RAM 1500 EcoDiesel sets new record for MPG

[ib516]

EPA Rated at 20 city / 28 hwy / 23 combined

LINKY

[wilber1]

thomasmnile wrote:
Nothing 'real' about EPA mileage estimates. Is the testing done by the manufacturers still on a 'treadmill' without the vehicle actually on the road, driven real world, in a variety of conditions & driving styles?

The only concern the manufacturers have for EPA figures is CAFE! CAFE! CAFE! Ram's worry, like Ford's, like GM's, is being able to keep a very 'important to their bottom line' product in the marketplace. It ain't rocket surgery.............

And of course, your mileage may vary.............:B

This is a few years old but these guys tried comparing real world with the Canadian test cycle.

LINK

[goducks10]

Payback isn't really that big of a deal. You will get some portion of the diesel option cost on resale. Same as buying a Laramie over an ST. Only issue is the higher price of diesel fuel as opposed to reg gas. Where you live will determine how that pans out over several years. Some places have a wider spread between the two fuels. For me if I were to by a diesel as an everyday driver it would be a PITA because the closest diesel station is sky high. That would mean I would have to get filled up out on the road all the time if using it for work.

[itguy08]

APT wrote:

itguy08 wrote:

Payback period : 11.98 years

Wait 2 months and run that same analysis. Look at the gasoline cost cycle (national average) how it spikes in April and September. Your snapshot is not helpful for long term fuel costs. Neither is a snapshot when gasoline is $4 and diesel is also $4.

So cut it in half and the payback period is 6 years. Still not worth it, IMHO.

And for those that crow about the EPA. It is relevant because it's the same cycle for all so it is at least a good starting point.

I find I get pretty much the EPA average. In my Taurus SHO I'm averaging around 21-22 in the summer and 18-19 in the winter, EPA average is 20. In the F150 I'm at 16.1 - 16.5 so far this winter and the EPA average is 17.

I don't baby it but drive sensibly most of the time. When I want power I push the skinny pedal.

[2012Coleman]

ib516 wrote:
EPA Rated at 20 city / 28 hwy / 23 combined

LINKY

What would be interesting in the context of this forum would be a link to payload and towing capacity of this truck. When I hook up my TT to go on a trip, the last thing on my mind is miles per gallon.

[hone_eagle]

Ya but its the same treadmill for all ,thus the way to compare.Someones cross country trip is worse then useless.

[thomasmnile]

Nothing 'real' about EPA mileage estimates. Is the testing done by the manufacturers still on a 'treadmill' without the vehicle actually on the road, driven real world, in a variety of conditions & driving styles?

The only concern the manufacturers have for EPA figures is CAFE! CAFE! CAFE! Ram's worry, like Ford's, like GM's, is being able to keep a very 'important to their bottom line' product in the marketplace. It ain't rocket surgery.............

And of course, your mileage may vary.............:B

[wilber1]

Fuel prices will probably have an effect on sales in different areas and as diesel prices are all over the map in the US, they will sell better in some places than others. Over a third of VW's sold in Canada are diesel even though the number of available models is very limited. I see quite a few Q7 TDI's and Mercedes Bluetecs running around this part of the world. The new Q5 TDI's are on back order and Mercedes expects the diesel GLK to be its best selling version of that model.

It's also more than just fuel economy. Even though most diesels don't compete with their corresponding gas models when it comes to peak HP, because of their surplus of low and mid range torque they can put more power to the ground in the RPM ranges where we normally drive, making for a different and satisfying driving experience.

A better question might be, why are US diesel prices so far out of whack compared with the rest of the world and are Americans doomed to fewer choices and less efficient vehicles as a consequence?

Linky

My experience with pre DPF TDI's was that they required less maintenance than the gas models. More frequent fuel filter changes but longer intervals between oil changes and timing belt replacement.

[APT]

itguy08 wrote:

Payback period : 11.98 years

Wait 2 months and run that same analysis. Look at the gasoline cost cycle (national average) how it spikes in April and September. Your snapshot is not helpful for long term fuel costs. Neither is a snapshot when gasoline is $4 and diesel is also $4.

[wilber1]

kmbelt wrote:
all of you that actually go by EPA ratings to be valid information are crazy. I have NEVER seen or heard of any vehicle actually hitting those numbers. I always feel that they are inflated by about 2+mpg.

Diesels actually have a reputation of meeting or exceeding those numbers. Check it out.

[kmbelt]

all of you that actually go by EPA ratings to be valid information are crazy. I have NEVER seen or heard of any vehicle actually hitting those numbers. I always feel that they are inflated by about 2+mpg.

[otrfun]

itguy08 wrote:
. . . So let's run the #'s again using the EPA since it's the same for all.....

We'll use this station as it's near me:
Local Gas station

Regular: $3.36
Diesel: $4.29

EPA:
F150 Ecoboost: 17 combined
Ram Ecodiesel: 23 combined
Ram 5.7/8 speed: 17 combined

15000 miles Ecoboost: 883 gallons * $3.36 = $2,964.70
15000 miles Ecodiesel: 653 gallons * $4.29 = $2,797.82
15000 miles Ram 5.7: 883 gallons * $3.36 = $2,964.90
Yearly savings: $166.88

Ecodiesel cost - $2k over Hemi

Payback period : 11.98 years

No thanks, I'll pass. I think most motorists will see 23 and go "yeah". Then look across the street at Diesel price and say "NOPE!".

I remember when the Diesel Jeeps were supposed to be the hottest thing. Now the local dealer is saying "Lots of Diesel Jeeps in stock now!"...

Yup, diesel is gonna be a tougher sell in your neck of the woods. In my neck of the woods gas is 3.11 and diesel 3.63. Much, much quicker payback.

Your analysis aside, it's just a matter of time before some testing organization is gonna drag out the Ecoboost, the high-torque V8's, and the Ecodiesel, and do a head-to-head realworld MPG comparison test. My gut tells me the Ecodiesel is gonna do much better in the realworld than on paper.

I've driven quite a few Ecoboosts on long, commercial-type trips. You can't get an EPA MPG of 16/22 (2WD) unless you consciously try to--almost to the point of hypermiling. Test after test has shown the Ecoboost, in daily, crap, suburban type driving, gets the same 15 mpg that all the other high-torque V8's get. So far, a number of tests have shown the Ecodiesel is not nearly as temperamental and seems capable of meeting EPA MPG specs without much effort.

Your stats as of now are a valid argument (at least in your neck of the woods). But, the more things play out, I believe we're going to find they're not nearly as black & white as they seem.

[Fast_Mopar]

itguy08 wrote:

Ecodiesel cost - $2k over Hemi

Payback period : 11.98 years

I'm not questioning the numbers, but there is more to life than payback. Where I work, lots of people have 3/4 ton and 1 ton diesel trucks (Ford, GM, Ram). These are people who either don't own a trailer at all or only tow small utility trailers or small boats. They just simply want to own a diesel. I don't exactly know why, but they do. A 1/2 ton gas truck would be a lot cheaper to buy and own overall and would easily do the job.

If this is such a bad idea, then I wonder why Nissan is moving forward on their Titan/Cummins diesel.

[pappcam]

itguy08 wrote:

45Ricochet wrote:
Where the heck is ITGAL anyway :H After all he stated it was only a ad campaign from Dodge, err Ram or what ever name he wants to call them.

Right here pal! So let's run the #'s again using the EPA since it's the same for all.....

We'll use this station as it's near me:
Local Gas station

Regular: $3.36
Diesel: $4.29

EPA:
F150 Ecoboost: 17 combined
Ram Ecodiesel: 23 combined
Ram 5.7/8 speed: 17 combined

15000 miles Ecoboost: 883 gallons * $3.36 = $2,964.70
15000 miles Ecodiesel: 653 gallons * $4.29 = $2,797.82
15000 miles Ram 5.7: 883 gallons * $3.36 = $2,964.90
Yearly savings: $166.88

Ecodiesel cost - $2k over Hemi

Payback period : 11.98 years

No thanks, I'll pass. I think most motorists will see 23 and go "yeah". Then look across the street at Diesel price and say "NOPE!".

I remember when the Diesel Jeeps were supposed to be the hottest thing. Now the local dealer is saying "Lots of Diesel Jeeps in stock now!"...

Thanks for the breakdown. Diesel usually has more maintenance costs as well but I really don't know much about this new V6 they're using so that might not be an issue.

[itguy08]

45Ricochet wrote:
Where the heck is ITGAL anyway :H After all he stated it was only a ad campaign from Dodge, err Ram or what ever name he wants to call them.

Right here pal! So let's run the #'s again using the EPA since it's the same for all.....

We'll use this station as it's near me:
Local Gas station

Regular: $3.36
Diesel: $4.29

EPA:
F150 Ecoboost: 17 combined
Ram Ecodiesel: 23 combined
Ram 5.7/8 speed: 17 combined

15000 miles Ecoboost: 883 gallons * $3.36 = $2,964.70
15000 miles Ecodiesel: 653 gallons * $4.29 = $2,797.82
15000 miles Ram 5.7: 883 gallons * $3.36 = $2,964.90
Yearly savings: $166.88

Ecodiesel cost - $2k over Hemi

Payback period : 11.98 years

No thanks, I'll pass. I think most motorists will see 23 and go "yeah". Then look across the street at Diesel price and say "NOPE!".

I remember when the Diesel Jeeps were supposed to be the hottest thing. Now the local dealer is saying "Lots of Diesel Jeeps in stock now!"...

[Redsky]

I got better mileage than that with my 1975 Mazda pickup truck and it burned regular gas. The 1500 trucks also come with a small V-6 diesel engine that provides 1/2 the power of the standard diesel used in the Ram 3/4 and 1-ton trucks. It is not something I would want to use for towing much less pay the extra cost for this option.

It is a great deal for the auto companies that have to meet the CAFE numbers and still sell their extremely profitable pickups. Put in a more expensive diesel engine that customers pay for along with the more expensive fuel and greater costs for maintenance and repairs.

It's almost as good a con job when GM got the go ahead to put toxic lead into gasoline to boost its octane rating. No worries that it caused brain damage and increased the crime rate for decades, GM made a lot of money and what else really matters?