Gas/Diesel New perspective needed please

[samahi72]

I am in the market for a truck. Here are choices (so far).
2001 Duramax, 2500 4x4 Automatic. 196K two owner vehicle. Needs tires, windshield and fuel sending unit. I can do the maintenance and the injectors recently replaced at 126k.

1998 Chevy 3500, 4x4 Automatic, 116K with a 454 gas engine. 5 owner vehicle, fairly new tires and everything else okay.

Vehicle will be used mainly to pull our 22 foot fifth wheel. We do have some mountain passes in Colorado that we will be pulling. Annual miles will be around 4,000-5,000.

I figured projected annual fuel cost.
Diesel at 22 miles per gallon at 4.49 gallon = 1020.00
Gas at 11 miles per gallon at 3.79 = 1722.00.

Oh Yeah, right now the 2001 Duramax is selling for 10,500, The 99 gas is $8,800.00. I don't know how much the price difference has to be in order to sway the decision one way or the other.
What are your thoughts????? Please????

[bigbadram51]

Either or you will be spending a ton on fuel. With those two choices Id take the diesel. I just cant imagine that 454 getting 11mpg consistently. The only downside to the diesel is fuel cost, it will be 5/gal by mid summer and I wouldnt be surprised to see it coming close to 6/gal by labor day. You say that it will be mainly used to pull your 5th wheel, with the 4-5k estimated miles how many of those will be pulling that trailer. I see with you fuel budget thats only about 7-9 tanks a year going in the diesel and about 14-15 in the gasser based on about 30gal tanks. I know with my 5.3L (26 gal)and not driving all that much I use a tank a week. Id go with the diesel for sure over that big thirsty big block.

With the gasser, 5 OWNERS, that would make me a bit hesitant, why 5, not many vehicles that age see 5 different owners, even old cars rarely see 5 owners. There has to be something wrong with it or, my guess is because it gets about 8mpg at best.

Long story short, Id take the diesel. The 5 owners of the gasser would have me a bit leary.

[rrousou]

Might want to re-project your fuel costs. Fuel is $6.81/imp gal here now (Vancouver, BC). Thats $5.70 a US gallon, and its still going up