It depends. The starting price for a gas Jetta is $16,495 and the TDI is $22,995. The base model Jetta gets 33 MPG on the highway, and the TDI shows to get 42 (23 and 30, respectively, in the city). So, there is a 7-9 MPG difference, let's keep with the high side of 9. To make up the difference in purchase price, given the average $0.40/gallon difference between diesel and gas today, you'd have to drive 470,000 miles to make up the $6,500 difference in price. Granted, prices will change over time, and diesel and gasoline may get closer in price, or diesel may actually go back down, but I wouldn't bet on it.
“To make up the difference in purchase price, given the average $0.40/gallon difference between diesel and gas today, you’d have to drive 470,000 miles to make up the $6,500 difference in price.”
I recommend getting a “slightly used” diesel instead of a new gas version. The engine will likely last much longer, so that’s actually a reasonable tradeoff. Also since we’d expect at least one engine replacement for the gas version over 400,000 miles, that would probably narrow things quite a bit. Still, who keeps their vehicles that long these days besides me? heh
“Granted, prices will change over time, and diesel and gasoline may get closer in price, or diesel may actually go back down, but I wouldn’t bet on it.”
It’s actually insane for diesel to be priced the way it is at the moment, but since the government is involved I suppose that’s no surprise... High diesel has an impact on a wide range of prices, certainly to include food.
We’ll have to see over the long run.