1/2 ton diesel anyone? looks like it might be a reality before long...

[crazyal]

One would think if it was viable Toyota would start selling it's diesels here. After all they make the Hilux (similar to a Tacoma) with a 3l 170hp/ 250 lb/ft engine for Europe that gets 30mpg.

 

[timswi]

I will believe it when I see it on my dealers lot. I have seen reports as early as last month the new Nissan Titan is testing 4.?L Cummins inline 4. I have also seen reports from GM, Dodge, and Ford that a diesel is near completion.

I honestly think if anyone is to bring it to market it will be GM first. They need a new motor in the lineup and they do inhouse stuff with the Dmax so for them it should be the easiest. I know Ford is now doing inhouse diesels but they still have the learning curve to deal with.

Chris

I wouldn't mind seeing a 1/2 ton diesel...You're probably right that GM has the capacity to pull that one off right now....They need to keep the mileage up and the cost down while giving competition to the high HP V8's....I'd love to have a diesel, but unfortunately most of the current ones won't fit in a city parking garage due to height...A 1/2 ton would be a nice compromise...I paid something (don't remember) for the 6.2, but I don't want to pay a $5-7k upcharge for a diesel...That part will be a tough slog.

They also don't need 800lb of torque and 500 HP...They need to have good funtionality but don't need a HP war. As I said before, my long gone 6.2 non-turbo Suburban ran plenty well enough for me and would pull a house down while getting a consistent 20+ MPG.

 

[jejeosborne]

I've been saying it for years, Dodge will be the first with a half ton diesel and it's coming.

On a side note, the other top story on PickupTrucks.com is the RamRunner beating the F150 Raptor in an off-road battle.
Chrysler CEO: Light-Duty Diesel Ram Pickup Feasible, but is There Demand? - PickupTrucks.com News

When is it going to be available? Will you be saying it for many more years?
I would love a small diesel as well but won't be willing to spend more than a $1500 premium to get one.

Your side note is comparing a $23,000 weld and cut kit added to a stock Dodge truck to a stock Ford truck with nothing added. The ram runner cost $18,000 more.

 

[IndyIan]

i still can't see it being viable. historically, going from a small block gas to a big block gas was several hundred dollars to a thousand more in cost. going to a diesel was several thousand more. then the possible addition of a heavier transmission can add a couple thousand more... i can't see any of the manufacturers making a 1/2 ton upgrade to diesel costing less than 5k-7k, and that's a huge hurdle to overcome when trying to justify a diesel.

i've yet to drive one, or even know anyone with one, but i've heard of 20+ in a 4x4 ecoboost f150. the ecoboost is about an $1100 option over a v8 (i looked it up), so i'd guess a diesel in a 1/2 ton will still be about $5k over that. let's say the fictitious 1/2 ton diesel can get 27mpg in the same 4x4 trim. at $3.50 for gas and $3.75 for diesel (pretty close to what it is here right now, and if anything a little low on the diesel price) you've got to go about 140k miles before you break even, and that's assuming fuel prices don't change, and you can get 27mpg. i didn't factor in the maintenance cost, but yeah, there's going to be a premium for oil and fuel filter changes in a diesel. probably 150k miles is closer to a break even point really, and that's making big assumptions.

Do diesels actually cost that much more to make though? A Jetta TDI isn't all that much more than a gas one. I think if diesels cost all that much more to make, we would see new gas compact tractors. $3-4k off a $22k machine for a gas motor would sell alot of tractors if people thought about it. I don't read about many guys having enough hours to wear out a gas motor.

 

[scrappy isb67]

K&LN.....HI...I'm not from Missouri, but ARK. I waited years for the rumored Small dodge pu with the 4 cylinder Turbo cummins..They never produced one of them in a PU???..we bought several snow sweeps with that same engine..

The Cummins in the 1/2 ton was either a V6 or V8, NOT an inline 4. the V6 and v8 Cummins are not used in anything at this time. the engines were a light duty designation and JUST for the Pickup/Durango. The current option they are looking at is a VM Motori 3.0L v6 that is currently available in the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

i like dodge. that would be about the only way I ever went back to 1/2 ton world was if it was a diesel..

I would have to agree to this!

 

[tungularafishcamp]

Just gotta leave here and you see little fuel efficient diesel trucks and SUVs everywhere else in the world

 

[farmall 55a case]

I had lol key word had a 93 gmc 1500 2wd truck with a 6.2 diesel in it! Wasn't much but got awesome fuel mileage!

 

[farmall 55a case]

I think in south america you can get a ford ranger and chevy Colorado with diesels????

 

[JJZ 109]

i've yet to drive one, or even know anyone with one, but i've heard of 20+ in a 4x4 ecoboost f150. the ecoboost is about an $1100 option over a v8 (i looked it up), so i'd guess a diesel in a 1/2 ton will still be about $5k over that. let's say the fictitious 1/2 ton diesel can get 27mpg in the same 4x4 trim. at $3.50 for gas and $3.75 for diesel (pretty close to what it is here right now, and if anything a little low on the diesel price) you've got to go about 140k miles before you break even, and that's assuming fuel prices don't change, and you can get 27mpg. i didn't factor in the maintenance cost, but yeah, there's going to be a premium for oil and fuel filter changes in a diesel. probably 150k miles is closer to a break even point really, and that's making big assumptions.

Always been a Ford guy and just got my umpteenth F150 a month ago. 2012 XLT with the 5.0. Ford can toss out all the numbers that they want, but with unloaded, non city driving it's not unusual for me to get 19+ mpg.
So I really had no interest in spending the extra $$ to get a hyped up six banger. Besides, I only pull an 18' trailer with a Kubota B3030 or 2 tons of pellets on it now and then. The 5.0 does very well with it.
Now back to the original topic: Would the extra initial cost of a diesel justify the fuel savings? Would there even be any fuel savings with the price of diesel being so much higher than gas? It seems that when gas prices drop, diesel seems to hang in there for quite a while longer.
Those questions are posed to Dodge. Ford, GM, Nissan or whoever is contemplating a 1/2 ton diesel. No knock on any brand at all.

 

[clemsonfor]

i still can't see it being viable. historically, going from a small block gas to a big block gas was several hundred dollars to a thousand more in cost. going to a diesel was several thousand more. then the possible addition of a heavier transmission can add a couple thousand more... i can't see any of the manufacturers making a 1/2 ton upgrade to diesel costing less than 5k-7k, and that's a huge hurdle to overcome when trying to justify a diesel.

i've yet to drive one, or even know anyone with one, but i've heard of 20+ in a 4x4 ecoboost f150. the ecoboost is about an $1100 option over a v8 (i looked it up), so i'd guess a diesel in a 1/2 ton will still be about $5k over that. let's say the fictitious 1/2 ton diesel can get 27mpg in the same 4x4 trim. at $3.50 for gas and $3.75 for diesel (pretty close to what it is here right now, and if anything a little low on the diesel price) you've got to go about 140k miles before you break even, and that's assuming fuel prices don't change, and you can get 27mpg. i didn't factor in the maintenance cost, but yeah, there's going to be a premium for oil and fuel filter changes in a diesel. probably 150k miles is closer to a break even point really, and that's making big assumptions.

I know another forester/wood buyer who has the Ecoboost 4x4. His onboard computer says 19mpg avg for him working. this is a country guy who works all around the country following loggers and looking at timber tracts. So he may have 30 miles on highway then creepping on dirtroads or 4x4 driving then back on roads. Then maybe in the city to collect money from the bank to pay folks.

He said straight highway driving he might get 23-24 going steady 65mph. Not as good as i once thought?