Best used 3/4 ton 4x4 Gasser opinion

obullfish

obullfish

Carolina Trail Blazers
Joined
Nov 21, 2011
Location
Candler N.C.
Looking to get a new to me 3/4 ton crew cab 4x4 with a 6 foot bed. I'm leaning towards a GM 6.0 L but I'm not sure. I'd really like to have a diesel but don't really need one and the extra cost is the biggest factor. Opinions on 2012-2014 trucks with less than 50k on the clock.
 
I think most small block gas motors in the current 3/4t market are a bit undersized....but they seem to be doing well with the gearing selection in the 6+ speed automatics all of the manufacturers tend to offer today. I would lean toward the 6.0l in GM product line because it is a standard LS based motor, upgrades, performance mods, and replacements are all cheap and plentiful. If possible, hunt down something with 4.10 gears, a while back I drove a 6.0l with the 3.73, it was quick, but with a load, it felt like it hunted too much for the right gear and 4.10s would have helped that dramatically.

I prefer gas motors to diesel motors, once you add up the cost of DEF, fuel treatments, 4 gallon synthetic oil changes, fuel filters, and the seemingly far too frequent injector or injector pump failure.....the diesels do not "save" or "make you money" I would hunt around for a 2006-2007 8.1l with the 6 speed Allison transmission (if it was me....and I drove automatics).
 
I've been real happy with my 2014 Ram 2500 with the 6.4 hemi. Bought it new in December 2014 and it's done me well so far.
 
Damn, wrong kind of gasser pickup.

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I have a '12 2500HD 4X4 extended cab gasser with a 6' bed. Currently has 105k on the clock with no issues thus far. I love it. It is geared 3:73 which works really well for my style of towing which is usually fairly light 5-6k and long distances on interstate highway. I have flowmaster single exit exhaust, K&N full air intake kit and full synthetics front to back. I got just a touch over 15 mpg with it on a day trip up to Asheville to get some rims, (very seldom drive it without a trailer)and I get about 12ish loaded and running 75-80+ (don't judge). I have pulled across the scales at 21k with the truck and a single axle trailer and it drove OK for what it was pulling(approx 25 miles). It is a solid truck that rides and drives as good as most anything out there and does what I need to when called upon.

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02 gmc sierra 2500hd 4x4 6.0/4L80 4.10

380k still orig engine and appears orig trans it still runs great and gets good mpg 12-14average high of 15.5 low of 8 with a 13k air compressor( big brick) in tow from asheboro to charlotte doing 60-65on 49.

The interior is really comfortable and is inexpensive to repair if damaged/worn.
Parts are plentiful and inexpensive both used and new.

And entry price can be cheap.


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Probably not the original transmission. Just saying.

Just as a comparison, I have the same truck, but diesel. 232k miles, loaded, power/heated seats, climate control, etc. I average 19.5 running around town and back and forth to work. I check the mileage every time I fill it up. Best was 20.5 and worst was 16.

The newer 6 speed transmissions make all the difference.
 
shelby27604 said:
I think most small block gas motors in the current 3/4t market are a bit undersized....but they seem to be doing well with the gearing selection in the 6+ speed automatics all of the manufacturers tend to offer today..
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This is something I still don't get. Why does a truck have to have 400hp to be used as a truck and haul a trailer? It makes me think back, not very long ago, when you could only get a 250 hp engine in anything. It seems to me, they all got where they were going. We have just gotten spoiled with the HP craze.
 
justjeepin86 said:
This is something I still don't get. Why does a truck have to have 400hp to be used as a truck and haul a trailer? It makes me think back, not very long ago, when you could only get a 250 hp engine in anything. It seems to me, they all got where they were going. We have just gotten spoiled with the HP craze.
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Nothing like popping the hood of an old medium duty truck and finding a straight 6. It's like "what do I do with the rest of this room? Build a housing development?"
 
StretchASU said:
Don't leave out the 6.2 Fords if you're in the 3/4ton gas market. A buddy just got one and is liking it a lot so far. Worth a look IMO.
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I believe thats what Jay uses to pull his enclosed. @REDLYNER


I would also look at the Ford V10s. They have some issues like anything else, but rival come diesels in the torque compartment. @snappy & @uglyjeepoffroad both pulls with their V10 excursions without much issue.
 
My first 3/4t 4x4 had a 250 straight 6 and a 3 on the tree.....I have no issues with lower horsepower, that straight six had the grunt at low rpm (and the 4.56 gears) to do most of what I wanted, that truck also probably weighed about 2,000lbs less than most trucks today While I could ring it out to 80+mph, it really wanted to settle in at 55mph.....when was the last time you saw a full sized truck driving on the highway at 55mph that wasn't being driven by what looked to be a clueless old man? Today everyone wants to draw enough amps through their cigarette lighter to power a small village, power steering to make the truck wife friendly, 20mpg in town (highway gears), and an automatic transmission that soaks up a solid 20% of the hp before it gets to the rear axle.

Elevated levels of normal call for elevated HP, those old stovebolt motors used to climb grades in first and second gear SCREAMING and going 20mph with a load. Most people expect their 3/4T trucks to pull CDL sized loads at (or above) highway speeds. If you plan to use a HD truck like it is suppose to be used (i.e. 90% of the time it has a load in the bed or on a hitch), get the big gas engine, because loaded mpg will be nearly identical......if however you prefer to use a HD truck 10% of the time like a truck, and the other 90% of the time like the family station wagon, go check out the ford eco-glargon-flugal....it has a v6, turbos, and contains enough aluminum to make 10,000,000 beer cars!
 
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paradisePWoffrd said:
I believe thats what Jay uses to pull his enclosed. @REDLYNER
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I just hauled 8,000lbs of trailer, race car, and spares 2,000 miles last week with my 2013 6.2. I averaged 10.3mpg from Charlotte to Atlanta and about 8.5mpg from Atlanta to Hot Springs, AR. Then drove it home a little faster still averaging 8.3mpg.

My Tundra was averaging in the 7's with 2,000lbs less weight, as a rough comparison.

The truck handled perfectly and I could maintain any speed going through Alabama mountains I chose. I have softer suspension in the rear, but the weight distribution hitch seemed to balance it out pretty good.

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REDLYNER said:
I just hauled 8,000lbs of trailer, race car, and spares 2,000 miles last week with my 2013 6.2. I averaged 10.3mpg from Charlotte to Atlanta and about 8.5mpg from Atlanta to Hot Springs, AR. Then drove it home a little faster still averaging 8.3mpg.

My Tundra was averaging in the 7's with 2,000lbs less weight, as a rough comparison.

The truck handled perfectly and I could maintain any speed going through Alabama mountains I chose. I have softer suspension in the rear, but the weight distribution hitch seemed to balance it out pretty good.

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What kinda tundra did you have I get way better then that in mine

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REDLYNER said:
I averaged 10.3mpg from Charlotte to Atlanta and about 8.5mpg from Atlanta to Hot Springs, AR. Then drove it home a little faster still averaging 8.3mpg.

My Tundra was averaging in the 7's with 2,000lbs less weight, as a rough comparison.
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Holy hell....someone HONEST about their mileage...and here I thought all diesels (but mine) got 30mpg while pulling 17k pounds, and gassers got 15 pulling the same
 
CasterTroy said:
Holy hell....someone HONEST about their mileage...and here I thought all diesels (but mine) got 30mpg while pulling 17k pounds, and gassers got 15 pulling the same
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Its got to be driving style i drive mine easy 90% of the time but single digits are easily obtained driving fast and having fun


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karatejosh said:
What kinda tundra did you have I get way better then that in mine
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2008 5.7 Crewmax.... Small 2.5" coilover lift, 35"s, and mall fabulous heavy 20"s.

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DSM Turbos said:
Is the 10.3 I assume from the lie-o-meter and not hand calculated? Based on the pic.
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Based on a couple of miles traveled/gallons used hand calculations it was pretty accurate the whole trip. I'm sure there are variations, but it seemed pretty close.
 
Man I have a crewmax 5.7 with trd 18s and 33s and I get 11 to 13 towing my buggy and truck camper

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karatejosh said:
Man I have a crewmax 5.7 with trd 18s and 33s and I get 11 to 13 towing my buggy and truck camper

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Idk if Jay had the enclosed then, but I'd say it is a waaaay bigger windsail to drag down the road vs your truck camper. That and the added weight could make the difference for sure. Also could be a difference in axle ratios between the 2 trucks.
 
I like the fords but the one i have now makes me leery of another one. It's a 2005 F150 FX4 with 92000 miles that i bought new and have taken very good care of and maintained as you should. I've had tons of small issues over the years and last fall dropped a transmission at 87000. Now it has a knock that sounds like an exhaust leak so I changed both manifolds due to cracks but no change. Took it to the ford place and they can't find it either and they say it might be the cam phasers and it will cost $3k to fix. If that is not it a new crate motor.
 
My Tundra averages 14 mixed highway/town. I don't even care about the towing mileage. In all reality, the mileage doesn't bother me. I gotta drive and I like my Tundra. Sometimes it is just too much fun to mash the fun pedal to the floor.
 
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