I can't offer any personal advice on the diesels, although I do have friends and business associates that love theirs. I have had several late model GM trucks and SUVS with a few powered by the 6.0. Some had the dreaded GM piston slap/knock but others did not. They were all great on power and reliability. They were all poor on MPG.
The best being a GMC 1500HD (light duty 3/4 ton) that consistently got 15 mpg. The worst being a Denali XL that consistently got 12 mpg. Beyond regular oil changes, I never spent a dime on the motors.
If your primary function is a tow rig, I would buy a used Denali XL with a 6.2. Having had several of the GM full size SUV, I can attest to the 6.2 powered Denali XL being the best of the bunch. It has a very quite and extremely comfortable interior, and a very plush ride when combined with the auto level system.
The 6.2 provides impressive pulling power and still gets acceptable mpg. While towing my 77 Cheyenne on an open trailer, I averaged 12mpg. Without the trailer I see 17 on the highway.
While the brakes won't compare to a 2500 HD, they are still large enough to bring the massive SUV to a very quick stop. This is truly one of the best over all balanced truck or SUV I have ever driven.
|