(upbeat rock music)
- Oh, oh, hot, spicy.
We've all been there before, the big debate, the big one,
the old toss up.
I mean, seriously,
pretty much every American in the history of America
has contemplated this at one point or another.
I'm Dustin from Custom Offsets
and today we're gonna be sitting down
and settling the long-time debate
of which is better, gas or diesel.
Before we do that, though,
I want you to know that
if you need wheels, tires, or suspension
for your gas truck, your diesel truck,
or even your electric truck,
you can find all of those at https://www.customoffsets.com.
If you need something to save you
from that quarantine boredom,
you can find that remedy
at https://www.customoffsets.com/ gallery,
where you can browse 70,000 trucks
and find out what fits your trucks.
Check it out.
Okay, back to it.
It's no surprise that this debate has gone on
since essentially the invention
of both the gasoline and diesel internal combustion engines.
While somewhat similar,
the two engines are as close together as they are apart.
These differences are only further complicated
by the fact that you can get a one-ton truck
with a massive gas engine, or the fact
that in some cases you can get
a teeny tiny little baby diesel engine
in a mid sized truck.
With all these options and offerings,
it can be extremely difficult to compare
which engine is the best all arounder.
For comparison sakes,
we have to establish a few ground rules
because otherwise we'll be here literally all day.
Today when we're talking about the trucks,
we're strictly gonna be looking
at the three quarter and one-ton trucks
from the big three manufacturers in the industry,
which are GM, Ford, and Dodge,
and they're listed in no particular order.
Also, I know that literally all of them have had
their fair share of issues at one point or another
in the history of the trucks, head gaskets, injectors,
transmission issues, turbo failures,
and more have all plagued the big three
at one time or another in their life.
(engine sputters)
We know it, you know it, it's all good.
With all of that out of the way.
Here's how we're going to break it down.
We're gonna look at five main categories
and take a quick look at the pros and cons of each.
Those five categories happen to be longevity and durability,
maintenance and cost of ownership,
fuel economy, towing and power,
and off-road capabilities will round out the list.
At the end of all of it, we'll assign a winner.
Which one do you think'll be best?
Let us know down in the comments section below.
Up first is longevity and durability.
Now I know what's going to happen.
Inevitably someone in the comments is gonna tell me
how one is better than the other
and honestly, they're probably not lying.
I mean, this one could literally go either direction,
if I'm being honest.
If the engine's only worked heavily very occasionally
or not at all, like a daily driver scenario,
the gas engine may be just as good
and just as durable as any other option on the market.
With that being said, however, in general,
a diesel is going to be a much safer bet
when it comes to overall dependability and reliability
and overall longevity.
As a general rule of thumb, diesels are made
with much stronger engine and transmission components
that are built to handle additional compression and torque
that these diesel engines produce.
This coupled with the fact that diesel engines run
at a much lower engine speed means
that you're less likely
to wear out critical engine components.
All of this combined makes the diesel engine
the clear victor in this category.
Chalk up one for the diesel.
All of this reliability comes at a cost though,
which is why up next we have a hot ticket item,
maintenance and cost of ownership.
As a general rule, gasoline engines
are pretty simple to own.
Change the engine oil every few thousand miles,
change the spark plugs when you remember,
and maybe flush the coolant a time or two.
I'm kidding on a serious note though,
maintenance on a gas truck is much lower
than that of their diesel engine counterparts.
Most diesel engines take more oil,
need to change fuel filters more often,
and overall just need more attention
to keep on top of the preventative maintenance schedules.
Additionally, diesel parts are more expensive
than their gas engine counterparts,
which is slightly debatable,
but, for the most part, it holds to be true.
This in turn means that a higher cost of ownership
over the life of the truck.
For this reason,
the gas engine takes the cake in category number two.
Number three on our list is fuel economy
and honestly this one is pretty tough.
20 years ago, the diesel engine would've been the king
and the number one on this one by a long shot here.
Years ago it was common for most diesel engines
to see 25 plus miles per gallon in an everyday scenario.
With that being said, however,
in today's market, the split is much closer
than it once was.
Strict EPA emission regulations
and the implementation of diesel exhaust filtration systems
have drastically reduced the overall fuel economy
of diesel engines.
This coupled with the advancements in fuel injection
in gasoline engines makes this almost neck and neck
in today's market.
But we didn't come here for ties, did we?
In general, if you're looking to tow a lot or haul a lot,
it doesn't get any better than a diesel engine.
Personally, we've gotten fantastic fuel economy
with the K250, even with the massive lift and big tires.
And for those reason, the diesel is the winner here.
Chalk another one up to the diesel.
Moving on, our next category is towing and power
and this one should be easy for all of us.
Listen, gas engines have come a long way
in the last few years.
Massive advancements in factory engines means
that you can get a production truck
with north of 700 horsepower with a factory warranty.
Then if you wanna slide a truck under a gooseneck
and haul a load that the DOT would probably fine you for,
there's no better choice than a diesel here as well.
Additionally, the diesel engine
is gonna have significantly more torque at lower RPMs,
meaning that you'll have the grunt
to get moving under heavy loads.
For that reason alone, the diesel is the winner here.
Chalk up another one.
All right, so there's only one category left
and this one, she's a spicy one
and not like mayonnaise spicy,
like ghost pepper chocolate bar challenge spicy.
Last, but certainly not least,
is each respective engine's capability off the pavement.
In general, diesel engines just can't compete
with their gas counterparts off the pavement.
The heavy diesel engines in the front can be detrimental
should you find yourself in a sticky situation.
Additionally, gas engines rev faster and rev line higher,
meaning they have a much higher range of RPMs in each gear.
This is great for clearing up tires
or sending it across the desert.
For this reason,
the gas engine is the far superior choice here
when it comes to being off road.
- Whoa, whoa, excuse you.
- Excuse you.
- Can I help you?
- What did you just say.
- Brother, I just said
that the gas engine is the better choice off road.
- Off road?
- Off road, not on the pavement.
- You don't think that that diesel
could outperform this gasser or off road?
- No, absolutely not.
- I beg to differ.
- You mean to tell me that that big behemoth of a truck
is gonna outrun this?
- Have you seen her drag race?
That truck is 10 times faster.
- Oh boy, here we go.
Have you seen the tug of war?
You broke your drive shaft.
- We have new drive shafts.
- Oh, here we go.
We're good.
All right guys.
Well, I guess we have a little bit
of a debate going on here.
So let us know if you'd like to see something like that.
Let us know down in the comments down below.
And also remember
if you need wheels, tires, or suspension,
on road, off the road, whatever,
check https://www.customoffsets.com, peace.
(upbeat music)