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....but here in Central Indiana, regular unleaded is at an all time high of $3.49/gal and diesel is $4.19/gal.
at .70/gal difference, you would have to get approximatly 20% BETTER fuel mileage with the diesel than the gas engine just to "break even". granted, you could probably pull it off, but then what would be the advantage, since the diesel option would mean an additional cost to begin with?
add to that the higher cost of diesel and a higher cost of repairs (from what i see at our dealership), i'll stick with the gas engine.
that is until they come up with either an e85, hybrid, fuel cell or total electric car.
Locally , and every where I travel in a five state circle around Texas, for the last 5 years, diesel fuel has ALWAYS been higher cost per gallon then regular 87 gasoline no matter what time of year.... I am aware that this dynamic does not hold true in every region, but I do know it is true in MOST regions. Carnut's photo is an anomaly in USA
I need big 3/4 and 1 ton trucks for a reason. In 2004 I stopped buying diesel trucks as the gasoline truck ends up being less per mile to operate over time.
SloPok's 7300 pound F250 with a 6.0L PowerStroke V8 vs my 2005 7800 pound F350 with a 415CI V10 (6.8L) are more an apples to apples comparison.
Not disputing that he gets 18~19MPG, but if he does, his truck is the exception not the rule... the typical Ford diesel 6.0L 'stroke averages 15~17MPG
The typical Ford 6.8L Triton V10 averages 12.5~13.7MPG
sounds like a no brainer..get the big honking diesel...
Well, that would be nice if you want to ignore several other relevant factors
Diesel V-8 is a $3600~$3900 option
Gas V10 is a $510~$590 option
Base motor is 5.4L V8 gas
Diesel V8 requires 19 quarts of oil, and much more expensive air, oil, and fuel filters vs the V10's 7 quarts, $17.99 air, $2.98 oil and $7.99 fuel filters
After you factor the normal maintenance and up keep expenses, you have to run the cost per mile math on the two different fuel prices (V10 burns 87 regular)
Other considerations like reliability, repair costs, extra finance costs etc all have to be considered....
I would not be in line for a diesel smart car.... the costs for this car are already too high relative to the other fuel efficient offerings out there
anyone know the premium up charge for the current cars with diesel motors vs the standard motor?
BTW... I personally think Carnut's option of the used VW Jetta TDI for $16K+/- was savvy car buying and he makes excellent points about the fuel efficiency, capabilities, and drivability of his wise choice.... the smart car is a quirky short car with some serious drawbacks...not the least of which is the insanely short factory warranty
So true,
From 2001 to 2004 I was in an engineering service business in which we used (5) F350 7.3 powerstrokes. At 100,000 miles per year and up, 1/2 the time completely empty, we never hit 15 mpg in any use-in the flat mid west going the speed limit. At 150K came the worn out front ends from the extra weight of the diesels, at 200K came all the injectors. Switched to 5.4 gas units and 1 V10. Can acheive 13 in a 5.4, still pull 12-14,000 loads easily. I think the V10 outpulls a powerstroke.
I drove a Smart in Germany in 1998, have wanted one since. In Italy in 2003 there were a lot more diesels of varients I was not used to, Skoda's, Lancia's and the like. I am on the list for a gas Smart, but when a W115 or W123 mercedes 240D in mint shape still goes for under $5,000 and gets near 30 mpg I am not sure I will take a non-diesel. My 1976 now has 262,000 miles and is very cheap to fix, tax and insure.
Locally , and every where I travel in a five state circle around Texas, for the last 5 years, diesel fuel has ALWAYS been higher cost per gallon then regular 87 gasoline no matter what time of year.... I am aware that this dynamic does not hold true in every region, but I do know it is true in MOST regions. Carnut's photo is an anomaly in USA
BTW... I personally think Carnut's option of the used VW Jetta TDI for $16K+/- was savvy car buying and he makes excellent points about the fuel efficiency, capabilities, and drivability of his wise choice.... the smart car is a quirky short car with some serious drawbacks...not the least of which is the insanely short factory warranty
Not to mention that I now have a full size spare, cruise control, auto dimming mirror, loud horn, built in Sirius, cavernous trunk, and can open and close trunk with one hand.
Fred....i know what you mean about your work trucks. we had a fleet of Dodge B3500 vans with 5.2 and 5.9 gas engines. they got, if we were lucky, 10-12 mpg. they ceased production and we when they needed replaced, we went with the Dodge 3500 Sprinters. more hauling capability AND with the 5cyl diesels, they are getting on average 20 mpg. we have 7 of them and they're great to drive but man are they expensive to work on! also, we've put TWO transmissions in them as well, so while the engine itself may be bulletproof, the rest of the truck is suspect.
for personal vehicles, the wear and tear wouldn't be near as bad and i would think the fuel mileage would be better, but i would still, for my use, never buy a diesel.
Not to mention that I now have a full size spare, cruise control, auto dimming mirror, loud horn, built in Sirius, cavernous trunk, and can open and close trunk with one hand.
Sounds like you have a nice sedan. Alway drive to SF for fuel?
karl
SloPok's 7300 pound F250 with a 6.0L PowerStroke V8 vs my 2005 7800 pound F350 with a 415CI V10 (6.8L) are more an apples to apples comparison.
Not disputing that he gets 18~19MPG, but if he does, his truck is the exception not the rule... the typical Ford diesel 6.0L 'stroke averages 15~17MPG
The typical Ford 6.8L Triton V10 averages 12.5~13.7MPG
sounds like a no brainer..get the big honking diesel...
Well, that would be nice if you want to ignore several other relevant factors
Diesel V-8 is a $3600~$3900 option
Gas V10 is a $510~$590 option
Base motor is 5.4L V8 gas
Diesel V8 requires 19 quarts of oil, and much more expensive air, oil, and fuel filters vs the V10's 7 quarts, $17.99 air, $2.98 oil and $7.99 fuel filters
I keep a mileage book and track every gallon of fuel that's put into my tank. If you'd like me to send you the numbers to you can figure out my mileage I'd be happy to.
As for the amount of oil my 6.0L needs 15 quarts of oil with a filter change. With the price of oil going up the last time I changed oil it was 6.00 a qt. I get my filters from filter1.com at $11.00 each, $26 from a dealer.
I send an oil sample to Blackstone Labs (you can find them on the web) and I change my oil every 9000 miles and it still has plenty of TBN left.
I don't have spark plugs or plug wires to change, nothing to tune up so there isn't any extra cost for those parts. I paid extra for the diesel engine and I expect to get double the amount of mileage out of this engine than a gas engine.
Besides when I bought the truck diesel wasn't $4.50 a gallon, it was $1.85. I bought just in time as the price of diesel went through the roof.
As for towing I tow a boat that weights 8000 lbs with fuel and all of the junk that you have to have for the Coast Guard, up and down the mountains in Oregon and this engine never misses a beat. It doesn't loose a mph going up anything.
I've had 350 cu gas engine trucks in the past. I would never buy another gas engine truck and I'd buy a diesel smart in a heart beat.
To each their own, that's why they make them!
One thing that you are correct about is the additional weight of that the diesel engine puts on your front end. I just replaced the left front upper and lower ball joint at 103,000 miles. The front of this truck weights 4300 lbs.
I've talked to several people that have the Ford V10 and empty they get 10 to 12 miles per gallon of gas and 6 to 8 miles per gallon towing 5th wheels.
I get 18 to 19 miles per gallon (burning #2 diesel NOT mixed winter blend) empty driving to and from work (60 miles round trip) and 13 to 14 miles per gallon pulling my boat. I pulled from Newport Beach California to Portland Oregon and got 13.8 miles per gallon for the total 1300 mile trip.
Using winter blend diesel (a mix of #1 and #2 diesel) I see 15 to 16 mile per gallon. NO gasser can match a diesel in mpg.
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