Thought this was interesting, from the perspective of a Fleet Manager:

http://www.government-fleet.com/article/...know-about.aspx

Bingo.

Most fleet managers agree the diesel engine option is a less-than-optimal choice and a bad long-term investment. Their role in the specification process is to defend this position from strength with data and commitment.

There's not a fleet manager in North America that would condone this....

Low mileage, high idle municipal fleets most folks would agree...even those with diesels.

But if you look at their cost of ownership over the life chart it does speak for itself.

I tend to agree with gas is a more economical solution. I believe diesel was a much better option than it is today pre 2007.5/2008.

I have a 1/2 ton ram with a diesel in it. I average 27 mpg commuting and better on the hwy. I get 35-50% better mileage than other similar pickups. I'm happy with my choice, but if I really cared about the cheapest solution I would probably have bought a 10 year old pickup and been better off.

I've owned a couple 38' trailers that weighed 15k lbs. and pulls usually 200-300 miles. Diesel is my choice hands down.

I have a 1/2 ton gas truck/weekend warrior, and a diesel for my work truck. I want best of both worlds. lol

Economics and what you want seldom agree.

Last gas engine truck I owned was a '97 f350 cc w/351. Cracked both exhaust manifolds by 25k miles. Regular pulls were 200-300 miles with either 12' cargo trailer or 31' travel trailer. Usually 5 days a week

Gas trucks just aren't equipped to tow anything bigger than a small side x side. I have friends that interrogate me about my truck and previous ones on cost of maintenance and how it tows (mine is a diesel). Usually they end up buying the 1/2 ton gas, and 3 months later hate because it doesn't tow like the salesman said. When they ride in mine or someone else's diesel 3/4 - 1 ton their amazed and rather than buying one the first time they trade the 1/2 ton on a diesel and lose money. If you only tow very light loads or once or twice a year then the half ton will last for you, if you attempt to treat like the salesman and commercials claim its capable you'll be $$$$ in repairs and if you tow heavy frequently you'll be replacing the tranny before 50,000 miles.

FYI if I didn't have to tow tractors and large trailers I would not have a diesel either, I would be driving a raptor I love it, best riding truck I've been in but can't afford both.

That is diesel territory for sure.

I have had both. These days I want a 3/4 ton for payload more than towing. My trailer loads are 3K to 7K lbs, and only 10 to 12 weekends a year. The gasser Tundra has done fine with the trailer, but mileage sucks, especially towing. She's held up good, got 156K on her.

Now a days with the diesel being a $6K upcharge, only getting about 2 to 3 MPG better with fuel that is $.30 more/gal, costing more to maintain, and having stuff like turbos and injectors that can fail it's not a clear choice. Good thing I got ~2 more years to sort it.

I wouldn't have one if I didn't need it. It is expensive to own and operate. It's just another cost to do business

All but one of our haul trucks are 3/4ton gassers... and we haul everything up to 105hp tractor/loader with them

Hunn? that like giving the answer to an impossible math question due to two many unknowns. At that point it's an opinion. How can you possibly state that with so limited knowledge

Poor trucks.

The gas engine will pull, I prefer the power and not listening to an engine struggle. And I'd like to keep up with the flow of the traffic

lol they do their part... don't like stoppin sometimes though

Safety is not an economic factor!!!!! Nor is employee redline it up a hill

They left off vanity.

V10 gas with .430 gears pulled ok, but still wouldn't pull as good as a 7.3 diesel with .373 in the same truck, except one was white the other green.

Says the iPad selfie king...that also happens to have the only truck pic on this thread...

Dad had an 89 with a 7.3 and 4:56s. Wouldn't go faster than 70 but he pulled out a loaded semi stuck in the mud, trailer and all.

Wish my F250 had at least .410's.....She's a little sluggish with a 35' gooseneck / 90hp tractor. I had to put air bags on her so I wasn't looking at the sky. Should have got the 1 ton but hate day to day manuvering a dually. I knew it when I drove it off the lot.

Love my diesels.

Me too, bought first one in 2006 for a 40 foot trailer I was pulling. Now I don't pull a trailer and have a 2013 Chevy with a diesel. Low maintenance, decent mileage and never overheats in the summer! probably will never go back to a gasser. That is unless I build the gasser myself.