First drive Ram 1500 diesel

tragusa3 wrote:
I'm not a 0-60 kinda guy either. Much less am I going to flog my own. It was really the payload alone that kept me from this Ram. I wish it was on a truck with 2000 payload.

Yup... I am right there with you. My next truck will need higher payload for the next trailer I buy. I'm rarely in a hurry when towing, certainly not from 0-60, but I'd love 13 or 14 mpg towing a trailer and sufficient payload for the family and toys. The F-150 max tow/max payload is a perfect combo for me. Hopefully Ram finds a way to increase payload by a couple hundred lbs on this 1500

I'm not a 0-60 kinda guy either. Much less am I going to flog my own. It was really the payload alone that kept me from this Ram. I wish it was on a truck with 2000 payload.

I don't really understand the 'old school' characterization of the Ecodiesel.
It does have a couple of features in common with the Ford 6.7 Powerstroke; a CGI block and 'structural' aluminum oil pan. Isn't that a 'new school' approach to weight reduction of a diesel engine?

tragusa3 wrote:
Flogging 365hp vs. flogging 240hp is a different experience too. More flogging to be had. :) . . .

True. If you're a 0-60 kinda guy, there isn't a stock diesel on the planet that's gonna make you happy. However, it's torque that does the real work. The Ram Ecodiesel has plenty--as much or more than the Ecoboost or Hemi. All this work capability along with 6-7 better mpg has gotta heat things up for the 1/2 ton segment. Competition, a very cool thing!

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
Do you want power or do you want mileage? They are opposite ends of the towing spectrum. 240 Hp to 360 Hp is a huge difference.

Great way to sum it up! Power is great, but for my foreseeable needs mileage is more important. If it's delivered correctly, I'm thinking 240 Hp will be just fine. I really am in no hurry to get to the top of the hill, but would like to avoid being a road hazard along the way.

It'll be nice once some genuine head to head comparisons can be made.

Flogging 365hp vs. flogging 240hp is a different experience too. More flogging to be had. :)

I made a purchase just a month ago. I thought of waiting on this diesel, but as a family of 4 large dog and all the junk to go with it, I couldn't afford any less payload than I have. Including the strong incentives, I imagine I saved many thousand up front that will compensate for the mileage difference.

Was reading a test report from a magazine the other day (Consumer Report??), where they gave the mileage while flogging various 1/2 tons on the test track. Just about all the high torque, gas models from the Big 3 (including the Ecoboost) got approx. 10 mpg. The Ram Ecodiesel got 15 mpg while being flogged on the same test track. It's hard to ignore that kind of mileage difference under extreme conditions like this.

In the real-world, I'd translate these results to mean the Ram Ecodiesel should easily attain 21-22 mpg in combined driving. I've driven Ecoboosts and Hemi's in the real-world. Unless you try to hyper-mile, drive all highway, or you're retired--lol!, 15 mpg is the norm.

The initial cost of the diesel option will be recouped on resale. Hopefully:)

jus2shy wrote:
However, if I did live around where he lives, I don't know if I'd consider a diesel. That price spread in the north east is pretty harsh. Looks like west coast, southeast and west of Chicago have the prices much closer together (unless you're in California). I'm figuring the price strain in the northeast though is due to heating oil competing with diesel.

And back to itguy, I'd have to agree with your duty cycle. If you're not having much in the way of constant highway commuting, it would murder a modern diesel. It seems like in your specific use-case, gas just make sense.

I think you may be right on the heating oil competing with Diesel. I know in lots of the NE there is lots of heating oil and maybe it's a "this time of year thing". But I do notice that around here Diesel is usually more expensive than premium. Maybe if I drove it daily it would make sense but to sit around it doesn't even though my commute is 35 miles one way. That's the reason I kept the Taurus (besides we both love that car) - getting 20-26 MPG on the highway and it's paid off.

In a car it just makes sense - a co-worker has a TDI VW and loves it - gets 50 MPG and that makes sense there when the regular one gets, what around 30.

BillyW wrote:
The Ecoboost definitely got my attention, but doesn't appear to be living up to it's projected MPGs. The numbers aren't out for the Ecodiesel yet, but virtually ALL of the reviewers are raving about their mileage.

Huh? The sticker for my 2011 says: 15/21, 17 combined. I'm getting 16.5 combined in 20 degree weather. And I've got about one of the worst setups for fuel economies with the 3.73's and 4wd. Sounds about spot on to me.

23 in mixed with the Ecodiesel is good but I'm sure there are guys out there with the EB and 3.55's or the 3.31's that can break the 20 MPG barrier. And nobody towed anything other than a small boat. I'd expect the numbers to slot in above the Ecoboost but not that much higher.

BillyW wrote:
The Ford's larger payload options would have been the deciding factor for me just a few years ago. Now, as an empty nester with bad knees, not so much.

Don't forget Ram has the lowest payload of any 1/2 ton. It's only going to be worse with the heavier Diesel.

BillyW wrote:
Being one of those that commutes about 50 miles a day and doesn't really have room for a dedicated tow vehicle and separate daily driver, I'm looking very closely at these new half ton offerings. The Ecoboost definitely got my attention, but doesn't appear to be living up to it's projected MPGs. The numbers aren't out for the Ecodiesel yet, but virtually ALL of the reviewers are raving about their mileage.

What does this phrase "old school for a diesel engine" mean? Does it mean "tried and true"? Or does it mean "should be retired"?

I'm also having trouble seeing much of a difference in maintenance and upkeep costs. If "old school" means "tried and true", then that 3 liter diesel sounds like an awesome option for someone like me, especially with more than half of that 50 mile commute being highway. I could recoup my costs pretty quickly.

As far as repair costs, since we're comparing the two drive trains, it should be noted that the Ecoboost has been shown to have at least one chink in its armor too.

The Ford's larger payload options would have been the deciding factor for me just a few years ago. Now, as an empty nester with bad knees, not so much. The assumed better towing mileage of that Ram diesel would definitely be more important now too. Assumed is a scary word though.

Do you want power or do you want mileage? They are opposite ends of the towing spectrum. 240 Hp to 360 Hp is a huge difference.