Trucks.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

I know it's not as direct but there's generally some better options in the hood compartment to run wires into the cab.

Found several grommets below the drivers rear door. Was able to pass a cable into the cab that way through the removable foot sill kick plate thing. Easy.

[Dshack89]

Could use some advice here...I've put almost 50k miles on my 2021 silverado 1500 w/ 3L baby duramax and am kicking around the idea of trading it in for a 2024 silverado 2500 HD (order window opens Fri).

The 1500 is the first truck I've ever owned, and I ended up towing way more than I expected when I bought it in Nov 2020 (a good time to buy a truck!). We ended up buying a boat that weighs 6500ish lbs that we tow most weekends in the summer anywhere from 1.5 hrs to 6 hrs roundtrip w/ some elevation change (SLC -> Flaming Gorge is our go-to). The rest of the year the truck isn't used much. We've got a Subaru for driving up the canyons and hauling groceries. The truck just becomes a backup vehicle and for hauling random things around town.

It seems to me a 3/4 ton makes sense for how a we use the truck. And I'm tempted to go with the gasser mainly because the extra $10k for diesel is hard to justify and I get annoyed with DEF. Agree/disagree? What else should I be thinking about with the decision?? Thanks!

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[The Reverend Floater]

Could use some advice here...I've put almost 50k miles on my 2021 silverado 1500 w/ 3L baby duramax and am kicking around the idea of trading it in for a 2024 silverado 2500 HD (order window opens Fri).

The 1500 is the first truck I've ever owned, and I ended up towing way more than I expected when I bought it in Nov 2020 (a good time to buy a truck!). We ended up buying a boat that weighs 6500ish lbs that we tow most weekends in the summer anywhere from 1.5 hrs to 6 hrs roundtrip w/ some elevation change (SLC -> Flaming Gorge is our go-to). The rest of the year the truck isn't used much. We've got a Subaru for driving up the canyons and hauling groceries. The truck just becomes a backup vehicle and for hauling random things around town.

It seems to me a 3/4 ton makes sense for how a we use the truck. And I'm tempted to go with the gasser mainly because the extra $10k for diesel is hard to justify and I get annoyed with DEF. Agree/disagree? What else should I be thinking about with the decision?? Thanks!

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You're going to get a lot of opinions.

I've owned several 3/4 and 1 ton diesels. They're sweet for a lot of reasons and my last 6.7L was trouble free for 100k. That said, I realized I don't tow so much that a big gasser can't handle and I haven't looked back. Ford's Godzilla is a killer motor and I'm sure Chevy's equivalent is great, too. Right now my DD is a F150 and I have a 2005 Chevy 2500 gasser that I use for bigger towing and plowing.

Be aware the ride quality in a 3/4 or the like is notably stiffer than your 1/2 ton. 1500s are basically plush SUVs with a bed. Once you make the leap, things like washboards, ice, etc becomes much more noticable.

In short, if you need a big rig and don't require diesel numbers to go with it (which few people really do), go with the gasser. You'll have plenty of power, larger brakes (key for towing) and none of the diesel PITA.

[altacoup]

I’d agree with Reverend. Especially with the price of diesel, which I don’t foresee dropping, and DEF a gasser just makes more sense. You pay up front for the diesel and the costs over the life of the vehicle are much higher. Unless you’re towing daily and driving long distances I just don’t see how a diesel pencils out these days. 3/4 ton trucks do suck for driving without either a bunch of weight in the bed or behind the truck.

[uglymoney]

I can only offer a diesel anecdote. The 15 liter Cummins diesel my employer provides me can't go more than 2 or 3 months without a check engine light. Mostly related to the regen system, but also fuel injectors etx. 1600 for a reman injector. Albeit 290k but that is still young for it.

No way I would buy a diesel for part year weekend towing.

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[easyrdr]

Yep, gasser is the way to go. Sold my diesel last year and haven’t missed it. I have a 6.2 1/2 ton Chevy and a 6.0 3/4 ton Chevy. And yes like Rev said 3/4 ton rides like a truck, only comfortable when fully loaded.

[TNKen]

I'm in the other camp. Pull a 6,500 pound jet boat as well. I had a gas 3/4 ton 6.0l Chevy. Pulling the boat was about 7 mpg and it struggled mightily up hills. Around town it got maybe 13, on the road about 15.

Went to a 3/4 Duramax three trucks ago. Super happy I did. Much better power towing, decent milage, 13-14 towing as well. Around town about 15, on the road about 20-21.

Yep, throw about 3 or 4 bags of play sand in the back to make it ride better when empty.

My vote is diesel. You have said you don't plan on driving it much, so the fuel cost should be negligible. You will be happy with the gas, until you hook the boat to a diesel.

[XXX-er]

last spring I did a hot shot for a buddy he hands me a gas card and the keys to a brand new duramax with power everything fully loaded up with 2800lbs of drill gear, it had loads of power and what a nice ride !

after 15 hrs of plushness they unload it in ft mac AND gee now it rides like a truck

[anotherVTskibum]

I've never known a diesel to be happy sitting parked for extended periods of time. YMMV.

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[Dshack89]

Appreciate all the comments, very helpful!! Anybody wanna try to convince me I should just stick to my half ton? Or is that a dumb idea? Seems to me the distance + mountains makes the 3/4 ton a necessary upgrade from a safety perspective.

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[XXX-er]

junior down graded from the chipped/ 6 spd manual/ cumins/ crew cab/ 8 ft box which used to shudder from stop sign to stop sign it was a full on beast, I drove it towing a trailer and you couldn't notice there was anything back there

He got a more refined ford 3.5 ecoboost which my daughter-in-law can drive, better for the fam, he still tows a camping trailer but sez its OK

[Conundrum]

I've never known a diesel to be happy sitting parked for extended periods of time. YMMV.

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Not sure on the newer diesels but yeah, the older ones needed to get out for a flogging frequently.

[anotherVTskibum]

If the discussion was about towing 6500 pounds every summer weekend and being a daily family hauler otherwise, I'd put the Ford 3.5 Ecoboost on the shortlist. I pulled a little more than that from Montana back to Maine without issue (6600 pounds on trailer axles, 13.6 combined gross iirc), and aside from the impact on range it did fine. But a 3/4 ton would probably do the towing better; I'd go gas for simplicity, but my diesel experience was with a 96 7.3--thing was a beast but also a pain in the ass.

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[canyonrider]

Anyone here have seat time in the new Tundra that can offer real world feedback on how it drives, along with overall quality? Weighing a new one vs. finding a 3-4 year old previous generation, but used prices still seem really high. Lots of chatter about the new one sucking compared to the trusty 5.7 V8, but hard to determine how extensive some of the identified issues are. I like that the latest generation offers the Crewmax/6.5 bed combo.

[The Reverend Floater]

Only thing I've heard is the MPG in real world driving didn't improve much, if at all.

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[Name Redacted]

Only thing I've heard is the MPG in real world driving didn't improve much, if at all.

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Which is pretty crazy since that's literally the only thing that anyone complains about on the 5.7s. I'm lucky to get 13 mpg on mine.

[The Reverend Floater]

Which is pretty crazy since that's literally the only thing that anyone complains about on the 5.7s. I'm lucky to get 13 mpg on mine.

My Land Cruiser's 5.7 is a 12.5avg. Crazy how inefficient they are.

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[Buzzworthy]

My Land Cruiser's 5.7 is a 12.5avg. Crazy how inefficient they are.

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Was consistently getting that in my 2010 Tundra 5.7. Changing out the blower motor a few months back and all air filters, I’m now hovering at 16 as an average. When’s the last time you gave her a good lovin?

[The Reverend Floater]

She's not due for any of the above for a while. Part of my challenge is that a naturally aspirated motor at altitude doesn't help anything. She's also much heavier than a Tundra, and while not winning an GOAS awards, not exactly bone stick, either.

At the end of the day, I paid for something that I KNOW can go deep into whereever and not leave me hanging, so I'm fine with it. I have a pickup for longer road trips, etc.

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[Buzzworthy]

Understood.

[canyonrider]

My Land Cruiser's 5.7 is a 12.5avg. Crazy how inefficient they are.

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Yep. If I go down this road I would be replacing a 5.7 Land Cruiser. I have been assuming that any Tundra iteration would actually be a mild improvement in mpg.

[bodywhomper]

My 99 stock suspension land cruiser kicked ass today. Got over 2 feet at our house over the past few days in the Sierra foothills. 200-foot long uphills gravel/dirt driveway/road, unplowed. 4lo with 2nd gear start and locked rear diff got us out, no problem. Very impressed (and happy).

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

My Land Cruiser's 5.7 is a 12.5avg. Crazy how inefficient they are.

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LOL our FJ62 got 9 mpg on flat ground.

[Cruiser]

With my fj60 in 4lo I'm pretty sure I was measuring in gallons per mile

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Ours was named "The Burro" for good reason. Slow, ate a lot, but could haul your ass over mountains and through unending desert. You just had to be patient.