Well..I Stuck With the Diesel

You may recall that I was asking questions about whether the new gas engines would work on the One Tons hauling things. I've had diesels for years, but thought it might be cheaper to have a gasser. I currently have a 2004 Duramax with a little over 88K miles.

After heavy contemplating, and almost going with a gasser, I got a great deal on this 2011 Duramax. It has way more bells and whistles than I would like, but the price was great. Should last me a long time no more miles than I do any more. Pick it up tomorrow. Bob

I wish you well on your "new" truck. My brother runs Chevy diesels. He ahs had pretty good luck. The injectors are costly but that is true on any newer Diesel. If your only putting the miles you did on your last one you should not have injector issues.

You will be glad you did. I strayed last time and bought a gasser F-350. Really liked the truck but.... not a diesel. Sold it in short order and got another Cummins.

Good choice in my opinion. If you want to commute, by gas, if you want to haul or tow, buy diesel. I went the Dodge Cummins route and have never looked back. I can't help myself but observe that I always recognize a GMC approaching because only 1 of the DRLs will be working. Odd, but seems to hold true. Just funnin'; good choice.

I've had two other Duramax's. The one I traded had 88K. New injectors at 54K. The '03 I traded for the '04 had new injectors at 100K. One went bad at 124K so the diesel shop said just put one in. Changed the one and in 5K more miles another was bad. Got rid of that truck for the 04 I just traded.

Supposedly, the newer Duramax injectors are a far better cry than the older. However, that is what they told me on the 04..lol - Bob

I think 2011 was a good year, first on DEF, but before they de tuned them.

Someone will be glad to get one with only 88thou on it. new one looks nice. My 88 doge Has 308000 miles only 28000 on the second engine though.

My 94 Cummins has 290,000+ on the first engine, still lights up on the first crank. Third transmission, second rear axle, original A/C compressor (never recharged), generator, radiator, power steering pump (but it is leaking), and have never done brake work other than pads and shoes. When I bought a Ford in December 2014 I couldn't bear to trade the Dodge in so it has a bale spike full time and I don't drive the Ford as much as I thought I would.

I have a 2011 RAM Mega Cab with the Cummins-Does not have the DEF. It was one of the last ones before the DEF ones came out. Has all the bells and whistles, but has the 6-speed manual. I don't think I'll be getting rid of this one, as the new diesels cost between 60-70 grand now. That's way too much to spend on a pickup in my opinion.

I am maybe old fashioned but I will never get a gasser again. My 7.3 has been flawless and tons of power. I would consider a Duramax. I have used one and thought it was a very nice truck. Congratulations.

nice truck! i sold my last diesel a few years ago with 300 grand on the clock and a iffy 2nd gear [ automatic] i have never been able to get an automatic to stay under me, dont know why as i kept them serviced, we do pull some heavy loads around here. now i have my old gassers, they get the job done fine, but of course compared to today's trucks there slow,and under powered,being a big truck driver, i have never been able to figure out why none of the big 3 offered an aux transmission or a 2 speed axle on the 1 tons that gap between 3rd and 4th is a killer on any kind of a hill, with a load, and 3 of the 4 are factory a/c delete, the 4th's a/c doesnt work, so today there hot, back when they were new in the early 80's at 7,000 ft elevation we didnt really need a/c but now, man i wish they had it, global warming? lol, i have to keep telling myself, that even if they get from 6, to 11 mpg, the payment on a new truck is still more than the cost of all the gas i can stick in these old faithful trucks per month, plus the down payment, and the full coverage insurance. not to mention i can fix these old ones. but, seeing yours, i can wish, glad you got it

Yep after all these years GM still can't get both headlights to stay on at once ! And then there is the key switch issues.

First major repair bill will wipe out any "savings".

What "savings"? They cost a lot more than a gas one to start with. I can't speak for everyone here, but I buy diesel pickups, because they have enough power and torque to pull a load at a decent speed, unlike a gas engine. A few more MPG with the diesel is nice, but not the reason I buy them.

2011 WAS a good year. The Feds were in charge and being a retired design/development/test/mfgr engineer, no doubt the designers who had things they wanted to do were allowed to do them (different management calling the shots) and the results are history. Doubt I will get rid of my 2011 Silverado.