Diesel vs gas......................

[blt2ski]

OK folks, there have been a few to many diesel vs gas threads that have shall we say gone to "Hell and a hand basket"! So if all of you would put in you BEST, no flaming reasons for going gas vs diesel, pro and con, I will either leave your thread, or copy and paste pertinant info to the 4 posts of pro and con of diesel or gas. This can include the GM 8.1 vs Dmax or Ford V-8/10 vs PSD etc too.

Be real and honest in you answers, not hear say, flaming etc PLEASE!

If posts are good ones, I will leave, if inflamatory or trolling in nature, they will be deleted! I will get this stick'd to the top for future parusing for those that need this type of info.

Added 6-23-04

We are getting closer to answers I am looking for etc.

Stuff like Ken's - T-Bone posts are good. There are a few others of you that have not posted, some with a 9 point question and answer type to figure out how you went with one or the other. If you are one of those, PLEASE repost in this thread. I may have to look up whom has done this and PM you, but if you think this is you, you now know what to do.

Also, for those of you with $ per gallon for either fuel right now, I would prefer to see a post with ...."in my area, diesel is typically .10 less than unleaded" then explain your numbers. As currently in the Seattle area, diesel and unleaded are any where from 2.05 -2.30 per gallon, with mid test .10 more and premium about .20 more, with equal high low splits. Two weeks ago those prices were upwards of .30 -.40 per gallon more. people were posting $ per gallon that were for me. "I wish" If someone is reading your post a year from now, they may want to know where your paying 1.65, when the price of fuel is over $3 per gallon. Let's keep prices out of it if possible.

Bert and tin tipi, got into a good discusion on the pros and cons of RPM's, drive train etc. I would prefer to NOT see the quote of the other in responding threads, maybe just write a quick wording of re tranny gearing, instead of the whole 40 words or so in that paragragh, so the repsonse is shorter if possible quicker and easier to read etc.

I have deleted some 15+/- posts, that were off topic etc. Please note, I am trying to keep this at the top, as the ONLY gas/diesel thread in this area. So if one is trying to decide, we do not have to go thru this BS any more. As such, I will be deleting ANY future posts close to resembling this type of topic. I may have to change "this" title to a better one, if one has a better sounding title, to be more positive, better claification, let me know here, or in a PM/e-mail, what ever you feel most comfortible with.

Again thank you for all of you that are keeping responses positive, etc.

Also we could use a few more positive reasons to go gas, as many can see I have both gas and diesel, both have a place! Both have positive reasons to buy that fuel, lets keep the threads etc to that purpose only!

Marty

[Ram4Sam]

8.1 Van wrote:

Ram4Sam wrote:

8.1 Van wrote:

Madhatter1 wrote:
At Flying J gas is 2.59 in Pembroke NY and Diesel is only 2.39 in Eloy AZ. 8.1 will have to admit that diesel is cheaper since I got my info like he does and painted the picture the way I want to see it. Also noted, bagels with poppy seeds are now cheaper than plain bagels. I feel real bad for those holding a bag of plain when the world is leaning twards the poppies.

Compare gas vs diesel in the same part of the US at the same Flying J like this one were gas is $1.699 and diesel is $2.889.

Let's play with some of these numbers...

400 mile tow..

8.1 gas guzzler..400 miles @ 7mpg..uses 57 gallons
57 x $1.70 is $96.90:(

My diesel truck..400 mile tow..

coal burner...400 miles @13mpg uses 31 gallons
31 x 2.89 is $89.60:B

How about a 400 mile empty trip...

8.1 gas guzzler...400 miles.. I'm guessing 12mpg? 33 gallons
33 x 1.70 is $56.10

Coal burner...400 miles @20 mpg uses 20 gallons
20 x 2.89 is $57.80

Or, instead of selective price picking from all over the country(like 8.1 does) that means nothing unless you are there, here are prices in my area...

Same 400 mile tow...

8.1 gas guzzler.. 57 gallons x $2.39 is $136.23:(

Coal burner...31 gallons x $2.65 is $82.15:E:B

Same 400 empty trip...

8.1 gas guzzler...33 gallons x $2.39 is $78.87:(

Coal burner...20 gallons x $2.65 is $53.00:B

Do the math in your area and you might be surprised!

Sam

My 12 passenger 8.1 Van with 3.73's and 31.7" tires gets 14mpg @62mph/ 12mpg@72mph fully loaded non towing. My 8 passenger 4x4 PSD Excursion's with 3.73's and 31.7" tires got 18.2 mpg @62mph/16.2mpg@72mph fully loaded non towing. I did the math and I am lightyears ahead in cost per passenger with the 8.1 Van vs the PSD Excursion. BTW diesel cost 60% more ($2.96 vs $1.85) than gas here in NJ.

Exactly my point! Everybody's number's are different depending on equipment,what/how they drive/tow, and local fuel prices, so there is no best way. You should remember this fact during your daily blathering about the price of gasoline.

Sam

[8_1_Van]

Ram4Sam wrote:

8.1 Van wrote:

Madhatter1 wrote:
At Flying J gas is 2.59 in Pembroke NY and Diesel is only 2.39 in Eloy AZ. 8.1 will have to admit that diesel is cheaper since I got my info like he does and painted the picture the way I want to see it. Also noted, bagels with poppy seeds are now cheaper than plain bagels. I feel real bad for those holding a bag of plain when the world is leaning twards the poppies.

Compare gas vs diesel in the same part of the US at the same Flying J like this one were gas is $1.699 and diesel is $2.889.

Let's play with some of these numbers...

400 mile tow..

8.1 gas guzzler..400 miles @ 7mpg..uses 57 gallons
57 x $1.70 is $96.90:(

My diesel truck..400 mile tow..

coal burner...400 miles @13mpg uses 31 gallons
31 x 2.89 is $89.60:B

How about a 400 mile empty trip...

8.1 gas guzzler...400 miles.. I'm guessing 12mpg? 33 gallons
33 x 1.70 is $56.10

Coal burner...400 miles @20 mpg uses 20 gallons
20 x 2.89 is $57.80

Or, instead of selective price picking from all over the country(like 8.1 does) that means nothing unless you are there, here are prices in my area...

Same 400 mile tow...

8.1 gas guzzler.. 57 gallons x $2.39 is $136.23:(

Coal burner...31 gallons x $2.65 is $82.15:E:B

Same 400 empty trip...

8.1 gas guzzler...33 gallons x $2.39 is $78.87:(

Coal burner...20 gallons x $2.65 is $53.00:B

Do the math in your area and you might be surprised!

Sam

My 12 passenger 8.1 Van with 3.73's and 31.7" tires gets 14mpg @62mph/ 12mpg@72mph fully loaded non towing. My 8 passenger 4x4 PSD Excursion's with 3.73's and 31.7" tires got 18.2 mpg @62mph/16.2mpg@72mph fully loaded non towing. I did the math and I am lightyears ahead in cost per passenger with the 8.1 Van vs the PSD Excursion. BTW diesel cost 60% more ($2.96 vs $1.85) than gas here in NJ.

[mgratner]

You can't haul an 11,000 lb. 5th wheel, without being overweight, with a gasser. Torque is power and torque costs money. Comparing a diesel to a gasser is like comparing a piper cub to a 747.

Cigar Mike

[Ram4Sam]

8.1 Van wrote:

Madhatter1 wrote:
At Flying J gas is 2.59 in Pembroke NY and Diesel is only 2.39 in Eloy AZ. 8.1 will have to admit that diesel is cheaper since I got my info like he does and painted the picture the way I want to see it. Also noted, bagels with poppy seeds are now cheaper than plain bagels. I feel real bad for those holding a bag of plain when the world is leaning twards the poppies.

Compare gas vs diesel in the same part of the US at the same Flying J like this one were gas is $1.699 and diesel is $2.889.

Let's play with some of these numbers...

400 mile tow..

8.1 gas guzzler..400 miles @ 7mpg..uses 57 gallons
57 x $1.70 is $96.90:(

My diesel truck..400 mile tow..

coal burner...400 miles @13mpg uses 31 gallons
31 x 2.89 is $89.60:B

How about a 400 mile empty trip...

8.1 gas guzzler...400 miles.. I'm guessing 12mpg? 33 gallons
33 x 1.70 is $56.10

Coal burner...400 miles @20 mpg uses 20 gallons
20 x 2.89 is $57.80

Or, instead of selective price picking from all over the country(like 8.1 does) that means nothing unless you are there, here are prices in my area...

Same 400 mile tow...

8.1 gas guzzler.. 57 gallons x $2.39 is $136.23:(

Coal burner...31 gallons x $2.65 is $82.15:E:B

Same 400 empty trip...

8.1 gas guzzler...33 gallons x $2.39 is $78.87:(

Coal burner...20 gallons x $2.65 is $53.00:B

Do the math in your area and you might be surprised!

Sam

[8_1_Van]

Madhatter1 wrote:
At Flying J gas is 2.59 in Pembroke NY and Diesel is only 2.39 in Eloy AZ. 8.1 will have to admit that diesel is cheaper since I got my info like he does and painted the picture the way I want to see it. Also noted, bagels with poppy seeds are now cheaper than plain bagels. I feel real bad for those holding a bag of plain when the world is leaning twards the poppies.

Compare gas vs diesel in the same part of the US at the same Flying J like this one were gas is $1.699 and diesel is $2.889.

[Rvndave]

I was assuming a big block one ton dually, when I said I have not heard of a gasser getting 18 mpg. I get my 22 mpg on back roads going 45-55, I actually get less mpg on the highway. Speed seems to reduce my mpg. I should have been more specific when I posted, sorry for any confusion. As for my mpg running empty on the highway I have never run a tankful out an can not comment on accurate mpg highway.

[blt2ski]

I've gotten 18 in my reg C2500 with auto and 4.10's, the very rare and few times I have had it on the freeway! So it is possible. A client today mentioned his Lexus SUV gets mid 20's. Seemed a bit high, but maybe it is one of the hybrid versions? and I did not notice it. I used to get low 20's with GM's 4.3 V6 too. Some of the smaller V8's can achieve 18-low 20's if one keeps their lead foot out of it on the freeway empty also.

marty

[TxCoastCamper]

Rvndave wrote:
I have yet to see a gasser getting 18 MPG, but whatever.

From Houston to Memphis, and then again on the way back I got 18+ mpg in my '98 K1500 5.7l gasser. Kept her at 65 mph and enjoyed the music.

Pretty flat here to there of course.

[Madhatter1]

At Flying J gas is 2.59 in Pembroke NY and Diesel is only 2.39 in Eloy AZ. 8.1 will have to admit that diesel is cheaper since I got my info like he does and painted the picture the way I want to see it. Also noted, bagels with poppy seeds are now cheaper than plain bagels. I feel real bad for those holding a bag of plain when the world is leaning twards the poppies.

[Rvndave]

I have yet to see a gasser getting 18 MPG, but whatever.

[TxCoastCamper]

8.1 Van wrote:
You forgot the $24,500 I got for selling my 2003 6.0 PSD Excursion in 2007 when diesel was cheaper than gas then paying $7,900 in March 2008 for the loaded 2002 3500LS 8.1 passenger van. I now have enough money left over to pay for gas for many years. I also had over 20 quarts of 5w-40 Mobil 1 left over from the Excursion since I sold it just before the PSD 30,000 mile fluid changes were due and that is good for three 8.1 oil changes. BTW gas is $1.11 cheaper than diesel here in NJ today.

Okay, $1.11 difference gas vs diesel. That figures to a whopping $69 a month in fuel savings from the previous calculation.

That seems a nice amount if one is talking about a paid for vehicle, but to my way of thinking it is just noise if one is stradled with $600 payments, $100 insurance, and $50 property tax/license per month on the thing.

And I again stand with you in your decision to dump the Excursion and buy the used van - That was a wise financial move. Even prescient given the today’s state of the economy, jobs outlook, used prices of big SUVs, etc.

But the continual blather about saving money on fill ups gas vs diesel is noisome, well, at least annoying anyway - because nobody does any math to quantify the argument...

[TxCoastCamper]

Rvndave wrote:


Try doing the math at 22 MPG in my diesel truck. This is what I average on my 40 mile round trip to and from work, in my diesel.

Okay. I'll give you 22 mpg and the gasser 18 mpg through the whole 15,000 and the delta cost per month goes to $31.69.

[John___Dana]

"Doing the Math...", don't you have to figure in the initial cost to the gas rig versus the diesel rig ?

[Rvndave]

TxCoastCamper wrote:

8.1 Van wrote:

I only had 8 people last week on our vacation at Seaside Resort in North Myrtle Beach SC. BTW diesel finally is under $3 here in NJ but gas is still more than $1 less.

Blah, blah, blah...

I am glad you got a USED gasser - used is were you win, (though with the coming 40% off fire sale in Dec/Jan that for this one time might be debatable...).

But give up on the incessant, never ending, Ad nauseam blather about gas vs diesel ...

Consider: At 15,000 miles per year, say 12 mpg gas vs 14 mpg diesel average over all, and a $1.99 gas vs $2.99 diesel costs and WHAT YA GOT?? A whopping $716.07 difference per year!

Okay, for the simple minded - a difference of $59.67 a month.

Try doing the math at 22 MPG in my diesel truck. This is what I average on my 40 mile round trip to and from work, in my diesel.

[TxCoastCamper]

TxCoastCamper wrote:
...snip
Okay, for the simple minded - a difference of $59.67 a month.

If I may quote myself, for some people have more credit than brains... (which is quite different than having more money than brains!)

Some folks make a $40k truck purchase. NO, make that $50k if you add financing and license fees...

So $50k and they worry about 60 buck a month fuel cost delta, gas vs diesel.

Parents - teach your kids some math! Financial math. Save your kids from repeating YOUR mistakes!!!

Okay, I am off my soap box. And off to get another fine Pale Ale, good night...