Diesel Appropriate?

[contenderv07]

Hey everyone, I'm looking for some opinions.... My wife is looking to get a Yukon, but I'm trying to decide if it's "safe" to get a diesel or not. She works from home and travels MAYBE 10 miles a day. The one thing I worry about it the regens since she doesn't travel long enough to really burn it off until maybe the weekend. I've had 3 diesels but none of them had any emissions so this is out of my wheelhouse. Let me know what yall think

 

[B-train]

I wouldn't go diesel for that type of driving. You will end up having issues I believe. The new diesel systems aren't like the OG setups, they need long stretches to keepnthe catalyst hot.

She probably just needs a Chevy Bolt. LOL

 

[contenderv07]

I wouldn't go diesel for that type of driving. You will end up having issues I believe. The new diesel systems aren't like the OG setups, they need long stretches to keepnthe catalyst hot.

She probably just needs a Chevy Bolt. LOL

thats what I was thinking too (about the bolt LOL). If these things didn't have any emmisions on them, I'd be all over it, but I also know diesels are meant to be driven long distances. In saying that, would the 5.3 be ok, or get the 6.2?? I would really like to turn the cylinder deactivation off if we get gas

 

[swathdiver]

Get the 6.2! Whatever you get, get a battery tender as the battery will become depleted from the short hops and sitting so much.

 

[Marky Dissod]

... In saying that, would the 5.3L be ok, or get the 6.2L?

If you need your vehicle to work (or play) HARD, 6.2L.
If you only need it to go places and protect yourself from bad weather, 5.3L is ok.

I would really like to turn the cylinder deactivation off ...

Good, do that, even if only by using a plug-in of some sort.
(A tune is better bang for the buck, lots more fun, AND the transmission will last longer before its rebuild too.)
Turning off lazy cylinder mode, and changing oil sooner than the Oil Life Monitor suggests,
will keep the lifters as healthy as reasonably possible for as long as possible.

 

[TollKeeper]

At 10 miles a day, I know I would be looking at a Hybrid or a EV. Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Lexus Hybrid/EV, Chevy Bolt/Blazer EV, Tesla Model Y/X, Rivian, etc.

Diesel is out for what was mentioned above. It needs stretches to get the SCR/Catalyst hot.

And I would not be buying any gasoline product from any of the big 3 right now.

 

[contenderv07]

thanks everyone! I wish we could get something smaller but we have to have a large SUV. I've got a 2019 Tundra that I'm going to run in the ground because that engine won't die. Its hard for me to get anything that these newer SUVs have, with turbos. They just scare me

 

[Marky Dissod]

And I would not be buying any gasoline product from any of the big 3 right now.

Please, for the benefit of those gathered, do expand on this statement?

... hard for me to get anything that these newer SUVs have, with turbos. They just scare me ...

No need to be scared of turbos, if you can avoid them easily enough.
Might be difficult to avoid them once the GMT800s & GMT900s age into extinction ...

 

[TollKeeper]

Rivian is considered a large SUV, has 3 rows.

A Toyota Sequoia is a large SUV with 3 rows.

A Lexus GX or LX is a large SUV, but I agree about the V6 thing, especially with the recent recall. Maybe look for one that is a V8?

Please, for the benefit of those gathered, do expand on this statement?

GM's AFM/DOD is a junk system, has been forever. Add in the lifter issues that GM has been having, and this problem is still on-going. Its a no go. The 3.6HF engine has, and will always be a junk engine. On both of them, when you factor in GM's Planned poor maintenance schedule (OLM of 10k miles or more), I just cant do it, and I dont recommend anyone else do it.

Ford going strictly V6 turbo is a bit of a annoyance for me. The 3.5 is actually a good engine when in a RWD based platform. But in the FWD based platform, is just junk. Fords problem is usually around poor electronics, and transmissions when talking about RWD Platforms.

Dodge/Stelantis was ok for awhile. The Hemi is, and has been, a decent engine. But now they are going strictly I6 Turbo, and having really bad growing pains doing it. Give it a couple years, and they may figure it out. But not right now.

I will grant you that you can always not go by GM's OLM, and do normal maintenance like we used to do in the old days... People just dont do that anymore. They wait for the car to tell them that service is due, or that a tire is low, or... For the OP, whos wife only drive 10 miles a day, I can see nothing buy headaches from this, and a lot of them.

But this is just my opinion. Been a GM die hard loyalist since I stole my first car way back in the day. Up until my Rivian, it was pretty much all I owned.

And no I am not advocating for Rivian, Its an ok truck. But still not what I would prefer to drive. Miss my 2006 Esky, love my 2004 Envoy.

 

[Marky Dissod]

GM's Engine Half @$$ was a bad idea, and its implementation was far worse - weak @$$ parts.
GM's Cylinder Confusion (SEVENTEEN firing orders!) was a meh idea at best,
and once again, its implementation was far worse - weak @$$ parts.

Cylinder valve deactivation NEEDS far higher quality parts to last and work properly for 300,000 miles.
Since labor and parts costs are always being driven DOWN,
and carmakers are actively against the idea of a vehicle lasting 200,000 miles,
Cylinder valve deactivation will NEVER be a proper long-term solution.

Oil Life Monitor works just fine, IFF you change oil & filter sooner than 15%.
Try 20%? 25%? 33%? 50%? Easy enough solution there.

Eventually 6-inlines (and 4-inlines heavily based on them) with more stroke than bore
will be the most common of the last internal combustion engines.
Hopefully they'll be twin (triple?) turbo'd, with hydraulic hybridized regenerative braking.

Meanwhile, I'm waiting for roller skates with some assist ...

 

[JayceeP]

Hey everyone, I'm looking for some opinions.... My wife is looking to get a Yukon, but I'm trying to decide if it's "safe" to get a diesel or not. She works from home and travels MAYBE 10 miles a day. The one thing I worry about it the regens since she doesn't travel long enough to really burn it off until maybe the weekend. I've had 3 diesels but none of them had any emissions so this is out of my wheelhouse. Let me know what yall think

This is the reality of our day to day. Very short trips most days but usually a 30 mile trip or 2 to one of the rinks my son plays at. I haven’t had any issues. We get a decent amount of road trips in for summer vacation and hockey as well.

I think the big thing is if you’re literally just doing a couple miles throughout the week, go for a cruise on the weekend.

10 miles daily through the work week is still a decent amount. I’m sure you do some running around on the weekend?

I’m also enjoying getting 20-25mpg every day.

 

[CTown Duramax]

Hey everyone, I'm looking for some opinions.... My wife is looking to get a Yukon, but I'm trying to decide if it's "safe" to get a diesel or not. She works from home and travels MAYBE 10 miles a day. The one thing I worry about it the regens since she doesn't travel long enough to really burn it off until maybe the weekend. I've had 3 diesels but none of them had any emissions so this is out of my wheelhouse. Let me know what yall think.

Totally appropriate. Get one. You will never look back.

We bought ours three years years ago and have done 33k miles just as you describe. We do daily short haul driving like grocery getting, cross town commutes and the occasional trip out of town. We have had ZERO issues. Regen is not a problem. The regen turns on. The regen turns off. No problems with this engine.

This is a modern German-type turbo-diesel. Fully half of all passenger vehicles in Europe are turbo diesels. People buy them for regular daily use and pay a several thousand Euro upcharge because the turbo diesel is "simply a better motor" - as my old friend over there says.

This engine is a joy to drive. The wide band of maximum torque moves my three ton 4WD effortlessly. There is PLENTY of acceleration, even at 80+. Fuel efficiency is simply amazing. I love GM V8 gasoline performance engines but I like this in line 6 turbo diesel even better.

 

[CTown Duramax]

I wouldn't go diesel for that type of driving. You will end up having issues I believe. The new diesel systems aren't like the OG setups, they need long stretches to keepnthe catalyst hot.

She probably just needs a Chevy Bolt. LOL

I understand the sentiment but do not believe this to be true at all.

 

[Stbentoak]

I agree.... I've short tripped mine weeks on end and I've drove it 1000 miles in a day. Either way, it doesn't care. Wouldn't hesitate to buy again regardless of driving circumstances.....

 

[ZKWBQD]

Hey everyone, I'm looking for some opinions.... My wife is looking to get a Yukon, but I'm trying to decide if it's "safe" to get a diesel or not. She works from home and travels MAYBE 10 miles a day. The one thing I worry about it the regens since she doesn't travel long enough to really burn it off until maybe the weekend. I've had 3 diesels but none of them had any emissions so this is out of my wheelhouse. Let me know what yall think

You couldn't GIVE me a diesel vehicle. They're noisy, they smell, and for some reason, the people that own them will almost never turn them off. They just LOVE to let them idle. Go with gasoline.

 

[geobern]

Hey, I live in Fargo, ND and drove suburbans for 30+ years with the 5.3 and only minor issues. In 2021 I got a Yukon Denali with the 3.0 diesel. I now have 80k+ miles and no issues. I now am retired and use this in many different situations. I am averaging 25 mpg overall and got over 30 mpg last year on a 4k trip through Canada. I will definitely get the same engine when I make another purchase. I love the vehicle.

 

[CTown Duramax]

You couldn't GIVE me a diesel vehicle. They're noisy, they smell, and for some reason, the people that own them will almost never turn them off. They just LOVE to let them idle. Go with gasoline.

Some folks will never buy diesels, sure, but these are nothing like the old diesels. With the DEF fluid and the particulate filter, they don't smell and they're quiet. Extended idling is not recommended (unlike marine diesels that idle all through the coldest months of the winter). With a CAR and DRIVER reported 0 - 60 in 7.8 secs, they don't give up much in acceleration.

 

[Tinbadtin]

+1 on the smell. It doesn’t smell, at all.

Starting any gas car first thing in the morning grosses me out now after owning the 3.0 for the past 2+ years. We basically live in peak diesel / ICE where these engines are the cleanest and best performing. Not sure how much more can be squeezed out of the technology but I plan to keep ours for a very long time!

 

[CTown Duramax]

I think that this theme about the diesel being inappropriate for daily use and being better for long haul driving is a fallacy. I have never ever seen a manufacturer warning not to use these for short haul daily driving. Maybe people say this based on their experience with big diesels, I dunno, but this type of turbo diesel, four pot and six pot, half liter per cylinder, is in use all over Europe and Asia. There are millions and millions of these engines in now in use in passenger vehicles for over two decades. All the major Euro manufacturers make them. They are considered better engines for all purposes.

 

[UsualSuspect]

I wouldn't hesitate to get a diesel. Short trips, long trips, doesn't matter, the diesel will work. As for regen's, I haven't had an issue with either of ours. I am driving a 3.0 Sierra to and from work, and for errands, rarely sees the highway, has 20k on it now, zero issues, never had it ask for a regen, or pop a code for one. I personally won't touch a 6.2, we have some in our fleet, 62% of them have had their engines replaced within 20k, but we also have some Expeditions, all of them have had at least 1 transmission, one of them is on their 4th. Pick your manufacturing poison, all of them have issues, buy what makes you happy, feel blessed if you have zero issues. .