You're too stupid to... own a diesel small truck

[Zaster]

Here is a fuel cost comparison:

Gasoline   Diesel   MPG   MPG   Cost per 100 Miles   Cost per 100 Miles
Price   Price   Gasoline   Diesel   Gasoline Vehicle   Diesel Vehicle
               
$2.80   $3.90     20     28   $14.00                  $13.93

Since the initial cost of the diesel engine and the repair costs are higher
than the gas counterpart, the manufacturers might doubt the success of a diesel vehicle
in the US. If Diesel would be close to the gasoline cost like in Europe, it would be a whole different ball game.

[Drunken Monkey]

If Diesel would be close to the gasoline cost like in Europe, it would be a whole different ball game.

This.

Hell, they are converting small aircraft in Europe to run off Diesel and engine conversions on light aircraft ain't exactly cheap. But without the similar prices per gallon (here) the economy of the whole thing doesn't make sense (here)

[ducatiz]

Here is a fuel cost comparison:

Gasoline   Diesel   MPG   MPG   Cost per 100 Miles   Cost per 100 Miles
Price   Price   Gasoline   Diesel   Gasoline Vehicle   Diesel Vehicle
               
$2.80   $3.90     20     28   $14.00                  $13.93

Since the initial cost of the diesel engine and the repair costs are higher
than the gas counterpart, the manufacturers might doubt the success of a diesel vehicle
in the US. If Diesel would be close to the gasoline cost like in Europe, it would be a whole different ball game.

The cost of the fuel is largely due to two things:  taxation and the lower distribution of diesel.

Diesel taxes are about 50% higher at the Federal level and anywhere from 30 to 100% higher at the state level.  The rationale is that diesel is a "commercial" fuel, so the relevant authorities don't feel bad about taxing it higher. 

Secondly, the distribution is not as wide spread as gasoline.  If it were, you'd see a reduction in the per-gallon cost due to the market and more companies making it -- not all refineries make diesel, believe it or not.

The reason that the cars are more expensive is two-fold.  For one, the engines last longer so the dealer charges a small premium knowing your car is going to last longer.  Two, again, the free market.  If there were more diesels sold, competition and choice would drive the market down.

Diesels are a premium choice now-- look at the price of a USED diesel Jeep Liberty vs the price of the same model with a gas engine.  Same with the VW diesels.  People are willing to pay more for them.

This.

Hell, they are converting small aircraft in Europe to run off Diesel and engine conversions on light aircraft ain't exactly cheap. But without the similar prices per gallon (here) the economy of the whole thing doesn't make sense (here)

I can't even imagine a diesel small plane engine.  That's pretty amazing. 

[fastwin]

Didn't know where else to post this. This seems like a good spot. Just picture Homer Simpson saying his famous "Doh!" line...

http://www.wfaa.com/news/national/135996678.html

Hope it's not a derby.

[ducatiz]

lol

[lethe]

lol

hence the thread name change 

[cokey]

3500?  Out some liability on it lol.. or buy a house with the earnings

[booger]

I don't get the difficulty in working with diesels, that is I don't quite understand what's so foreign about them. Gassers have spark ignition, diesels have compression ignition. Other than a few minor details, same concept. If you want to call yourself a tech, your expertise can't just shut off or hit a wall when you get faced with a diesel engine therefore I'm not buying it. It's literally a matter of having all the special tools, period.

I have a Merc turbodiesel wagon from 1985 with ~450k or so, still runs like a Swiss watch with excellent compression in all 5 pots. Easy to service, easy to live with. Old-skool indirect injection gets me about 30mpg consistently. Unbelieveably solid & well made. Unmistakeable sound. Best car I have ever had, keeps on truckin', and actually shows well despite the age & miles. Got it free from my father. I grew up riding in it. Needless to say, I am an expert in its maintenance & repair. These cars were actually made for the owner to service him or herself. They do not ride like antiques. They drive and ride better than most brand new autos, tight and smooth. Four wheel independent suspension with discs on all four corners. Door beams, crumple zones, breakaway interior bits. Handles awesome for a heavy car. Zero to 60 in 12 secs, cruises at 100 all day without complaint. Chicks dig it. 

I hit a deer at 90mph with this car, it ended up on its right side in the median. Myself and the some others tipped it back over onto its wheels, I changed a tire and a fuse and drove it another 500 miles. Damage was very minimal obviously, but far exceeded the value of the car. I did the right thing and got it fixed properly anyway. You don't trash a quality piece of hardware like that over a few scratches 

If you can score an old Benz oilburner you will understand what makes them the Greatest Car In The World. Only complaint I have would be the automatic climate control, it sucks. They should have just fitted the manual control from the Euro cars, less hassle.

Diesels have a bad rap due to GM's wonderful Oldsmobile and Cadillac diesel disasters from the '80s. They were basically 350 small blocks fitted with injection pumps. No more thought and engineering went into them than that. You can't just do that and call it good LOL you have to use common sense and design a specific diesel engine. As a result they had a high rate of failure and public opinion tanked. They were horrible cars. Meanwhile Mercedes Benz & Volkswagen were making diesel vehicles that were economical and worth owning.

[ducatiz]

3500?  Out some liability on it lol.. or buy a house with the earnings

huh?

[DucatiKabul]

Agree with "Booger", Diesel engines are more long lasting and easier to maintain, less parts and more torque'y. I think the whole idea behind having more Deisel cars versus gas cars is the same as having Electric cars.  The thirstier your engine the happier the oil companies.
Toyota makes desiel cars in Europe that gets way better gas millage than their hybrid Prius here, in fact I have a Yaris HB in which I hit the 45.1 MPG on a trip back from East Coast just by driving 60 MPH, but Toyota only advertise 33 Highway MPG for this car because they dont want to hurt the market for their more profitable "iconic" Prius...

[lethe]

no diesel is terrible, just terrible
My Golf is all the way down to 45-48mpg daily now that it's colder out and it's doing more regen cycles. 
Just terrible 

[DucatiKabul]

One my all time favorites:
http://www.toyota.co.za/VehicleSpecification.aspx?VehicleModelID=29

[Greg]

Secondly, the distribution is not as wide spread as gasoline.  If it were, you'd see a reduction in the per-gallon cost due to the market and more companies making it -- not all refineries make diesel, believe it or not.

Diesel is readily available in practically all parts of the country, and while you might be accurate in saying not ALL refineries make diesel, most do, as it is easier to make than gasoline. In fact there is a LOT of diesel being exported from the US to Europe and South America right now.

Also be careful about comparing European mpg to US mpg, as an Imperial gallon is 25% bigger than a US gallon.

[cokey]

Out = put. Joke bout just putting liability on the lambing..

[ducatiz]

Diesel is readily available in practically all parts of the country, and while you might be accurate in saying not ALL refineries make diesel, most do, as it is easier to make than gasoline. In fact there is a LOT of diesel being exported from the US to Europe and South America right now.

Also be careful about comparing European mpg to US mpg, as an Imperial gallon is 25% bigger than a US gallon.

20% but yes that is a concern, which is why we look at L per 100km usage rather than MPG