I take it your in Ontario. It helps to know what side of the fence your on.
I agree that we just copy the US specs. Thats not right. We should go on our own and decide whats best for us. You can say were a small market compared to the US, fair enough, but were a bigger market than many other places like Australia, Greece, Finland etc, etc. I have no doubt that if we adopted euro specs and opened our doors, there would be an abundance of non-EPA diesels. Canada buys 3.5 diesels for every 1 in the US.
Regarding your figures, since you dont list your vehicles, its hard to know if the comparison is apt. The Jetta Diesel, for example is $4400 more than the gas 2.0L, but it has a better transmission plus other features. Its hard to do a direct comparison just looking at the cost difference from gas to diesel.
But taking VW's numbers, the diesel Jetta gets 9.3usmpg more city and 11.9usmpg better highway than the gas Jetta.
Going back to L/100, the Diesel Jetta gets 4.6l/100 highway * 250 (25000 km/yr)= 1150 L/yr. * $1.369/L (current price for diesel) = $1574.35/yr fuel costs.
Gas Jetta. 6.0l/100 highway * 250 = 1500 l/yr * 1.401 = $2101.5/yr, or $527.15 more per yr...
That means a payback of about 8 years for your $4400, BUT that isnt a fair comparison because that $4400 also buys you these extras over the base 2.0L gas:
Comfortline includes Comfortline 2.0L plus:
16" Mambo alloy wheels with anti-theft locks an
all-season tires
Chrome exterior window trim
Combi-instrument (including upgraded IP cluste
with chrome rings
Front grille with chrome applications
Front reading lights
Multifunction trip computer and indicator
Sunglass holder
Comfortline TDI Clean Diesel adds:
Engine block heater
Front fog lights
A comparison to the larger 2.5L Gas Jetta may be more apt. The standard features between the diesel and gas are basically the same. Price difference is only $2300
So:
Diesel Jetta gets 4.6l/100 highway * 250 (25000 km/yr)= 1150 L/yr. * $1.369/L (current price for diesel) = $1574.35/yr fuel costs.
Gas Jetta 2.5l engine. 6.2l/100 highway * 250 = 1550 l/yr * 1.401 = $2171.55/yr, a difference of $597.2/yr.
That means a payback for the Diesel in 3.8 years. Yes there is extra costs not calculated for DEF, and its a pure highway situation. However if city mileage is included the payback for diesel is even LESS time.
Could there be expensive repairs on a diesel jetta, sure, but there could also be expensive repairs on the gas model. I would not make my decision based on the rare chance that there could be an injection pump failure for example. Just do regular maintenance and run QUALITY fuel with lube and it would be a non issue. The only injector pump failures I know of personally on the 2.0l diesel were due to lack of maintenance and poor fuel.