Trading gas for diesel

[timo]

I have owned several diesel vehicles for personal use and love them for many reasons, including a plain and simple fun factor. I have a 1 ton diesel truck and a 335d car with a 3 liter as my current personal vehicles. Both put a smile on my face every time I drive them, mostly because of the torque. I justified my choice of the diesel option in the Gladiator because of the fun factor the torque provides along with my plan to own this for a long time. Also, diesel trucks hold their resale value much better as compared to the gas engine counterpart.
Towing with a diesel is just plain more enjoyable.
I think the extra miles per tank and better fuel economy is just icing on the cake.
For me, torque = smile.
Just my two cents from a different angle.

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[hayasa]

Funny enough, I was driving the diesel Grand Cherokee around doing errands yesterday and I think the limited driving during COVID has been brutal on the engine. I kept getting the dreaded "Exhaust filter almost full, please drive at highways speeds during regen" pop up on my dash. I could only drive for so long (had to get back to work) so I parked it back home with the warning. Hopefully the next time I fire it up I won't get the "DPF filter full, please bring to service center" warning and have to call a tow truck.

 

[2Jeeps&PatriotX1]

I dont know where everyone lives but this is and has been a regular daily occurrence in the area I live just north of Denver, at least since March if not earlier. I wouldnt be buying a diesel for cost savings but thought Id sage because people keep saying diesel is more than gas but I haven't seen that in my area. I run 91 in my wrangler, 91 in my truck when towing and 87 any other time in my truck. So 87 is $0.62 more per gallon.

 

[mx5red]

I wanted a diesel for torque and range, not caring as much about cost if it was a calculated "luxury."
I was really afraid of the complexity and reports of failure, though I'm sure most people have no problems.
I had waited two years to buy and ended up buying my perfect gas gladiator in July, thinking they won't offer diesel for another year and I couldn't wait any longer.
Sure enough, you could start ordering diesel gladiator about a week after I bought it.
Now that I have it, I have no regrets. the Pentastar is a fantastic engine, was bulletproof in wife's 2013 GC. Sure it revs but with the 8-spd it is fast and seems to have plenty of power. I have not towed in it but gone to elevation and it didn't miss a beat. Sure, I wish I had another couple hundred miles of range but I value reliability the most. If it were a proven diesel motor I would trade it in right now haha..

 

[WXman]

I dont know where everyone lives but this is and has been a regular daily occurrence in the area I live just north of Denver, at least since March if not earlier. I wouldnt be buying a diesel for cost savings but thought Id sage because people keep saying diesel is more than gas but I haven't seen that in my area. I run 91 in my wrangler, 91 in my truck when towing and 87 any other time in my truck. So 87 is $0.62 more per gallon.

True, there are some places where local pricing is wack-o. But when we do the math, we use AAA numbers because national averages are more accurate for general conversation.

Personally, I also like to look at 24-month local averages. What I see here in KY is that diesel fuel fluctuates in price very little, but gasoline can fluctuate wildly. So I think it's good to look at, on average, what has the pricing between the two been like over time?

 

[Pizziola29]

Is anyone trading a gas gladiator for a diesel. Trying to understand the benefit for going with diesel vs gas.

Yes sir! Cant wait for it.

 

[DunnMan]

Seems to me that the "range" between the gas and the diesel on the Gladiator are roughly the same (~500 miles per tank).

500 miles on a tank...with the 3.6??? I know I'm running 37's with 4.10 gears but even with the stock 33's I don't see any way I'm getting anything close to that. I currently get around 300 miles with 37" tires.

 

[Fcmalie]

500 miles on a tank...with the 3.6??? I know I'm running 37's with 4.10 gears but even with the stock 33's I don't see any way I'm getting anything close to that. I currently get around 300 miles with 37" tires.

I mean if I'm driving 65 on the highway and it's a straight shot I average 25mpg with 33s and 3.73 gears. So 500 to a tank that way I could see, but any mixed driving and I'm only averaging 18.

 

[Leucifer76]

A trade wouldn't make much sense. You're going to take a hit (likely) on the trade value, and the cost of getting the diesel is going to hurt. My estimate? Even with a trade, you'll get nailed for the $6k difference, plus another sales tax hit. You'll be pushing $10k for a swap if you get a GREAT price on the trade. Ouch.

If you're going to do it, take a diesel Wrangler (it's the closest thing to it at this point) for a spin, and see if you like how that drives/handles. If you LOVE it, then do it. Do it because you absolutely love how it drives, with improved mpg as a side bennie.

Only other thing I'd consider is ... how long do you plan to keep it? 10 years +? The diesel will come out ahead in the long haul. If you flip-flop on vehicles every 2-4 years, forget it.

 

[cgflyer]

We've hashed this out so many times it hurts. But from a post in this forum a year ago, updated with more accurate numbers:

According to the U.S. EIA, the avg. national price for 87 octane pump gas is 2.62 and diesel is 3.01 as of today. That's a $0.39 price difference per gallon.

Using numbers from a current EcoDiesel Ram vs. Pentastar Gladiator, there is a 5 MPG difference between the gas and diesel (taken from fueleconomy.gov) and that "combined" figure on the window sticker most closely matches what the average U.S. driver will see.

Let's do basic math:

15,000 miles per year/24 MPG = 625 gallons of diesel @ 3.01/gallon = $1,881 annually

15,000 miles per year/19 MPG = 789 gallons of gasoline @ 2.62/gallon = $2,067 annually

EcoDiesel is +$186 annually at this point

Then:

EcoDiesel oil change = 9 quarts @ $7/ea = $63 + Mopar oil filter @ $45 x twice annually = $216

Pentastar oil change = 5 quarts @ $3/ea = $15 + Mopar oil filter @ $10 = $25 x twice annually = $50

EcoDiesel is now +$20 per year (but we've not accounted for the $40 fuel filter annually to keep it simple, and, this assumes doing the oil change at home with the least expensive materials that meet manual specs)

Then:

Upfront cost of EcoDiesel $4,000 / 7 years (average ownership length of a new car in the U.S.) = $571 annually (This assumes the buyer would have ordered the auto trans. regardless of engine)

EcoDiesel is now -$551 annually

So, if you keep the EcoD for 7 years, you end up paying over $500 EXTRA yearly to drive the EcoDiesel over the Pentastar, which doesn't seem as bad as I expected. But, you certainly will not ever save money with the EcoDiesel. It's an expense, not a savings to go diesel.

The wildcard we haven't mentioned here is average cost of repairs. A lot of owners of diesels with the Bosch CP4 injection pumps have said that when theirs failed, the automaker denied warranty coverage and claimed "bad fuel" as a way to get out of paying for it. The $8,000 to $12,000 tab was then picked up by the insurance company in some cases, which surely would lead to a "hit" on your policy and a subsequent increase in rates. There are a lot of things like injection pumps, injectors, emissions controls, etc. on the diesel that simply cost more over time.

Many 2020 EcoDiesel owners have already reported timing cover failures, CAC hose leaks, turbo errors, EGR issues, and a couple of blown engines.

So the bottom line is, NEVER ever go with the diesel because of money. You'll spend more, you will never save. With the EcoDiesel, payload is less, towing is less, fuel is harder to locate, and expense of ownership is more. So, the only real reason to buy it is subjective, i.e. you like the feel of the engine when you drive it.

I think this is a good analysis...I owned a 2015 Ram ecodiesel, put 144,000 miles on it before I traded it for my Gladiator. I LOVED my ecodiesel. My brother in law had a 2014 with a hemi and we went on a road trip together. He filled up practically twice for my one fill up. I loved the torque, top end and just all around liked the diesel. I had the injectors replaced at 97,000 miles under warranty after some recurring check engine lights that they just couldn't figure out. Besides that, very little problems. DEF is annoying, oil changes were expensive until they changed the oil specs. Once they allowed Shell Rotella T4/5/6, they got cheaper, but were still about $60 if done myself (up to $150 at the dealership). Best tank of gas I got was 28 mpg and I averaged 23-24 with a lot of highway driving. I towed anything between small 1,200-1,500 lb loads to the max 7,700 lb rated load...it handled it all with ease even through the mountains of Western PA. With a fully loaded 16ft cargo trailer (7,600 lbs) through mountains, I still go 16 mpg.

I don't think I recouped the $4,000 premium with gas savings, but I did like having the ecodiesel under my hood.

There are days after driving my JT for a year now that make me wish I had waited for the diesel, but one, I REALLY wanted a Gladiator and ordered it as soon as the banks opened for other than LE JT's...two, I really wanted a manual transmission which is not an option for the diesel. Reading the threads on the diesel, even the Rubicon, the 4.10 rear will not be an option for the diesel either, so you will have to re-gear on your own for bigger tires if required. Do I still wish I had the diesel??? Yes...but will I trade my gas for a diesel, probably now. My JT is built now, about $9,000 in mods and I won't do that again for another brand new JT.

 

[TheSolarWizard]

We’re the injectors considered part of the powertrain warranty?

 

[whiteglad]

The Cummins has been a great engine in the Rams, and from the beginning was preferred for its power, mileage, resale value, and durability. The VM 3.0, not so much. Tuning to meet EPA has hurt power and mileage. The engine design is not so durable. The fuel tank is smaller so don't think the increased mpg will give great range per tankful. The Cummins gave/gives more towing capability, but the JT is platform limited not engine limited. With the emissions traps, I only use my Ram for heavy towing now. It is less practical for short trips solo, especially in the winter.

 

[Bulldog10]

Here’s the way I look at it.... fuel mileage increase is not gonna earn back the initial outlay and extra maintenance costs over the common time of ownership for most people. Some may keep the truck for 10 plus years and actually recoup the cost by way of fuel savings but for most people it’s not going to happen.
But, for some, the increased range and the increased low end torque for rock crawling or towing is worth the extra cost.
Think of it this way, (not really an apples to apples comparison but) if your towing a camper and have to choose between a half ton or 3/4 ton truck, it’s gonna depend on how much you’re towing and how often. If your camper is close to the 1/2 tons limit but only towing a short way a couple times a year, save the money and get the 1/2 ton but if you’re towing further and more often, you’d be better to spend the extra for the bigger truck that can tow the camper like it’s not even there.

Personally, I’m considering a diesel for the extra range and the power to tow the camper easier. It may get a little better mileage but costs more so I consider the cost/savings a wash, however It won’t struggle to pull the trailer cross country like the gasser. The gasser did fine but was running 4th gear at 5000 rpm up hill in Wyoming and South Dakota last month and showing current mileage of 4 doing it. Averaged 9mpg towing 5k camper at 70-75 from St. Louis to Yellowstone last month. Will the eco diesel get better mileage towing? Maybe. Will it pull the trailer easier? I would think so. I could buy a 1/2 ton full sized truck with more amenities for a few thousand more and get better mileage than my JTR and have an easier time towing my camper but the JTR is multifunctional for me by way of being a daily driver that’s easier to park and maneuver than a full sized truck, it’s my off road toy And my towing vehicle all in one. Adding a few grand to the cost to make it better at all three (towing, crawling, and daily mileage and range) makes the diesel cost worth it to me. If your looking at the diesel to save money on a strictly daily driver with a bed, then it’s not worth it.

Only thing I can add is the Fact that Towing Capacity on Diesel is reduced because of Cooling and causing Me to rethink. I hate to think I need to get a Sport model to get the Max towing Package!

 

[TheSolarWizard]

Only thing I can add is the Fact that Towing Capacity on Diesel is reduced because of Cooling and causing Me to rethink. I hate to think I need to get a Sport model to get the Max towing Package!

if you’re buying a gladiator to pull 7000lbs, you’re buying the wrong class of vehicle

 

[Bulldog10]

if you’re buying a gladiator to pull 7000lbs, you’re buying the wrong class of vehicle

Totally True, I am also looking at the GMC and Ford Super Duty which makes more sense but I Love My Jeeps!

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