Cars We Remember / Collector Car Corner; GMC Turbo Diesel pickup delivers over 30 MPG easy; ‘green’ push opinion

Q: Greg the screen shots are of my 2020 GMC Sierra Crew Cab Pick-up. It has the small 3.0-liter Turbo Diesel engine and I feel why should I drive in a compact, uncomfortable car when you can move over 6,000 pounds of steel and enjoy this kind of mileage?

The 30 MPG average is for over 24,000 miles, which includes towing a 4,000 lb. boat that obviously brings down the mileage when doing do. 

It’s also great to travel 1,000 miles between fill-ups! Also, the mileage drops whenever the computer decides to burn extra fuel to light off the particulate filter. (Author note: DPF cleaning filter process.) 

As was asked in one of your latest newspaper columns, does the small diesel get over 30 MPG? The answer is definitely “YES” as my GMC is an awesome torque monster and can twist the driveshaft with torque on par with some big-blocks you write about from the muscle car era. Torque makes the wheels spin, and both diesel as well as gasoline can do the trick! 

What’s your opinion of these diesel vehicles? 

Keep up your good work as you always have something interesting when you write. I also like when you write about your relationships with some of the greats in motorsports and racing and is always a pleasure to read about in our Daily Review. Best regards, Alex Piechocki, Towanda, Pa.

A: Alex it is always a pleasure to receive letters like this and thank you for your very kind words. I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the biggest names in motorsports thanks to being a regular writer for National Speed Sport News, Circle Track, and Performance Racing Industry magazines. There were many more, but writing for these three publications assured that I had access to the biggest names in motorsports. Thank you again for acknowledging my good fortunes. 

As for your GMC, I love the truck but even discussing diesels triggers me as to how diesel car and truck owners are treated nowadays by those who want to eliminate any type of fossil fuel powered vehicles.  

I remember how impressed I was when I test drove what was an exact copy of your GMC when that small 3.0-liter diesel pickup arrived in my driveway. Not only was the torque amazing, the fuel mileage that you highlight is absolutely incredible. You mention towing your boat, which indeed does lower the miles-per-gallon (MPG), yet you still enjoy outstanding fuel mileage. Not surprisingly I recommended the GMC 3.0 Turbo Diesel as a great vehicle to own. 

Nowadays, however, owning a diesel-powered vehicle of any sort is a tricky situation. Those who are lost in the eliminate fossil fuel “Green New Deal” movement won’t give an inch when it comes to owning a vehicle like yours. Regardless of how well the GMC Diesel delivers spectacular performance, it will always be too dirty for our environment. 

It’s such a touchy situation. Here in the United States our administration is, in my opinion, ruining our once abundant (and cheap) forms of energy including our total independence on foreign oil by outlawing, closing pipelines, or curbing production of fossil fuels in any manner they can. The result of these government mandates is the hope that internal combustion cars are on the pathway to obsolescence way before our infrastructure is ready for 100% electric vehicles. 

I feel anytime big money (lobbyists, political interests, media agendas) is thrown at what currently is just a hope, things get out of control quickly and we’re left with one side hating the other side regardless of sound theory. Further, don’t even bring up the fact that India and China are massive air polluters or you’ll be shown the door.

In ending, I do believe that one day, fully electric cars will be the norm. However, in our current world and economic situations, we should be drilling and fracking like crazy. Instead of asking countries that hate us to drill more oil for us to buy from them (yes, this really is crazy), we must ensure our homeland safety by utilizing the natural resources we’ve been blessed with.

Case in point: Germany has just restarted its coal fired plants in response to soaring gas and electricity prices after a decision was made to close coal and nuclear plants to adhere to immediate green policy initiatives. Under pressure from the Russian cutbacks of natural gas, Germany is bringing back 5.9 GW of mothballed coal units in order to save gas as the country faces severe energy shortages this winter. (Compliments Energy Quantified, Sept. 23, 2021.)

Why can’t the United States initiate similar moves during what is a very dubious and dangerous era with a world war possibly looming?   

Our outdated electrical grids cannot handle the “electric car” demands right now, nor can the average middle class worker afford one. This is proven by the state of California where its governor has asked his residents not to charge their electric cars at certain times of the day. 

I also still feel that hybrid vehicles (which receive an assist from small 3 or 4-cylinder internal combustion engines) are where our R&D monies should still be spent. The main reason being the hybrid won’t allow you and your family to be “battery dead” at 2 a.m. somewhere in a state that doesn’t yet have a recharge station close by. Unfortunately, even though an example like this doesn’t “fit” your 2020 GMC Diesel, you’re still a “politically incorrect” consumer to the unforgiving green crowd. 

Until then, whatever the politically motivated environmental groups force consumers to endure, they might be very unhappy when they find they can’t drive or even charge their $65,000 electric car because our grids are not ready to handle the loads. If pushed right now, will the windmills and solar panel farms allow toasters the ability to brown a morning bagel? 

The politicians and energy lawmakers need to hit the brakes, at least for the time being. I’m not against electric cars or solar electricity, but am concerned with the “who, what, when, where and why” components of making all this happen. 

Sorry your letter hit a sore spot with me Alex, but there are lots of problems in front of us right now and this “get it done yesterday” green energy push is making things way worse. It seems the word “patience” is not in the green new deal dictionary nor is making sure our power plant infrastructure can handle the demands. 

Enjoy your GMC Turbo Diesel as you make perfect sense to me in being a proud owner. Thanks again for your letter.  

(Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto columnist who welcomes reader questions or comments on auto nostalgia, collector cars or motorsports at greg@gregzyla.com.)