Any of my 5th Gen brethren own a Duramax?

[Cajun_Limited]

Well i can say ive got a duramax and i love it. Yes it can be more to run but its not that bad. Ive got 80k on my 11 and it went into the shop twice for def related problems at around 20k and thats it since. Also around here diesel is about as much as premium gas so there aint much difference there. Also the urea(def) is like $12 for 2 1/2 gallons. I buy 2 every 7k or so when i change my oil, which i also do myself. I can say that with a gas the milage will be worse pulling than diesel. I use it at work occasionally and i have a 30ft 5th wheel i pull and i can honestly say that i will forget its back there when pulling it. Also about the "diesel fever" thing...well i gotta say, ive been bitten. I think i am a diesel guy from now on. I havent been to look at the 2015s because then i would want one and that would not make my wife very happy.

 

[LandCruiser]

-unless you tow close to the limit of the truck's chassis and on a daily baiss, the 6L is as good of an engine
-you HAVE to buy the Allison with the Duramax, the standard HD transmission will not hold up to the huge engine
-modern diesels aren't that fuel efficient or reliable due to ridiculous emissions standards
-you have to feed it cow piss, and if you run out, the truck will go into limp mode
-the 6-8 grand premium a diesel GM truck commands will buy a lot of gasoline
-they get bad fuel mileage until they hit 15-20k miles

I had the option of buying a 6L 2500 or the Duramax a few years back as use for a farm vehicle (towing machinery and hay bales) and chose the gas engine.

 

[Cajun_Limited]

-unless you tow close to the limit of the truck's chassis and on a daily baiss, the 6L is as good of an engine
-you HAVE to buy the Allison with the Duramax, the standard HD transmission will not hold up to the huge engine
-modern diesels aren't that fuel efficient or reliable due to ridiculous emissions standards
-you have to feed it cow piss, and if you run out, the truck will go into limp mode
-the 6-8 grand premium a diesel GM truck commands will buy a lot of gasoline
-they get bad fuel mileage until they hit 15-20k miles

I had the option of buying a 6L 2500 or the Duramax a few years back as use for a farm vehicle (towing machinery and hay bales) and chose the gas engine.

They already replaced the 6.0 with a 6.2.
The allison is hell of a transmission and idk why you wouldnt want it.
They are more fuel effient when towing than any gas engine.
They need urea about every 7k, just as they need an oil change. And it gives you PLENTY warnings before limp mode(which ive never experienced).
6-8k will buy you alot gas, and you will need it if you tow alot.
Not sure how "bad" the fuel milage is compare to a gas(in an HD)


Every vehicle has pros and cons. You have to weigh your options with what you will use it for.

 

[453030]

Thanks guys.

The new 6.2L is actually only available on the 1500; the 6.0 is the gasser in the 2500. Different block and other features to make it more heavy duty I read.

Without question the Duramax gets much better mileage than the 6.0, unloaded as a DD or towing. My cousin has the 6.0 and averages 10mpg unloaded, 6-7 towing. I believe when broken in the Duramax will get 15-18 as a highway cruiser no problem.

The up front cost does not matter to me. I would rather have the extra capability of the diesel than wish I had it 2 years from now.

As Tyler says, pros and cons to all vehicles; I'm still in my research stage.

 

[Jeff614]

I've been lucky enough to own each of the big 3 diesels at one time or another, 04 Cummins, 07 Duramax LTZ, and until recently a 11 F250 6.7L. While I probably liked the Ford the best due to the creature comforts and build quality, the vehicle I wish I still had above all them is the Duramax.

I've posted in a few other threads on my diesel experiences and to make it short and sweet the newer you go the more emissions equipment that comes with. Cleaner air is good, don't get me wrong, but these parts are expensive to repair and are generally not covered under the 100K engine warranty. You can still delete them, but that has gotten extremely expensive the past few years and will probably kill your warranty.

The 06-07 older body style "LTZ" engine codes are some of the most desirable as they were the last Duramax's w/o EGR's etc... Wish I never sold mine as the prices are still high on them. I was pleased with mine but felt the build quality of the truck itself was a little sub-par. (Bear in mind this was at the time GM was experiencing some financial problems.)

If used Duramax, I'd vote for an LTZ, otherwise at least test-drive all 3 makes and see which you like most before buying. They all make gobs of power with just about every creature comfort you could want and should meet your towing needs.

Best of luck with your decision and enjoy whichever you end up picking!
- Jeff

 

[Cajun_Limited]

LBZ was the engine code. LTZ is the package(LT &LTZ) But i know what you mean. As with the deleting emissions, it does void your warranty but its accually starting to get a lil cheaper. You can get a programmer that deletes for about $800 versus 1500-2000+ before. Now you still gotta buy exhaust but the options are limitless as far as that goes.

 

[Jeff614]

LBZ was the engine code. LTZ is the package(LT &LTZ) But i know what you mean. As with the deleting emissions, it does void your warranty but its accually starting to get a lil cheaper. You can get a programmer that deletes for about $800 versus 1500-2000+ before. Now you still gotta buy exhaust but the options are limitless as far as that goes.

Right you are! Sorry about that. Been awhile since I've been up on Duramax's and their option packages sometimes resemble their engine build codes.

I hear ya with the delete debate. I paid almost $700 to replace the DEF tank assembly on my 6.7L..... which was getting pretty close to the cost of a programmer to just delete the whole thing but there was also the exhaust to replace and EGR to remove or block as well. Had I kept the truck I probably would have gone for it. I do think MPG's would have gone up not to mention reliability.

Thanks for the correction!
- Jeff

 

[LandCruiser]

They already replaced the 6.0 with a 6.2.
The allison is hell of a transmission and idk why you wouldnt want it.
They are more fuel effient when towing than any gas engine.
They need urea about every 7k, just as they need an oil change. And it gives you PLENTY warnings before limp mode(which ive never experienced).
6-8k will buy you alot gas, and you will need it if you tow alot.
Not sure how "bad" the fuel milage is compare to a gas(in an HD)


Every vehicle has pros and cons. You have to weigh your options with what you will use it for.

-The 6.2 is the Vortex MAXX which is used in modified versions in their 1500 trucks, Denali, and Caddy. The base engine on HD's has always been, and still is the 6, not sure if the "new" 6 is the same as the "old" 6.
-The Allison is a hell of an expensive transmission, that's why most people buying fleet don't get one. The HD hydramatic is much cheaper.
-They are slightly more fuel efficient. My 2500 got 9-10 mpg towing near the limit, Diesels get 12-13 (but only after they've been broken in, they're more like 10-12 when new).
-The only "new" Duramax I've driven had some kind of malfunction or was reset by the dealer with a half-empty urea tank and I had to wait for an RV store to open when it went into limp mode on me on a Sunday
-I owned one of the "old" Duramax engines, it was a sludge-o-matic. I had the fuel system cleaned out three times because the fuel was turning to goop.

 

[phillyd2]

Make sure you talk to your accountant to see if they are still offer the tax credits for trucks.

 

[453030]

I've been lucky enough to own each of the big 3 diesels at one time or another, 04 Cummins, 07 Duramax LTZ, and until recently a 11 F250 6.7L. While I probably liked the Ford the best due to the creature comforts and build quality, the vehicle I wish I still had above all them is the Duramax.

I've posted in a few other threads on my diesel experiences and to make it short and sweet the newer you go the more emissions equipment that comes with. Cleaner air is good, don't get me wrong, but these parts are expensive to repair and are generally not covered under the 100K engine warranty. You can still delete them, but that has gotten extremely expensive the past few years and will probably kill your warranty.

The 06-07 older body style "LTZ" engine codes are some of the most desirable as they were the last Duramax's w/o EGR's etc... Wish I never sold mine as the prices are still high on them. I was pleased with mine but felt the build quality of the truck itself was a little sub-par. (Bear in mind this was at the time GM was experiencing some financial problems.)

If used Duramax, I'd vote for an LTZ, otherwise at least test-drive all 3 makes and see which you like most before buying. They all make gobs of power with just about every creature comfort you could want and should meet your towing needs.

Best of luck with your decision and enjoy whichever you end up picking!
- Jeff

Thanks Jeff. BTW, best avatar on the site!

The EPA stuff does kind of suck, and I hear the engines last longer and perform better without. Still, it sounds like Duramax will soon have a replacement for the LML with even tighter restrictions. No doubt the next DM will have increased power numbers, but it is perfectly fine for me as is.

I have thought about buying an older diesel just for my pulling needs, but really can't imagine my 5th Gen T4R sitting around so much. For me, it would make more sense to own a nice DD pickup and have an old FJ for my offroading.

 

[453030]

-The 6.2 is the Vortex MAXX which is used in modified versions in their 1500 trucks, Denali, and Caddy. The base engine on HD's has always been, and still is the 6, not sure if the "new" 6 is the same as the "old" 6.
-The Allison is a hell of an expensive transmission, that's why most people buying fleet don't get one. The HD hydramatic is much cheaper.
-They are slightly more fuel efficient. My 2500 got 9-10 mpg towing near the limit, Diesels get 12-13 (but only after they've been broken in, they're more like 10-12 when new).
-The only "new" Duramax I've driven had some kind of malfunction or was reset by the dealer with a half-empty urea tank and I had to wait for an RV store to open when it went into limp mode on me on a Sunday
-I owned one of the "old" Duramax engines, it was a sludge-o-matic. I had the fuel system cleaned out three times because the fuel was turning to goop.

Owners of the 2015s are reporting 19-20mpg unloaded in highway driving. Pretty impressive for a 7500 pound truck. There have been programming updates on the 15s said to improve mileage. Nonetheless, when you're in the market for such a truck, I don't think you care so much about the mileage or added fuel costs.

 

[453030]

Make sure you talk to your accountant to see if they are still offer the tax credits for trucks.

Appreciate you mentioning that Philly. I had already called my accountant to make sure I am maximizing my options in case I go ahead with it.

 

[Shogun]

Haven't been on here in a while and ran across this thread while checking back in. Here is the 07 2500 HD Duramax that I purchased brand new. At the time, GM had 12,000 off MSRP. I was bitten by the diesel bug and wanted a truck that I could drive for 500k miles. I keep my vehicles for 7 years or more on average. I have only owned GM vehicles, Camaro, 1500 SS Pickup, Z71 4x4, then the Dirtymax. I kept sticking with GM because of the deals I was able to get and they had been relatively trouble free. Not after the Duramax.

When I purchased the truck, I had hoped to be towing a boat back and forth to the Gulf Coast about 350 miles round trip on the weekends. Diesel was .50 per gallon cheaper than reg. unleaded. Then price went up to .20-.50 higher per gallon by a year after I purchased. I ended up getting a bass boat and stayed local even though I enjoyed salt water fishing. I got around 20-22 mpg hwy flat ground without towing. When I hooked up my 21' bass boat(probably around 4500-5k lbs) it dropped to around 13-15. I found as long as you keep it around 65mpg you will get best results. This was the extent of my towing.

Throughout the time I owned the truck I feel like I paid double what I would have paid over a Gas model. Even though "supposedly" it is less frequent maintenance, It seemed like when it did need something the price was 2x over gas so it evened out. I had various issues in the 6 years I owned the truck. I finally got tired of constantly having to fix things and I sold it and purchased a Japanese made vehicle.

I am not sure if this still applies to the newer trucks but you may have to plug in the engine block heater to keep the glow plugs warm in the Cold Mountain air. Also, in the winter time, don't count on getting good fuel mileage with the winter blend diesel fuel.

If you have to have the towing power of diesel then go for it, but if not I highly recommend a gas model. And whatever you do, don't tune the engine unless you want to deal with major problems at some point.

Good luck in your quest.

 

[453030]

Haven't been on here in a while and ran across this thread while checking back in. Here is the 07 2500 HD Duramax that I purchased brand new. At the time, GM had 12,000 off MSRP. I was bitten by the diesel bug and wanted a truck that I could drive for 500k miles. I keep my vehicles for 7 years or more on average. I have only owned GM vehicles, Camaro, 1500 SS Pickup, Z71 4x4, then the Dirtymax. I kept sticking with GM because of the deals I was able to get and they had been relatively trouble free. Not after the Duramax.

When I purchased the truck, I had hoped to be towing a boat back and forth to the Gulf Coast about 350 miles round trip on the weekends. Diesel was .50 per gallon cheaper than reg. unleaded. Then price went up to .20-.50 higher per gallon by a year after I purchased. I ended up getting a bass boat and stayed local even though I enjoyed salt water fishing. I got around 20-22 mpg hwy flat ground without towing. When I hooked up my 21' bass boat(probably around 4500-5k lbs) it dropped to around 13-15. I found as long as you keep it around 65mpg you will get best results. This was the extent of my towing.

Throughout the time I owned the truck I feel like I paid double what I would have paid over a Gas model. Even though "supposedly" it is less frequent maintenance, It seemed like when it did need something the price was 2x over gas so it evened out. I had various issues in the 6 years I owned the truck. I finally got tired of constantly having to fix things and I sold it and purchased a Japanese made vehicle.

I am not sure if this still applies to the newer trucks but you may have to plug in the engine block heater to keep the glow plugs warm in the Cold Mountain air. Also, in the winter time, don't count on getting good fuel mileage with the winter blend diesel fuel.

If you have to have the towing power of diesel then go for it, but if not I highly recommend a gas model. And whatever you do, don't tune the engine unless you want to deal with major problems at some point.

Good luck in your quest.

Good feedback Shogun, thanks for your reply. I'm far from decided at this point. I'm waiting to drive a 6.2L 1/2 ton, and won't finalize anything until I do. I know the gas engine will meet my towing needs for sure, at least in the short term.

 

[SGuite]

I have a 2005 and a 2012 Duramax 2500. The 2005 has almost 300K and the 2012 has 50K. My husband and I own a landscape business and have a Bermuda hay business. We are always hauling. Except for electrical issues for the 2005, the trucks have been great. I don't think there is any comparison between gas and diesel with regard to performance. If we are not towing, our mpg is a little better than the avg you stated. Although I will hate to do it, I am planning on selling my 2013 LE to buy a 2015 GMC 3500 HD Duramax. It will be a more practical vehicle for our line of work. We have had gas burner trucks before, but we much prefer diesels. I think the extra $ is worth it. I wish Toyota had continued with their diesel Tundra plan.

 

[LandCruiser]

Chipping/modding the engine management and emissions systems of a diesel HD truck is for retarded sons of GM dealership owners. Nothing is more awesome than voiding the powertrain warranty of a 55-60 thousand dollar pickup. Don't get conned into buying a diesel because of some magical fuel economy or torque numbers just because you want to be the douchebag in a lifted F350 trailing a cloud of black smoke along a highway onramp.

Diesel is for constant towing. If you have a gooseneck trailer and huge farm critters of machinery, get a diesel. I did the same towing with a garden variety 2500 HD 6L gas engine with a 4 speed HD transmission, I didn't get the feeling that the 6 liter engine was in some way "weak." The diesel makes the difference for that one guy who actually tows 18,000 pounds with a pickup truck instead of a semi. The rest of you will be fine with either gas or diesel, but there's this culture that diesel is somehow magic and they will sell you a pickup for a small fortune to prove that point.

Diesel doesn't overheat offroad. None of these trucks which are longer and wider than a locomotive will make it very far off road so it's a moot point.

Diesel gets marginally better fuel economy when towing, gas engines have gotten better and diesel economy rules have crippled their mileage. If you drive 60 in the left lane of a 75mph highway, you might be able to break 18mpg in a diesel truck. My Sierra HD was pushing 17-18mpg unloaded.

 

[453030]

I have a 2005 and a 2012 Duramax 2500. The 2005 has almost 300K and the 2012 has 50K. My husband and I own a landscape business and have a Bermuda hay business. We are always hauling. Except for electrical issues for the 2005, the trucks have been great. I don't think there is any comparison between gas and diesel with regard to performance. If we are not towing, our mpg is a little better than the avg you stated. Although I will hate to do it, I am planning on selling my 2013 LE to buy a 2015 GMC 3500 HD Duramax. It will be a more practical vehicle for our line of work. We have had gas burner trucks before, but we much prefer diesels. I think the extra $ is worth it. I wish Toyota had continued with their diesel Tundra plan.

Appreciate the feedback, especially on the 2012, which has the same powertrain as the 2015. Have you been inside one yet? Super nice on the inside.

I have heard the Tundra might have a Cummings option soon but am not sure when.

 

[453030]

Chipping/modding the engine management and emissions systems of a diesel HD truck is for retarded sons of GM dealership owners. Nothing is more awesome than voiding the powertrain warranty of a 55-60 thousand dollar pickup. Don't get conned into buying a diesel because of some magical fuel economy or torque numbers just because you want to be the douchebag in a lifted F350 trailing a cloud of black smoke along a highway onramp.

Diesel is for constant towing. If you have a gooseneck trailer and huge farm critters of machinery, get a diesel. I did the same towing with a garden variety 2500 HD 6L gas engine with a 4 speed HD transmission, I didn't get the feeling that the 6 liter engine was in some way "weak." The diesel makes the difference for that one guy who actually tows 18,000 pounds with a pickup truck instead of a semi. The rest of you will be fine with either gas or diesel, but there's this culture that diesel is somehow magic and they will sell you a pickup for a small fortune to prove that point.

Diesel doesn't overheat offroad. None of these trucks which are longer and wider than a locomotive will make it very far off road so it's a moot point.

Diesel gets marginally better fuel economy when towing, gas engines have gotten better and diesel economy rules have crippled their mileage. If you drive 60 in the left lane of a 75mph highway, you might be able to break 18mpg in a diesel truck. My Sierra HD was pushing 17-18mpg unloaded.

If I get a diesel I am leaving it stock. I have no interest in chipping.

Your reported mileage of a 6.0 HD is astounding. My cousin has a 6.0 in a 1500 and averages 12-13.

 

[islandstyle]

Came from a F-350 super duty diesel to a t4r and it was a big mistake.

 

[Cajun_Limited]

Chipping/modding the engine management and emissions systems of a diesel HD truck is for retarded sons of GM dealership owners. Nothing is more awesome than voiding the powertrain warranty of a 55-60 thousand dollar pickup. Don't get conned into buying a diesel because of some magical fuel economy or torque numbers just because you want to be the douchebag in a lifted F350 trailing a cloud of black smoke along a highway onramp.

Diesel is for constant towing. If you have a gooseneck trailer and huge farm critters of machinery, get a diesel. I did the same towing with a garden variety 2500 HD 6L gas engine with a 4 speed HD transmission, I didn't get the feeling that the 6 liter engine was in some way "weak." The diesel makes the difference for that one guy who actually tows 18,000 pounds with a pickup truck instead of a semi. The rest of you will be fine with either gas or diesel, but there's this culture that diesel is somehow magic and they will sell you a pickup for a small fortune to prove that point.

Diesel doesn't overheat offroad. None of these trucks which are longer and wider than a locomotive will make it very far off road so it's a moot point.

Diesel gets marginally better fuel economy when towing, gas engines have gotten better and diesel economy rules have crippled their mileage. If you drive 60 in the left lane of a 75mph highway, you might be able to break 18mpg in a diesel truck. My Sierra HD was pushing 17-18mpg unloaded.

First off, almost every person i know who deleted bought an exhaust with a muffler that is almost as quiet as stock and tunes for the new trucks(duramaxes, not fords) dont blow ANY smoke.

You are right, most of the time it voids your powertrain warranty, but depending on how well you know your dealer, they do work on deleted trucks. Its like buying $40k 4runner and lifting it, it will void all suspension parts. Im sure there are several guys on here lifting brand new trucks. Its all the same.

And you "might" be able to break 18 in a diesel?!? I know guys who are making 23mpg. Now they drive all hwy, but it is still achievable.

Appreciate the feedback, especially on the 2012, which has the same powertrain as the 2015. Have you been inside one yet? Super nice on the inside.

I have heard the Tundra might have a Cummings option soon but am not sure when.

Yes sir, i read 2016 toyota cummins.

If I get a diesel I am leaving it stock. I have no interest in chipping.

Your reported mileage of a 6.0 HD is astounding. My cousin has a 6.0 in a 1500 and averages 12-13.

very astounding considering he would get 9-10 towing. Thats a big difference.

-The 6.2 is the Vortex MAXX which is used in modified versions in their 1500 trucks, Denali, and Caddy. The base engine on HD's has always been, and still is the 6, not sure if the "new" 6 is the same as the "old" 6.
-The Allison is a hell of an expensive transmission, that's why most people buying fleet don't get one. The HD hydramatic is much cheaper.
-They are slightly more fuel efficient. My 2500 got 9-10 mpg towing near the limit, Diesels get 12-13 (but only after they've been broken in, they're more like 10-12 when new).
-The only "new" Duramax I've driven had some kind of malfunction or was reset by the dealer with a half-empty urea tank and I had to wait for an RV store to open when it went into limp mode on me on a Sunday
-I owned one of the "old" Duramax engines, it was a sludge-o-matic. I had the fuel system cleaned out three times because the fuel was turning to goop.

The HD hydramatic might be cheaper, but sometimes you get what you pay for.
Ive gotten about 13 towing since brand new, but i also have a heavy right foot.
You cant compare the one truck you encountered that had a malfunction. Im on duramax forum and ive never heard of a guy that had his truck "misread" how much DEF was in the truck.
On your "old" duramax, sounds like you were getting bad fuel that had nothing to do with the truck