V6 3.6 vs. EcoDiesel for daily driver

[Mr._Bill]

From my understanding, Jeep doesn't and isn't going to offer the diesel in the Mojave trim. I can't speak to what the reasons are, but there's surely some sort of negatives at play behind this decision.

Can anyone answer why that's so?

It's designed for a specific purpose with a tuned suspension incorporating some expensive shocks. Adding 400 pounds to the front end throws it way off.

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[Tapped_Out]

It's designed for a specific purpose with a tuned suspension incorporating some expensive shocks. Adding 400 pounds to the front end throws it way off.

So if you put one of those heavy diesel engines in a 2-door Wrangler and jam on the brakes at a red light: Do the back wheels lift off the ground?

 

[Tufelhundin]

I just came from the Canyon Diesel and I loved it, it was 3 yrs 5 mnths old and had over 109k miles on it when I got rid of it for the Gladi....so lots of miles.

Im not sure how this diesel runs vs the diesels in the Colorado/Canyon but a problem for some of the owners was something you mentioned above. "Short Commutes"

The Little Duramax didn't like short drives if it couldn't get a full regen...eventually it would tell you keep driving until regen is complete or it would go in limp mode.


Not sure how this diesel works with regens vs the little duramax but thought Id bring it up.

 

[stickshifter]

If you are doing lots of short trips in the diesel, you will have expensive problems with your emissions systems.

The diesel will tow a load better than the gas - even if it is rated lower. In other words - pulling a 5,000 pound trailer up and down hills will be a breeze for the diesel, while the gasser will rev high and work hard going up hills.

Lots of other considerations - that's just my 2 cents.

 

[smlobx]

I have had diesels almost all my adult life (owned a construction company).
we currently have a F-350 diesel and a 2014 Grand Cherokee with the Ecodiesel. In fact, we just returned from a 1500 mile round trip to NH so I know the 3.0 diesel well.

A couple of points...

1. A diesel does not like regular short trips. If your daily commute is 15 miles or less don’t buy a diesel.
2. The torque of the diesel is amazing. On our recent highway trip jumping from 60 mph to 75 mph was just like a V8.
3. The 8 speed transmission is perfectly matched to the diesel’s torque. It was one of the reasons I got the auto with my Gladiator which I don’t feel is as well matched..
4. Highway mileage is amazing with us averaging about 29 mpg on our trip.
5. Of course it will cost more to maintain but so what?

 

[kelkolb]

Don't forget to take reliability into consideration. This is a brand new engine in the 2020 RAM and 2021 Gladiator. The last 3.0 was a POS and there are already people reporting issues with the new one. Personally, on an engine and emissions system that complex, I'd avoid it for at least 2 model years until they've proven it and/or worked out all the issues.

 

[hayasa]

Yup, coming from a daily Grand Cherokee Ecodiesel, that no short commute thing is a PITA. Last week, I had to drive around on the highway for a solid 1/2 hour AFTER I reached my destination because I haven't been driving much since COVID. It finally cleared the alert after a thorough regen, but I was sweating while waiting for a while in traffic and watching that alert getting ever so passive aggressive...

Also, the gen 2 Ecodiesel in my GC has had numerous recalls. In fact, I am two in the hole since this Spring and don't want ANYONE touching it with possible infection (my local dealership had to do a deep clean due to an infected customer). And right after I bought it, it had several oil leaks (cracked oil pan from factory), multiple diesel fuel leaks (pinched connecting hoses), and several small issues. And it sat at the dealer for a solid 3 months while parts were back-ordered from Italy. They wouldn't give it back to be due to safety concerns during that time, either.

 

[Apocalypz]

I can’t answer between the diesel and V6 but you should 100% be able to negotiate on a custom order.

Absolutely agree! There are several reputable dealerships on the forum that will deal.
I ordered a 2021 JTR diesel from Travis at atria City and got 7% below invoice.
Always negotiate. If they won’t, find another dealer even if you have to drive out of state.

 

[Artsifrtsi]

Check out how available diesel is everywhere you go.

 

[Orange01z28]

@rocky4by
37s is purely for stance I am willing to compromise on the gas mileage and ride quality.

@Tapped_Out
you are making me want the premium audio even more! I am curious if the Alpine system is waterproof. Not that I am going to cross a river with JT but just to be safe in case weather changes while I am driving door/top less.

I wasn't planning on getting premium audio but I'm really glad I did. It's worth it!

 

[WXman]

I spent a lot of time researching and debating between V6 3.6 and eco diesel.
JT is going to be my daily driver. I like outdoor activities but I don't do hardcore offroading.
It's so hard to make a decision so I started listing down pros and cons of each.
Overall I think V6 3.6 is more suitable for me but before making $40k+ purchase, I want to hear out others' opinions.

Diesel - Pros:
1) 442 lb-ft torque (I plan to run 37s on stock gears)
2) holds resale value better?

Diesel - Cons:
1) Selec-trac not available (Michigan winter makes me want this option)
2) EGR/DPF concern
3) +$4k option, no stock in dealer inventory so I need to place an order, I won't be able to negotiate price.

Gasoline - Pros:
1) Selec-trac avaliable (Sport S)
2) Can have more options (cold weather package, premium audio) instead of $4k diesel engine

Gasoline - Cons:
1) Low torque (I will add max tow package w/ 4.10 gears to run 37s but diesel will still handle 37s much better)

As you can see I did some homework lol
What do you guys think? What would you do if you were me?

Well I've got quite a bit of hands-on experience with both drivetrains you're looking at.

First of all let me mention that the "short trips" thing seems to be an issue of the past. Because of the government reaction to COVID, I've been doing almost exclusively short trips since March. NO issues. Drives exactly like any other engine, never needs an extended drive to finish a regeneration cycle, and unless you're looking for it you'll never even know that one is happening. It's just not an issue.

Will the diesel turn large tires better? Absolutely.

Selec-Trac is cool but I find that it's actually not used very often. IF the road is bad, 4-high is good.

Now, as far as the financial aspect...there's a detailed thread on that in the diesel section highlighting how bad the diesel is financially. You'll spend money, you won't save it.

Overall it's a good option but it's not for everybody. You have to look at all the details...maintenance costs, fuel costs, fuel availability, warranty coverage differences, etc. There are big differences between gas and diesel.

 

[firehog]

Gasser........hands down
Jeeps diesel is a joke! If you’re that worried about towing capacity then buy a REAL truck. So many people are trying to push these trucks to the limit in towing capacity. It does not replace a full sized truck! This is a fun truck. Its a jeep that can tow small things and haul small things while having fun with the top down. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my Jeep. It’s fun to drive and I can stare at it all day and not get bored! But I leave the heavy towing to my Duramax.
However, if you wanta diesel, buy it! Like some other posts have said, it doesn’t make sense if you rationalize it, but if you just plain want it then go for it!
My 2 cents....which really isn’t worth 2 cents anymore.....

 

[stickshifter]

Well I've got quite a bit of hands-on experience with both drivetrains you're looking at.

First of all let me mention that the "short trips" thing seems to be an issue of the past. Because of the government reaction to COVID, I've been doing almost exclusively short trips since March. NO issues. Drives exactly like any other engine, never needs an extended drive to finish a regeneration cycle, and unless you're looking for it you'll never even know that one is happening. It's just not an issue.

Will the diesel turn large tires better? Absolutely.

Selec-Trac is cool but I find that it's actually not used very often. IF the road is bad, 4-high is good.

Now, as far as the financial aspect...there's a detailed thread on that in the diesel section highlighting how bad the diesel is financially. You'll spend money, you won't save it.

Overall it's a good option but it's not for everybody. You have to look at all the details...maintenance costs, fuel costs, fuel availability, warranty coverage differences, etc. There are big differences between gas and diesel.

Maybe the engineers at FCA have solved the short-trip problem that plagues modern diesels with this 3rd Gen 3.0 eco-diesel. I don't pretend to know the answer to that. But let's remember that personal experience - while valid - is an "n" of 1 (i.e. a sample size of one). It is helpful to hear about people's personal experience, but we have to be careful about generalizing from that experience. You need a bigger sample size before you can draw any reliable conclusions.

For example, I can buy the car that is - statistically - the least reliable car in America, and have no problems. I can also buy the car that is - statistically - the most reliable car, and have one problem after another. In neither case should you take my experience into account - you'd be better off making a decision on what car to buy (if you value reliability) based on the larger sample size studies. That's a long way of saying that one person's positive experience driving a diesel on lots of short trips may just have been good luck. Statistically, you are more likely to have trouble with your diesel if you do lots of short trips and rarely put it under load for an extended trip (unless, of course, the 3rd Gen 3.0 eco-diesel is a significant new development in emissions technology).

In modern diesel engines, the catalytic converter, diesel particulate filter (DPF) and the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve can all have problems and even fail if you constantly drive repeated short journeys. The EGR valve probably won’t fail as a direct result of short journeys, but the DPF can and will, and that can in turn damage the EGR. Do some research for yourself outside the forums. Here is one article, but there is much more available online.

https://www.caradvice.com.au/783282/think-carefully-before-you-buy-a-diesel-vehicle/

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Orange01z28]

Don't forget to take reliability into consideration. This is a brand new engine in the 2020 RAM and 2021 Gladiator. The last 3.0 was a POS and there are already people reporting issues with the new one. Personally, on an engine and emissions system that complex, I'd avoid it for at least 2 model years until they've proven it and/or worked out all the issues.

I would like to second this. I am coming from a Ram and both the old and new Ecodiesels have people reporting a lot of issues.

This Ecodiesel isn't a Cummins

 

[Capt Jim]

Why is the Cold Weather Package not available with the Diesel?

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