Diesel Bombers - New guy, frustrated and looking for advise!

Hello fellow bombers - I am pretty new to diesels and have lots to learn. Been a gas gear head all my life. My first diesel was an 02 powerstroke, loved it but couldn't justify the $500/mo payment and only driving it on occasion - so it had to go. Soon realized that I still needed a truck once in awhile to tow and haul. Being a life long Chevy guy I decided to give a 6.5TD a try. Now have a 97 GMC K1500 Z71. It's a pooch compaired to the powerstroke. Bought it last Sept and soon found out about the famous PMD problem. Then when the weather got cold, and it wouldn't start without plugging it in, I found out about glow plugs. Long story short - I'm not a big fan of the 6.5. Now faced with the dilema of should I continue to spend money on this thing to get more power, or get it running decent and sell it. Been on several forums looking for help. Most seem to be run by a Diesel parts supplier and are bias towards their own products and services. Don't know who or what to believe. This site appears to be un-biased and does not seem to endorse one companies products over another. Although "Woody34" seems to go out of his way to bash SS Diesel. Anyway, I hope I can find help here. I'll post in the tech areas and see what happens. Looking forward to honest unbiased help. Thanks in advance.

Tim