New Silverado 2500 gas vs diesel

[Uzelessknowledge]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

Just suggesting thinking a bit out of the box. We have all seen on this and other forums posters that don't want a 3500 over a 2500 because of it's size. They are the same size, just one has more capacity.
I believe that Long Beds give a better ride both loaded and unloaded, just a thought for a daily driver, also JMO/YMMV.

I had a choice when I was still working, either an open lot or a parking garage, I used the open lot for no particular reason. Then one day it was snowing when I drove to work, so I tried the garage to save scrapping snow at the end of the day, never went back to the lot!! I will confess that this garage had angled parking, but still tight turns.

I know the OP is looking at going from a 1500 to a 2500/3500 so there is a slight size increase, but a tape measure will tell him the real difference. I also know that the OP needs to get what work for him, not what I or anyone else suggest, but the options need to be suggested.
When we went from a 2001 Ram Quad Cab to a 2016 Ram Crew Cab this was the difference in length.

Thanks. Yes, please keep the suggestions coming. Hearing and learning from others is very beneficial is anything.

This discussion has quickly turned me to a 1 ton. It now comes down to the parking garage. Mine is spacious with wide lanes and wide turns in 90%. My issue will be height. I have to go see what the height is. Can’t remember.
However we have an entrance on the top level and there is often parking available. At least on the slope.

Both the 2500 or 3500 would be about 2 feet longer from my calculations. Length should be good.

Because of the past year I’m lucky to work from home and right now my boss says I can stay there. It’s just the every now and then when I would have to go in for something. Otherwise I’m golden.

Thank you for your learnings.

[Uzelessknowledge]

Thanks for the 4x4 input. I’ve always had a 4x4. When I needed it I needed it.
With the trailer I just wanted to ask since payloads are more on a 2wd.

I will stick with 4wd. Thanks.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Uzelessknowledge

Yes, this has been a long decision for my wife and I. We are the full time caretakers of my parents. They live with us. We are trying to plan smart so that we can make a decision once they are not under our roof any more. At some point they’ll have to go into a facility but we’re keeping them at home as long as we can.

That's a tough decsion that many of us have or must make. I'd just suggest that since you and the DW have considering this for a year now and not knowing how much longer it may be, that these questions may be a bit premature. Sometimes model year to year doen't make much difference, then other years it may make a huge difference. Just something to keep in mind.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by Uzelessknowledge

Thanks. Yes, please keep the suggestions coming. Hearing and learning from others is very beneficial is anything.

This discussion has quickly turned me to a 1 ton. It now comes down to the parking garage. Mine is spacious with wide lanes and wide turns in 90%. My issue will be height. I have to go see what the height is. Can’t remember.
However we have an entrance on the top level and there is often parking available. At least on the slope.

Both the 2500 or 3500 would be about 2 feet longer from my calculations. Length should be good.

Because of the past year I’m lucky to work from home and right now my boss says I can stay there. It’s just the every now and then when I would have to go in for something. Otherwise I’m golden.

Thank you for your learnings.

Height is where you will have to be careful.. I’ve owned several different Ram 2500 trucks with 4x4 and a front leveling kit .. not a lift, just a level spacer for front springs .. there was quite a few garages I hit the overheight swinging bumper as I eased in. The garages I made it in to I always kept it slow and creeped along so I didn’t get any bounce in the truck and possibly hit a sprinkler pipe or some other ceiling fixture. My trucks all had the 17” wheels. The newer ones with 20” wheels are possibly a taller profile although the outside overall tire diameter may be around the same.
If your going to the same garage all the time it may not ever be an issue .

[JRTJH]

Height is a significant concern...

In Louisiana our house had 8' garage doors. I never had a concern about parking any truck I owned in the garage. When we built up here, I didn't think about garage doors (knew about it, forgot to discuss it with the contractor) and we wound up with 7' garage doors.

In "snow country" a 4x4 is, for most people a mandatory option... So, when looking for a new truck, the F250 was low enough to fit, the F350 was about 1.5" too tall. Ironically, the F350 dually was 0.5" lower than the F250 and would have fit under the door, but was too wide for the "hips" to get into the garage. I have to fold in the mirrors to get the F250 into the garage....

So, don't discount a dually as being too tall because a SRW is too tall. With Fords, almost all the DRW trucks sit lower for "roof clearance" than the same model SRW truck.

[Uzelessknowledge]

Originally Posted by flybouy

That's a tough decsion that many of us have or must make.

Yes. My mom has Alzheimer’s and dad is barley able to walk to the bathroom.
Yes, it’s early but if we realize with all the factors that we must stay small then I’ll keep my truck and we’ll get a very small but enjoyable TV.
Alternatively if we can’t get the size we want and the truck, then we’ll take the money and buy a second home in the smokies. But we’d rather travel and see things.

So this is why we’re asking now so we can plan for the inevitable future.

I really appreciate your help. I’ve reading other posts and your comments there are helpful too.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Uzelessknowledge

Yes. My mom has Alzheimer’s and dad is barley able to walk to the bathroom.
Yes, it’s early but if we realize with all the factors that we must stay small then I’ll keep my truck and we’ll get a very small but enjoyable TV.
Alternatively if we can’t get the size we want and the truck, then we’ll take the money and buy a second home in the smokies. But we’d rather travel and see things.

So this is why we’re asking now so we can plan for the inevitable future.

I really appreciate your help. I’ve reading other posts and your comments there are helpful too.

To each their own but I would be remiss if I didn't say it;

Be careful and do a LOT of research before buying a "2nd home" in a perceived nice place. I've done it twice and inherited 2 more. The issues, IMO, are never ending insurance, taxes, maintenance and the inability to see other places.

Maintenance was fun for us when we were younger and we loved doing it. As you age a few decades climbing that 22' ladder over the deck to stain the walls, hanging off hooks screwed into logs with a safety belt to do maintenace....those things become tedious and dangerous. If you want to farm that out to someone else in a resort area you need deep pockets.

The fun you initially had with the "beautiful" place, if like me, will turn to dread when you drive up and can see immediately several months of required maintenance that must be done. Then, if like me, I just refused to think/worry about it and had fun in the RV. In 2018/2019 I spent 2 days there - and hated both of them because all I saw was work and felt guilty about not staying and doing it. Wasn't going to deal with that, immediately found a fellow and sold it to him for about 60% of the appraised value....and was happy - and thankful. Now we travel in the RV and ALL the time is fun, new and interesting (8 mos. last year). Do your homework and think it through.

[Uzelessknowledge]

Originally Posted by sourdough

To each their own but I would be remiss if I didn't say it;

Be careful and do a LOT of research before buying a "2nd home" in a perceived nice place. I've done it twice and inherited 2 more. The issues, IMO, are never ending insurance, taxes, maintenance and the inability to see other places.

Spot on. We don’t do many things without lots of research and talking ahead of time.
Everything you’ve said are things the DW and I have already listed out.

Thanks for the sound advice.

[Ken / Claudia]

As far as the 4x4 vs 4x2. My friends that talk highly of their 4x2s is just like many who talk about their gasser vs a diesel. They say look at all the money I saved, I do not need a 4x4 or diesel pickup.
There is a market for all that stuff, 1st look at what you need and can afford.

[Javi]

Originally Posted by Ken / Claudia

As far as the 4x4 vs 4x2. My friends that talk highly of their 4x2s is just like many who talk about their gasser vs a diesel. They say look at all the money I saved, I do not need a 4x4 or diesel pickup.
There is a market for all that stuff, 1st look at what you need and can afford.

Well, I'm glad you posted this, cause it give me a chance to expound on the subject..

I didn't by a 4 X 2 Dually because of the cost savings.... didn't care

I bought a 4X2 because in the 20 years prior to buying this truck I used my 4X4 about twice that I actually needed it. And in either of those two uses I could have easily accomplished the same function without it, by going a different direction.
I didn't say I never used it... heck I wore that crap out... PLAYING and going places I didn't really need to go...

Don't get me wrong, I've owned a 4X4 since the early 70's when I moved to Colorado. Even when we moved back to Texas I always bought 4X4 from a 77 CJ-5 brand new of the showroom floor to 3 Blazers, a Bronco and a couple of 4X4 duallys...

A few years ago I started thinking that I ought to get my want'er and my getter in sync and began looking before leaping... I started asking myself... do you really NEED it or do you just WANT it...


Now, if I lived in the snow belt I'd not be without a 4X4 but down here... nope

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Javi

...
Now, if I lived in the snow belt I'd not be without a 4X4 but down here... nope

Javi,

If next winter is like this winter, you might just believe that you DO live in the snow belt.....

[Wilco]

Not all truck stops have RV fill up lanes. One practical aspect of a diesel is it is much easier to fill up at a truck stop in the semi-truck lanes when pulling a trailer. I have a gas 2500 and there have been some truck stops that it was difficult to pull the trailer thru the auto lanes.

[sourdough]

The addage that you can buy a diesel truck and then have unlimited, unfettered access to diesel pumps going down the road just isn't correct. Very few, repeat very few, places in rural areas as you travel to and fro have "truck stops" and most certainly not "dedicated" diesel lanes. You do exactly what you do with a gas vehicle except....about 50% of the time "that line" you chose won't have a diesel pump.....all across the south.

[Javi]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Javi,

If next winter is like this winter, you might just believe that you DO live in the snow belt.....

As far as driving it wasn't that bad, 60 gallons of fuel, 200 pounds of hitch and 1/2 a cord of wood does wonders for traction..

[jfk69]

Originally Posted by Javi

As far as driving it wasn't that bad, 60 gallons of fuel, 200 pounds of hitch and 1/2 a cord of wood does wonders for traction..

Yep. Sure helps. You’re still an easy $50 for any of us rednecks with a 1/2 ton 4X4 up here in snow country lol.

[Uncoolron]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

There is a "new thread" in the fifth wheel section addressing this specific concern. The OP of that thread has a Chevy 2500 gas truck with a GVWR of 10850 and a payload of 3453. He is towing a Cougar 25RES, 29' fifth wheel with a GVWR of 10000 a "shipping weight" of 7630 and a pin weight of 1505 (in the advertising).

Take a look at his "real-world scale weights" to get a better idea of "3/4 ton gas truck pin weight capacity". The thread is located here: https://www.keystoneforums.com/forum...176#post448176

Hey, that's me. Thanks for bringing this up, John. I was wondering if the OP had a chance to look at my real stats on that thread just for reference on chevy 2500 gasser truck pulling the Cougar 25RES 5th wheel in the real world.

I'm stuck with this setup for a while but knowing what I know now I would definitely just get the 3500 but not dually though. I hope this helps the OP a bit. Good luck with your planning, it took me 4 years to figure out what RV I want but still fail to do much research on TV.

Also, I commend you and your wife for taking care of your parents.

[Uzelessknowledge]

Originally Posted by Uncoolron

I'm stuck with this setup for a while but knowing what I know now I would definitely just get the 3500 but not dually though. I hope this helps the OP a bit. Good luck with your planning, it took me 4 years to figure out what RV I want but still fail to do much research on TV.

Also, I commend you and your wife for taking care of your parents.

I’ll go check out your posting. How do you like the 25RES?

Thank you. My wife is great.

[Uncoolron]

Originally Posted by Uzelessknowledge

I’ll go check out your posting. How do you like the 25RES?

Thank you. My wife is great.

We like our 25RES very much. We are still in shakedown camping, right now we are in our 4th campsites, put in about 500 miles on the camper and everything is working great so far. I can say that this model is solid and the only issue we have is the tank level indicator in grey 2 not working which is already scheduled for diagnostic and repair at the dealership next month.

The reason we pick this floorplan is the travel mode accessibility of the interior because I need to use the restroom every 2 hours of driving. Also the ability to use the bedroom, kitchen and dining when stopping for overnight parking on a long trip.

Good luck on your quest for the right RV for you and your wifey.