My wife drives the 2002 mostly for pulling a horse trailer and we have driven it on a lot of steep mountain roads. Even at that, we still got over 70k miles on the original brakes before I replaced pads and rotors. Never go cheap on brake replacement parts and try to do the work yourself and you will be alright.

Steering boxes on older Dodges get a lot of stress and we have replaced one of those. There is an aftermarket stabilizer that helps this condition which I have installed one one of the trucks.

So, to get to your question, the whole reference to "just getting broke in at 100k miles" is a term that gets thrown around a lot but has little meaning in reality. You won't get a lot of agreement on what the term "broken in" means, let alone consensus on how that applies to a particular truck. Every used truck is different and has had a different history of use and maintenance. Generally speaking a Cummins diesel will last a LONG time with regular maintenance. You won't be spending money on engine rebuilds or head gasket replacement, but you will be spending money on all the other stuff around the engine.

Personally, given the experience I have had, I would not be shy about buying a Dodge Cummins with 100k miles, even 200k if I could be confident of the usage and maintenance records and it was a clean truck overall. Over 200k would be a little iffy, but again it depends on price, maintenance and what you intend to use the truck for. There are some good deals out there but you really have to do your homework and know what you are buying and be ready to buy if a good deal shows up. It won't last long.

That's one man's experience with older Dodge diesels. Like they say, your mileage may vary.

[Dhoey07]

I held out and bought mine with 44k on it and this is why.  I took out a loan on my truck and i wanted something left when i got it paid off.  So in 5 years my truck will only have 100k on it instead of 175k and being worth next to nothing. 
  And yes, diesel motors last a long time, but what about everything else on the truck?  Batteries, alternators, front suspension, trannies (if you're looking at a older auto dodge), etc....

[KimberRich]

I've heard that a diesel is just getting broken in at 100,000- 125,000 miles. Is this true? At what milage would you consider it too high to purchase?

I've purchased three Dodge Cummins trucks since 2002 so I feel that I have some experience to speak to your question. My first Ram was the 2002 that I bought new. I've done all the regular maintenance; oil changes, brakes, filters,etc. I liked the truck so much that when my daughter needed a truck to pull a horse trailer, I recomended that she buy a Dodge diesel. We found a used 2001 with about 80k miles and good maintenance records. The third Ram was a 1998 that I bought a few years ago that had 95k miles on it that I use to haul a travel trailer. This truck also appeared to be well maintained.

A few observations to get to your question. All three trucks needed to have lift pumps replaced. The stock Dodge pump just is not reliable and up to the task of supplying enough fuel to the injector pump. As far as I see on dodge forums, this is a common problem. One Dodge has an Air Dog pump and the others have FAST systems installed. If you get a Dodge with ANY miles on it I would recommend upgrading the lift pump as a starting point. If you wait too long on lift pump replacement, you run the risk of burning out your injector pump. Had that happen on one truck and that fix will set you back about $2500.

I read in forums that you still can expect injector pump problems somewhere after 100k miles. I'd just factor that into the price of a used rig. I replaced one on my 2002 but the others are still running strong at over 130k.

I've heard all sorts of stories about brakes on these trucks, but I think brake wear is purely a function of what quality brake parts are used and the drivers habits. My wife drives the 2002 mostly for pulling a horse trailer and we have driven it on a lot of steep mountain roads. Even at that, we still got over 70k miles on the original brakes before I replaced pads and rotors. Never go cheap on brake replacement parts and try to do the work yourself and you will be alright.

Steering boxes on older Dodges get a lot of stress and we have replaced one of those. There is an aftermarket stabilizer that helps this condition which I have installed one one of the trucks.

So, to get to your question, the whole reference to "just getting broke in at 100k miles" is a term that gets thrown around a lot but has little meaning in reality. You won't get a lot of agreement on what the term "broken in" means, let alone consensus on how that applies to a particular truck. Every used truck is different and has had a different history of use and maintenance. Generally speaking a Cummins diesel will last a LONG time with regular maintenance. You won't be spending money on engine rebuilds or head gasket replacement, but you will be spending money on all the other stuff around the engine.

Personally, given the experience I have had, I would not be shy about buying a Dodge Cummins with 100k miles, even 200k if I could be confident of the usage and maintenance records and it was a clean truck overall. Over 200k would be a little iffy, but again it depends on price, maintenance and what you intend to use the truck for. There are some good deals out there but you really have to do your homework and know what you are buying and be ready to buy if a good deal shows up. It won't last long.

That's one man's experience with older Dodge diesels. Like they say, your mileage may vary.

Good info and well written.

I've owned 3 diesels.  An '04 Duramax with the 6.6, an '05 F-250 with the 6.0, and currently an '05 Dodge 2500 with the 5.9.  Every one of them had their issues.  Like people have said, maintenance is key.  I wouldn't hesitate to buy one with higher mileage if I knew all the maintenance had been done.

[cohoho]

My thoughts are buy something with lower mileage, as the higher mileage vehicles might have an awesome Diesel that will last for 300-400K, it is the rest of the truck that is normal.   Chevy, Dodge or Ford, doesn't matter they all are the same in regards to front end and other normal truck wear parts that their gas engined Vehicle have...   If you buy a higher mileage diesel vehicle double check all the other NORMAL parts that go bad, i.e. ball joints, u-joints, rear-ends, etc....    Have it checked out at a certified mechanic.  Best money you'll ever spend is that 100 bucks or so for a complete check....  Price of all new trucks is absolutely ridiculous, I mean 50-57K for a new diesel Dodge or Chevy is outright crazy. 

I got an 06 Chevy I bought new in late 06 that has 180K, plan on running it till it hits 350K....  in 5-6 more years...

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Own 03 cummins in a 3500 Dodge.104,000 5.9 litter 24 valve. Front u joints went out at 75,000 up graded to free spin kit aka HUBS. Just installed Edge Juice programmer for better towing performace and fuel milledge. Like stated before maintenance,and more maintenance for any rig to be reliable. My plan is to die with this truck! There is only one diesal on the planet and that is a CUMMINS! If you had to have a ford or chevy truck you can install a cummins in those with an adaptor kit!

[et1702]

I think most people have already hit all the high points.  Yes, the factory lift pump on the earlier dodges will fail.  Best to replace with a FASS or other lift pump.  At 100K, it is likely that the factory lift pump has failed once already.  If so, and not caught right away, the injector pump will fail shortly thereafter.  FYI, the truck will still start and run even if the factory lift pump is dead.  The injection pump will still pull enough fuel, but it isn't designed to do this (which is why it fails soon after the lift pump goes out).  I know, as I learned the hard way.  This being the case, I have a 2001 Dodge that I bought w/72,000mi on it.  After, I had to replace the lift and injection pump at about 105K miles (i.e., right after the warranty was over).  I also added the steering box stabilizer kit mentioned previously.  Otherwise, I now have over 235K miles on her and she's still running strong, doesn't use more than a quart of oil between 3K and 5K miles.  I love my Cummins!  Oh, shes a six speed too, so I've replaced the clutch a couple times.  But, this stuff is just regular maintenance.  So, don't confuse regular maintenance issues with major problems when making your choice.

[grundy53]

Thank you everyone for your input. It is very helpful.

[Mulieman]

I have an '05-1/2 Dodge 6-speed manual with 190K on it. Only thing I have done is the carrier bearing twice (first one was installed wrong) and the front u-joints. I will definately buy another Dodge when I need a new truck. This one has hauled a lot as well. I have a 20' stock trailer and a 30' heavy flatbed trailer. They both get used to their capacity regularly.

[fillthefreezer]

also beware of trucks that are modded, ie: lifted, chipped, aftermarket intake etc as they have usually, not always, been abused

[JLS]

What happened in those 100k miles is a lot more important than how many.  I just bought an '03 Dodge with 200k miles on it.  One owner, solid maintenance history, and a clean bill of health from our auto shop.  I had the timing cover seal replaced, new shocks, and we're good to go.

Look to see if the engine has been hopped up or modified. Is the turbo showing signs of heat discoloration?  Discoloration is normal on the exhaust manifold, it's not on the turbo.

My first Dodge I bought new off the lot in '99.  Ran it hard for 160k miles before I wrecked it.  No issues other than the lift pump and the standard front end issues that diesels will have.

The line about being broken in at 100k is kind of silly.  The truck is broken in by 25k miles, even if you baby it.  However, a well maintained Cummins should not need a rebuild until well over 250k miles.

[JackOfAllTrades]

My 04 PSD Ford has been to the shop one time for a failed EGR valve. (I don't count the recal/flash and a We put the latest model of EGR in and it has been fine for +100,000 miles. Now have 155,000 on the truck. Four ball joints later... New front sway bar bushings.. (they only go 80-100,000 miles) Second set of shocks.  I maintain my truck meticulously. The brake rotors on the Fords are thin and will warp at less than 40,000 miles. But the vented/cross drilled aftermarket ones I have in place have near 100,000 miles on the front and 40,000 on the rear and stop just great with the factory metalic pads. Yeah... 155,000 miles on a set of pads. I change fuel filters every 30,000 miles and engine oil/filter every 5,000 miles with Delo400.  Royal Purple syncro shift is a much better oil/allows smoother shifting than tranny fluid in the manual 6spd. I still have the stock clutch and expect more than 200,000 miles from it. I'll be shooting for more than 300,000 miles from the engine/drive train. Key to turbo life is lubrication and keeping EGT's down. =4" down tube and unrestricted exhaust for better cooling (not just the cool sound).  I wouldn't buy a diesel with an automatic transmission. (I know there are a lot of people that like the durability of the Alison trans from GM..) Still, the amount of torque from a diesel engine driving an automatic that needs to be electronically shifted isn't something that's easily harnessed. Dodge has a great 5spd, and GM's & Ford's use of the ZF in either 5spd or 6spd has been time proven. 

If you don't tow or haul heavy loads.  Buying a gas rig might be a better choice. Diesels cost more in the short and long run.

All that said...  Our recent little trip from Lynden to Yakima back to Lynden via I-5, 405, 90, 82, 12, 7, 167, 405, I-5 over two passes used 33 gallons from my 38 gallon tank, cost $145 in fuel for 595 miles @18mpg. (~100 miles was city driving, otherwise I would have expected 19mpg)  Yes, I have more than a few times approached 700miles from one tank of fuel. The engine loves 66mph @~1,800rpm.  My diesel runs great at 155,000 miles!

There are dealer service reports you can get via vin# for each of the models. (tough to get, but there are ways)  I wouldn't buy used without getting that report.

-Steve

[JackOfAllTrades]

The line about being broken in at 100k is kind of silly.  The truck is broken in by 25k miles, even if you baby it.

I will sort of agree with you on the break in, but there was a noticeable power/fuel economy difference with my engine at around 35,000 miles. (which is funny because the EGR valve issue was about 40,000 miles). I still use the same fuel stations. It was before low sulfer fuel was at the pumps and before I did the exhaust change.  When it was new... it had less power than my 460gas Ford did going up a particular hill. Shy of 10,000 miles, the diesel went up the same hill in overdrive with ease! So, I guess there were two noticeable breakin hours/miles that indicated that things were starting to run better.

-Steve

[JLS]

I should have qualified that I'm speaking only about Cummins.  I know nothing about Ferds.

[fillthefreezer]

All that said...  Our recent little trip from Lynden to Yakima back to Lynden via I-5, 405, 90, 82, 12, 7, 167, 405, I-5 over two passes used 33 gallons from my 38 gallon tank, cost $145 in fuel for 595 miles @18mpg. (~100 miles was city driving, otherwise I would have expected 19mpg)  Yes, I have more than a few times approached 700miles from one tank of fuel. The engine loves 66mph @~1,800rpm.  My diesel runs great at 155,000 miles!
-Steve

in very similar terrain my 7.3 truck will pull 20-21mpg on avg and with the 35s will cruise at 70 at 1800. love that truck!

[6x6in6]

 So, I guess there were two noticeable breakin hours/miles that indicated that things were starting to run better.

-Steve

I would agree with this statement too with my '05 Dodge.
Around 20k was the first time I noticed a mild power increase and fuel economy jump.
55k it was a little more power and an increase in fuel economy again.

My '07 5.9 just plain sucks.  It's an automatic, enough said!  It's just plain a turd and crappy MPG's, I'm lucky if I can get 16 out of it.

[high country]

Many trucks have engine hour meters. I would take a truck with a lot of miles and low hours over low miles and high hours. Find the average mph based on hours and you can get a feel for the amount of city driving on it.....which in my opinion is harder on the truck thank hiway miles.....especially if your roads suck as bad as spokane's do.

[Dhoey07]

Many trucks have engine hour meters. I would take a truck with a lot of miles and low hours over low miles and high hours. Find the average mph based on hours and you can get a feel for the amount of city driving on it.....which in my opinion is harder on the truck thank hiway miles.....especially if your roads suck as bad as spokane's do.

A fellow spokane guy eh?  Which part of town are ya from?

[high country]

I don't live in spokane, I am out in Otis. Spokane streets are terrible, our gravel is better than their asphalt.

[sebek556]

spokane streets suck, but then again so does wellsley running through otis.. but atleast we can jump over the boarder for that cheap idaho gas/deisel.

[high country]

spokane streets suck, but then again so does wellsley running through otis.. but atleast we can jump over the boarder for that cheap idaho gas/deisel.

We like it rough....keeps the traffic back.

[royalbull]

own 2 diesels have had two others, probably wont buy another, unless you are pulling a trailer daily I no longer believe they are worth having with the price of fuel compared to that of gas, and everything else seems to be more expensive also, back when I started buying them diesel was way cheaper than gas and you got great mileage and horsepower compared to gas engines, nowadays gas motors have come along way, it use to be with gas you either got milage or power but never both, now it seems they have been able to improve that ratio quite a bit, since I don't pull a trailer daily my next rigs will all be gas

[predatorpro]

i have an 03 dodge diesel for about a year and a half....since then rebuilt tranny $3200, new water pump $80, new fan clutch $220, replaced two stuck calipers...cant remember how much that was...more than $200 and its sitting in the drive way broke down again...just bought a new lift pump for it for $170 today to get it running oh and the abs module is toast in it too which is a dealer only part that cost $400 all within a year....and i drive it easy as can be with only 160k on it i have only put about 20k on it since i have owned it...worst truck i have ever had....but good luck!

[KFhunter]

learn to spot an exhaust manifold thats been very hot a lot of times - pop the hood on a bunch of trucks you'll spot the ones thats been chipped and ran some hot EGT's
 
stay away from those
 
find one thats been stock from day one that some grandpa had and took to a reputible shop for maint, perhaps even dealer shop. 
Pay a premium to get that truck if you need too.

[Curly]

own 2 diesels have had two others, probably wont buy another, unless you are pulling a trailer daily I no longer believe they are worth having with the price of fuel compared to that of gas, and everything else seems to be more expensive also, back when I started buying them diesel was way cheaper than gas and you got great mileage and horsepower compared to gas engines, nowadays gas motors have come along way, it use to be with gas you either got milage or power but never both, now it seems they have been able to improve that ratio quite a bit, since I don't pull a trailer daily my next rigs will all be gas

I've thought about that too, but when I look at the mileage that a 3/4 Ton truck gets with a big gas motor it seems that the diesel truck is still a better option even with diesel being close to $1/gal more.  But then good gas mileage estimates are hard to come by for 3/4 Ton trucks...........

[Curly]

I found a fuel economy test for 2010HD 3/4 T trucks: Test

All brands were fairly close for all practical purposes.  Taking the Silverado results gives:

6.0L V-8 gas ---- 14 mpg empty; 10 mpg towing
6.6L Diesel ------ 19.7 mpg empty; 13 mpg towing

With current fuel prices around here at $3.89 for gas and $4.39 for diesel and assuming 20,000 mi/yr, I get the following numbers when comparing the cost of fuel for a diesel pickup vs. gas:

If you drove the entire year without towing it would cost $4,457 for diesel; $5,557 for gas. (+$1,100 gas)
If you drove the entire year with 100% towing it would cost $6,754 for diesel; $7,780 for gas. (+$1,026 gas)

If you did 80% not towing and 20% while towing it would cost $4,090 for diesel; $6,002 for gas. (+1,912 gas)

The diesel option is what $8,000 more?  If you do 20% of your mileage towing, you'd make up the difference in getting the diesel truck in just over 4 years; plus you'd have the advantage of the diesel power when you're towing. 

Maybe someone can check my math?  And maybe the 2012 models have different mpg figures? 

[JackOfAllTrades]

Similar comparisons have been made Curly.  The math is tough to quantify for 'pulling power'. I put a pretty high price on being able to pull what ever bloody speed I want to (within reason)..  The diesels usually come with better braking power and towing packages. There are other math factors that drive diesel ownership up a tad higher than a gas engine'd truck. Most people run a standard dino oil in the gas rig, (but many do like synthetics), but a gas engine only takes a full 5-6 quarts and a $9.00 filter. Diesels take 16quarts and a $22-28 oil filter. With a turbo, a diesel owner is well advised to change oil regularly. Fuel filter change on the diesel is also more often in many cases and costs more. My fuel filter is $35.  If you break something.. Most parts on a diesel cost more.

That said... I will probably never go back to a gas engine truck. My diesel truck is my daily driver.

-Steve

[Dhoey07]

Similar comparisons have been made Curly.  The math is tough to quantify for 'pulling power'. I put a pretty high price on being able to pull what ever bloody speed I want to (within reason)..  The diesels usually come with better braking power and towing packages. There are other math factors that drive diesel ownership up a tad higher than a gas engine'd truck. Most people run a standard dino oil in the gas rig, (but many do like synthetics), but a gas engine only takes a full 5-6 quarts and a $9.00 filter. Diesels take 16quarts and a $22-28 oil filter. With a turbo, a diesel owner is well advised to change oil regularly. Fuel filter change on the diesel is also more often in many cases and costs more. My fuel filter is $35.  If you break something.. Most parts on a diesel cost more.

That said... I will probably never go back to a gas engine truck. My diesel truck is my daily driver.

-Steve

16QT's of oil?! My duramax only takes 10. 

[C-Money]

I bought my 1986 F250 with the 6.9 diesel in the early 90's. It had right at 100,000 miles on it and it was in mint shape. I drove it for 12 years and Finlay traded it at 198,000. Great truck, had a ton of fun in it! I would not be afraid to buy one with 100,000 if it looks taken care of.

[JohnVH]

Similar comparisons have been made Curly.  The math is tough to quantify for 'pulling power'. I put a pretty high price on being able to pull what ever bloody speed I want to (within reason)..  The diesels usually come with better braking power and towing packages. There are other math factors that drive diesel ownership up a tad higher than a gas engine'd truck. Most people run a standard dino oil in the gas rig, (but many do like synthetics), but a gas engine only takes a full 5-6 quarts and a $9.00 filter. Diesels take 16quarts and a $22-28 oil filter. With a turbo, a diesel owner is well advised to change oil regularly. Fuel filter change on the diesel is also more often in many cases and costs more. My fuel filter is $35.  If you break something.. Most parts on a diesel cost more.

That said... I will probably never go back to a gas engine truck. My diesel truck is my daily driver.

-Steve

16QT's of oil?! My duramax only takes 10.

My cummins holds way more oil than my duralemon did, suprised me! I think it holds 3 gallons if I remember right.

[whacker1]

Similar comparisons have been made Curly.  The math is tough to quantify for 'pulling power'. I put a pretty high price on being able to pull what ever bloody speed I want to (within reason)..  The diesels usually come with better braking power and towing packages. There are other math factors that drive diesel ownership up a tad higher than a gas engine'd truck. Most people run a standard dino oil in the gas rig, (but many do like synthetics), but a gas engine only takes a full 5-6 quarts and a $9.00 filter. Diesels take 16quarts and a $22-28 oil filter. With a turbo, a diesel owner is well advised to change oil regularly. Fuel filter change on the diesel is also more often in many cases and costs more. My fuel filter is $35.  If you break something.. Most parts on a diesel cost more.

That said... I will probably never go back to a gas engine truck. My diesel truck is my daily driver.

-Steve

16QT's of oil?! My duramax only takes 10.

My cummins holds way more oil than my duralemon did, suprised me! I think it holds 3 gallons if I remember right.

4 quarts to a gallon would equal 12 quarts.

[JohnVH]

yes it sure would. So whatever is holding 16 qts is a monster.

[JackOfAllTrades]

16QT's of oil?! My duramax only takes 10.

I actually run 15qts in mine.. There was a service change in 06' I think. Something about a little too much splashing and leaving deposits on the bottom of the intake manifold.  But yes, the Ford 6.0 has a pretty big oil pan. Even at 10qts for the DuraIzuzu, that is twice as much as most put in their gas engines =Oil changes cost more.  How much is a GM oil filter? A little more than for the gas engine. I just looked up the price of a Ford gas engine air filter. It costs less than half as much as the filter for the Diesel.

-Steve

[Dhoey07]

16QT's of oil?! My duramax only takes 10.

I actually run 15qts in mine.. There was a service change in 06' I think. Something about a little too much splashing and leaving deposits on the bottom of the intake manifold.  But yes, the Ford 6.0 has a pretty big oil pan. Even at 10qts for the DuraIzuzu, that is twice as much as most put in their gas engines =Oil changes cost more.  How much is a GM oil filter? A little more than for the gas engine. I just looked up the price of a Ford gas engine air filter. It costs less than half as much as the filter for the Diesel.

-Steve

I run reusable air filters in all my vehichles so no difference there.  Oil filters are a bit more, and fuel filter are changed more often in diesels.  But no spark plugs to change in diesels 

[bobcat]

I found a fuel economy test for 2010HD 3/4 T trucks: Test

All brands were fairly close for all practical purposes.  Taking the Silverado results gives:

6.0L V-8 gas ---- 14 mpg empty; 10 mpg towing
6.6L Diesel ------ 19.7 mpg empty; 13 mpg towing

With current fuel prices around here at $3.89 for gas and $4.39 for diesel and assuming 20,000 mi/yr, I get the following numbers when comparing the cost of fuel for a diesel pickup vs. gas:

If you drove the entire year without towing it would cost $4,457 for diesel; $5,557 for gas. (+$1,100 gas)
If you drove the entire year with 100% towing it would cost $6,754 for diesel; $7,780 for gas. (+$1,026 gas)

If you did 80% not towing and 20% while towing it would cost $4,090 $4,916 for diesel; $6,002 for gas.  (+1,912 gas)    $1,086
The diesel option is what $8,000 more?  If you do 20% of your mileage towing, you'd make up the difference in getting the diesel truck in just over 4 years; plus you'd have the advantage of the diesel power when you're towing. 

Maybe someone can check my math?  And maybe the 2012 models have different mpg figures? 

I checked your math. Made a couple of changes (in red).

[Curly]

I checked your math. Made a couple of changes (in red).

Thanks.  I thought it may have been off.  My regular calculator was a work.

[6x6in6]

12 quarts in a '05 Dodge.
About $10-11 for a Fleetguard Oil Filter.
No synthetic, just good old fashioned dinosaurs in a Delo bottle.
I change mine every 3500 miles.  When I had around 20k on it, I sent oil samples off to Blackstone. At 3k the test was good with an anticipated oil life of 16k.  I sent another test off at 5k and those results came back good with an oil life of 15k.  I changed it shortly thereafter.  I did the same tests at around 75k with very similar results.  I did this more for the purpose of wear metals in the oil to see who things were internally.
$15-16 for a fuel filter.  I change this every other oil change.

Oils cheap, fuel and oil filters are cheap too.  Neglecting these is not cheap.

Free test kit with a $25 cost for analysis for those who may be interested.   http://www.blackstone-labs.com/free-test-kits.php

[whacker1]

For those in Spokane there is a local lab as well

http://www.oillab.com/

Some clients have used them on high performance boat engines. 

[JackOfAllTrades]

Oils cheap, fuel and oil filters are cheap too.  Neglecting these is not cheap.

Well said!  If you don't take care of a diesel, it will take you only one place.   The bank!  Just like a boat. If you don't take care of it, it's becomes a hole in the water and will swallow your wallet.

Delo400 for me every 5,000 miles since the truck was new. I don't use renewable/cleanable/re-usable air filter on the truck. The Donaldson design flows as well as the kits but traps more contaminates.  (Several tests have been done over the years) Sure, it's a $50 filter, but can you go wrong with better filtering for a forced induction?

Cold starts. Dual batteries. Fuel additive to avoid jelling. ...  I may be posting a few negatives for owning a diesel, but the power factor outweighs them all for me.

-Steve

[high country]

If you see a lot of oil sample results, you see that air filter service plays a big role on oil life.....the donaldson is the best filtering filter for most applications.

[30.06]

'01 F-250 Powerstroke it's bone stock other than the Hyperchip. Bought at 98k now at 106k. 2 oil changes Delo. Don't plan on selling it anytime soon. Replaced my '86 460 F-250 with 86k on it, bought at 56k. I used to regularly service a Cummins with 5 speed with over 200k and he would not sell it at any price. My buddy explained when he got his Cummins with automatic, that the tranny doesen't pump fluid to the converter while in park so either have it revalved or idle it in neutral to warm up the converter.  Also know another Dodge dude that calls his "the front end of my boat" as he uses his for towing only. I actually use an Accord as my daily driver. My 4th one. Went elk hunting in it once when too broke to fuel the truck. Over a C-note every fill up gets old quick. Grew up behind a small block Chev. Like all of the above previously stated, buy yours from an old man. Passing uphill with the camper on while towing my boat never happened with my gas guzzling 460. Good Luck!