Diesel versus Gasoline Engine

[Energy-Miser]

What does anyone think about choice of diesel for your trucks? I know diesel engines are more efficient (around 35% vs 25% for gas engines?), and fairly clean burning these days. But how about the price, or any other considerations? Look forward to hearing about your experience / opinion on this. e/m.

 

[iwire]

For the past nine years the company I worked for used 1 ton GMC vans with small block V-8s.

We would get about 125,000 to 175,000 miles out of them with not to much trouble. MPG was in the 11 to 13 range.

In July I got basically the same truck with the Duramax Diesel. I love it, lots of get up and go, I also get about an extra 125 miles out of each tankful.

How this works out in the long term remains to be seen.

 

[Energy-Miser]

For the past nine years the company I worked for used 1 ton GMC vans with small block V-8s.

We would get about 125,000 to 175,000 miles out of them with not to much trouble. MPG was in the 11 to 13 range.

In July I got basically the same truck with the Duramax Diesel. I love it, lots of get up and go, I also get about an extra 125 miles out of each tankful.

How this works out in the long term remains to be seen.

Yes, I had forgotten about the fact that the diesel engine lasts a lot longer. Of course if it outlasts the cabin, then it won't do much good, but I do believe that the engine wears very well. e/m.

 

[iwire]

Of course if it outlasts the cabin, then it won't do much good, but I do believe that the engine wears very well. e/m.

I live in an area that uses plenty of road salt but the trucks still looked good when we turned them in, but they where mechanically done.

One complaint I have with the diesel is it takes forever for it to get up to temp so the heater blows cold for a long time.

 

[Energy-Miser]

I live in an area that uses plenty of road salt but the trucks still looked good when we turned them in, but they where mechanically done.

One complaint I have with the diesel is it takes forever for it to get up to temp so the heater blows cold for a long time.

Didn't know that about diesels (that they take so much longer to warm up). It will be more of a problem in Mass. were it is fairly cold most of the year. I am wondering if anyone makes an auxiliary electric heater designed for the vehicles to be used while the engine is still warming up. e/m.

 

[iwire]

GM has an option with the diesels (at least for the passenger vans) to have a diesel powered auxiliary heater.

 

[brian john]

Bob:

Get a block heater, faster start ups and toasty as you pilot down the highways and byways of our great land.

We switched to Sprinters/Freightliners vans 19-21 MPG, Chevy Duramax and a Dodge 2500 (mine) on second thought I wish I had the Chevy, better transmission 6 speed.

 

[dereckbc]

Funny you bring this up as I just recently spoke with our fleet manager about this very subject as I am a diesel vehicle advocate. My regret is there is not a demand in the US for light vehicles. What follows is out fleet managers response to request diesel 1-ton trucks for my engineers and technicians.

I appreciate your honesty with me. So, I will tell you the Gods-Honest truth at how we look at them. We know everyone wants them - but the truth is that it actually is an additional $8000 up front each to buy the diesels. (that is 120 trucks x 8k or $960,000 a year extra over what we currently spend. A SMOOTH MILLION BUCKS!) So you would have to drive them a minimum of 220,000 miles each just to make them pay for themselves in fuel savings. That is an extra 4 years of very expensive service and repairs to eat. They would be nice - but they are not worth a Million Bucks!

The sad truth is that the starters, alternators etc... are 4 times the price of those for gas burners and they eat batteries and starters like mad. When the engine blows out of warranty or because of neglect -- it costs $12,000 to replace where a gas burner is $5000. They wear out the front tires twice as fast as gas burners and they get stuck in the mud and sand 3 times as fast due to the doubled front end weight. The oil changes over their life time cost 2 to 3 times as much due to the extra oil, extra filters, fuel filters etc...

Financially - they are a bust to purchase in every category. The only place we, as a company, have a honest operations advantage with them is in the high mountains, in the snow, when they are pulling their snow machines in emergencies. The extra weight on the front end allows them to go further on the icy roads. But, in such a case they are actually pulling snow machines so why don't they just ride the snow machine? hahaha

After reading his reply I questioned him about one of my technicians that pulls a heavy trailer more than 65% of the time. The trailer wieght is around 5000 lbs. He conceeded under that circumstance a diesel would be the right choice, as diesels are known to PULL a load and not wear out.

 

[Energy-Miser]

GM has an option with the diesels (at least for the passenger vans) to have a diesel powered auxiliary heater.

Do you know what the price difference is between diesel and gasoline vans? (never mind, just saw dereckbc's post!!)

 

[dereckbc]

Do you know what the price difference is between diesel and gasoline vans?

Read my response, it is in the neighborhood or $8K and up.

 

[iwire]

We bought six in one shot for about the list price of a gas version.

We are now looking for six more.

 

[Energy-Miser]

Read my response, it is in the neighborhood or $8K and up.

Thanks, yeah just saw it. e/m

 

[brian john]

The Sprinters were about 3000.00 more but added room and better milage with 70% of the men driving over 120 miles a day worked out when we started buying them. My truck was about 3500.00 more and this included the 4 wheel drive (which I did not want).

 

[active1]

I can't say about the newest trucks but I remember the noise of a diesel is louder in the cab. It can make it harder to hear a cell phone especially when you have a bad connection.

Diesel fuel was cheaper here at one time but the last I seen it was about 0.40 more than gas.

I remember having to go out of my way to get to that diesel fuel station. Nothing worse than running low on fuel and not knowing where to find diesel.

They should be pluged in in the winter time, I killed a few cords forgetting to unplug. On the coldest days good luck starting if they were not pluged in.

If the batteries are dead or it runs out of fuel it is much more difficult to get going compaired to a gas motor.

Putting some cardbord in front of the radiator helps the heat a little.

For a plus side they do have a higher resale or trade-in value. I thought there was a tax break for buying a new diesel.

 

[Energy-Miser]

The Sprinters were about 3000.00 more but added room and better milage with 70% of the men driving over 120 miles a day worked out when we started buying them. My truck was about 3500.00 more and this included the 4 wheel drive (which I did not want).

I looked them up on the internet, they look alright too (Doge Sprinters right?). Do the guys like them as much as the traditional vans? Are they conveniently built in terms of storage, access, etc.? e/m.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

A long time ago my company truck was a Ford Ranger with a 4 cylinder diesel. It was a nice running truck and we had no problems with it. As far as warming up...it was quick to warm up if you were on the highway, but in town it would never make any heat unless you covered the complete radiator.
Don

 

[Energy-Miser]

A long time ago my company truck was a Ford Ranger with a 4 cylinder diesel. It was a nice running truck and we had no problems with it. As far as warming up...it was quick to warm up if you were on the highway, but in town it would never make any heat unless you covered the complete radiator.
Don

Thanks. I don't think the warmth issue would be that much of a deal for us though, as we are a bit south of you. Maybe a couple of months out of the year. And if I remember right they sell a stylish type of cover for the front grill ( I seem to remember seeing them on the road). Maybe those would work for us. e/m.

 

[220/221]

We switched to diesel.

Better performance and longer engine life. Cost per mile?...I'd have to look it up.

We have 16' box vans that took a lot of time to build out so I want to get as many years out of them as I can.

 

[charlie tuna]

we used chevy one ton vans since 1989 -- replacing them every five years. now we carry a full load all the time! we always had the 350 gasoline engine and the average true milage was right at 8 mpg! we would service the vans every 3000 miles and seldom had problems and got about 150,000 miles in their five year stint with us.. then, one year i was shopping for a new van and the salesman made me an offer on a 2000 diesel with extended body--one ton-- for 22k! this was cheaper than the other dealers with the 350 gasoline engine. i bought the diesel. it also had the all the bins in it set up for our trade! my milage doubled!! 16 mpg loaded or unloaded!! and more power. i found out later the salesman made a 3k mistake -- it was supposed to go for 25k.. i am sold on diesels and have since went diesel in my pickup trucks --- dodge 3500 ---2003 ---168,000 miles--no problems--22 mpg -- basic cost difference is about 5k and you have your money back inside three years--better resale also. i look at the cost of diesel fuel(which i believe to be pure BS) that i get twice the distance per gallon of that of gasoline. and with the increased cost of fuel that payback is alot less today... warmup should not be much difference than gasoline engines -- did they leave the thermostat out??? i've got warm air coming out of my vents within two blocks of my driveway!!!

 

[brian john]

MY guys love the Sprinters, the fellows in the E350's can't wait to trade up.