Thinking of trading my 21 gas JT for an eco diesel JT

[Jeep Hercules]

Hi fam! I know this sounds pretty dumb but I’m seriously considering trading my 2021 gas JTR for an eco diesel JTR. I am 13 months into my 4 year lease which makes me turn to this forum and see if anyone has gone through something like this before. Am I asking for trouble by trading my current JT (financially speaking/being upside down on my trade)

thank you so much for your help!

Mario.

Sponsored

 

[Vtur]

If you wants more power and doesn't minds the higher maintenance cost and possibly HPFP failure. I'd say go for it.

 

[Pwntiac]

If you’re a diesel enthusiast it’s always worth it

If you’re plenty happy with the pentastar then no reason to change

 

[Jteakus]

Short summary,
Pros: Torque, fuel mileage, no need for regear for most situations (IMO), stronger auto trans, no misfire codes or ticking, sweet diesel engine sound, POSSIBLE higher resale value.
Cons: Higher maintenance costs, These injector pump issues/recalls that are showing up.
I have two diesels, a JL with 50K miles and a new JT. No issues with either.

 

[ATL_Rubi]

Depends on your own financial situation. Can you afford 4%-6% rates on a new car after trade-in? Are you willing to accept the risk of a grenade of a fuel pump until they recall? IF yes to both, go for it, those with the diesel usually love it.

 

[AHenry014]

If you need/want the extra power, then its worth considering. Otherwise I would stick with the 3.6. The diesels usually command a higher initial price, and you have to weigh the significant difference in fuel cost pretty heavily. I live in CT, and the price difference between gas and diesel is enormous. For example:
-My '20 gladiator 3.6 gets around 18mpg mixed. Over 20k miles, at $3.65/gal, the fuel cost is just over $4000.
-Assume a diesel JT gets 23mpg mixed (I am not sure if this is accurate). Over the same 20k miles, at $6/gal, you would pay approximately $5200 in fuel.
The 20k is an approximation of "average" mileage put on a vehicle in a year. If you are OK with the initial mark up to get into the diesel, the increased fuel cost, and paying more sales tax, then its worth looking into. When diesel was cheaper than gas, it made sense to consider a diesel over a gas vehicle. But with the initial cost being higher AND the fuel cost being higher, unless you really need it, I dont feel like its worth it.

 

[AHenry014]

Depends on your own financial situation. Can you afford 4%-6% rates on a new car after trade-in? Are you willing to accept the risk of a grenade of a fuel pump until they recall? IF yes to both, go for it, those with the diesel usually love it.

THIS. Rates are garbage these days. Thru my status with my bank, I was able to get 4.1% over 60mo on a used JTR. They tried to sign me on at 4.9%, and the dealer told me even that rate was the best they had seen in a long time.

 

[Oilburner]

If you have money to burn, sure go for it-

 

[charliez]

I'll probably get blasted for this but....I'm a former eco diesel owner so I speak from experience. I had a Ram 1500. Before you buy, do a lot of research carefully. I will NEVER own one again. That truck was the most comfortable and best looking and best driving truck I ever had. It was beautiful. At times I could get 30 mpg on the hwy. That's amazing for a full size truck. And I really enjoyed driving it. Mine came apart and it took two trips to the dealer for them to diagnose it. Not that they denied it, but when I took it there the first time for them to look at it, the sounds of it coming apart had stopped just before I got there. I didn't think till afterwards to take out the phone and simply get a video that included the sounds. It had some open recalls, and they arranged for me to bring it back the following week so they could get all the stuff needed for the recalls. As soon as they drained the oil to prepare for the work, it came out as a shiny silver river. They captured a sample then removed the oil pan to fine a pile of metal. This engine has a long history of bottom end failures. Had i known that at the time, I would not have got it. I had looked into them before and at that time, I wasn't seeing reports of this failure. My son had one and he really liked it and I did too, so that's why I got mine. My understanding of it, is it is an Italian made engine that's been around awhile, and when brought to the US, it's been killed by emissions. After my engine failure, I talked to several others and found some of them have had multiple engine failures. I have heard that they are going to stop using this engine soon. This is the reason I traded for my JT. I just could not trust being away somewhere and the the next engine come apart. I had decided that it was going to be gone before the replacement engine warranty expired. With that said, my take is you either get a good one that goes and goes and is great, or you get one that comes apart, and that will apply to the warranted replacement engine as well I talked to one guy that got 10k miles from his replacement engine and his third engine was starting to make the same sounds again. You can Google eco diesel bottom end failures and get tons of info on it. Of course I'm sure you can find horror stores from every thing out there. People don't usualy speak out about a vehicle that doesn't give them probelms. So with that said, your decision is up to you. Let us know what you decide

 

[Sandevino]

I'll probably get blasted for this but....I'm a former eco diesel owner so I speak from experience. I had a Ram 1500. Before you buy, do a lot of research carefully. I will NEVER own one again. That truck was the most comfortable and best looking and best driving truck I ever had. It was beautiful. At times I could get 30 mpg on the hwy. That's amazing for a full size truck. And I really enjoyed driving it. Mine came apart and it took two trips to the dealer for them to diagnose it. Not that they denied it, but when I took it there the first time for them to look at it, the sounds of it coming apart had stopped just before I got there. I didn't think till afterwards to take out the phone and simply get a video that included the sounds. It had some open recalls, and they arranged for me to bring it back the following week so they could get all the stuff needed for the recalls. As soon as they drained the oil to prepare for the work, it came out as a shiny silver river. They captured a sample then removed the oil pan to fine a pile of metal. This engine has a long history of bottom end failures. Had i known that at the time, I would not have got it. I had looked into them before and at that time, I wasn't seeing reports of this failure. My son had one and he really liked it and I did too, so that's why I got mine. My understanding of it, is it is an Italian made engine that's been around awhile, and when brought to the US, it's been killed by emissions. After my engine failure, I talked to several others and found some of them have had multiple engine failures. I have heard that they are going to stop using this engine soon. This is the reason I traded for my JT. I just could not trust being away somewhere and the the next engine come apart. I had decided that it was going to be gone before the replacement engine warranty expired. With that said, my take is you either get a good one that goes and goes and is great, or you get one that comes apart, and that will apply to the warranted replacement engine as well I talked to one guy that got 10k miles from his replacement engine and his third engine was starting to make the same sounds again. You can Google eco diesel bottom end failures and get tons of info on it. Of course I'm sure you can find horror stores from every thing out there. People don't usualy speak out about a vehicle that doesn't give them probelms. So with that said, your decision is up to you. Let us know what you decide

What year? I had a 2021 that I sold for profit and regretted buying the pentastar. I had equity in mine and sold then bought a 2022 Overland EcoDiesel.

Lets talk about the 34 months of lease payments you’re on the hook to pay to get out from under it. The EcoDiesel or 392 are the engines that belong in this vehicle but I’m not sure either of them warrant a questionable (not knowing your situation) financial move.

If the deal is good, go for it.

 

[charliez]

It was a 2017. I won't ever lease a vehicle. I got as little less than what I paid for trade but not much less. If that engine had not come apart, I would still have it.

 

[whiteglad]

I know a retired tech advisor, one of the group that advise and approve difficult service warranty decisions. There are a lot more failures with Rams than Gladiators, and I think that is a result of the engines working harder in the former application. I also guess that the crank flexes since the girdle structure of the bottom end should keep the block stiff. Something is causing the main bearing failures, and it may be that tight bearing clearances to allow use of light viscosity engine oil for more mpg, combined with flex, is the root cause.
The pentastar 3.6 gasser is well proven and is the only choice in the Mojave, for example. Until a bigger and better choice comes available, I will stay with the 3.6 liter gasser. I say this although I am a Cummins fan and have owned Cummins powered Rams since 1996. For heavy towing, that is the way to go, imo.

I have also learned after decades of vehicle ownership that when the "new car disease" strikes, there is no cure except to buy one. Buy wisely.

 

[charliez]

I am a Cummins fan and have owned Cummins powered Rams since 1996.

Same here since 1999 Things changed and I just didn't need all the goodness. I will always regret letting go of my 2012 4x4 3500. That thng was beast mode to the max.

 

[staying_tuned]

Mario we love our EcoD but if we were in your specific situation, where you're carrying some negative equity on the 3.6, I'd stay put. One of the great things about a 3.6 equipped gladiator is that they are currently still fairly easy to move should the need arise. Surely we could move the EcoD if needed but not as easily and I suspect it will only get harder.

The torque and general characteristics of the EcoD are great but it isn't so superior to the 3.6 that it justifies rolling negative equity into it. It will feel worth it for a handful of months but man it will eat at you given the fact that one can simply go order an EcoD at 5% - 7% off invoice... Stellantis has confirmed that the EcoD in the Glady will live on. Play the long game on this and you'll enjoy the EcoD twice as much.

You never mention why you want the EcoD. If the reasoning is power related, I'd hold off on it purely due to the hurricane TT-6 showing real potential. For sure if that gets dropped into a Gladiator only the most pure diesel fans will manage justifying the diesel.

 

[Tommyd]

THIS. Rates are garbage these days. Thru my status with my bank, I was able to get 4.1% over 60mo on a used JTR. They tried to sign me on at 4.9%, and the dealer told me even that rate was the best they had seen in a long time.

Guess I’ll keep my gasser as I got 1.7% two julys ago ??

Sponsored