Diesel,,,, the rest of the story??
As some of you may have read, I need to buy a bigger truck and am considering a dually ( among other things ). I've also found a few newer trucks with diesel engines that fall into my budget, but dies...
Forum Discussion
Perrysburg Dodgeboy wrote:sidney wrote:jrstout89 wrote:
If diesel is 10% more expensive but gets 30% better mileage then for 50,000 miles with a fuel price of gas/$4.00 and diesel/$4.40 and gas/8mpg and diesel/10.3mpg it comes out to:
Gas uses 6250 gallons for a cost of $25,000
Diesel uses 4584 gallons for a cost of $21,359
Saving $3641 dollars.
After looking at prices for routine maintenance items I think diesel looks like it may be about 30% more expensive then the gasser. So if you spend $400 on the gasser in that 50,000 miles you can look at spending about $120 more during that same period bringing your savings on fuel down to $3521.
Can these numbers be disputed? Maybe, but if you don't tow huge mileage every year or use the tow vehicle as a daily driver and keep the tow weights within reason (11k for my purposes) I don't consider a diesel cost effective.
In 100,000 miles the fuel savings would have paid for the diesel engine option... at 100,000 miles a Cummins is just about broke in:B
So at 140,000 my truck is paying me!!!!! Not to mention my 2004 Ram CTD will still fetch $20,000, a 2500 Hime in the same condition might get you $12,000. So tell me again how a gas truck is a better investment????
Don
Where did I say it's a better investment? I said IF you don't put the miles on, tow heavy, or use it a daily driver it's not cost effective. I said nothing about investments.
A vehicle will never be an “investment”. I was alluding to fact that if your use of a particular tow vehicle does not dictate the need for a diesel there is no monetary justification for a diesel and there is a good possibility there is a monetary justification for not owning one. Every vehicle, including used, is a depreciating asset. So if you consider a tow vehicle as an investment and not just a something you want, you need to crunch some numbers.
If you need it for its capabilities and performance buy one, if you just want it for what it is, buy one. But do not tell me it’s an investment.
