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Keep in mind, this is a 6 year old post, brought up by a single post poster, so some of the info may be outdated. Having said that, my neighbor had the Dodge with the Ecodiesel. Hes had it right at 2 years, and he seems to like it. He pulls his trailer with 2 mowers on it quite a bit.
As a Former PSD owner for 15 years I say a diesel is not worth the extra expense unless you are going to do the majority of your everyday highway driving towing a trailer.
Diesels get their best mileage when they are cruising at highway speeds not short hauls on local roads.
Using your diesel for six times a year trailer haul is not saving you any money.
When I bought my F250 in 1995 the diesel option was $5,000 over a gas engine. I imagine it is much more today.
If you are buying a diesel because you like the sound of a diesel, remove the mufflers from your gas engine truck for a even louder exhaust.
If you need a diesel buy it. Just don't buy it because you think it's cool.
A diesel option today runs about $9,000 in a 3/4-1 ton truck. Seems to be 3-4K in a 1/2 ton truck. I have a diesel because I always tow something. But my average towing weight is about 9k. I'm not towing that with a 1/2 ton.
I don't think the sales numbers are where Dodge wants to be. The Ecodiesel is a 3-4K option depending if you're buying a comparable V6 or V8 gas truck. That's a big price difference. Gas V8 is simply a higher profit margin so dealers are going to push what they can make money on. They dont care if it's gas or diesel.
As far as longevity, my gas powered trucks go 200k before I sell them and the engines seem to run fine. I had a GMC that's still on the road with a gas engine approaching 400,000. A family member is currently driving it as a DD. The engine is original never rebuilt. Runs fine. Oil changed every 5k.
Plenty of gas engines are capable of reaching those numbers if properly maintained.
Considering most buyers do not keep a vehicle long enough to really get their money's worth and the monthly and yearly running costs savings aren't that huge between gas and diesel to most people a diesel simply isn't a contender. Not to mention a 1/2 ton gas vs 1/2 ton diesel towing the V8 gas trucks have higher tow ratings. The Hemi has a higher tow rating than the Ecodiesel
I do agree if Toyota gets a bug and decides to sell a Tacoma/Hi-Lux with a diesel in the US they simply will need a factory just for that truck option alone because they will sell every one. I know I would buy one in a heartbeat.
Dealers are going to push what sells. And they'll order more of what moves quickest. The factory will subsidize slow movers with incentives. The margins dont really matter much because new cars get cut right away to chase volume especially if it is something like a new truck where competition is so high and supply exceeds demand.
The rest Iotally agree with. If your truck doesnt constantly have a large load behind it and you arent travelling long distances with it...diesel is a waste of money. But that wont stop most buyers who want the massive power and the cred of owning one.
However the midsizers with small 4cyl diesels are an intriguing option. I think they will be highly popular too.
GM makes one. The Colorado/Canyon aren't really small, but they're smaller than a FS truck.
My friend was kinda talkijnv me into a Colorado clone for my next vehicle. I kicked around the diesel thought and we both wondered who that option fit. We thought if we needed an econobox, a $30K midsizer wasn't doing it. Get a diesel Cruze. If we needed a puller, a gasser Silverado or heavy duty truck is it. A base heavy duty would pull at least as much, probably more stably, and for cheaper.
Dealers are going to push what sells. And they'll order more of what moves quickest. The factory will subsidize slow movers with incentives. The margins dont really matter much because new cars get cut right away to chase volume especially if it is something like a new truck where competition is so high and supply exceeds demand.
The rest Iotally agree with. If your truck doesnt constantly have a large load behind it and you arent travelling long distances with it...diesel is a waste of money. But that wont stop most buyers who want the massive power and the cred of owning one.
However the midsizers with small 4cyl diesels are an intriguing option. I think they will be highly popular too.
I was simply looking at the Dodge sales HEMI vs Diesel. The diesel seems to be selling in way lower numbers. The HEMI has a higher tow capacity. And gas is available everywhere. Not every station sells diesel. Yeah diesel mpg is a bit higher given the same truck in a gas version. My F150 work truck I get anywhere from 18-22 mpg. Really depending how fast I'm driving.
Wasn't there a company out of India making these Tacoma size trucks called Manhindra that was supposed to bring in these mini trucks with Diesel engines? That was anticipated and didn't happen.
Most American drivers don't give a crap about diesels. Sure truck guys do, a few people who want high mpg, but diesel simpky isn't in as much demand or at least it's not what mainstream consumers want. If it was you would be seeing diesels as a option in every car. Actually the gas engine would be optional and the diesel standard. And dealers would be screaming for inventory.
I was simply looking at the Dodge sales HEMI vs Diesel. The diesel seems to be selling in way lower numbers. The HEMI has a higher tow capacity. And gas is available everywhere. Not every station sells diesel. Yeah diesel mpg is a bit higher given the same truck in a gas version. My F150 work truck I get anywhere from 18-22 mpg. Really depending how fast I'm driving.
Wasn't there a company out of India making these Tacoma size trucks called Manhindra that was supposed to bring in these mini trucks with Diesel engines? That was anticipated and didn't happen.
Most American drivers don't give a crap about diesels. Sure truck guys do, a few people who want high mpg, but diesel simpky isn't in as much demand or at least it's not what mainstream consumers want. If it was you would be seeing diesels as a option in every car. Actually the gas engine would be optional and the diesel standard. And dealers would be screaming for inventory.
Depends on the area. Despite temps dropping with a windchill factor of -30 to -50 where I lived in upstate ny and the trucks gelling up... You would swear you were in Texas, every other vehicle was a diesel 3/4 ton ford chevy/gmc dodge diesel. Contractors/plumbers/construction companies/ all sorts of different industries LOVED diesel pickups.
The mahindra truck probably didn't meet the ever restrictive emissions dictate set by CARB and the EPA.
Most american drivers don't care for diesels or E85 for that matter, because they're (no offense) baby boomers who had bad experiences and are stuck in the mentality of well it didn't work in the 70s or 80s it's not going to work now. Cadillac/Oldsmobile diesel? Slow smokey noisy 6.2 Chevys, 6.9-7.3idi fords? Early 12v cummapart pickups... That's what they envision modern diesels as...
My father was very closed minded, I took home a brand new 07 6.0 crew cab short box lariat F350 from the dealer I worked at for him to drive... He almost had a heart attack and wanted to know if it had a big block, no way do diesels run that good! Put him in a buddies duramax with a tuner in it his complaint aside from it sounding like an angry Hoover vacuum was his guts moving when flooring it. He cracked me up. Man had nifty rides back in his day couple cool hot rods as well... Just couldn't believe diesels ran that good. He was stuck in the 80s when he had a bad cadillac diesel. When I got my truck and told him it kicked into 4 cyl mode he about had a heart attack, cadillac had a 8 6 4 and that too was a POS I was nuts... Dad this is not the 80s...
Plus the whole E85 damaging rubber fuel system components....not in modern flex fuel capable vehicles. Plus they lay down great numbers on dynos...to the tune of 1.85 a gallon.
Depends on the area. Despite temps dropping with a windchill factor of -30 to -50 where I lived in upstate ny and the trucks gelling up... You would swear you were in Texas, every other vehicle was a diesel 3/4 ton ford chevy/gmc dodge diesel. Contractors/plumbers/construction companies/ all sorts of different industries LOVED diesel pickups.
The mahindra truck probably didn't meet the ever restrictive emissions dictate set by CARB and the EPA.
Most american drivers don't care for diesels or E85 for that matter, because they're (no offense) baby boomers who had bad experiences and are stuck in the mentality of well it didn't work in the 70s or 80s it's not going to work now. Cadillac/Oldsmobile diesel? Slow smokey noisy 6.2 Chevys, 6.9-7.3idi fords? Early 12v cummapart pickups... That's what they envision modern diesels as...
My father was very closed minded, I took home a brand new 07 6.0 crew cab short box lariat F350 from the dealer I worked at for him to drive... He almost had a heart attack and wanted to know if it had a big block, no way do diesels run that good! Put him in a buddies duramax with a tuner in it his complaint aside from it sounding like an angry Hoover vacuum was his guts moving when flooring it. He cracked me up. Man had nifty rides back in his day couple cool hot rods as well... Just couldn't believe diesels ran that good. He was stuck in the 80s when he had a bad cadillac diesel. When I got my truck and told him it kicked into 4 cyl mode he about had a heart attack, cadillac had a 8 6 4 and that too was a POS I was nuts... Dad this is not the 80s...
Plus the whole E85 damaging rubber fuel system components....not in modern flex fuel capable vehicles. Plus they lay down great numbers on dynos...to the tune of 1.85 a gallon.
It's a different discussion now that the diesels have all the emissions equipment on them. Diesels have a larger cost gap versus the gas engines now compared to what it used to be. Plus, many consumers do not want to deal with diesel particulate filters, regens, DEF fluid, SCR catalysts, NoX sensors and all the other "extra" parts that come with diesels these days.
Keep in mind, this is a 6 year old post, brought up by a single post poster, so some of the info may be outdated. Having said that, my neighbor had the Dodge with the Ecodiesel. Hes had it right at 2 years, and he seems to like it. He pulls his trailer with 2 mowers on it quite a bit.
Thank you for pointing out the date of original posting.
Someone in my town purchased a new Ford F250 4x4 with a diesel.
He drove 23,000 in 10 years. Never towed anything.
But he kept telling me that he was saving on fuel costs/MPG.
Depends on the area. Despite temps dropping with a windchill factor of -30 to -50 where I lived in upstate ny and the trucks gelling up... You would swear you were in Texas, every other vehicle was a diesel 3/4 ton ford chevy/gmc dodge diesel. Contractors/plumbers/construction companies/ all sorts of different industries LOVED diesel pickups.
The mahindra truck probably didn't meet the ever restrictive emissions dictate set by CARB and the EPA.
Most american drivers don't care for diesels or E85 for that matter, because they're (no offense) baby boomers who had bad experiences and are stuck in the mentality of well it didn't work in the 70s or 80s it's not going to work now. Cadillac/Oldsmobile diesel? Slow smokey noisy 6.2 Chevys, 6.9-7.3idi fords? Early 12v cummapart pickups... That's what they envision modern diesels as...
Plus the whole E85 damaging rubber fuel system components....not in modern flex fuel capable vehicles. Plus they lay down great numbers on dynos...to the tune of 1.85 a gallon.
My last 2 Jeeps were E85 capable. Never used it. You can't get it around here in NoVA easily and when you do find it, it's as much or more than regular gas, plus you get lower mileage.
E85 isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it has a long way to go before being a viable fuel. When I bought my current Jeep, I got the Hemi. I wanted more power than the V6 had and something different. I never even considered the diesel. Like others have said, you can't get the fuel everywhere, it costs more (although you do get higher mileage out on the highway), the option was another 2 grand or so above the Hemi and the maintenance costs are higher. I'll stick with a gas V8 if I want power. Otherwise, todays V6's have plenty of power and decent mileage to boot.
Example: The new Nissan diesel option is $5,000 and the price difference is .20 per gallon for unleaded/diesel. So, unless you need an extra 170 lb/ft of torque for towing or hauling something really heavy, you need to save - not buy - 25,000 gallons of fuel to break even on the cost of that Cummins diesel.
So, to be really generous, lets say the diesel gets 10 mpg better economy (unlikely). You need to drive 250,000 miles to break even at todays price difference in order to justify the diesel in even this unlikely scenario.
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