2012 GM Diesel

[TimDyck]

Just purchased a new 2012 Chevy 3/4 ton Crew Cab Diesel with 373 rear end.
Our Bighorn is a 3055 RL.
Any one out there with the same or similar setup? What kind of mpg do you get , cruising on the interstate at 60 to 65 mph.
Or overall mpg say on a trip from the midwest to Texas?
We just came back from our State Rally at Lena , IL. 7.9 mpg with our old truck, a 2008 3/4 ton 6 liter gas engine.
We were bucking the wind a little.
Can't wait to try out the new truck, I have never pulled with a diesel.

We have a 2011 Chevy 3500 Diesel and we pull a Trail Runner so we have the same engine etc but a considerably lighter trailer. We just finished a 2700 Km (1680 miles) trip and averaged around 15mpg which I thought was pretty good since most of the trip was through mountains with heavy grades. My wife and I wish you the best with the new truck and hope you have many a great journey.

 

[djrait]

Good to hear a number of you. I have just purchased my second Duramax 2012 4X4 diesel and this Friday I am picking up my new Bighorn 3010RE. So am excited in finding out how both truck and rig handles. BTW I am a new member and learning how to set up my info.
Dave.

 

[jimtoo]

Hi Dave,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and Family. We have a great bunch of people here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge when needed.

When you go to pickup your new Bighorn, do a really good PDI. Make sure the dealer has it hooked to water and electric. Check everything to make sure you can operate it and that it works. From appliances to draining the tanks.

If you have questions, just ask.

Enjoy the forum and your new Bighorn.

Jim M

 

[scottyb]

We have a 2011 Chevy 3500 Diesel and we pull a Trail Runner so we have the same engine etc but a considerably lighter trailer. We just finished a 2700 Km (1680 miles) trip and averaged around 15mpg which I thought was pretty good since most of the trip was through mountains with heavy grades. My wife and I wish you the best with the new truck and hope you have many a great journey.

Wow! That's incredible. My 2007 rarely gets 15 mpg empty, and only under perfect conditions like flat highway and cruise control. It usually averages around 13 mpg, 1/2 highway and 1/2 city, at work. I have a logbook that has every gallon of fuel that has gone into it for 172K miles. It is stock with no chips or other enhancements.

 

[cemill]

I will certainly do that. I am sure the filter will have some sluffoff as you say. Good Idea.

 

[katkens-DW]

CE we need pictures of that new toy!!!!

 

[jnbhobe]

CE we need pictures of that new toy!!!!

For dart practice!! LOL Get us some pictures CE I'd like to see it too 3500??? You'll love it for towing and playing.

 

[mikeandconnie]

The transmission oil filter is a required change at the first oil change if you read the owners manual closely.

I just towed my 16250 Key Largo with my 2011 3500 Duramax 4/4 SWB 3000 miles East Coast to West Coast I80, I'm reading 10.2 MPG driving 65 mph and maintaining 65 up the grades. The Exh brake worked well holding 55 mph down all the grades and I never touched the brakes.

 

[TimDyck]

Wow! That's incredible. My 2007 rarely gets 15 mpg empty, and only under perfect conditions like flat highway and cruise control. It usually averages around 13 mpg, 1/2 highway and 1/2 city, at work. I have a logbook that has every gallon of fuel that has gone into it for 172K miles. It is stock with no chips or other enhancements.

I'll clarify two little details. In Canada we use Imperial Gallons which are bigger than US gallons (20% more) so we will get what appears to be better mileage but is really just a number thingy. Secondly our diesel is higher quality than yours. Something I didn't know until the fuel injection pump problems with the Fords came out. Seems we Canucks don't have the problems the American Ford owners have cause your fuel companies are ripping you off. Now it's not entirely their fault since the standards are set by the govermin who we all know always works for the best interest of the people (sarcasm). Now I am not sure how our govermin screwed up and set a higher standard but it appears they missed something and gave us better fuel. I for one am not gonna point this out to them since they will immediately fix the problem and our Ford owners will suffer the same fate as yours.

 

[mattpopp]

We have a 2011 Chevy 3500 Diesel and we pull a Trail Runner so we have the same engine etc but a considerably lighter trailer. We just finished a 2700 Km (1680 miles) trip and averaged around 15mpg which I thought was pretty good since most of the trip was through mountains with heavy grades. My wife and I wish you the best with the new truck and hope you have many a great journey.

That is amazing. The guy that bought my Gooseneck dovetail has a new 12 3500 Chevy 4wd DRW 3.73 gears. Pickup is setup with front and rear replacement bumpers and a headache rack. But he gets 13pmg empty with mix city/highway driving.

 

[Tool958]

We have gotten as high as 19 mpg unloaded, hand calculated. Our truck is modified. In stock form, the best we have ever gotten was about 14 mpg highway. Pulling our Cyclone, it averages between 10-11 mpg. At times we have gotten between 13-14 mpg. A lot of it depends on the fuel, wind speed, whether you have a tailwind, headwind, etc. The Cyclone is actually about 4000# heavier than our last 33' TT. It still gets better mileage with the 5th wheel over the TT. I still haven't figured out how a taller and heavier trailer can give you better mileage. It has to be the aerodynamics.

 

[caissiel]

Same with our BC. Much easier to tow then our lighter previous 5th wheel Trailer. The front shape and tires are the difference.

Sent from my GT-S5660M using Tapatalk 2

 

[kakampers]

We have a 2011 3500 DRW CC with the 3.73 rear...just turned over 30,000 miles. We consistently get 10-11 mpg towing our 17,600 pound Bighorn. Yes, you read that right...sometimes us fulltimers are "slightly" heavy...LOL! Been weighed by RVSEF several times, so it's not a mistake...hope to be lighter in the Landmark we just ordered...we'll see...

We had been getting a little over 17 mpg empty, but the last trip we got just over 19 mpg...guess she's getting broke in now!

 

[wyleyrabbit]

In Canada we use Imperial Gallons...

Well...actually in Canada we use liters, not gallons of any sort. We haven't used the imperial system since the 70s. :angel:

Towing, we use about 24 l/100 km which works out to about 9.8 mpg (US gal), but that's through a lot of hills and some mountains.

Not towing, I get typically about 21 l/100 km in the city (very hilly in my city), which is about 11.2 mpg. Highway I get more like 14 l/100 km or about 16.8 mpg.

Of course, I can think of no other place where the phrase "your mileage may vary" would be more appropriate.

Cheers,
Chris

 

[ILH]

Well...actually in Canada we use liters, not gallons of any sort. We haven't used the imperial system since the 70s. :angel:

True, but us oldtimers who were brought up on the imperial system can't get a feel for litres / 100 kms - preferring instead to the MPG - albeit different from the American gallon. My son, on the other hand, who was brought up entirely on the metric system, couldn't tell you what a gallon, mile, foot or inch is (he knows what they are - just doesn't have a sense of their size).

 

[wyleyrabbit]

True, but us oldtimers who were brought up on the imperial system can't get a feel for litres / 100 kms - preferring instead to the MPG - albeit different from the American gallon. My son, on the other hand, who was brought up entirely on the metric system, couldn't tell you what a gallon, mile, foot or inch is (he knows what they are - just doesn't have a sense of their size).

Heh heh. Yeah, I grew up learning only the metric system. I only think of temperature in C, liquid only in ml or l, weight in grams or kg, etc. Oddly though, I think of my height in feet and inches, and my weight in lbs, and I cannot explain why that is.

Cheers!

 

[mobilcastle]

My 2011 3500 dually Duramax has less than 8K on the clock and gets 17 on interstate when not towing and 11 towing my 2010 model 3670 Bighorn. My son says it will improve with more miles-we will see. I tow at 60 to 65 MPH. I changed my filter at the first oil change. I really like how the truck handles my DW and I like how it rides-stock. I think you will be very happy with your truck.

 

[porthole]

Mileage doe not improve like it once did with miles added.
Modern diesels are computer controlled from the time they are first started and all through the service life of the engines. Materials used to build the engines have evolved over the years to minimize the "break in" period. Which is good.

Think of it a different way. It use to be thousands maybe tens of thousands of miles were required to break in an engine. But, once borken in it become a downhill slide to being worn out.