On the starting issue, aside from gelling issues in winter, do you find that the new ceramic glow plugs (the new ‘extreme’ heat type) compensate well?
I have no experience with any of the latest doo dads on trucks built after 2002. I have a fleet of concrete mixers without glow plugs, the Duramx might have what you described and the truck it replaced was a 1994 Ford F350 with a 7.3 International diesel that ate glow plugs like candy corn.
Second worst diesel for a light truck was the 6.2 GM diesel, worst of course was the Olds 5.7 diesl conversion.
The Duramax in Alaska also goes through batteries pretty bad, I have replaced the dual batteries three times in the last 10 years.
I use an Optima dry cell battery for my 8100 Vortec. Works fine even at minus 40 in Alaska. Plugging in is mandatory for the diesel along with synthetic oil.
Let me say again in detail, on the Duramax I have NEVER had any glow plug issues, I suspect they are those ceramic heaters and they seem to be trouble free, possibly and thats with a wink they might be too good and stress the batteries a tad too much, like they draw TOO much current.