If the $2/gal or more gas prices are going to be a permanent thing, then a diesel truck is starting to look more attractive to me. The $5000 or more option was hard to justify when 87 octane gas was about the same price as diesel, but now at 30 cents/gal more it wouldn't take nearly as long for the diesel to "pay for itself". I haven't done the math yet, so maybe I'll change my mind when I see how long it will actually take to make up the difference.

Would I be correct to assume the average diesel pickup gets about 20 city/rural - 25 highway MPG? When I say city/rural, I mean my drive to work which is about 13 miles of rural country roads with a few stop signs and curves and hills, and 3 miles of city traffic. If those numbers are not correct, what figure should I use to compare to my gas pickup - a 1999 Chevy with a 5.3L V8 which gets 17 MPH city/rural and 20 MPG highway? Thanks.