Phantom switch

[Montana_2437]

Advantage of a GASSER over a diesel???? I have never heard of one except for price. I really would like to hear why you feel that way.

[Dental Floss Tycoon]

I recall reading an article in a RV magazine about a year ago comparing two identical tow vehicles, one with a gas engine and the other with a diesel. The diesel out performed the gasser in almost every aspect. However, the additional cost of purchasing the diesel plus different maintenance requirements led the author of the article to the conclusion that to justify the added expense of the diesel the owner should drive the vehicle more than 30,000 miles per year.

I have my Montana at a seasonal site and don't plan to tow it very often, maybe three or four times a year. For me, the advantage of getting a gasser over a diesel is the initial cost. Would I prefer to have a diesel, you betcha! But I can't justify the extra $7000 for the amount I plan to use the truck.

Just my .02

[sreigle]

George and Janet, lots of people have come to the same conclusion. That includes us prior to fulltiming. Gas just made more sense for our situation at that time.

I read an article a few years ago where they determined, not real scientifically, that the breakeven point for diesel vs gas was at 188,000 miles. If you drove the vehicle more than 188,000 miles, then diesel was cheaper overall. But that was back when diesel cost less than unleaded gasoline, too, so I'm sure those numbers will go up if the current fuel price trends continue.

Also, it did not include a factor I recently read in a different article. That is that you will get most, possibly all, of that premium price for diesel back when you sell or trade the diesel. That assumes the vehicle is in good condition, of course. I think I agree with that statement. We recently traded a diesel for a diesel and looking at the prices I'm convinced I got the premium back.

But in your shoes, based on your description, I think I'd make the same decision you did. By the way, the premium for our diesel was $5100. I'm not sure which brand gets $7000 but that sure seems like a lot to me. $5100 is not a small chunk of change, either. At least not to us.

[NJ Hillbilly]

The diesel gets the extra back in the end with resale value. When I traded my '97 for the '02 it ended up costing me $1000 a year to have the truck. Not bad and I think it would have been a higher cost if it was gas.
Nobody looks at a gas truck with 150,000 mi while with a diesel it's no big deal.

John

[Montana_381]

The surest way to test the "Resale Theory" is to go to kbb.com, nada.com, or edmunds.com and "price" 2 trucks - 1 with a big gasser and 1 with a diesel - with the approximate age and mileage that you'd expect to have at trade-in time.

As to the original question - the "phantom" switch - my "Wheel Estate" wasn't blessed(?) with any.

[sreigle]

Really good idea, Bob and Terri. I just now did that at nadaguides.com using the truck we traded. Got the wholesale and retail value for the diesel, then changed it to the V10. I originally paid $5,000 for the diesel. The V10 costs about $1000 premium (based on a prior '99 F350 with the V10 we had before the '03 diesel). So the diesel was $4000 more than the gasser.

Current value per nadaguides is $4,750 higher for the diesel, on the wholesale side. On retail prices it's $4,900 more. So from this I'd conclude I got more back in trade than I paid in premium for the diesel over the V10.

[Montana_381]

That's what we noticed, too, Steve.

Of course, it presupposes that the ca$h is there to get the diesel in the first place.

With that factor in mind, the "Time-to-break-even" factor that's often quoted (based on fuel economy/fuel cost) becomes meaningless.

[Dental Floss Tycoon]

That's basically it Bob and Terri.

The $7000 premium for the diesel is based on the price of two identical 2005 trucks, one with the big gasser and the other with the diesel. The diesel option adds $6150 to to the price, but if you factor in sales taxes which up here in Ontario are 15%, the difference between the gasser and the diesel amount to $7072.50.

The less I have to pay for a vehicle that will do what I need it to do, the better. Eventually when the time comes to purchase a new truck I hope there will be an alternative power source so I won't have to worry whether it is gas or diesel. (LOL)

[rames14]

I would caution anyone looking at the diesel price on the Silverado to look carefully. When I bought my 2004, the diesel was about $6500, which also included the Allison transmission. There is also an upcharge for the big gasser. So, I figured the diesel cost me more like $3000, which puts the payback at less than 30k miles - a lot less if you look at resale. Of course, a year ago there was additional savings from the difference between gas and diesel that has now evaporated, so to speak. Anyone that has compared a 4L60 vs the Allison will tell you there is a world of difference. This year, GM will be coming out with a 4L70 that should shift smoother, but its not an Allison.

[sreigle]

George and Janet, I'm very enamored of our diesel and how it tows but we used to tow with a V10 gasser and it also did a very good job. If you prefer to go with a big gas engine for whatever reason it should do a good job for you. We all have our reasons for what we bought but in the end any of the big gassers or diesel will do the job. The rest is just what fits our situation best.