Well I was going to buy a Colorado Diesel

"450X_FTW" (mistermic) 01/07/2016 at 11:10 • Filed to: None

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But, after running the numbers, the gas just makes way more sense. Which sucks, because I really wanted to buy the diesel. Diesel will tow better and have better mpg while towing, but we only tow our travel trailer a few thousand miles a year, tops. Here’s the math to justify it.

The diesel option adds about $4,000 to the price. I drive almost all highway, so I’ll ignore city and combined MPG ratings. Diesel highway is 29 mpg, gas highway is 24 mpg (4x4 version). I base it off the price per mile, how much it cost to drive 1 mile in each vehicle and see where the break even point is. Unless there’s a big price gap betwen gasoline and diesel fuel cost, like $3 for diesel and $4 for gas, it’s hard to justify. (example of diesel at 3.50 and gas at 4.00 shown in the graph)

AndyG_UK > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:15

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Don’t diesels tend not to do very well in US official mileage ratings compared to real world results?

E92M3 > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:15

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Props to you for doing the math. Here diesel is usually MORE than gas. Even when someone buys used, and the price difference of the vehicle isn’t considered, it still doesn’t even out. The additional MPG is negated by the additional cost of fuel. Not to mention always having to wait for that dually to move so you can access the diesel pump.

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:17

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I towed a lightweight car trailer, with car, with my gas 2015 Colorado. It did just fine. I wouldn’t try and cross the Rockies with it, but it did the Wisconsin to Kentucky trip for me with no issue.

The only annoying thing was having to wire in the aftermarket electric brake controller, but I believe that's now a factory option.

The Snowman > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:19

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What happens when you factor in resale value? The gas truck will lose much more value.

TheRealBicycleBuck > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:22

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YES!!!! Finally, someone doing the math before making a decision!

We did something similar when a friend of mine was debating between the hybrid and regular version of a car. With a $10,000 price difference, gas prices would have to reach $12 per gallon before the hybrid version made sense. This was based on a life expectancy of 5 years before it would need a replacement battery.

This might be different now that hybrid prices are coming down.

OPPOsaurus WRX > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:23

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which would hold the value better?

For Sweden > AndyG_UK 01/07/2016 at 11:26

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If they’re a Volkswagen!

#topical

HammerheadFistpunch > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:30

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The real reason to buy it is:

Range

Thats the biggest one in my book. But I hate carrying extra fuel so there is that.

HammerheadFistpunch > For Sweden 01/07/2016 at 11:31

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This is typically true of most diesels in the US actually, but it wouldn’t be another day of oppo without jabbing VW in the eye. so...carry on.

450X_FTW > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/07/2016 at 11:33

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Diesel will always hold value better. Especially if the EPA gets their way and bans future diesel sales, my theory at least

450X_FTW > AndyG_UK 01/07/2016 at 11:34

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Not from what I’ve seen. I worked on the diesel grand Cherokee program for 3 years and real world was very close to EPA. Some higher some lower but averaged to EPA numbers

450X_FTW > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver 01/07/2016 at 11:35

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Yep I hate trying to splice those controllers in. Gladly pay for an in dash controller

Wacko > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:36

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You don’t buy a diesel for the fuel savings, you buy one for the Torque.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > HammerheadFistpunch 01/07/2016 at 11:36

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I need something with more than a 200 mile range. That is why I need a large diesel truck with a 30+ gallon tank. Well... Okay I don’t need it, but I’m tired of filling up at least twice a week on top of the 3-5 times a week I have to fill up our fleet trucks.

mcseanerson > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:37

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Yeah, the main reason I would consider a diesel is for towing but if you don’t do that much then it’s probably not worth it.

HammerheadFistpunch > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 01/07/2016 at 11:38

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yeah, and carrying extra fuel just to get around in the back country is a pain in the butt. That being said, for the price premium of the diesel you could have someone fab up a larger or auxulary tank and probably have enough left over for some choice mods.

450X_FTW > The Snowman 01/07/2016 at 11:38

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They will and that’s the only factor I have not looked into to see the depreciation

450X_FTW > HammerheadFistpunch 01/07/2016 at 11:39

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That is why I bought my Ram 1500 with 32 gallon take. Less stops

Party-vi > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:40

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Does the diesel come with 4WD? If the concern is towing, wouldn’t 4x2 be a better option for your purchase?

450X_FTW > Wacko 01/07/2016 at 11:40

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Yeah, which is nice when towing. But I’ve also see other auto mags test the diesel and it has a 10 second 0-60. It might have torque, but what it needs is hp

450X_FTW > Party-vi 01/07/2016 at 11:41

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4x4 is a must. I live in Michigan and did 1 winter with a 4x2, never happening again .

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > HammerheadFistpunch 01/07/2016 at 11:42

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Yeah, there is plenty of space where the spare tire used to be that I’m sure could hold at least a 30 gallon tank of some sort. Have that + my stock 17 gallon tank and I could make it 500 miles... On 47 gallons.

Party-vi > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:43

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Got it. Does the diesel have a particulate filter, and if so did you account for any service costs? It seems like gasoline is still less of a hassle and easier to deal with on a daily basis.

EvilSuperMonkey > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:43

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Don’t forget that you’re either borrowing the extra 4k or spending it out of pocket. The cost of borrowing will make it even worse.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:45

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I wouldn’t be buying it for the feul economy, that would just be a nice extra to soften the blow of the extra $$$. My reasons for buying it would be:

#1 DAT TORQUE. This thing peaks between 1200 and 3600 rpm, and at no point in that range is it below 300lbs/ft. My V8 can’t touch that. Granted it would (probably) thrash it in full throttle acceleration, but this is the range it’s going to spend most of it’s life in. Besides... nothing a tune can’t fix.

#2 Range, as HammerheadFistpunch mentioned.

#3 Tuneability. Diesels tend to be much more responsive that gassers to simple ECU tuning.

#4 Nothing is going to make me swap my V8 Colorado for a V6 :)

450X_FTW > Party-vi 01/07/2016 at 11:45

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I’m sure all diesels nowadays have a DPF. And DEF, and EGR. All the emissions equipment possible, and usually the shit that breaks first

450X_FTW > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 01/07/2016 at 11:46

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When did they make a V8 colorado?

450X_FTW > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 01/07/2016 at 11:49

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Torque is nice, I like torque. But for 4,000 extra, it’s difficult to say

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > E92M3 01/07/2016 at 11:49

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Yeah I have never actually seen Diesel cost less than regular. It is typically similar to premium pricing in my area. But that is mainly due to the extra 50 cent tax on all diesel fuel.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:50

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‘09-’12. LH8 5.3 for 2009, LH9 5.3 added vvt in 2010.

Unfortunately (iirc) they stuck the 4.8 cam in it to tame it a bit, but still...

HELL TO THE YES

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 01/07/2016 at 11:52

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I can get over 350 miles on a tank of gas in my Colorado. Totally stock.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:53

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Basically my way of looking at it is:

4000 extra, x features are worth x amount of that, remainder can be taken care of in mileage.

Actually, for me it works based on milage alone. See my last point. I wouldn't be buying the V6 anyway, so mileage comparisons have to be done against my alternate vehicle. Which is the one I'm driving now. There are no others that currently interest me enough to change anytime soon.

HammerheadFistpunch > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:54

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yes, but where I live, turbo powa is turbo powa. I mean, over the taller mountain passes the NA 3.6 would be down to ~200 hp @6800 rpm where the diesel will still be nearly all 181 hp @ 3400 rpm. Its still less but its a lot less stressfull. Not worth the cost and trouble of a diesel...but still.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:56

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And the cost of Diesel is always higher where I live (Michigan) and they just increased the gas and diesel taxes. Diesel went up like 10 cents and gas went up 3, so with that trend, totally screwed on Diesel. (which is already almost a buck more a gallon than regular)

Nibby > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 11:56

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A few years ago another oppo member and I compared buying a base Prius to a base Corolla.

For the Prius, you’d have to drive at least 150k+ miles just to make up for the MSRP difference...

HammerheadFistpunch > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 01/07/2016 at 12:00

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My uncles FZJ80 has a 40 gallon sub where his spare was, it was a tricky item to find and its expensive (like $2000 in parts) but given that his supercharged rig drains premium at a rate or 9/mile its been pretty handy.

That being said, the Fj/FZJ80 was designed to have a sub tank there and there are factory parts for it (in Australia and the middle east a 13.2 gallon sub tank was optional) which is why the spare hangs so low. What I did was suck up the extra space from where that sub tank was supposed to go to tuck my spare up tighter...hasn’t been a clearance issue since.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > HammerheadFistpunch 01/07/2016 at 12:05

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I don’t think I can fit a 33x12.5 under the 4Runner, so it’s just wasted space.

450X_FTW > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/07/2016 at 12:06

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Yep forgot about the tax increases here. Just checked near me in Clarkston 188 for gas and 202 for diesel

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver 01/07/2016 at 12:07

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The only reason I would(if I were currently buying a new truck) get a Colorado would be for the diesel. If not for that, it wouldn’t even be a thought over the Tacoma.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 12:08

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1.79 vs 2.39 right now.

450X_FTW > HammerheadFistpunch 01/07/2016 at 12:14

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And I think that is when I’ll regret buying the gas if I do, the moment I hook it up to our travel trailer

450X_FTW > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/07/2016 at 12:15

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Damn, big gap

Wacko > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver 01/07/2016 at 12:15

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most just need a harness to wire the EBC to the truck.

you plug the harness into the ebc and the other end under the dash.

HammerheadFistpunch > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 12:19

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305 hp is many, it just might be a little loud.

HammerheadFistpunch > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/07/2016 at 12:24

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5 years for a battery replacement is not realistic, considering they are almost always warrantied for 8 or more years.

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > Wacko 01/07/2016 at 12:25

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Mine involved splicing together 4 wires for said harness. Chevy had them all in a little bundle hidden in the driver side floor, but bleh. I got a friend who’s more electrical-minded to help with it, since he already had the tools needed. It wasn’t bad, but still annoying.

DrScientist > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/07/2016 at 12:26

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are the tax credits still in place?

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 12:29

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That’s actually pretty small diesel must have dropped or gas jumped actually 179, gas jumped.

450X_FTW > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/07/2016 at 12:34

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Just checked my local Kroger

Wacko > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver 01/07/2016 at 12:39

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I’ve got the harness in my pathfinder’s glovebox incase i do need/buy a EBC. 2 min to plug it in, no splicing and dicing

Saracen > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 13:03

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Between the improved fuel economy, extra torque and towing capacity, the added range, the dramatically higher resale value, and the manly noises it makes, I will only consider trucks that have diesels in the future.

If/when it’s time to get a truck, I’ll be looking at crew cab long bed Colorado Z71’s with 4WD and the diesel.

450X_FTW > Saracen 01/07/2016 at 13:09

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That’s what I’m waiting for, if they ever arrive at dealers...

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 13:17

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yeah our diesel is always higher than premium

Saracen > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 13:52

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I think Chevy just started delivering the diesels, didn’t they? It coincided with the duramax finally being added to the options list on the configurator tool.

450X_FTW > Saracen 01/07/2016 at 13:56

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The option has been there for a few weeks on the builder. GM says they started shipping them but I’m sure all the first few weeks will be for pre orders and they’ll have a limited selection. I’ll likely end up having to wait a few months for the one I want to even be available. Crew cab, 4x4, Z71, Laser blue, spray in bed liner, (drop in bed liners are slippery as hell when wet)

TheRealBicycleBuck > HammerheadFistpunch 01/07/2016 at 14:21

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Fair enough. At the time we built the spreadsheet, 5 years was reasonable. I tried to find the original spreadsheet, but it appears to have been lost in one of my computer swaps. So, I quickly put together a new version following 450X_FTW’s setup and came up with this comparison of the Toyota Highlander Limited vs the Toyota Highlander Limited Hybrid.

This only takes into account the initial cost difference ($7,455) and the estimated annual operating costs given the gas price and fuel mileage. It is based on 15,000 miles per year.

The crossover point is roughly 430,000 miles at $2/gal. That’s nearly 30 years of driving. At $8/gal, the numbers look a little better with crossover happening after 8 years at about 125,000 miles.

TheRealBicycleBuck > DrScientist 01/07/2016 at 14:22

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I have no idea. A full comparison would have to take into account any tax incentives, discounts, maintenance costs, etc.

TheRealBicycleBuck > 450X_FTW 01/07/2016 at 14:30

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Drop-in bed liners can also rub the paint off the bed and sometimes trap water between the bed and liner so the bed rusts. My uncle learned both of these lessons the hard way.