A Diesel Is Not Worth It!

[ChrisKringle]

Will my next truck be a Hemi or Vortec? Ok, so I've had an 03 and an 04. 5. My 03 would get over 20mpg. I loved it. Unfortunately some dick ruined it by not properly installing aftermarket injectors. Read my posts to see who. I remember the day when I could drive over 600 miles on one tank of gas. Now my 04. 5 gets 16 or17. Dodge even took the power lumbar support out of my 04. 5 to save a buck, what cheap *** bureaucrats! Why are we buying diesels? Sure, you can plug in 200 hp in a couple of minutes. Is changing 3 gallons of oil worth it. Or changing my fuel filter every 5000 miles so my high pressure injectors don't fail worth it? How about diesel being the most expensive fuel for the last 3 or 4 years? Not to mention the $5000 upgrade cost when you purchase the diesel over the Hemi. This is definately the most expensive truck I've ever been suckered into. Their accountants have the cost of a vehicle per year on all kinds of graphing software, and I'm sure the diesel is not a winner. What about the turbo lag and drivability? Sure, they're quick, but your not going to leave a Hemi by any means, unless you have a few grand under the hood. Plus I have to add 10 o. z. of fuel additive every time I fill up so my injectors don't fail. A pain in the *** as far as I'm concerned, and gassers are so much more responsive! If I want to make a left hand turn forget it until the light is yellow cause by the time the turbo gets spooled your gonna be broadsided. Anyone else?

 

[RDyson]

For those that actually buy a diesel for a work truck---you can't beat em!!



For those who buy a diesel and expect it to be a car---your right!!



Randy

 

[ChrisKringle]

How does an increase in opperating cost (diesel) benefit a business? By the way many 'cars' ARE diesels, such as Audi's, VW's, Mercedes, Jeep Grand Cherokees, etc. . . . .

 

[Dieselhed]

I've always bought them for the reliability and the mileage. Since the introduction of ULSD fuel my mileage has gone down miserably. I'm running out of excuses to own one myself.

 

[jwilliams3]

Yeah me too! NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:-laf :{

 

[NIsaacs]

Instead of posting negative comments on a Diesel Forum, why not post positive comments on a Hemi Forum





"NICK"

 

[champspa]

I wonder why you did it if you have figured all this out now . didn't you calculate the 6k up front. diesel motors last a little longer but modern gas engines last a long time . oh by the way I only got 18. 1 last week on my 7400 lb truck if it was gas it would have been 12 so diesel is still less for me.

 

[george]

Well, a buddy at work recently bought a 2500 Hemi, says power wagon on the tailgate. I was thinking, why in the world would he buy this thing when he could have had a Cummins? I was talking with him yesterday morning, he told me he gets a whopping 11 mpg driving around town. I get that towing my 12k 5er. I'm looking at getting a new truck in the next couple of years and it will be another diesel now if I never planned on towing anything ever, it would still be a diesel, that's just they way I roll :-laf :-laf

 

[Tinman]

From a practical stand point, you make some good arguments. Although you shouldn't use problems with your upgrades as an argument against the value of diesels. Those that actually use their truck for their intended use, hard work, the value of the diesel is definitely there. For those of us that use our trucks for a daily driver, well the cost/benefit is a less. However, there are some of us that just like diesels, like me. I just love the sound, smell and low end grunt of a diesel. I've have gassers and they are just so blah. A diesel has something to it. That is value that you really can't put a dollar amount on. Look at me, I have two big trucks I don't need. Look at that on paper, financially, and it is really stupid. But my trucks do get used for what I need them for, although a smaller, cheaper vehicle could do as well. And I love driving them and working on them. Kinda of hobby, like a lot of guys here. For a lot of use a diesel has intrinsic value.

 

[george]

why is this posted twice?

Well, a buddy at work recently bought a 2500 Hemi, says power wagon on the tailgate. I was thinking, why in the world would he buy this thing when he could have had a Cummins? I was talking with him yesterday morning, he told me he gets a whopping 11 mpg driving around town. I get that towing my 12k 5er. I'm looking at getting a new truck in the next couple of years and it will be another diesel now if I never planned on towing anything ever, it would still be a diesel, that's just they way I roll :-laf :-laf

 

[jjdiesel]

Tinman is right... if you use the truck for what it was designed for, towing, hauling, ..... working, then there is no comparison to a gasser.

 

[Okie-Go]

I would rather walk and carry the steering wheel of my Dodge with a cummins than ride in some of the other brands. Who held the gun to your back and told you to buy it?

 

[LesStallings]

Cummins = Built to tow.



Use it for what it was designed for. Buy a one year old Ram SRT-10 for the same price as a new Heavy Duty if you want acceleration. The SRT-10 will haul ***. The HD 3500 will haul the SRT-10 and a garage full of spare parts/tools.

 

[Ross]

As for the mileage... Eveyone I know gets about 1. 0 - 2. 0 less mpg on the ULSD, especially those that tow heavy loads. So that could be one factor in your "poor" mileage of 16 or 17.



But as far as your intended use goes, you should have bought a gasser. Maybe a Nissan or Toyota would fit your needs... . whatever they are...

 

[klenger]

I'm still getting 21 MPG

 

[HighRanger]

I am on my 3rd diesel and love it. My truck is used for daily driving but I bought it mainly for hauling around the jeep. I have a friend that has a hemi sport 4x4 and he tows the almost same jeep I have. He get a whopping 10mpg towing the exact same route I do. He uses a tank up and a tank back, I use a quarter tank up and a quarter tank back. That Is Why I Bought My Diesel.

 

[Foil Freak 1211]

Your right, most people don't need the diesel, but it sure is nice to have. There is more to the cost of ownership than you mentioned - the CTD will hold it's value WAY better than a gasser, so you get much of those higher costs back when you sell/trade up.



That being said, if I didn't tow the weight I do, I'd have a half-ton Hemi.

 

[Morse]

I just bought an 06 standard cab new leftover for 26 grand to use as my daily driver. I just made a trip over 900 miles, and it got over 19 mpg hand calculated running 78 mph. The truck now has around 2000 miles on it. It should just keep getting better,especially if I slow down a little. For four grand or less, a person could run 12's with this truck. Between the mileage, ease of upgrades, and resale value I don't feel bad about the purchase. I am a diesel nut though. .

 

[roperteacher]

When your hemi takes a &*)&(*)&(*)&(* at 100,000 miles and you have to fork out 30,000 again for a new one and your resale value is crap, my 06 which still gets 22MPG will be barely broken in!! I am not complaining over a 14. 00 Fleetguard Fuel filter every 5,000 or sooner. . who knows... And I don't let some smuck change injectors on my truck anyway... shoot, my truck pulls my big LQ trailer 60-65 over mtn passes stock so I keep it stock. . Good luck with the gasser. . :-laf

 

[jelag]

I currently own 6 trucks..... and a car, jeep, and motorcycle... . I can actually drive one of the one ton trucks for less money per mile than my 05 Jeep with a Hemi..... that being said..... I keep all my trucks for 500K plus miles before we turn them..... at that time we send them to an auction... . except for the Ford F550 that I own, each truck has its original engine.....

All of these trucks work every day, usually towing trailers or hauling product. . I will not go back to gas engines and if Jeep offers a new 6 cyl diesel I'm going to get in line to buy one.....

I'm waiting now to trade 1 or 2 of the one tons that I own for some 5500's.....

I know that some of you, and I wonder if it isn't most of you who post here drive these trucks daily with little or no load in them..... "daily drivers" and for me, thats the jeep, motorcycle, and car.....

If I could get a Ford with a Cummins, with a Chevy interior, that's the real truck I'd buy..... but I'm currently buying Dodges because of the engine, after all, its the most expensive part to service and replace... . we buy for the engine and the rest comes along.....

Just my thoughts on this. .