Diesel truck starting to look more attractive

[RobS]

Dave, you're depressing me. Ever since I got my truck I wished I'd have gotten a diesel. I'm just under 110K now so I'd have had it payed for soon?!?

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I wouldn't get depressed about it Rob. I'm not sure how Gator figured his #'s but we do cost analysis on the pickups every year for taxes. First you don't consider the transmission because if you get a stick or an auto with either the gas or diesel it's going to be the same amount. Stick is included in price and auto is the same for both, at least with Ford. Secondly on the Ford's the oil change is 7500 miles. The oil issue is pretty much a non-factor. Yes you buy about 8 more quarts. But 8 quarts over a hundred thousand changing every 7500 miles is maybe $150. Air filters are changed about the same. Factor in a $15 fuel filter every 15k and you have another $90. That's all the extra maintenance that there is on a diesel. Now take of a $300-500 tune-up on a gas engine at 100k and you are pretty much even there.

The next issue that isn't considered is resale. You will get considerably better resale from a diesel than a gas engine. Go look and try and buy a used diesel. They hold their value extremely well. At 100k you will get all or 2/3's of the value of the diesel back.

Then there is the longevity factor. You will get at least double the life out of a diesel compared to a gas engine.

Lastly if you want to just consider it from purely a mileage standpoint you will get it back between 40 and 90k depending on the cost of fuel. If it's $2.00/gallon it will be somewhere around 40k, if it's $1.00/gallon somewhere around 90k. I will say that I did these comparisions based on a V-10. I don't think it's even reasonable to compare a diesel to a 5.4 litre if you plan on doing much hauling at all.

All in all there are a significant # of factors to having a diesel. With our operation being about 90% work with these trucks they have paid for themselves at around 25,000 miles on a purely pencil standpoint not conidereing longevity factor.

One thing I would add looking over the entire thread is that I don't thik that it's really feasible to compare a 1/2 ton pickup to a 3/4 ton. And that may well be where Gator is getting his #'s. I would say he would be right on at 110k being the break even point when comparing to a 1/2 ton. I'm comparing like truck to like truck the only difference being the motor.

[Gatorboy]

I was comparing the Reg Cab 2500HD Chevy 8.1L vs Diesel with automatic transmission ... what I am looking to buy.

The diesel engine costs $5310 and requires the Allison transmission at $2295
The 8.1L engine adds $950 and with the standard auto-transmission at $1095

Net cost difference: $5560 (MSRP)

Now, I was calculating based on highway driving -- for I'd be driving this to work as well.

I don't have actual data, so I guessed the Diesel would give 21 mpg and the 8.1L about 13 mpg on the highway.

I drive 18,000 highway miles per year and with a gallon price of $1.87 (using the same price for gas/diesel) it would cost me $2589 using the gas truck vs. $1683 with the diesel for a difference of $906 per year. Well it would take me 6.15 years at $906 per year to offset the $5560 price difference, which comes to over 110,000 miles.

That's not even calculating in the oil -- because to me that was really not going to make alot of difference.

If my math is incorrect, please show me the error in my ways.

Your #'s are going to be different as with Ford they don't charge extra for the diesel transmisson. The torqshift option is $1490 and that's whether it's gas or diesel so that's a wash. The diesel option at msrp is $5100 and $4335. I have never paid over invoice so that's what I use to do my calculations. There are Chevy dealers advertising at $1 under invoice here so I would think you could get invoice there as well.

If I use the $4335 with your #'s I would break even on the cost of the diesel at 77,400 miles. This would not even consider the added value of the allison and the diesel when you went to sell the vehicle or the longevity. I don't follow the Chevy like I do Ford but I would assume, and that is a stretch to assume because I have no real idea, that the sales would be similiar to what you see with Ford. I know as far as reliability and longevity most of the studies show the isuzu being a 300k plus engine at a minimum similiar to the Ford.

[kokopelli]

when i bought my dmax/allison, you didnt have to buy the allison tranny, but why buy one without the other. i get 21 highway 25 with my tonoue (sp?) on. my buddies get between 7-10mpg on their 8.1's

[Chillimau]

Gatorboy,

I agree that 13 is optimistic for the 8.1. My brother in-law has a 2500HD 4x4 6.0liter with automatic and 4x4 crewcab shortbed 3.73 rear axle and gets 12-14 hwy. 4X4 will drop it some, but there is very little if any height difference on a 4x2 and 4x4 Chevy. I believe they both use the same torsion bar front suspension. My point is that the 4x4 doesn't have much if anymore, wind resistance than the 4x2 just turning the extra parts, on a chevy.

[theboman]

'Round town/light high jaunts I get 18 mpg. F250 6.0 Turbo Diesel, auto. 4x4

[Tevi]

I did some figuring on my 99 F350PS at 200k.Iwould've come out $12k ahead of a gasser if I sold it.I cosidered all variables though not scientific