I currently have a 00 silverado LT 1500, 4x4, 5.3, with 75,000 miles. I have the option of buying a 04 silverado LT, 2500HD, 4x4, with the duramax motor, with around 38,000 miles on it. I know nothing about diesels other than they can get better mpg, toe more, and they are slightly more expensive to work on. For something to mainly drive back and fourth to work (about 45 miles round trip) and to pull a trailer (4500 lbs) about once or twice a month, would it be a wise move if I plan on keeping either truck until it has about 200,000 miles on it????

GO WITH THE DIESEL!!! No doubt about it.

No question or comparison.. That diesel will be running LONG after the gas-burner is in the grave..

No question or comparison.. That diesel will be running LONG after the gas-burner is in the grave..
Not to mention the mileage difference.

Diesel has a lot more torque good for pulling stuff like your trailer

Way WAY more potential power in the diesel. With just a few mods you can get even better gas milage and power. Plus you can always run bio diesel, which I believe is the way of the future! My next car will be diesel powered.

On a side note, you can get propane injection for it and get more MPG and power!

What is the few modifications you suggest? At what point would I need to go to a new fuel pump with more volume?

Me vote for Diesel. I want one myself.

I had a 03 K2500 6.6 duramax, it would only get about 16 mpg empty city, and 19 mpg empty hwy, my brother has a 05 k1500 5.3, he gets 18mpg city and 24 hwy empty. I would go with the diesel if you plan on doing a lot of pulling especially up hills, but if you only pull once in a while, then I would stay gas. That 5.3 gets better mileage, and is cheeper to repair and maintain. The diesel will pull better, no question, but you need to determine weather or not you actually need the extra power.

I had a 03 K2500 6.6 duramax, it would only get about 16 mpg empty city, and 19 mpg empty hwy, my brother has a 05 k1500 5.3, he gets 18mpg city and 24 hwy empty.

Wow, 18 and 24!!!! Does you brother live in some dream world where everywhere he drives is magically downhill. I have 04 with the 5.3 3.73's and stock tires. The best mpg I ever got was 19 highway. I get only about 15-16 highway. Now I have 35's and will have 4.56's next week and hoping to stay somewhere around 13-14 mpg. Everyone I know with a diesel, D-MAX, Cummings and Powerstroke, get at least an average of 20 and upwards of 25. How many miles on that 03 D-MAX. Diesels need a good 40-50k to start really breaking in. My parents Powerstroke new was getting 13 but now there up to 19, its only got 25k+. They pulled their 33 foot fifth wheel to Alaska (motor had about 15k at the time) and got about 15 mpg. To make a long story short, Diesel is the way of the future like one guy said before, It would be worth it just for the ability to run Bio-diesel. The original diesel engine wasnt even designed to run petrol based diesel. Take a look at the european market almost half the cars sold are diesel.

I agree, the best I ever got in 2.5 yrs of owning this 5.3L, is 17 mpg. However since then I have put a few performance parts on to help my truck breath better, such as a Gen II K&N, and a Corsa exhaust, and I have not seen anything over 15.7 empty in town. That is one reason I am considering going to a diesel. However, would it be worth it for someone who mostly drives to and from work (20 miles each way), with an occasional boat weighing 4500 lbs. It sounds like the diesel will last longer overall and I might get better mpg.

What is the few modifications you suggest? At what point would I need to go to a new fuel pump with more volume?

DON'T touch the fuel until you address the air intake! Don't believe me, go ahead and call Gale Banks.. He's by far THE best manufacturer of turbo kits, parts, engines, accy's. He's even tapped into the domestic(See twin-turbo'd GM s/b 350) and import markets..

I tried to find a diesel in my price range with no luck . You can't get that kind of power out of gas . A simple programmer can give you 100 horses and 200 ft/lb torque . Rob

Dream world huh? I have a friend with a '02 silv 5.3 and he is getting about the same as my brother, I had a '97 K1500 5.7 and got 18 city and 23 hwy.

diesel power is the way to go, you can never ever EVER have enough horsepower/torque with a deisel

on a side note: diesel u can make black smoke when u step on it and it smells better, no one screws with a deisel.

Edited for content.

A proper running diesel shouldn't smoke much at all. But yeah, they can be fast. I remember the Bully Dog dodge on Pinks....

I would stick with the gas. most people I talk to that have a duramax that is stock said they are fine until you hook up to a trailer then they are major fuel hogs and won't pull shit. also with the price of fuel and maint. it will cost a bunch more over the life of it. the new laws for low sulpher diesel fuel is going to keep the price up there and I have read the fuel is causing major overheating problems with engines .

Diesels certainly can make torque, but it's rather odd that some of the older GM gasoline engines were making 630 ft/lb as low as 1,600 RPM. They had more torque than most diesels do today. The "mighty" Cummins 600 diesel in Dodge trucks produces a peak torque which falls 20 ft/lb short of the "weak" gasoline engine. Anyone want to take a bet on that one? What's your favorite beverage?