I hear good things about the 3.0L Duramax from the couple of guys that own them I know. The only real issue I have with new half ton pickups is the bed size. I miss 8' beds being the standard.
I hear you ducky. I haul more people and gear than plywood these days. I can tell you with a little ingenuity you can still carry 14' roofing and rafters to remote camp site.