re: Ram 3.0L diesel

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Seeing a 10 year old truck with 150k+ miles is not uncommon now.

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Drive train you are right...I am talking more along the lines of all cool little things everybody loves in trucks now a days.

Hell no one has a 10 year old computer in their home.

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half the fuel milage

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Oh come on now. The GM 6.2 gets 21 mpg hwy. The 3.0 gets 28 hwy. That's not quite half. Plus, the 6.2 makes 40ftlbs more Tq.

Let's add the huge initial cost of the 3.0, the extra cost of diesel fuel, urea (cheap but still), and high dollar oil changes. Now are you so sure that the diesel is a great deal?

What about the fact that the 3.5 and both 6.2s are rated to tow more weight?

Unless I am thinking wrong, which is very likely, that's what the new 6.2 is rated for. The new 5.3 is rated at 22 hwy.

I do not remember what my 6.2 cost but I paid it. I know that it was more than the 3.5 which is only a $1300 upgrade. In hindsight, I should have gotten the 3.5.

What is the up charge for the 3.0?

My main objection (I am sorry if I got sidetracked and this was forgotten) is that this diesel engine does not blow away the competition. For the extra price it cost to buy and run, it should be an Ecoboost killer.

I could give two shits about what engine ford runs too. I like power. I got the Ford 6.2 because it was the big boy. Toyota and Nissan are headed in the direction Ram should have with a 5.0 Cummins.

I like diesels in trucks but I think Ram pissed on their toes with the 3.0.

Bickering aside, when is the next Gen Ram coming? I drove a Longhorn the other day but want to see the next Gen ford and ram before pulling the trigger.

Bump in hopes that Jordan sees this and knows when the 5th Gen ram is coming.

A 2000 upcharge isn't too bad. Real world dollars will be less. The Ecoboost is only 750 real world money.

Killer is objective. However, a motor that cost more, tows less, cost more to operate, and is slower is not a killer. You keep mentioning better mpg but will not acknowledge the higher cost of diesel. Does the 6-7 mpg pay for the higher fuel cost? What about the oil changes?

The big three will move into larger diesels in the 1/2 ton market. The 3.0 was a soft entry and they will only get bolder from here. The novelty of a big diesel is wearing off and a big diesel in a small truck will be the next fun thing. This is all my opinion and based on zero facts.

I was hoping they did a redesign before then. I love the interior but never fell for the exterior.

Other problem, maybe. How much power can that 8 speed handle? Diesels are fun because they are tunable beyond belief. Can we get another 100HP out of the 3.0 and if so, can the trans contain it?

I would love a medium duty diesel in a 1/2 ton. I want to play in the diesel world but refuse to drive a 3/4 ton daily.

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Other problem, maybe. How much power can that 8 speed handle? Diesels are fun because they are tunable beyond belief. Can we get another 100HP out of the 3.0 and if so, can the trans contain it?

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Since Chrysler is now putting the 8 speed behind it's SRT line up, including the new supercharged 6.2 Hellcat, I don't see why not. That's assuming it's the same trans and trans control module though.

So here is a breakdown...tried to be as rational as possible. This is based on an estimated 15,000 miles per year driven and searching prices online and rounding here and there for simplicity. I found an Ecodiesel owners manual...so capacities and intervals should be correct.

National avg. gasoline as of 6/9 = $3.674

I average about 15 mpgs combined city and hwy and have a 32 gal. tank. So my range is 480 miles. Assuming I drive 15,000 miles per year, I'd pump 32 gallons of gas 31.25 times per year.

32 gal. x $3.674/gal. x 31.25 = $3,674.00 in gasoline per year

I change oil and filter every 5000 miles.
7 qts full syn. + filter = $55.00 x 3 = $165.00

Air filter every 10,000 miles = $15.00

So, I figure my 5.7l V8 costs me $3,854 per year.




Now, most articles I've read on the ecodiesel have reported combined city/hwy mileage of 20-23, so I'll just use 21 mpgs.

Assuming the same 32 gal. tank, the same 15,000 miles per year, and a 21 mpg avg you get a range of 672 miles. Which means I'd pump 32 gal. of gas 22.32 times per year.

So, 32 gal. x $3.892/gal. x 22.32 = $2779.82 in diesel per year.

Oil change interval for the 3.0 diesel says not to exceed 10,000 miles...I'll assume 7,500 mile interval just for simplicity. So two changes per year.

10.5 qts full syn + filter = $145.00 x 2 = $290.00

8 qts (2 gal.) DEF x $8.00/gal. = $16.00 x 2 = $32.00

Air filter every 10,000 miles = $30.00

So an Ecodiesel will cost you approx. $3,131.82 per year.

Now, it is definitely worth noting that most of my numbers are approximations based on searching parts on the internet...and obviously you don't fill a tank completely each time you fill up...so the fuel numbers are slightly exaggerated. But it still gives a decent idea as to how much it costs to run a big V8 vs. the smaller diesel. Despite the approximations and estimates, still pretty solid savings. I know there are some holes in my assumptions, so everyone feel free to point them out

ETA: Solid savings, but probably still not quite enough to justify paying a $2000 - $3000 premium for the diesel. Just for fun though, I did go on Ram's website and built a 4x2 Laramie Longhorn Ecodiesel, fully loaded, MSRP came out to $54,000ish IIRC.

Yep...just the way the market is now though. A fully loaded 4x2 King Ranch cost the same...and I'm sure the Chevy/GM and even the Tundra 1792 (?) is the same.