JACK & MY MARGARITAVILLE ESCAPE 21 NE & THE NEW CHEVY 1500 DURAMAX 3.0L TURBO-DIESEL

[occer]

Jack I also have a 2025 Chevy 1500 but 4 wh dr with the 3.0 Duramax 10 speed. Purchased in November so just over 10k miles. Around town I’m averaging 22 to 24, open road 28 to 30 depends on the terrain. Towing the 5.0 on recent trip of 2,600 miles the average was 19.1 mpg. One tank was as low as 16.9 mpg the best was 23.2 mpg. The 2,600 miles used 5 gallons of DEF. I keep the cruse at 61 mph and the truck pulls even the steepest grades at the 61. The best part is the engine / exhaust brake going down hill while towing, it keeps the speed very close to the 61 on the 4 to 6 % down grades it starts to pick up speed by 2 to 3 mph and requires slight braking. It’s the LTZ package so has all the cameras, when a trailer is connected and you use the blinkers the radio shows the whole side of both TV & Trailer helping to not hit the curb taking a corner in the parking lots. So far very impressed with the truck, time will tell on maintenance.

 

[Mike G]

I just saw this video on YT and was alarmed about the GM transmission.

 

[jack sparrow]

Hey occer,

Glad to hear that you are happy with your rig and thus far has been giving you great service. Your numbers look fantastic to me and I hope that I'll be able to receive the same or similar results as you. That would be really great as my other TV is only producing 10-11 running 60-65mph. It's a Lexus Gx 470, great vehicle, has plenty power and comfort BUT hard on fuel. Even without pulling a trailer, they are hoggish on the fuel. I still love it and will keep it around home for chores and I have a flatbed utility trailer that I use it to pull to the hardware or whatever.

Back to the Chevy, I drove it to work this morning for the first time. Just got this rig Saturday (5-17-2025) and it might have just over 200 miles on it now, didn't look when I got out of it. Still exploring to find things in the info display. I just found on my way in this morning where to locate the DEF gauge don't laugh....

This is one of my cons so far, the documentation. I'm use to getting manuals and for the price of this rig , we get booklets, what kinda stuff is that??? I've been looking here and there to try and find my way around. Heck I found out last night through a YouTube video that it had a second glove compartment above the lower one...... go figure..... see what I mean.

Anyway ant the beginning of this thread I post the window sticker of what all came with this rig, if you didn't see it. This one is the LTZ package and I'm glade that my deal bombed at the first dealership that wouldn't give me what I wanted for my trade. I was working with the on the LT model. I got this LTZ with soooo much more for just $5 grand more. This one I paid $55,180.00 for and the other was $50,840.00.

Anyway, I'll share more later, Thanks for chiming in and sharing your information with me and our fellow Escapees here. Because......... we want to know the rest of the story........LOL

Cheers to ya...........and Happy Trails........Jack

 

[jack sparrow]

Hey Mike G

I looked at the video, but you know, it's all about how you care and take care of your rig. I watch another YouTube video last night of a guy running from Colorado to California with a new Chevy 1500 Duramax and he was giving it pure **** trying to pull a 18ft cargo trailer at 80mph for as much of the trip as he could. Complained no stop about all the DEF he was going through and getting 10-13mpg. My heart was going out to the truck and these guys want to say something is wrong with the engineering and manufacturing of this vehicle.... I've driven over the road in the big rigs for years and never treated equipment as such. You have to take care of that which you expect to take care of you.. Anyway, you're pulling a load and if you dog it out the trans will leave you sitting, so be kind to your equipment and it will reward you back.

Don't get me wrong, I know there are times that sh&$#& happens beyond our control and may have been caused by a faulty part, but that can happen in anything we buy no matter the make or model, it's just the way it is and when this happens, more than likely it won't be at a right or good time in life. Just hope that we are in a safe place when it does.

Life's short, things will break, don't let it break your joy. Go have some fun and enjoy what's been given.

Cheers to ya........... and Happy Trails......... Jack

 

[salmo7000]

Hey Mike G

I looked at the video, but you know, it's all about how you care and take care of your rig. I watch another YouTube video last night of a guy running from Colorado to California with a new Chevy 1500 Duramax and he was giving it pure **** trying to pull a 18ft cargo trailer at 80mph for as much of the trip as he could. Complained no stop about all the DEF he was going through and getting 10-13mpg. My heart was going out to the truck and these guys want to say something is wrong with the engineering and manufacturing of this vehicle.... I've driven over the road in the big rigs for years and never treated equipment as such. You have to take care of that which you expect to take care of you.. Anyway, you're pulling a load and if you dog it out the trans will leave you sitting, so be kind to your equipment and it will reward you back.

Don't get me wrong, I know there are times that sh&$#& happens beyond our control and may have been caused by a faulty part, but that can happen in anything we buy no matter the make or model, it's just the way it is and when this happens, more than likely it won't be at a right or good time in life. Just hope that we are in a safe place when it does.

Life's short, things will break, don't let it break your joy. Go have some fun and enjoy what's been given.

Cheers to ya........... and Happy Trails......... Jack

For sure Jack!! There are all sorts of terrible things reported online about the very truck I have, my 2017 Chevy Colorado with the Duramax... so many if I had read them first I probably would have never bought it. And even since then, on several forums there are all sorts of terrible reports. And yet, I've had 0 problems with mine except for the 2 emission system issues I mentioned in my previous post. I wouldn't say I baby it, I mean it's my tow rig, right?? It has to work hard sometimes. But, I also keep up with scheduled maintenance, including and especially transmission fluid changes. I don't run it much over 65 mph while towing and never above 55 mph when pulling a long, steep grade. I use tow/haul mode almost exclusively when towing.

Maybe I've just been lucky, but maybe not...

I have a friend who works as a mechanic at my local Chevy dealer. I trust him to be completely honest. I asked him if he had seen anything in the past 3 or 4 years that would be concerning about these 3.0L Chevy diesel pickups. He said he'd seen nothing except emission system stuff, which is a tradeoff one has to accept if they purchase a modern diesel, regardless of brand. It's a glitchy system, for sure. As I mentioned, one of the problems I had with mine was a warranty fix, and the other would have been if the truck had still been under warranty. Fortunately, the latter was a $200.00 repair.

Anyway, take care of your new truck, break it in right, get its first oil change when it has about 2,000 miles, and cross your fingers and toes the emission system functions as intended. The majority don't have problems, from what I understand, and odds are yours will be one of them

 

[Selkirk]

It sounds like you made a well-informed tow vehicle decision.

From what I've researched, the newest generation 3.0 Duramax engine has developed a pretty good reputation for reliability...as far as modern diesels go. As mentioned, the wet belt oil pump seems to be the primary point of concern...along with the rear-mounted timing chain. However, there doesn't seem to be much indication that either have a history of premature failure.

The price seems reasonable for a well-equipped 1/2 ton in this day and age....still that's the equivalent of about $76K Canadian for a 2wd truck. That would also explain the fairly generous payload. 2wd's are pretty much non-existent up here. The 4wd version I looked at had a payload rating a couple hundred pounds less (with an MSRP of $90K-ish CAD).

Though improved over earlier generations, I expect that the diesel emissions equipment has a greater risk of becoming problematic than the wet belt.

 

[jack sparrow]

Well today was my first round trip to work and back which is 150 miles. Got to explore more of the driver display screen. Found where the DEF gauge lives and the trip meters and more. Kept me busy the whole way going and coming. I am impressed with all the information this rig supplies. My other vehicles don't even come close to this rig.

I think I'm falling in love with this machine.....LOL..... Not to mention, that there is more this rig has to offer in the form of information when you hook the trailer to it. It will keep track of mileage for the trailer trip, you can set up maintenance schedules and it keeps track of fuel mpg, all in the trailer hauling part of the info center. This thing is surprising me.

The Duramax is quiet and shifts out very smooth right at 1800 rpms just like in the big rigs. It moves out really good when you need to build up speed to merge into traffic. For a empty truck, it has a comfortable ride and the seats are very nice. The LTZ package has the leather seats rather than the cloth seats that you find in the LT package. Visibility is good, as I was in some stop and go evening traffic. The cameras are fantastic as they allow you to keep track of things around you in the slow moving traffic. I like it!!

What are some of the things that you like about your rig, share it here.

Cheers to ya........and Happy Trails........Jack

More to come......

 

[splitting_lanes]

I think you’ll be real happy with that 3.0 Duramax. I have a 2.8 Duramax and love it. Has the torque of a v-8 without the fuel consumption. The exhaust brake is a bonus.

I had bilsteen struts and shocks installed when the stock ones no longer cut it, and it had its transmission fluid changed at 31k. Just a little earlier than recommended, but with all the towing I do in mountain passes, it couldn’t hurt.

Enjoy your Duramax. I’ve done mud flaps, tow mirrors and good shocks, and it’s awesome.

 

[jack sparrow]

Hey splitting_lanes,

Thank you, and it great to hear your positive feed-back. I have a few things in mind to do with this one. At the moment I'a looking to put a LEER brand cap on it. Boy.... those things have gone up in price. Last cap I put on a truck ran me under a $1000.00 bucks. Not any more, as I was quoted a price of $4499.00 on this new one. Color match and other features to it, plus 5-6 weeks for them to get it.

Thanks for your comments and it is my wishes for you to have more great service out of your TV.

Cheers to ya.........and Happy Trails.........Jack

 

[occer]

Jack,
Couple items, #1 mileage #2 car manual

I find that the speed I travel really affects my mileage. When towing I get my best mileage when I keep my speeds between 58 up to about 61. At 65 it cost several mpg.

The computer on the dash gives a general idea of my mileage and then I do the actual math when fueling. The computer on the dash is pretty close to what the mileage comes out to.

If you have the “My Chevrolet” app on your phone the manual is on there, after a little messing with it you will be able to look up any information easily.

 

[jack sparrow]

Thanks occer,

I haven't driven it since Tuesday, used my 4 Runner yesterday and today to make my trips in to work and back. My 4 runner has over 445,000 miles on it and going strong.

I'll be trying your speeds out soon with the trailer and I'll dig deeper for the My Chevrolet app. Nothing like having the information at your finger tips.

Tomorrow I plan on getting my wd/hitch setup on it, making sure the ball height is right. The way it was set up on the Lexus, it was nice and level, front to back. Hope to be able to duplicate the same with this rig. The Lexus had factory air suspension and I'll probably miss that, we'll see.

So that's what I'll be tinkering around with tomorrow.

Cheers to ya...........and Happy Trails..........Jack

 

[CharlesinGA]

I love having a bed cap/topper. 8 ft long beds are difficult to find caps for. I stumbled into one from a third gen RAM that the buyer had Leer build for him in 2014, over 4 years after that generation of truck ceased production. It apparently was a custom build/color match. The seller started out asking new price (he was selling it in 201 (over $4K) but finally came down to $600 and I grabbed it fast. had to drive a 600 mile round trip to get it. It doesn't match the truck, but doesn't look bad either. (Silver metallic top and Champagne metallic truck)

Charles

 

[CharlesinGA]

If you shop for used Leer or ARE tops (ARE is owned by Leer and is basically the same top now), Google tells me the 2019 to 2025 tops all fit a 2025 truck with the 6'6" bed (or whatever bed length you have, the length didn't vary thru the years.).

Check with Chevy and GM dealers. They tend to remove toppers from trade in's and sell them separately, or let them sit on the back lot on pallets and get dirty and forget about them, but they seem to think the truck cannot be sold with the top on it, so they remove it.

Charles

 

[jack sparrow]

Hey Charles,

Thanks for the information, it will go a long way with my search for a top.
You did fantastic on your purchase and from the photo it looks very good.
As they say....... you got a steal of a deal Well traveled mileage for such a bargin.

Two places have quoted me over $4000 and closer to $5000 for the LEER top I'm
looking at. I'll have to do some checking / calling around to auto dealers and see if
they have any used ones out back. Great idea....... never thought of that.

Thanks for sharing with us here. Valuable information.

Cheers to ya........and Happy Trails..........Jack

 

[Selkirk]

I last bought a new canopy in 2007 for about $2000 CAD. I was lucky when I upgraded from a 2007 Tacoma to my current 2014 Tacoma, that the body style and vehicle generation remained identical....and I was able to swap the old canopy over to the new truck. The original Impulse Red colour of the canopy is close enough to the Barcelona Red colour of 2014 truck that it's hard to notice the difference.

My next tow vehicle will need a new canopy. I think I better prepare myself now for a bit of shock when it comes to pricing.

If you are looking at used canopies, one thing to bear in mind is that the canopies may not be compatible between different cab styles. I know that applies to my 2nd Gen Tacoma. A canopy intended to fit a regular cab with a 6' box will not fit an access cab or crew cab with the same box length. I don't know if this the case for other makes....

 

[jack sparrow]

Hey Selkirk,

Thanks for the information. From the picture you can't tell the difference in the colors. You did save some lute there by doing the swap over.

I did get another price today that is closer to the $4000 mark. According to the supplier if your truck color is a three (3) tier type of paint then there is an added charge of about $180 bucks.
I guess it is what it is..... We'll see.

Thanks again for sharing with us here.

Cheers to ya.........and Happy Trails.

 

[jack sparrow]

Hey All,

I was off today and did a few things with the new rig. I wanted to hook up the Escape to it to see if I needed to change my ball height. I put the hitch on the Lexus and measured it at it's current height. Then I placed the hitch on the New Chevy and parked it in the same location that the Lexus was in when I measured. Ball height was about 2" higher than it was on the Lexus.

Now when I hooked up the Escape to the truck and lowered the weight down onto the truck, all was good. I did a visual and I checked it with my level mate and the bubble levels attached to the Escape and I was level. So I didn't have to do anything to my hitch which is great, but I'll still recheck it again on a different surface as well.

Boy...... I sure am liking all the computerized systems in this truck, the cameras for hitching, the one person lights and signal checking, and the system that keeps track of the miles you are putting on the trailer. Plus you set it up and it reminds you of checking the tires, time to re-pack the bearings, time to do brake inspection and adjustments, WOW!!!!! and you can add custom items that you want to the list. Telling ya.... it will take a lot of guess work out ot this task.

Chime in and tell of your findings and such.

More to come......

Cheers to ya...... and Happy Trails.........Jack

 

[Pender]

I recently upgraded from my 2018 Ram Laramie Ecodiesel to a 2025 Sierra Denali with the diesel engine. With the bells and whistles, the Ram has a payload of 850 lbs (4guys and a cooler of beer). The Sierra payload is better at 1380 lbs. Towing our 21NE up the Alaska Hwy at say 60 mph, I averaged 16 usmpg. Around town, around 26.

Love the engine brake!

 

[CharlesinGA]

There are also several places that specialize in selling used toppers. a very large one is in Tavares FL (central FL) And they list them by make of vehicle. Your window sticker says IRIDESCENT PEARL so I guess from that and the pic, it is Pearl White.

IS YOUR BED 5 FT 8 IN, OR 6½ FT

Not being familiar with newer trucks, I watched this video and learned that a MultiPro (GMC) or MultiFlex (Chevy) tailgate is the two part tailgate and apparently the caps, for whatever reason, are different for them. It may be the length or something else, Dunno. I see your sticker says you have a MULTIFLEX TAILGATE, so you would need to find out what the differences are as far as a cap.

The outfit I linked to has one listed.............
FT-059 Fiber ARE White Pearl (140X) 19-Current Sierra 1500 6.5' Bed (84.5”Lx72”Fx69”R) Multi Pro

The same company lists a bunch of ARE fiberglass cap in white for 5'8" beds but don't say MultiPro/MultiFlex so I'm betting the bed length is different, dunno.

TC-135 Fiberglass ARE Summit White (8624) 19-Current Silverado 1500 CC 5'8” Bed (77”Lx72.75”Fx67.25”R)
TC-137 Fiberglass ARE Summit White (8624) 19-Current Silverado 1500 CC 5'8” Bed (77”Lx72.75”Fx67.25”R)
TC-138 Fiberglass ARE Summit White (8624) 19-Current Silverado 1500 CC 5'8” Bed (77”Lx72.75”Fx67.25”R)
TC-139 Fiberglass ARE Summit White (8624) 19-Current Silverado 1500 CC 5'8” Bed (77”Lx72.75”Fx67.25”R)
TC-140 Fiberglass ARE Summit White (8624) 19-Current Silverado 1500 CC 5'8” Bed (77”Lx72.75”Fx67.25”R)
TC-159 Fiberglass ARE Summit White (8624) 19-Current Silverado 1500 CC 5'8” Bed (77”Lx72.75”Fx67.25”R)

Leer and ARE caps are both quality products but Google tells me that are owned by different companies.

LEER Group, which is part of JB Poindexter & Co (JBPCO), is the largest manufacturer of truck caps and tonneaus in North America, and their well-regarded brands include LEER, Snugtop, Century Caps, and Bedslide. A.R.E. Accessories LLC is a separate company and was acquired by THI Corp.

Charles

 

[jack sparrow]

I recently upgraded from my 2018 Ram Laramie Ecodiesel to a 2025 Sierra Denali with the diesel engine. With the bells and whistles, the Ram has a payload of 850 lbs (4guys and a cooler of beer). The Sierra payload is better at 1380 lbs. Towing our 21NE up the Alaska Hwy at say 60 mph, I averaged 16 usmpg. Around town, around 26.

Love the engine brake!

Hey Pender,
Glad to hear your results. Don't know how many miles you have on your rig thus far, but from what I hear from a local friend of mine, he says the empty mileage will go up as you engine breaks in. I'm averaging up to 27-29 on my trips to work which is 112miles away from the house.

Have a camping trip coming up in a couple weeks and it will be the first pull for my rig, so I'll be reporting the numbers from that when I return the following week. I love the trailer app in the truck. It keeps up with so much.

Thanks for sharing with us here and keep us informed as well on your numbers and experiences you are having with your new rig, We / I'll be glad to hear what you have to share.

Cheers to ya.........and Happy Trails..........Jack