Is the Diesel Right for Me?

TheOtherGeorge said:

I'll be honest here, I drive exactly like you do. 25-30 miles to the office 5 days a way each way. Trips to the grocery store. Occasionally take a long road trip.

The truck has been perfectly happy to do all of it. I do remote start the truck as early as possible and do early oil changes (shoot for 35% oil life left), but it's a vehicle for personal transportation and you need it to transport you. It'll be perfectly happy to do that. These 2.8's arent semi trucks, not optimized to long hot heavy hauls moving 25-40k of goods across a continent. There's a reason small diesel engine mechanics are a better pick than heavy diesel mechanics for working on these. They are differently optimized.

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Mad German said:

I have some diesel newb questions:
1. Is there a minimum trip time/distance “req’d” for a diesel, i.e. how long should each trip be to get the motor up to temp?

2. Is the 2.8 best suited for mostly hwy driving? Currently, I drive about 50/50 hwy/city because I work from home. However, that will eventually change and I’ll have a ~40 mile round trip (mostly highway) commute.

3. How concerned should I be w/ DEF freezing in MO? (It does get into the single digits in the winter).

4. Does the diesel need to be driven “everyday”? Since I work from home, there are times when my car sits for 3-4 days in a row w/o being driven.

5. Sometimes my trips are just a quick run to the grocery store, about 5 miles away on roads that are generally in the 45-50 mph. Not exactly long trips, haha.

6. Given my driving conditions, would you recommend the gas or diesel, and why?

I’m very interested in the 2.8; but I don’t want to get it and then be disappointed if my driving conditions/needs aren’t optimal for a diesel. I don’t tow or haul. My main reason for looking at the diesel is strictly for the increased mpg; that’s it.

Thanks so much for any insights you can offer.

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JDB said:

50% of the people here are amongst the normal fraction of vehicle owners who have significant heartburn with system(s). This is normal for any internet vehicle forum.
40% of the people here are apparently more knowledgable than GM automotive engineers, and will tell you that you cannot daily drive this vehicle and that you’re on a course to expensive disappointment.
The remaining 10%, like me, are just daily drivers (or not) who occasionally drop in to browse topics of interest.

I’ve been happy with my 2016 Colorado 2.8D Z71 CCSB. Pure lifestyle usage (errands, going to hikes/bike rides, camping). About a year after getting it, my employment switched to work-at-home, so my usage is roughly:

• 1 tank just shuttling the kids a couple miles to school in the morning, running errands in the city, and such.
• 1 tank running up to Colorado Rocky Mtns or other natural areas, at least 1.5 if not 3+ hours on the highway.

I consider the 2.8D a huge luxury, to have 550+ miles (stock) per tank on the highway. In fact, a V6 owner once asked me about my mileage and cussed himself for not splurging on the diesel. 28-34 MPG was common when running stock or without the front air dam. Now that I have a 1.75” sus lift, 32” tires, and a GFC camper topper blocking some wind above the cab, highway MPG is down to 22-28 (which is still great compared to a gasser). Of course you won’t break even on fuel costs (versus truck’s higher price), because it varies so much from decade to decade. But range is a luxury!

I’m unaware of DEF freezing, but Denver, CO, doesn’t get too cold very often, so others in colder areas might know better. Ordering DEF or DEXOS (oil) is pretty simple with auto parts stores, if they (or WalMart) don’t already carry it locally.

At 40,000 miles, I’m quite happy with the 2.8D. I don’t bother with OBD codes or deciphering DEF born-on dates. I just drive the vehicle. Other than generally experiencing pedal/turbo lag when around town on your test drive, I think these are general things worth being aware of:











I’m super glad I got the 2.8D. Oh, and it’s a total goat when 4by’ing offroad - a true pleasure! But for sure be aware if you’re amongst the gasser audience who’d just cringe at the pedal lag around town. Oh, and your significant other might fall asleep more on highway drives because the low drone of the diesel is less revvy and exciting sounding than a gasser. And as said above, if you can wait for the new 4-cyl turbo gasser coming in a future model year, it might just be the best offering yet.

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JDB said:

50% of the people here are amongst the normal fraction of vehicle owners who have significant heartburn with system(s). This is normal for any internet vehicle forum.
40% of the people here are apparently more knowledgable than GM automotive engineers, and will tell you that you cannot daily drive this vehicle and that you’re on a course to expensive disappointment.
The remaining 10%, like me, are just daily drivers (or not) who occasionally drop in to browse topics of interest.

I’ve been happy with my 2016 Colorado 2.8D Z71 CCSB. Pure lifestyle usage (errands, going to hikes/bike rides, camping). About a year after getting it, my employment switched to work-at-home, so my usage is roughly:

• 1 tank just shuttling the kids a couple miles to school in the morning, running errands in the city, and such.
• 1 tank running up to Colorado Rocky Mtns or other natural areas, at least 1.5 if not 3+ hours on the highway.

I consider the 2.8D a huge luxury, to have 550+ miles (stock) per tank on the highway. In fact, a V6 owner once asked me about my mileage and cussed himself for not splurging on the diesel. 28-34 MPG was common when running stock or without the front air dam. Now that I have a 1.75” sus lift, 32” tires, and a GFC camper topper blocking some wind above the cab, highway MPG is down to 22-28 (which is still great compared to a gasser). Of course you won’t break even on fuel costs (versus truck’s higher price), because it varies so much from decade to decade. But range is a luxury!

I’m unaware of DEF freezing, but Denver, CO, doesn’t get too cold very often, so others in colder areas might know better. Ordering DEF or DEXOS (oil) is pretty simple with auto parts stores, if they (or WalMart) don’t already carry it locally.

At 40,000 miles, I’m quite happy with the 2.8D. I don’t bother with OBD codes or deciphering DEF born-on dates. I just drive the vehicle. Other than generally experiencing pedal/turbo lag when around town on your test drive, I think these are general things worth being aware of:











I’m super glad I got the 2.8D. Oh, and it’s a total goat when 4by’ing offroad - a true pleasure! But for sure be aware if you’re amongst the gasser audience who’d just cringe at the pedal lag around town. Oh, and your significant other might fall asleep more on highway drives because the low drone of the diesel is less revvy and exciting sounding than a gasser. And as said above, if you can wait for the new 4-cyl turbo gasser coming in a future model year, it might just be the best offering yet.

Click to expand...

JDB said:

50% of the people here are amongst the normal fraction of vehicle owners who have significant heartburn with system(s). This is normal for any internet vehicle forum.
40% of the people here are apparently more knowledgable than GM automotive engineers, and will tell you that you cannot daily drive this vehicle and that you’re on a course to expensive disappointment.
The remaining 10%, like me, are just daily drivers (or not) who occasionally drop in to browse topics of interest.

I’ve been happy with my 2016 Colorado 2.8D Z71 CCSB. Pure lifestyle usage (errands, going to hikes/bike rides, camping). About a year after getting it, my employment switched to work-at-home, so my usage is roughly:

• 1 tank just shuttling the kids a couple miles to school in the morning, running errands in the city, and such.
• 1 tank running up to Colorado Rocky Mtns or other natural areas, at least 1.5 if not 3+ hours on the highway.

I consider the 2.8D a huge luxury, to have 550+ miles (stock) per tank on the highway. In fact, a V6 owner once asked me about my mileage and cussed himself for not splurging on the diesel. 28-34 MPG was common when running stock or without the front air dam. Now that I have a 1.75” sus lift, 32” tires, and a GFC camper topper blocking some wind above the cab, highway MPG is down to 22-28 (which is still great compared to a gasser). Of course you won’t break even on fuel costs (versus truck’s higher price), because it varies so much from decade to decade. But range is a luxury!

I’m unaware of DEF freezing, but Denver, CO, doesn’t get too cold very often, so others in colder areas might know better. Ordering DEF or DEXOS (oil) is pretty simple with auto parts stores, if they (or WalMart) don’t already carry it locally.

At 40,000 miles, I’m quite happy with the 2.8D. I don’t bother with OBD codes or deciphering DEF born-on dates. I just drive the vehicle. Other than generally experiencing pedal/turbo lag when around town on your test drive, I think these are general things worth being aware of:











I’m super glad I got the 2.8D. Oh, and it’s a total goat when 4by’ing offroad - a true pleasure! But for sure be aware if you’re amongst the gasser audience who’d just cringe at the pedal lag around town. Oh, and your significant other might fall asleep more on highway drives because the low drone of the diesel is less revvy and exciting sounding than a gasser. And as said above, if you can wait for the new 4-cyl turbo gasser coming in a future model year, it might just be the best offering yet.

Click to expand...

kramerica5000 said:

1. AFAIK there are no published minimum trip times, however, it is not good for any engine to repeatedly be used for very short trips where it does not come up to temp. The heavy iron block combined with the fact that it relies on compression ignition means that, in theory, it does not run very well at cold temps, and it takes a little longer than most vehicles to warm up. That said, mine runs perfect from start, and I don't notice any issues. Like most ppl on the forum, I use the remote start to let it warm up as much as possible.

2. It's not necessarily best suited for HWY, but it does shine there. Cruising along at 75 at around 2000rpm is very pleasant. Around town it does just fine as long as you're not in a hurry. Acceleration is not its strength. I think the V6 would be more zippy with more power and less weight over the front wheels.

3. The freezing point at DEF is 12ºF so it is a potential problem, however, I think GM has engineered around this. The tank has a heater, and I think it can run fine even if it were briefly frozen. I live in Salt Lake City, which can have cold temps, and I have never had a problem with it.

4. I also work from home, and my truck sits for days at a time. I do not think this is an issue. If it were to sit for months at a time you might start having problems, as you would with any vehicle.

5. Short trips are fine as long as that's not all you do. The truck needs to do a regen every so often, and for this the engine needs to come up to temp and be driven long enough for the cycle to complete. If you shut off the engine before it completes, the computer will just try again the next time it runs. However, if it never completes regen, it will eventually go into limp mode and regen will have to be performed manually at the dealer. I have never experienced this in my own truck, but it did happen in my buddy's truck while I was a passenger, and I can tell you it is a pain in the ass.

I take a lot of short trips to the Home Depot which is 10min from my house, and I don't really think about it. I have enough HWY driving mixed in that it's never been a problem. If you exclusively do short trips, however, then I don't think the diesel is for you, as you will certainly have problems.

6. This is a tough one. I love my 2.8 and have had no real issues, but TBH it's hard to recommend. The engine is wonderful and very durable, but the emissions system is so complicated that it's prone to problems. For MPGs you have to ask yourself if the extra cost of the upgrade will pay for itself, and if you do the math, it will take a very long time. So then it comes down to range and driving dynamics, and those are very nice, but if you're not towing you may not really see the advantage.

The other thing is that the 2.8 is probably not long for this world. GM sold the plant where it's produced, and I don't think it will be available much longer. That means parts could become even harder to get.

For your use, I recommend going with gas. You will save money up front, have fewer potential issues, and really the V6 will probably be more fun to drive around town. Additionally, since you're not towing, and depending on your off road aspirations, you might also look at the Honda Ridgeline, Hyundai Santa Cruz, or the forthcoming Ford Maverick. Those will all get better MPGs, have better interiors, and be more pleasant to drive around town.

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Mad German said:

Wow, lots of great info and definitely makes me reconsider. I think the 2.8 is a fine engine, I'm just not sure my driving habits and needs warrant it. My main interest in the 2.8 was purely for the increased mpg. I've definitely got some things to think about. I won't be buying til next year, so who knows what the 2022 ZR2 will be like.

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