Yea, and now diesel is 20 to 30 cents higher than gasoline. Add in the fact that a diesel powered Dodge truck adds about $5000 to the price, where is the cost advantage? And just wait till you have to repair that diesel.
"Yea, and now diesel is 20 to 30 cents higher than gasoline. Add in the fact that a diesel powered Dodge truck adds about $5000 to the price, where is the cost advantage?"
Combine the tax deduction with Section 179 accelerated depreciation, taking into account the considerably better fuel mileage. I'd say that there will be quite a few willing to take advantage of this, unless I'm misunderstanding how the deduction can be applied.
Cost advantage? I have to buy one diesel every 500,000 miles instead of one gasoline powered vehicle every 100,000 miles, and I get 4 times better mileage when towing compared to gasoline engines. (Mileage is the same as gasoline when I'm not towing). In July and August alone I saved over $3,100 in fuel costs.
Most well maintained diesels in cars and light trucks can run for at least 300-500K miles with no repairs while providing 25-40% decrease in fuel consumption.
Diesel fuel is less likely to propagate secondary explosions from islamobombers and normal traffic crashes.
I shall pay the capitalized hit converting to 3.9L and 5.9L Cummins in front of 5 speed NV4500 and 6 speed NV5400 in Jeeps to trucks. Fuel shall be rationed even if only by price. Ford may use the new IH 275 cid in their F-150 once D.C. masters get out of the way. A Honda diesel in their Element and 4,600# minivan would make durable family vehicles.
Ethanol spills contaminate our ground water the same as MtBE because those poisons are water soluble. Ethanol burns dirtier than gasoline.
The dirty diesel image is a carryover from Europe's soot problem cleaned up in the late '60's and '70's - which followed WWII's devastation and rebuilding.
"Yea, and now diesel is 20 to 30 cents higher than gasoline. Add in the fact that a diesel powered Dodge truck adds about $5000 to the price, where is the cost advantage? And just wait till you have to repair that diesel."
Considering that on average a Dodge TD gets 19-22 mpg...as compared to ANY American 3/4 truck equipped with a gas engine that gets at best 12 or 13 mpg... there is a savings there. You get a minimum of 60% better mileage. Diesel does not cost 60% more than gasoline.
Then you factor in that there is less maintenance on a diesel (no spark plugs, distributor, etc).....there is savings there.
Then you can factor in that CTD's can easily do 400,000 miles between rebuilds (these are NOT "throw away engines)
There are savings there...all throughout the life of the truck.
As far as repairs... my injectors cost $60.00 a pop. How much are the injectors on your car? LOL
Quite a bit more I'd imagine.
Also, you make back the $4600.00 for the cost of the Cummins on resale, if / when you sell it. Look at bluebook values of a 1999 Dodge CTD... as compared to the same 99 Dodge with a gasser engine.