diesel

[rbryan4]

Back on topic. I like Diesel.

[thoer]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Back on topic. I like Diesel.

Me too, except when I spill some trying to fill my Kubota tractor with my 5 gallon can. (The designers clearly thought that everyone was going to have their own fuel pump to fill it.)

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by thoer

Ok, but if it walks like duck.......

I would presume you are referring to one of the Oregon Ducks....

And no political beliefs being promoted here. I simply wanted to know the reasoning behind the gas pumping rule.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

The issue I have with diesel is the up charge for the technology which is older than dirt. I test drove a 2014 diesel Ram1500 yesterday, MSRP of $48K, almost identical to my 2009 Ram1500 in weights/specs other than the smaller motor. I'd have to pay $20k to up grade.

Which technology are you thinking of, Jim? The 2009 and current versions are the same chassis and body design, but the EcoDiesel engine is stuffed with current technology - nothing of any significance in common with an old mechanically-injected diesel engine. The current truck also has a new 8-speed transmission.

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I'm going to wait for more, like the Nissan Frontier diesel and the Toyota diesel next year.

Waiting for a comparison with other alternatives seems like a perfectly good idea, but I don't know what technology either Nissan or Toyota would offer that the Ram doesn't already have. In fact, with a coil (or air) suspension under the rear of the Ram, it will likely be ahead of all the others, which will likely continue with cart springs.

Also, while Nissan is showing a Cummins-powered Frontier project they haven't said anything about production, and I haven't heard anything about a Toyota diesel... did I miss something?

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Paul S.

I would much prefer to pump my own fuel. We were in Oregon in March and the gas jockey let the gas cap swing against the side of my truck instead of hooking it on the fuel door then he tried to squeeze in as much diesel as possible and overfilled the tank so it ran down the side and left a puddle on the ground I had to drive through.

Exactly why I avoid full-serve, even when there is no cost difference.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by thoer

It is still interesting to me that diesel is easier to refine from oil than gasoline, so it is cheaper to produce and used to be quite a bit cheaper than gasoline to buy. I found this on the subject: Why Diesel Costs More Than Gasoline

The key word in that statement is "was". It's not cheap now, because it is now just as "refined" and critically spec'd product as gasoline. The article - similar to others I've seen - does a reasonable job of describing some of the other cost factors.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by thoer

Me too, except when I spill some trying to fill my Kubota tractor with my 5 gallon can. (The designers clearly thought that everyone was going to have their own fuel pump to fill it.)

I have tried a Flo N' Go Home Filling Station, but the seal to the can was problematic (which keeps it from siphoning effectively) and the cheap hose cracked (making it leak and rendering it useless). Leaking diesel is even less appealing than leaking gasoline. Sound idea for this situation, poorly executed.

[rscovell]

If you are going to tow a 5th wheel trailer with the new Ram 1500 Eco diesel, do not order the optional air suspension. You will not be able to install a 5th wheel hitch......

[BCnomad]

Reace and Wayne nixed the rambox too.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rscovell

If you are going to tow a 5th wheel trailer with the new Ram 1500 Eco diesel, do not order the optional air suspension. You will not be able to install a 5th wheel hitch......

There must be some interference between the hitch brackets and some of the suspension hardware - probably air lines, pump, or reservoir. Too bad - air suspension would be great with the pin load of the trailer.

Good tip!

[DeadEyeDan]

I had a 2003 Diesel Excursion for 9 years and a couple of years ago replaced it with an Ecoboost gas F150.

The gas truck is way cheaper to maintain and operate and more than adequate to tow a molded fibreglass trailer. Can't really see the benefit of a diesel anymore... ...unless I got a huge 5th wheel or something.

[cpaharley2008]

How about 20 mpg towing??

[Tworainy]

We have a 2004 VW Jetta TDI wagon, and my wife LOVES it! She wouldn't trade it in on anything. It has been the most reliable and efficient vehicle either of us have ever owned!
In fact, we were patiently waiting for VW to bring finally bring the Tiguan here with TDI, but still hasn't happened. The rest of the world seems more important to them than NA.
Went with a used RAV4, as we couldn't find an affordable & reliable diesel SUV from anyone. That being said, who knows what the future holds??

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by DeadEyeDan

I had a 2003 Diesel Excursion for 9 years and a couple of years ago replaced it with an Ecoboost gas F150.

The gas truck is way cheaper to maintain and operate and more than adequate to tow a molded fibreglass trailer. Can't really see the benefit of a diesel anymore... ...unless I got a huge 5th wheel or something.

I have driven a lot of trucks, but have never experienced anything like Ford's EcoBoost for power and torque in a gasoline engine. Ditto on the lower maintenance cost. And I have been told that Ford will have a new EcoBoost option when the all aluminum body F series arrive at the dealers next February projected to get 30 mpg highway. That would be somewhere in the 20s towing. We'll see!

[DeadEyeDan]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

How about 20 mpg towing??

Would have to do the math. My local dealer charges me $39.95 to service my truck. That includes oil, filter, tire rotation, fluids, inspection. The interval is roughly 5000-7500 miles. The truck tells me when the oil life is gone.

My diesel never got out for less than $100.00 and the interval was every 5K miles or the mileage went down, and 12 quarts of oil.

I guess I'd have to project out the mileage at the higher cost of diesel and add in the service and higher cost of the truck to see where that would scale out.

If the aluminum F150 with the new smaller Ecoboost can do it with gasoline, no diesel for me.

A TDI VW would be nice, but it can't tow my trailer. Since I retired, I got rid of my car.

[Donna D.]

I'm real curious to see what insurance rates are going to be with the aluminum Ford. That certainly needs to be figured into the cost of ownership... whether someone tows or not.

[Brian B-P]

Part of the economic problem with typical diesel pickups (which I agree make no sense for most people, even towing) is that they are too big. We don't need 6 litres or more of engine displacement and the 400 horsepower that it can produce, and the resulting truck is so heavy that it takes a huge amount of fuel to move (in real life, not in steady-speed ideal condition highway use).

The Ram 1500 EcoDiesel's advantage is appropriate size; it has a 3 litre engine, better matched to towing an Escape than (for instance) the same manufacturer's 6.7L Ram 3500. GM's Colorado/Canyon diesel will be similarly sized, as would the vans: Ram ProMaster and (coming) Ford Transit (in their diesel versions).

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

The Ram 1500 EcoDiesel's advantage is appropriate size; it has a 3 litre engine, better matched to towing an Escape than (for instance) the same manufacturer's 6.7L Ram 3500. GM's Colorado/Canyon diesel will be similarly sized, as would the vans: Ram ProMaster and (coming) Ford Transit (in their diesel versions).

I think that's an accurate statement. After alot of thought and research, we're probably going with the F150 Ecoboost V6. The Diesel Colorado would be perfect for our needs, but we simply can't wait until late 2015 for it to come out. We want to pick up in March with our new tow. Besides, the theoretical towing mpg between a gas F150 Ecoboost and a diesel Colorado would probably only be a couple mpg. Not worth the difference when you consider the cost of diesel fuel and other factors.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I'm real curious to see what insurance rates are going to be with the aluminum Ford. That certainly needs to be figured into the cost of ownership... whether someone tows or not.

Interesting point. I'm not sure how much difference if makes, since so much repair bodywork is either involving components other than body panels, or complete replacement of body panels (in which the material doesn't matter).

There have been many models of aluminum-bodied vehicles, but usually they would be expensive to insure because they are expensive cars (such as high-end Audis or the Acura NSX). I wonder what difference aluminum has made?

Of course, the aluminum body is only for the F-150, not for any Ford with a diesel.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I'm not sure how much difference if makes, since so much repair bodywork is either involving components other than body panels, or complete replacement of body panels (in which the material doesn't matter

That's an interesting point too. The days of Bondo are fast disappearing in body shops due to new repair techniques, and the fact that most of the time it's cheaper to replace even a partially damaged panel than trying to repair it. So the argument that aluminum panels can't be repaired in the same way as steel and would therefore make repair costs go way up is not as relevant as it used to be.