Are diesels worth it, for costs per mile?
Was at a car dealer out of town, and the dealer (name with-held to protect the guilty) was trying to warn me away from a diesel on the 3500 models he was selling, unless I had at least $15,000 a year ...
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I bought the truck in my signature last November. Over the winter, doing the same driving I had with my 1/2 ton I was spending right at $15 more per week for fuel. With just under 5,000 miles on it the mpg was 14 city/ 19 highway unloaded.
At 7,500 (give or take) miles I've spent $75 on an oil change and $35 for DEF fluid (and $14 to have the tires rotates). I'll do that again by fall plus replace the fuel filter.
We towed our 6,000 lb (loaded) camper through Kentucky into the Smokies and back about 4 weeks ago. Averaged 12.5 mpg for the whole trip running (mostly) 65 mph. And this truck isn't anywhere near broke in.
Here's the thing with me. I tried to justify the additional cost of the diesel up front when I was having this debate with myself and never could. BUT, having owned it now for a while and pulled (light as it may be) out TT over 1,000 miles, I would never look back. With THIS camper, I never knew it was back there. Sooner or later we're going to a much bigger camper and we'll see what happens then.
What I've come to realize, the cost per mile is not what's so attractive about a diesel (for me). When I hit the mountain at Jellico Tennessee on I 75 (all right, it's not the Rockies) the truck never missed a beat. Cruise set at 65 mph and it stayed there all the way to the top...at under 2,000 rpms. Set the cruise at 60 coming down (wanted to see what it would do) and it never accelerated above 62 mph and only then for a few seconds. And I didn't have to listen to the engine whine all the way up and down.
Here's the kicker. At the end of the day, when we got to our destination, I wasn't worn out. THAT is why I bought the diesel.
At 7,500 (give or take) miles I've spent $75 on an oil change and $35 for DEF fluid (and $14 to have the tires rotates). I'll do that again by fall plus replace the fuel filter.
We towed our 6,000 lb (loaded) camper through Kentucky into the Smokies and back about 4 weeks ago. Averaged 12.5 mpg for the whole trip running (mostly) 65 mph. And this truck isn't anywhere near broke in.
Here's the thing with me. I tried to justify the additional cost of the diesel up front when I was having this debate with myself and never could. BUT, having owned it now for a while and pulled (light as it may be) out TT over 1,000 miles, I would never look back. With THIS camper, I never knew it was back there. Sooner or later we're going to a much bigger camper and we'll see what happens then.
What I've come to realize, the cost per mile is not what's so attractive about a diesel (for me). When I hit the mountain at Jellico Tennessee on I 75 (all right, it's not the Rockies) the truck never missed a beat. Cruise set at 65 mph and it stayed there all the way to the top...at under 2,000 rpms. Set the cruise at 60 coming down (wanted to see what it would do) and it never accelerated above 62 mph and only then for a few seconds. And I didn't have to listen to the engine whine all the way up and down.
Here's the kicker. At the end of the day, when we got to our destination, I wasn't worn out. THAT is why I bought the diesel.
