I owned a 2015 RAM ecodiesel. The mileage and towing performance were fantastic (25ish average combined mpg) (18-20mpg towing 17' Lund Deep-V) after installing a Green Diesel Engineering tune. I traded it for a '19 hemi, and while I miss the towing performance (virtually no downshifting and engine braking), it cost more to operate across the board. Oil changes were $100 vs. $35. Fuel was at least $1 more per gallon. Def wasn't a significant input at all as it used very little. In addition, with a gasser you can just jump in and go. With the diesel I was always stressing about this or that repair down the road similar to the belt turn oil pump mentioned for the Chevy.
If a guys does his own service you can save some money on a diesel, but you're still going to be more than a gasser. Just my $.02. Bottom line, if you don't tow trailers regularly/professionally, the juice likely isn't worth the squeeze.
Yeah I get some worry, I don’t I just jump in and drive, it has warranty.
I never have a dealer change my oil but is the $35 a dealer oil change price for full synthetic?
I change my oil every 7500 miles for $65 using Amsoil, you can do it cheaper using AC Delco oil, dealer does charge $100 but think they charge close to that for the gas pickups now as well for full synthetic, the 3.0 diesel uses 7qts, think the gas engines either are 6 or now 7qts as well.
The GM fuel filter is $30 every 30k max, I change that every 20k.
Def cost is around $14 every 5k, I use bulk from truck stops, might be $20 now, been awhile since I filled last.
Warranty is 100k vs 60k for gas, my buddy put a new hemi in his 2015 ram, under 100k miles, cost him $12k, gas trucks are cheaper to work on but not by much, I don’t like not having warranty so prefer to get something with 100k warranty and not worry, after 100k I will upgrade or chance any repair costs.
Also the purchase price of the 1/2ton GM diesel over the 5.3 gas engine is $900 or was last year, resale of a 100k mile 1/2ton diesel will be much higher then resale of any gas 1/2 ton with 100k, well historically, lol.
Fuel cost while $1 more per gal currently gets you much further mileage per tank then gas, with city/hwy driving I can go 550 miles on around 21gals of diesel, I bet most gas pickups max out at 350 miles every 21 gals with mixed use driving.
Once you get to a 3/4ton+ diesel I agree with you.
I also added a 55gal transfer tank which gives me a range over 2200 miles when traveling without towing or around 1100 miles towing, can’t do that with gas, this also allows one to hedge pricing of fuel in higher priced areas where you can stop to pee and keep going vs having to fuel up.
