Jumping off the Diesel Bandwagon - UPDATED

[ib516]

Well, after two Cummins diesels that I thoroughly enjoyed, I am going to place a factory order for a RAM 2500 with the 6.4L Hemi, 4.10 gears, rear air suspension, Laramie and plenty of added options. I don't care for the looks of the "Limited" with all the badges gone, and I think the cowboy theme of the longhorn is tacky.

WHY THE SWITCH FROM DIESEL TO GAS?

1) Well, when I bought my first Cummins powered truck, diesel fuel was almost always 30% cheaper than regular unleaded where I live. In recent years, that scale has tipped the other way. It used to be occassionally, and now it seems that Canada is following the trends in the USA, and it is becoming the norm. Of course this is a regional thing, but it seems here to stay. Our last road trip with my current truck, I paid $93.00 for 68L of diesel. That's $93.00 for 18 US Gallons when I topped it up. :E Regular unleaded is running $1.20/L and diesel is $1.42/L right now. That has been the trend for the last 6 months or so - maybe the last year.

2) When I bought my last two diesels, the HD gas offerings by the big 3 were gas hogs compared to the diesels. That has all but evaporated with the hp/tq war going on in the diesels, and the addition of DPFs, DEF, etc. The gas engines haven't improved much, but the diesel mpg has come down some which has narrowed the gap.

3) The gas engines just weren't all that powerful either. The 5.7L Hemi was tops at 345hp back then, the GM 6.0L was a measly 300hp, and Ford's 5.4L was a bit of a dog as I drove one 12 hrs a day in an Expedition and it didn't impress me power wise in the lighter Expedition. While the diesels today offer huge power and will certainly outperform the 6.4L Hemi I am choosing, the 6.4L Hemi is actually rated to tow more than my 5.9L Cummins, by 2500#! I know it will be a "different" towing experience with much less tq than my pumped up 5.9L Cummins, but I will live with the higher RPMs.

4) The kids are growing and we will no longer need a huge bunk house RV to save us from going nuts on those rainy days when camping. We are going to downsize to a smaller RV next time round, which will be in the next year or two.

5) Driving my 2014 Jeep Cherokee with the heated seats, new tech features, etc has me wanting a newer truck with the new features and upgraded interior from the Tupperware/Rubbermaid one in my current truck.

6) A new, loaded 2500 RAM with the Cummins is about $8,000 - $9,000 more than the same truck with the 6.4L Hemi here in Canada.

7) Lastly, the big Cummins diesel sucks to drive at -30* and -40*. It just starts blowing heat when I ARRIVE at work. I have the grill completely blocked off with a winter front, and have done all I can, this just doesn't get better. Nature of the beast.

So there you have it. Me talking myself into a new truck. 🙂

[45Ricochet]

All that rambling with a him pulling a 1998 Nash 22' TT. Your right, you don't need a diesel. Some of us do. Just saying :W

[spoon059]

mowin wrote:
Lol and everyone uses there trucks exactly like the study indicates, and everyone pays the same insurance premiums also...

Or has the need for the diesel... or takes into account MODERN diesel engines with sensitive fuel systems... or varying fuel costs...

I will never buy a depreciating asset like a vehicle for the "resale value". An $8000 option new for the POTENTIAL of $4000 higher resale value 10 years later? If we were really talking about VALUE, you would buy the gas engine, invest that $8000 over the 10 year period and have substantially MORE money than the possible $4000 higher resale value.

What if that engine becomes a turd like the Ford 6.0 or 6.4 engines? Now you paid a premium for an engine that has LESS value to most buyers than a gas engine would. I would feel foolish at that point.

If you NEED a diesel, then you need a diesel. If you WANT a diesel and can afford it, go for it. If you neither NEED nor WANT a diesel, its foolish to pay $8000 more now in the hopes it is worth $4000 more later. You would be better off buying a 5 year CD right now at 2.25% interest. After 5 years you would have made $941, then you could have taken that $8941 and reinvested that for an additional 5 years. At the same rate, after 10 years you would have almost $10,000.

Think of the money I already saved on fuel, now I can sell my gas engine truck AND have an additional $10,000 towards a new truck. Or, I could spend more on fuel for a truck with more power than I need and sell the truck for possibly $4000 more than the gas... I would still have $6000 less though. Face it, the financial argument is poor at best...

Get what you either want or need. Don't try to justify yourself or convince others that it makes sense financially... it doesn't. By the way, this is all if you pay CASH for the truck. If you finance that extra $8000 at 2.91%, you lose even MORE money...

[mowin]

bid_time wrote:
There is actually an independant unbiased third party that publish information that can be used for this type of gas vs. diesel discussion. It's called "Rental Rate Blue Book". The Blue book takes into account all the costs of ownership inluding fuel, maintenance, insurance, cost of money, etc., etc., etc. I've ran the computation for a gas vs. diesel. And in turns out, diesel is a clear winner, by $12 per year. One caveat, the data was from before the latest emission standards went into effect.

Lol and everyone uses there trucks exactly like the study indicates, and everyone pays the same insurance premiums also...

[bid_time]

There is actually an independant unbiased third party that publish information that can be used for this type of gas vs. diesel discussion. It's called "Rental Rate Blue Book". The Blue book takes into account all the costs of ownership inluding fuel, maintenance, insurance, cost of money, etc., etc., etc. I've ran the computation for a gas vs. diesel. And in turns out, diesel is a clear winner, by $12 per year. One caveat, the data was from before the latest emission standards went into effect.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

OBTW Bob,
That's a Ferd

I think you maybe correct Rick?


Upon further investigation I did find the real test drive of IB's new truck.

WARNING: Strong language. It looks like the cameraman got real nervous when he saw what his buddy did to IB's new truck and started to spout off 4 letter words! :E

In any event IB; Bondo dry's pretty fast. It should be no longer than 2 weeks before you get it. :B

Man that Hemi can burn some rubber!

[BurbMan]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

ib516 wrote:
No worries boys - debate is good. 🙂 Newest update is that my truck is at the rail yard, about 10 blocks from the dealer. Was supposed to be delivered late today or early tomorrow.

Took my BIL to the dealer today and he's in love...with a 14 2500 CTD Laramie Longhorn (He's the Alberta cowboy type) :B

On a side note - we drove a 13 2500 with leaf springs and a 14 with coils. Wow what a difference in ride! The 2014 was no luxury sedan, it still rode like a HD truck, but it was a major difference in ride - not nearly as "jittery".

Good news and bad news IB.

The good news is, your truck did come in.

The bad news is: The guy that drove it from the rail yard got in a little accident. I think it will buff out though.



:B

Man, that's COLD!! LMAO!!!

[mowin]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

ib516 wrote:
No worries boys - debate is good. 🙂 Newest update is that my truck is at the rail yard, about 10 blocks from the dealer. Was supposed to be delivered late today or early tomorrow.

Took my BIL to the dealer today and he's in love...with a 14 2500 CTD Laramie Longhorn (He's the Alberta cowboy type) :B

On a side note - we drove a 13 2500 with leaf springs and a 14 with coils. Wow what a difference in ride! The 2014 was no luxury sedan, it still rode like a HD truck, but it was a major difference in ride - not nearly as "jittery".

Good news and bad news IB.

The good news is, your truck did come in.

The bad news is: The guy that drove it from the rail yard got in a little accident. I think it will buff out though.



:B

No grate loss, it was a ford....;)

Seriously tho, its gotta be tuff knowing your truck is 10 blocks away from the dealer. So close, but not close enough. Hope it doesn't sit there for too long.

[transamz9]

HAHAHAHA!! You guys are evil!:B

[45Ricochet]

That reminds me of the video of about a year or so ago of the guys driving to off load vehicles down the rail cars, err maybe they were loading them onto cars. It was funny non the less, those dudes were crazy fast driving down the ramps.
Hey pay per performance is usually the American way, YMMV Canada.

LINK

This ain't the one I was referring to, but it's almost the same IB. I'd just drive down there NOW and keep an eye on your new baby :B

OBTW Bob,
That's a Ferd :B

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

ib516 wrote:
No worries boys - debate is good. 🙂 Newest update is that my truck is at the rail yard, about 10 blocks from the dealer. Was supposed to be delivered late today or early tomorrow.

Took my BIL to the dealer today and he's in love...with a 14 2500 CTD Laramie Longhorn (He's the Alberta cowboy type) :B

On a side note - we drove a 13 2500 with leaf springs and a 14 with coils. Wow what a difference in ride! The 2014 was no luxury sedan, it still rode like a HD truck, but it was a major difference in ride - not nearly as "jittery".

Good news and bad news IB.

The good news is, your truck did come in.

The bad news is: The guy that drove it from the rail yard got in a little accident. I think it will buff out though.



:B

[ib516]

No worries boys - debate is good. 🙂 Newest update is that my truck is at the rail yard, about 10 blocks from the dealer. Was supposed to be delivered late today or early tomorrow.

Took my BIL to the dealer today and he's in love...with a 14 2500 CTD Laramie Longhorn (He's the Alberta cowboy type) :B

On a side note - we drove a 13 2500 with leaf springs and a 14 with coils. Wow what a difference in ride! The 2014 was no luxury sedan, it still rode like a HD truck, but it was a major difference in ride - not nearly as "jittery".

[Dayle1]

If saving money was the goal, I'd buy a horse for daily transportation and forget RVing. :E But as long as I'm towing, I'll probably stick with diesel. Besides, having recently bought a brand new TV for far less than the typical transaction, I should be set for another 10 yrs.

[spoon059]

hone eagle wrote:
Sorry I admit I didn't - way too long,i was only agreeing with someone else.
I can only comprehend 3 or 4 sentences at a time ,too long and I drift ........oh look a squirrel..........

On a month old thread...? One might think that you have your own preconceptions and won't listen to another point of view...

[45Ricochet]

Ahh didn't mean to ruffle the feathers :B I was just agreeing about a Longhorn would be worth more in 5 years than a ST. Same goes with certain diesels. For the heck of it I ran a simple KBB on a 06 Ram 3500 CC, with leather and only difference was one had the Hemi and one had the Cummins. $31519 for one $26654 for the other. Difference $4865 and I don't remember how much extra I paid for the Cummins, $6k ?

[hone_eagle]

ib516 wrote:

hone eagle wrote:

goducks10 wrote:
No one ever seems to factor in resale value when talking diesel vs gas. I'm not talking hypothetical higher diesel resale values. I'm talking about the fact that the while the diesel costs more, it's naturally worth more. Same as paying for all the bling like leather, nav, 20" wheels, sunroof, etc. Those options are all figured in when you trade in or sell. Same goes for the diesel option. Just because the diesel option is purchased doesn't mean it's just money down the drain. IMO it's no different than buying a Laramie Longhorn over the SLT or Tradesman. Come selling time the more expensive truck will sell for more money.
No one buys a diesel and 3 yrs latter sells it for the same price as a gasser.

Well said
no one will ever factor in anything that does not agree with their preconceptions.

Did you guys miss this part of my post?

" If you add in that the diesel will be worth more when selling/trading, that would reduce the payback time."

Read closer and put away the pitchforks and torches...

Sorry I admit I didn't - way too long,i was only agreeing with someone else.
I can only comprehend 3 or 4 sentences at a time ,too long and I drift ........oh look a squirrel..........