Is it worth buying a diesel? They typically cost more vs their gas counterparts as diesel engines are considered an upgrade. They cost more to maintain and fix and diesel prices are more expensive at the pump than regular gas. If you don’t know much about trucks and you’re just looking at price tags, it may be difficult to justify the purchase. Once you understand the benefits, however, there are actually a lot of reasons a diesel truck may hold greater value and be more practical for you. Here is why Diesel gets our vote.
Torque
When you see people towing heavy loads, it is usually by a Diesel. Let me give you an example to help you understand the difference between a gas and diesel full size truck. A 2018 Ram 2500 Power Wagon equipped with the best in class 6.4L Hemi has 410 Torque lb/feet. That same year truck equipped with a 6.7L Cummins produces over 800 lb/feet of torque. You’ll find the same scenario regardless of which make of truck you choose. There are a variety of reasons why diesel trucks produce more torque, with the main reasons being turbo boost, stroke length, and cylinder pressure. They are actually more efficient as well. Because of its much higher torque, a diesel will be able to pull a heavy load at a much lower rpm range resulting in your truck not having to work as hard.
Longevity
When was the last time you saw a gas truck running well at over 200,000 miles? Diesels are built to be abused, and for a long time at that. It’s very common to see Diesels with more than 200,000 miles. Many have even made it to a million miles! I personally have a 1984 Ford F-250 with 6.9 IDI motor in it and it just hit over 200,000 miles. If you’re planning on putting mileage on your truck or keeping it for a long time, diesel is the way to go!
Fuel Economy
As if power and longevity aren’t enough, Diesels get better fuel economy as well. In the last couple of years, 1/2 ton trucks have started to come out with diesel engines too! Both Ram’s EcoDiesel and Ford’s 3.0L Powerstroke are capable of getting close to 30 mpgs on the highway and over 20 mpg in the city. Even the big, 3/4 and 1 ton trucks are getting close to 20 mpg highway. Add a trailer or bigger wheels and tires and any truck will suffer mpg wise. In my experience, i’ve always experienced less of a drastic drop in mpg in a diesel.
More Aftermarket Add-Ons
My favorite thing about diesels is that they have so many aftermarket products available to improve your truck’s horsepower, torque, and fuel economy! Gas trucks have some aftermarket parts too, but performance wise the parts just don’t make as much of a difference. Tunes, turbo kits, fuel system upgrades, and exhausts make a huge difference in diesel trucks. There are numerous diesels making 1000+ horsepower and 2000 torque. Yes, I understand this doesn’t make for a practical daily driver. The point i’m trying to get across is that with a diesel you have a lot more options and ways to customize your truck to make it the perfect truck for you.
Depreciation
Being an old sales consultant at a car dealership, I got to witness depreciation in all its glory on a daily basis. The older your truck gets, the more miles you put on it, and whether you’ve been in an accident all can have a huge impact on your truck’s value. There are more factors that affect depreciation too. With that being said, Diesel trucks depreciate much less! Take a look at craigslist, an 02 F-250, 7.3 Powerstroke with under 200k miles can still be sold for $10-15000. That just doesn’t happen with gas trucks. You may have to pay more initially, but you will get more later!
Summing It All Up
Diesel trucks can cost you more money, but if you can afford it, we think you should consider making the upgrade. Whether you buy a Duramax, Powerstroke, or Cummins you’ll never want a gas truck again. Diesel trucks are more powerful, last longer, and get better fuel economy! If you’re someone that likes to customize your truck, they have more performance options available. You will find out when you go to trade or sell your truck that they depreciate less too! Convinced you should buy a Diesel yet? The next decision is even harder. Which Diesel truck is the best for you? Powerstroke, Cummins, or Duramax? We’ll be doing write-ups about all of them soon, to help you out!