A lot depends on your application. If I was mowing only, making short drives between stops, and not doing many long distances with a trailer, I would get a gas. I make many long drives with a trailer (80+) and haul heavy weights, so I have a diesel. The only problem now was even if I quit landscaping, I dont know if I could ever go back to the gas, I just love these diesels.
The mpg issue is really apparent if pulling any size trailer over a decent distance. Weight behind a diesel just doesnt drag down the mpg like it does with a gas. But if the trips were all short (mowing in a neighborhood), this may not be the case.
As far as brands of diesels, I truly believe you can find a problem with any brand, any year. You want to avoid the major problems, if you do a little research you can find these.
I keep seeing generic references here to problems. The dodge had problems with auto trannies on the pre03 models, but have never had problems with the manual, and the new auto is supposed to be good. The Ford 6.0 was initially a disaster, but have heard they are supposed to have it cleared up on the 05's, time will tell. Duramax has its share too, but cant remember, injectors I think. There is no way they are worth the price to me, when I can get a cummins at much less price, with a proven engine, but thats just my preference.
I have not heard of the frame problems on the dodge. I wonder about some of these types of complaints, some people add massive amounts of horse power to these engines (very easy to do on a diesel), far more than the rest of the truck and drivetrain can handle. And some people use 1 ton pickups to hotshot 30,000+ pound loads. If frames are cracking from rated weights and sensible hp, it seems we would have heard more on this. I frequent a couple of dodge diesel forums and have never heard of this. Uniscaper, got any elaboration on this?
I highly recommend anyone interested in a diesel to visit these diesel forums, you can find out more there on diesel engines and the trucks they are in than you can find out about this business on this forum, and thats quite a bit.
Whew, my fingers are tired.
Bryan