|
It's been mentioned, but a well maintained modern diesel is cleaner than a comparable gas truck. I get better mileage towing in a diesel, so I'm consuming less fuel. Diesel trucks have DEF and other emissions equipment so unless someone disables it, there's no rolling coal or black smoke.
We have two diesels. Mine pulls the 33' travel trailer, which can be as heavy as 10K. I'll average 13 mpg with the trailer, so I can travel 400 miles between stops. My wife has an older 2500 she uses to pull a gooseneck horsetrailer. She gets similar mileage but has a stupid small fuel tank, so when we travel together, she stops twice as often. I get north of 20 mpg unloaded, and my wife gets around 18-19.
I think the discussions around using a half-ton to pull an 8k trailer are missing the point. A 3/4 ton truck, whether gas or diesel is a much more stable platform. My least favorite stretch of interstate for towing is I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson. If it's windy, the crosswinds can be 30+ mph. I have a weight distribution hitch and a friction sway brake and get pushed around, but I don't sway. I see half tons with trailers swaying back and forth and have seen a few trailers and trucks on their sides.
|