My company is going to let me get a new Dodge 3/4ton to drive. I don't tow for work but I do drive 8000+ miles per month. I'll be keeping it for 2 years so it will have about 200,000 miles. Does anyone know what kind of mpg I'd get with a new Cummins. It will be all unloaded highway miles. I'm trying to justify the cost of a cummins vs a hemi to my boss by the cost savings of a diesel. Thanks in advance for any info.

 

Depends on which Diesel motor you choose. If you get a 5.9 they will get much better Mileage than the 6.7's. Either way, a DIESEL will last you a lot longer than the Hemi. My new 07 with 1000 miles on it gets 22-23 HWY MPG HAND CALCULATED and 17 pulling my horse trailer.. Have not driven a Hemi so I don't know mileages on those..

 

Mine just hit 1700 miles and it's already up to 19.49 miles per gal (85% hwy). It'll only get better from there. The best my F-150 ever got was 18 on a road trip w/ 100% hwy) so I'm happy.

 

Well a 3/4 ton with a hemi will be around 10-14mpg hiway. Most 3/4 are going to have 410 rear gears unless you special order it with 373. My freind has a 1/2 with 373's, 2x4 and best he sees is 12-14 hiway,9 in town, 4-6 pulling a 2000lbs popup camper.

 

Guessing in a 2wd, 19 mpg vs 15mpg.... And that 15mpg I'm guesstamating is with 3.73 gears.

Had a 2wd regular cab 1500 Hemi and I get better MPG with my 3/4 4x4 quad cab with a cummins diesel. Was doing about 15-20% better until I lifted it and put big tires on it.

You also have to calculate in resale. You'll have a hell of a time getting rid of a heavy duty gasser especially with high miles. Cummins, not the same people buy them with high miles and drive them into the ground.

 

here we go, this says it all ... I think I traded up, but still miss my old truck.

 

My personal truck (01 2500 cummins 5spd 4x4) just hit 250,000 miles so I know the diesel will last longer. I only get 15mpg on the 01, but I've got 305/70/R16 buckshot mudders on it. I get a new vehicle every 2 years, so I'm trying to justify the extra cost for the diesel to my boss.

 

Don't forget about resale value!

 

Not to mention with the Cummins, why would you trade it in at 2 years or 200K miles?

 

If your company only plans to keep the truck for 2 years you need to factor in the initial higher cost of the diesel vs. fuel costs and mileage.

 

My company leases thru Enterprise and their leases last 2 years so we get new vehicles every 2 years like clockwork. Since a diesel costs about $6000 more than gas, I'm just trying to figure if I can save more than that on fuel costs. That's why I need to know "real world" mpg for gas vs diesel trucks.

 

I think a real ave for the new diesels seems to be around 16-18 hwy... where as the hemis around 13-14... All unloaded hwy... IMO of course...

 

Lets see, if you're getting 14.5 mpg in a Hemi and a little more than 20% better in the diesel then 200,000miles/14.5mpg*$2.50per gallon=$34,482 VS 200,000miles/17.75mpg*$2.5 per gallon=$28,169. Seems to come out even with the diesel and I'm being conservative with the numbers.

Also people mention resale, but on a lease there is residual value that they use for calculations. It makes everything workout so they can get their money. Considering the gasser depreciates faster i think they'd charge more (comparatively) for the lease since they can't resell it at the same price. They'd be willing to deal more on a diesel IMO. They're gonna 'eat it' when that gasser gets turned back in. Make sense? I don't know leases well, so hope that makes sence.

I'm a financial analyst by the way. I could go into it more .

 

You won't need to justify saving the $6k in fuel savings......simply look up a two year old CTD and see what the add is for the diesel engine option, and figure the difference.

It's a no-brainer. You pay for the diesel up front, and get xx% of that back at trade-in time. According to NADA, you'll get back between $4825 and $5375 for the diesel engine option on a current (2005) two year old RAM 2500 Quad Cab 4x4.......strong re-sale for diesel engine option IMO. Of course, there's a $4950 hit for 200k miles.

Greg

 

I would ask about approximate maintainance costs. You can add them up out of the owners manual if you want to make a guess. I think the diesel is going to be slightly higher. For a purchase you might be able to split a hair and make a case, but with a lease it depends on the fine print of the lease.