Diesel truck starting to look more attractive

[Mosey]

If the $2/gal or more gas prices are going to be a permanent thing, then a diesel truck is starting to look more attractive to me. The $5000 or more option was hard to justify when 87 octane gas was about the same price as diesel, but now at 30 cents/gal more it wouldn't take nearly as long for the diesel to "pay for itself". I haven't done the math yet, so maybe I'll change my mind when I see how long it will actually take to make up the difference.

Would I be correct to assume the average diesel pickup gets about 20 city/rural - 25 highway MPG? When I say city/rural, I mean my drive to work which is about 13 miles of rural country roads with a few stop signs and curves and hills, and 3 miles of city traffic. If those numbers are not correct, what figure should I use to compare to my gas pickup - a 1999 Chevy with a 5.3L V8 which gets 17 MPH city/rural and 20 MPG highway? Thanks.

 

[Gatorboy]

Well, let's see...if you get 5 mpg more on the highway with diesel (25 vs 20), and you drive say 15,000 miles a year (I'm just taking a wag here):

Gasoline Gallons: 750 @2.10 = $1575
Diesel Gallons: 600 @1.80 = $1080

You will save $495 per year. You will either need to drive alot more miles or hope gas rises alot more to offset the $5000+ diesel engine, IMO.

 

[RobertN]

Y'all are lucky. Here in the Peoples Republic of Kalifornia, we get bent over with no luxury of vaseline.

I got fuel last night in Orangevale, which is just outside Sacramento(Home of the Governator) for $2.41/gal. Regular was about $2.20 in most places.

Diesel WAS running between regular and mid-grade, with some places cheaper, for a long time. Recently though, they have really jacked the prices of diesel up.

I am still glad to have the diesel. My '89 Ford F250 4x4 xcab 351ci manual 4.11 axles, was a very close comparison to my Dodge 3/4 ton "truck" wise. It got 11mpg on the highway. I get 17 with my auto and 4.11 gears.

Of some small note, I got the diesel partly for the longevity. In all fairness, I kept my Ford up on maintenance.. I sold it with 230k miles; it still ran like a top, didn't use oil, drove great, ect. The paint was faded a bit, but... There was easily another 50-75k miles left in that engine.

Have you looked at the propane option? My uncle ran a '76 Chevy pickup on propane for years. He could get propane cheaper than gas. It got a bit less mileage, but still made up for the price difference. Also, the propane burned cooler and cleaner. He pulled the engine apart(350ci) at 300k miles. It was very clean, and wear was actually pretty minimal.

I really like my diesel for pulling and hauling, but at least out here, the fuel itself does not lend towards major savings over gas. And, the 1/2 tons are getting pretty fair milage comparatively.

 

[Mosey]

Yeah, that's basically what I came up with too. I was hoping I was doing something wrong so I could justify buying a diesel! Maybe someday diesels will become more popular and the price for the option will come down.

 

[Mosey]

That's interesting about the propane. How much do those conversions cost and where does one buy it when on a cross country trip? I know where to buy propane in my town, but don't know where to get it when travelling.

 

[gsganzer]

Add to your calculations the 14 qts of oil every 3000 miles for a powerstroke and the occasional fuel filter and the savings begin to evaporate.

 

[fivestring]

<font color="red">"Y'all are lucky. Here in the Peoples Republic of Kalifornia, we get bent over with no luxury of vaseline." </font>

It's been that way for a long time out there, hasn't it Robert??
Before long, they'll even tax the vaseline!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Mudslides, earthquakes, forest fires, power outages, smog, OJ, etc.

 

[cowboydoc]

Oil changes on the new powerstrokes are 7500 miles and up to 12,000 miles. Fuel filters are every 15,000-25,000 miles. Not much of an increase in expenses.

 

[Mosey]

This talk about filters reminds me of a question I've been meaning to ask. The air filter element on my TC29D is around $30, which is a lot more than the air filter element on any of my vehicle's gas engines. Why is that? Are air filter elements on diesel pickup engines real expensive also?

 

[gsganzer]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Oil changes on the new powerstrokes are 7500 miles and up to 12,000 miles. Fuel filters are every 15,000-25,000 miles. Not much of an increase in expenses. )</font>

I didn't realize that. Is it different with the newer Powerstroke? I assumed it was still 3000 mi. That certainly helps even the equation.