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 ...
Forum Discussion
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I am one diesel owner that is not entirely happy with owning a diesel.
I think we all can see you would like a diesel, so you might as well get one. There is nothing wrong with getting one as a hobby type purchase unless it will be a burden on your families budget, or the premium price sticks in your craw. I've known guys that gave up a decent, reliable vehicle for their wife and kids, just so they could own a prestigious personal truck, and I don't have much respect for that. But that doesn't sound like you and it wasn't me.
I don't think even the marginal greater expense of diesel pickups are very practical for 98% of RV owners, but many enjoy the wow performance of diesel/gas turbocharged engines, since they seem to have more power due to running in their peak torque range at normal highway speeds. When not turboed, diesels are underpowered dogs too, typically worse than gas. Some of the newest turbo-diesels do exceed gas hp offerings.
Regarding my diesel dissatisfaction, I was going to buy an older '95 Cummins powered Dodge because I did calculate that I could save money with it. The expected cost was $8k stock and it ran like a top, got great towing economy and had just over 100k miles on it. Since it had a five speed and the clutch had never been abused, ball-joints were good, I assume it would have likely been trouble-free. In a few years I would have sold it stock for the same $8k and pocketed the fuel savings.
The downside, it was a standard cab. And got traded out from under me because I did not clearly make my willingness to buy, known beforehand. Shouldn't have been so shy.
So, affected by the fever, and not trusting other Dodges in that price range, I bought a 2000 F-250 on a whim instead. The upside was a crewcab, excellent body, new tires and balljoints, and a more reliable automatic tranny per DW's wishes. The downside was 131k miles, slightly less fuel economy, just as noisy and nearly twice the cost. It is highly likely I'll never break even on resale vs purchase price, and my larger dent in savings haunts me. The truck pulls good and holds OD better, but it is still not anywhere near as snappy, and quiet, as our V-10 Excursion. Towing fuel economy is about 8 mpg gas, or 11 mpg diesel. I'll never make up the extra diesel cost by fuel savings, but maybe the early F-250 operation will grow on me more later. It is too late to go back now.
Wes
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I am one diesel owner that is not entirely happy with owning a diesel.
I think we all can see you would like a diesel, so you might as well get one. There is nothing wrong with getting one as a hobby type purchase unless it will be a burden on your families budget, or the premium price sticks in your craw. I've known guys that gave up a decent, reliable vehicle for their wife and kids, just so they could own a prestigious personal truck, and I don't have much respect for that. But that doesn't sound like you and it wasn't me.
I don't think even the marginal greater expense of diesel pickups are very practical for 98% of RV owners, but many enjoy the wow performance of diesel/gas turbocharged engines, since they seem to have more power due to running in their peak torque range at normal highway speeds. When not turboed, diesels are underpowered dogs too, typically worse than gas. Some of the newest turbo-diesels do exceed gas hp offerings.
Regarding my diesel dissatisfaction, I was going to buy an older '95 Cummins powered Dodge because I did calculate that I could save money with it. The expected cost was $8k stock and it ran like a top, got great towing economy and had just over 100k miles on it. Since it had a five speed and the clutch had never been abused, ball-joints were good, I assume it would have likely been trouble-free. In a few years I would have sold it stock for the same $8k and pocketed the fuel savings.
The downside, it was a standard cab. And got traded out from under me because I did not clearly make my willingness to buy, known beforehand. Shouldn't have been so shy.
So, affected by the fever, and not trusting other Dodges in that price range, I bought a 2000 F-250 on a whim instead. The upside was a crewcab, excellent body, new tires and balljoints, and a more reliable automatic tranny per DW's wishes. The downside was 131k miles, slightly less fuel economy, just as noisy and nearly twice the cost. It is highly likely I'll never break even on resale vs purchase price, and my larger dent in savings haunts me. The truck pulls good and holds OD better, but it is still not anywhere near as snappy, and quiet, as our V-10 Excursion. Towing fuel economy is about 8 mpg gas, or 11 mpg diesel. I'll never make up the extra diesel cost by fuel savings, but maybe the early F-250 operation will grow on me more later. It is too late to go back now.
Wes
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