Looking for a new ride

[Redside]

Here's the Dodge Ram with the V6 diesel. My understanding it is the same engine as the Jeep diesel. They were supposed to be out last Nov and now it sounds like the end of the year before they are out in any major quantities. I've been looking at this truck for a while, but I might just hang onto my 2006 Tundra for another year instead.

http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/ecodiesel/

 

[Shrek]

The new milage requirements will bring diesels to small trucks and cars in the next few years. I would expect a diesel for the F150 soon.

 

[Hawker]

Subaru Forester is the best vehicle I've ever owned. It gets an average of 26mpg. Goes through more than any other of the 4x4s I've owned.

 

[Forestryguy]

Subaru Forester is the best vehicle I've ever owned. It gets an average of 26mpg. Goes through more than any other of the 4x4s I've owned.

What year is your Forester? I had one for a bout 3 months and was only getting 17mpg out of it. What kind of tire life do you get out of it? I would think that with all four tires having power to them that you would get some chatter on turns, thus causing tire wear to increase.

 

[5MilesBack]

The new milage requirements will bring diesels to small trucks and cars in the next few years. I would expect a diesel for the F150 soon.

They already announced that for 2015 I believe. If you remember, all three of the Big 3 had plans for light diesels in their 1/2 ton and SUV vehicles for 2009, but the financial meltdown in 2008 put all that on the back burner. I guess they've all rejuvenated their plans, which should be a good thing........except for the price of diesel going up accordingly for the extra demand. The initial upfront cost and that will probably offset any gains from mileage over a gas engine. I had a Landrover 100 overseas with the diesel and got 28mpg with it. Of course my giant 7.3L was also getting 22+ mpg at the same time.

 

[ScottP]

As ridiculous as it sounds my next rig will probably be a subaru. I have three buddies that are running outbacks. They have roof racks and hitch racks so they can fit as much gear and dead animals as they please. Stellar gas mileage and can get around pretty dam well in the snow. One is a fishing guide and pulls his drift boat with it. Not a whole lot of power but it works. Not sure if it would fit your needs but sense I'm generally an archer and don't go plowing snow in the winter its a perfect fit for me. They don't ever seem to break down either which is the most important thing to me.

Its ridiculous at first thought, until you buy one. It makes a great all-round outdoor vehicle. An outback with good winter tires is incredible for mountain road driving, I haven't found the need for chains with it (I live at 8300' and can't get anywhere w/out driving a pass). So I would think with decent tires you could make it up your driveway. My buddy does teton pass all winter, every day, no chains. Its got the same ground clearance as our silverado truck, which sits at home most of the time now. I get ~28mpg highway and of course you can stuff it full of gear for hunting and fishing trips, including the dog. You can negotiate some moderate forest roads, but if you are wanting to run the 4WD designated roads, then may want to get more of the SUV type with a bit more suspension travel. But you instantly lose the gas mileage bonus... so I guess it comes down to how much rough stuff you want to run through....

oh, and you can pick up a used suby for a decent price while you wait for the all-so-elusive small diesel truck/SUV.

 

[Matt W.]

The toyota Hilux has been around a long time. But it's only in other countries. Wonder why it's not allowed here?
Oh because it gets great miles per gallon and big oil companies wouldn't want that!

Its the complication of USA laws that screw us here. There are so many uses and demand for oil & gas on a global level that any oil company with any business sense could care less about MPG changes in the US. Check out the data when you have time. Energy is a crazy industry...
http://www.bp.com/en/global/corpora.../statistical-review-of-world-energy-2013.html

So just did a little Googling. Ford makes a ranger they sell overseas with a diesel engine that gets 30+mpg. They don't sell it here because they are afraid it would cannibalize the F150 market, their most profitable vehicle.

Compact pickups are not a good seller in USA, not enough incentive for Nissan or Toyota to bring the diesels over here.

That is the general consensus from the articles that I read.

This is the real reason here. Its all about the dollar to be made by the auto industry. Americans love big trucks. There is just not enough demand for the smaller efficient trucks. Guessing that will change over time though...

It's because they get such great gas mileage that they aren't allowed here. They would dominate the market! Big oil wouldn't want us to have a diesel truck with 30-40 mpg.

Diesel used to be a great alternative until Federal regulations brought in ULSD (Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel). This created a huge impact to the refining industry and now you see the price of diesel running neck and neck, if not more, with gas prices. Its just more expensive to process and create ULSD.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra-low-sulfur_diesel

Also, as a side note.. One of the key impacts to gas prices is demand vs. supply. The USA has a limited refining capacity, driven by the challenge it is to gain the necessary permits to build new refineries (most of our new refineries are remodels of existing refineries that have been in place for 30+ years). There are not many refineries that have been built despite demand. Complicating this matter is the plethora of gasoline standards across the country. What this does is constrain refined products to specific markets. This creates a product that is in a sense landlocked. IF there was one standard across the country then gasoline could be moved around in response to market demands and a more efficient, but more importantly, market driven price would follow.

Check out these links: (Its complicated stuff!)
http://energyalmanac.ca.gov/gasoline/types_of_gasoline.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_emission_standards
http://www.arb.ca.gov/fuels/gasoline/gasoline.htm
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/gasolinefuels/rfg/regulations.htm


All I am trying to say is that Oil companies are not the only problem, but rather complicated government and political issues are just as much at fault, if not more. In a free market society companies will adapt to whatever the market will bring. We can help by trying to deepen our understanding of the issues and vote for politicians that actually have a clue (albeit there are not many).

Anyway.. Just thought I would throw this out there...

More info for your reading enjoyment... : )
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20140206/CARNEWS/140209893
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20140319/CARNEWS01/140319781
http://www.edmunds.com/car-news/toyota-eyes-cummins-diesel-engine-for-tundra.html
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/11/toyota-tundra-diesel-undergoing-testing.html
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2014/02/inside-fords-new-2015-f-150.html
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2014/03/2015-jeep-renegade-getting-diesel-4wd-exclusively-us.html
http://www.inautonews.com/exxon-mob...t-of-cars-will-be-hybrid-by-2040#.Uym_FYVmmpA
http://www.globalmotors.net/exxon-mobil-is-developing-a-new-battery-technology/

There is a lot in the works, but it all depends on people actually stepping up and buying. Oil & Gas is often a supporter or contributor to concept cars and the like to help drive these efforts. Should they be held accountable for their impact on the environment? Sure, but they are not necessarily the villain either...

Quote:
The oil and gas industry impacts the global as well as American economy in a big way. As per the US Department of Energy, 40 percent of total energy in the US is supplied by this sector. Approximately 9.2 million American jobs come from the gas and oil industry that add more than $1 trillion to the nation's economy. This accounts for about 7.5 percent of America's wealth.

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/about_6529713_oil-affects-economy.html#ixzz2wQQ1DZmt
http://www.fuelfreedom.org/the-real-foreign-oil-problem/oil-economics/
http://www.api.org/newsroom/upload/api-us_supply_economic_forecast.pdf
http://oilprice.com/Energy/Gas-Prices/Where-Do-Your-Gas-Dollars-Go.html