Gas Vs. Diesel Rvs: The Pros & Cons Of Each Fuel Type

Ollo/Getty Images

If you're for illustration a batch of folks, you whitethorn person been beautiful amazed astatine nan last tally nan first clip you filled up your Class A RV. Some of those monsters person state tanks pinch a 150-gallon capacity. If you're driving a gas-powered RV, you mightiness beryllium wondering if it would beryllium worthy it to waste and acquisition it successful for a diesel, since diesel pushers usually get amended state mileage.

It's beautiful communal to spot knowledgeable full-timers "upgrade" from state to diesel, particularly arsenic they move into bigger rigs. Reasons for this tin vary, but those bigger Class A rigs are wherever you much commonly find diesel engines. After an RVer has spent years connected nan road, they whitethorn find they could do pinch a fewer much comforts, much room to move astir in, aliases they've conscionable accumulated much stuff. A bigger RV conscionable amended suits their needs. Then there's nan quality successful performance. Diesel engines typically past longer and are much powerful. They besides person greater towing capacity and amended capacity going up and down upland roads. As an RVer's setup expands to see a towed car aliases boat, it makes consciousness to look astatine diesel RVs.

First-time RV buyers, connected nan different hand, are often drawn to state RVs by nan first sticker price. Diesel RVs are much costly than gas-driven RVs successful nan aforesaid class, sometimes a batch much expensive, arsenic successful $100,000 aliases more. When you facet successful really overmuch much costly nan mean diesel repair is compared to those done connected an ICE RV, nan gas-driven action tin beryllium particularly appealing to nan budget-conscious. And that's why it's important to beryllium down and figure retired your RV needs and full fund earlier choosing betwixt a state aliases diesel RV.

Woodan/Shutterstock

There person astir apt been respective RVers who were excited to find a bully diesel rig, only to travel distant from dealerships a batch little enthusiastic erstwhile they saw really overmuch much costly diesels are. As an example, we checked Class A prices astatine Winnebago earlier penning this article and compared state models to diesel pushers. Their slightest costly Class A models, Sunstar and Vista, some person an MSRP of astir $208,000. The slightest costly diesel model, Forza, was astatine $361,000. The aforesaid is existent for their astir costly models. The gas-driven Adventurer's MSRP comes successful astir $252,800, while nan diesel Journey starts astatine astir $480,000.

The logic for this difference, successful part, has to do pinch nan greater complexity of a diesel engine. Diesel engines person much blase emissions power systems to meet regulations and require typical substance strategy components. Diesel engines besides require heavier-duty chassis owed to nan engine's weight.

With nan staggering quality successful sticker prices, nan prime betwixt state and diesel whitethorn look for illustration a no-brainer, particularly to those connected a budget. But costs and affordability aren't conscionable astir nan up-front price. The resale worth of nan mean diesel RV is higher than its gas-driven counterparts, partially because diesel engines past overmuch longer than state engines. Since diesel RVs depreciate astatine a slower gait than state motorhomes, you tin expect a amended woody erstwhile it's clip to waste and acquisition successful your diesel pusher.

Ipggutenbergukltd/Getty Images

You astir apt already cognize that diesel vehicles get amended state mileage than vehicles pinch soul combustion engines. But nan quality isn't that drastic erstwhile it comes to RVs. Average state mileage for a gas-driven RV is six to 10 mpg That goes up conscionable somewhat to 7 to 12 mpg for a diesel RV. That's astir an 18% quality betwixt nan astir businesslike state and diesel RVs. Of course, erstwhile you're driving hundreds of miles astatine a popular and filling a vessel that has a capacity of 100 gallons aliases sometimes more, that 18% tin look for illustration a important quality astatine nan state pump.

Is it really, though? While it's existent that state prices up and down wildly, diesel substance is consistently much expensive. At nan clip of this writing, gasoline costs connected mean $3.13 successful nan U.S., according to nan U.S. Energy Information Administration. Diesel, connected nan different hand, costs $3.71 connected mean successful nan U.S. That is simply a quality of astir 17%, which is beautiful adjacent to nan quality successful state mileage betwixt state and diesel RVs.

And successful summation to nan higher per gallon substance prices, is nan costs of DEF, aliases Diesel Exhaust Fluid. This is simply a substance additive that is required for RVs pinch newer diesel engines. The magnitude of DEF you person to adhd depends connected your vehicle, but it ranges from astir 2% to 5% of your full substance amount. It costs from $3 to $5 per gallon astatine nan pump, and $5 to $8 per gallon erstwhile you bargain it successful a container. So, erstwhile you facet successful everything, we see nan state versus diesel RV title a lavation erstwhile it comes to state mileage.

Andrei Armiagov/Shutterstock

You're going to get amended wide capacity retired of a diesel RV than a state RV. The much powerful diesel motor will execute amended climbing steep hills, arsenic good arsenic decelerating much smoothly connected nan measurement down. Diesel engines nutrient much torque, meaning they tin amended support accordant speeds, moreover erstwhile loaded down pinch a batch of weight. Diesel RVs are besides typically equipped pinch aerial brakes, while state RVs usage disc brakes. Air brakes are considered much reliable astatine quickly stopping a dense vehicle, for illustration an RV. This tin beryllium particularly important erstwhile driving down upland roads.

Towing is an important information for a batch of RVers. Diesel engines successful wide are known to beryllium amended astatine towing, because they are much powerful and nutrient much torque. The mean towing capacity of a gas-driven RV is 5,000 pounds compared to 10,000-15,000 pounds for a diesel. The quality successful GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) is conscionable arsenic drastic: 25,000-40,000 pounds for Class A diesels, compared to conscionable 16,000-22,000 pounds for gas-powered RVs.

Diesel engines often past a batch longer than state engines, arsenic well. The mean diesel motor tin spell for astir 400,000 miles aliases more. A state engine, connected nan different hand, will typically spell from 150,000 miles to 200,000 miles. This, of course, affects resale value. It is existent that state RVs mostly person much horsepower. This besides intends that they tin accelerate faster, which gives them a flimsy advantage erstwhile merging. But really accelerated your Class A tin spell from zero-to-60 mph connected a straightaway is astir apt not that large of a privilege for you. It's not arsenic if you'll beryllium trying to resistance title it (please don't).

Virrage Images/Shutterstock

On nan con broadside for diesel and pro broadside for gas, diesel repairs and attraction tasks are much costly than for gas. Take lipid changes, for example. Camping World charges $329 for lipid changes connected diesel RVs pinch up to 20 quarts of oil, but conscionable $169 for an lipid alteration pinch up to 8 quarts of lipid connected a state RV. As you tin see, lipid changes are much costly for diesel engines, partially because they require truthful overmuch much oil. But astir different repairs connected diesel engines are importantly much expensive, arsenic well. Parts for diesel engines costs more, and repairs require nan services of a mechanic who specializes successful diesel.

What astir doing your ain attraction connected a diesel engine? Going backmost to lipid changes, nan lipid by itself is going to group you backmost a beautiful penny. For example, nan Cummins ISL diesel motor requires 29 quarts of oil. Buying 29 quarts of nan inexpensive 15w40 lipid (recommended viscosity) from AutoZone will group you backmost complete $120. For that positive nan costs of an lipid filter, you could person paid for an lipid alteration successful a state RV.

And that's assuming you person nan skills to activity connected a diesel. Just accessing nan lipid headdress and select tin beryllium an ordeal. Most diesel pushers person a hatch for this successful nan interior, for illustration nether nan furniture aliases successful a closet aliases bathroom. On nan flip side, diesel engines require little attraction and less repairs. Most RV state engines require lipid changes each 3,000 to 5,000 miles, while diesel RVs only request them each 7,500 to 15,000 miles. That intends you're paying for 2-3 times arsenic galore lipid changes successful a state RV than a diesel.

Michael Vi/Shutterstock

There are plentifulness of different factors you should return into information successful your soul state versus diesel RV debate. For instance, diesel pushers supply a quieter thrust than state RVs. That's because nan engines successful diesel pushers are successful nan rear, taking nan sound distant from nan beforehand of nan cabin. Do you unrecorded aliases campy wherever it gets beneath freezing successful nan winter? You mightiness beryllium amazed to study that diesel substance tin gel up successful below-freezing temperatures, clogging your substance select and nan substance line. There are additives made for diesel substance that tin support this from happening. But you won't person to interest astir that pinch a state engine, since gasoline doesn't frost supra -100 degrees.

Diesel pushers are usually equipped pinch aerial suspension. This type of suspension is adjustable, meaning that you tin summation your crushed clearance erstwhile going off-road. You tin besides little your rig somewhat to summation your clearance supra nan RV, which tin beryllium useful erstwhile going nether overpasses and low-hanging limbs, arsenic good arsenic fitting nether immoderate car shed doors. Air suspension besides does a amended occupation of dampening roadworthy vibration, which helps to sphere different parts of nan vehicle.

So, should you make a state aliases diesel motorhome your adjacent RV? Consider your needs. If you want to move into an RV pinch a ton of room and intend to put a batch of miles connected it, a diesel Class A is astir apt nan amended measurement to go. The aforesaid is existent if you request to tow a car aliases boat. If you're connected a tighter budget, only campy occasionally, and don't request a batch of room, you'll astir apt want to opt for a Class B aliases C gas-driven RV.