V-10 mileage update

[Dargo]

Originally Posted by tractorErnie

Ralph, Mahindra will introduce small diesel pickups and suv's here in the US later this year.

Yes, and I know Chrysler and GM will soon follow suit. I have no information whether Ford will or not, but I suspect they will as well.

[RobJ]

Originally Posted by RalphVa

Would allow all the pickups to be reduced in height by 3 or 4 inches. To my mind, the big pickups aren't practical: too tall to be loaded from the side; too tall to easily get in from the rear even.

Ralph

Sounds like you want a return of the El Camino!! Pickups are supposed to be loaded from the rear, Loading from the sides usually ends up with scratches.

[dgl24087]

Originally Posted by Dargo

Yes, and I know Chrysler and GM will soon follow suit. I have no information whether Ford will or not, but I suspect they will as well.

Ford is supposed to have a diesel in the 2010 F150.

[Diamondpilot]

I have heard as early as September of this year as 2009 model for Ford on the diesel F-150.

Chris

[Builder]

Ford had a diesel Ranger in the 80's. Dodge had a little Mitsu diesel 20+ years ago. The Ford ranger diesel is a huge seller down under.

GM has a small DMAX diesel set for the 1500 next year.

GM announces new 4.5L V8 Duramax diesel for half-ton trucks and HUMMER H2 - Autoblog

[Diamondpilot]

Who remembers the Toyota Diesels. I believe they even had a 1 ton way back in the 70's/80's. Seems like quite a few were made into campers. Always thought it was strange to see a 1 ton in that small of a package.

Chris

[chh]

Originally Posted by Diamondpilot

Who remembers the Toyota Diesels. I believe they even had a 1 ton way back in the 70's/80's. Seems like quite a few were made into campers. Always thought it was strange to see a 1 ton in that small of a package.

Chris

I asked a Toyota salesman about one if those 1 tons on time and his only response was "The load capacity is 1 ton, it's not an F 350". All in all the little Toyota, Nissan, Mazda/Ford Ranger, and Izuzu/Chevy Luv diesels where great little engines for fuel mileage and longevity.(Acceleration was a bit slow though ) I had relatives and friends that had them and got 40 to 50 mpg out of them. I really was dissapointed when they stopped them from importing them.

[mjncad]

If you can find an episode of Top Gear, a British car show on the net; look for the show where they tried to destroy a Toyota diesel pickup. They sunk it in the ocean, dropped it off a building, rolled it down steps and other destructive acts and yet the silly thing would start after a bit of minor work.

Their other favorite thing to do is destroy caravans (small travel trailers) by hanging them from cranes and playing wacky-klackers with them, or putting them in a quarry and launching beater economy cars like darts at them.

Top Gear is a hoot to watch. I wish Discovery or TLC would start airing them again as they are a lot more entertaining than boring old Motorweek.

[Crash101]

At one time it seemed worth the wait for lighter duty diesels to become available for half ton pickups. Now however with the ultra low sulfur fuel and emissions requirements the fuel mileage differences will not be as great and the cost of those diesel engines will be much more expensive. Thus removing that money savings we had all hoped for. With gas engines becoming more and more efficient and with diesels now getting perhaps 10% less mileage, all while costing hundreds more than before, it just won't become the attractive alternative we had previously wanted.

[Diamondpilot]

I agree. Yesterday I filled up my 2007 F-150 to take a 300 mile trip. 87 was 2.71 and diesel was 3.49 I used to be able to drive my 2006 F-350 cheaper because it got 6 mpg better on the highway but not anymore, its a wash. The F-150 rides so much better and things like tires and brakes are 1/3 the cost.

As for being unbreakable, I remember seeing a Diesel Ford Escort getting hit by a train with 2 drunk girls in it. The got out of the car and ran to a business and hid in the dumpster until we pointed them out to the cops. Anyway the car was still running wide open 20 minutes later upside down and smashed. The recker driver flipped it over and used the winch cable to pry open the hood so I could shut it off, the key would not do it.

I wonder who made that Diesel for Ford. I had forgotten all about them and that wreck until you talked about trying to destroy the old Toy's.

Chris