pybyr

I own a 2006 Dodge Cummins Quad Cab 4X4-- 8,800 miles on it. It has been flawless and is the best vehicle I have ever owned. But with diesel in my area now costing on average $0.40 per gallon more than unleaded for some months, and given that it isn't all that often I need the full payload or space capacity (or long trips), I am wondering if I should consider changing over to something smaller. I know that the 5.9 is tried and true-- and perhaps even sought after compared to the newer and more complex 6.7s. Any ideas on how to take as little of a bath as possible if I do sell this rig?

Thanks, Trevor in VT

svanni

Look at it this way. How much will it cost you to sell it ??? You'll probably take a $5k - $8k hit versus how much you paid for it new. So the question is: "do you want to pay $5,000 in order to save yourself $0.40/gal ?". I wouldn't, buy my brother would. And he's always wondering why he's broke.

Bigred01

It is the best vehicle you have ever owned and it is flawless, yet you want to sell it because of fuel prices

why?

You are going to buy something smaller, like a nissan frontier, or a toyota tacoma. Those still only get 18 mpg in city if you are lucky.

Do the math: 500 miles per week, $2.29 regular unleaded, $2.69 #2 Diesel:

$2.29 unleaded 18 mpg tacoma or frontier = 27.78 gallons = $63.62 /week
$2.69 #2 diesel 17 mpg dodge ctd = 29.41 gallons = $79.11 /week

It costs about $15 more per week to drive a new CTD in fuel alone, not to mention the hit you take on the dodge and the maintenance intervals are double (10,000 miles instead of 5,000).

Keep the Dodge and enjoy it. Or you could always but a kia

Bigred01

And I 2nd svanni

Also, in Phoenix, #2 diesel is the same price as supreme unleaded or 20 cents per gallon more than regular unleaded. Price has dropped 30 cents since I bought my truck a month ago

DrDiesel

Hmmm. Diesel around here is higher than regular gas, but you can find it for less if you look.
I found a place that had it for $2.55 and now it`s back to $2.69
Gas is $2.49 to $2.73 on average.
So my Chevy Colorado was capable of 16 MPG on a good day. It was to small, would not haul worth beans and when you ran it to keep up with traffic it would drop to 14 to 15 MPG
I average 18 MPG with the Dodge..........Period......
So for the pennines I would save with a smaller less capable truck(miserable truck) I`ll drive the King of trucks any day.....
You`ll lose your shirt on a trade and a sleeve or two on such an early private resale. Your new math has you second guessing yourself/purchase.
Drive the Dodge or you`ll be kicking yourself later. Trust me, I tried it with a smaller gas truck....Read my signature.... Don`t Do It. You`ll be Sorry.

t-boe

For one fuel prices are dropping. Even if they don't drop much more YOU WILL REGRET IT! You would have to pry the keys out of my cold, dead hands before I give up my truck. This is my first diesel, but I've been wanting one for decades. I know fuel prices are high, but I actually fuel up less than I did with my F-150. All I can say is don't do it.

Eddy Reyes

Don’t do it! Look at my signature, see that Honda in between trucks. Well…that was my answer to save on fuel. 12 weeks later I was back in another truck minus a lot of cash.

bucknasty

Pybyr- Got you beat. I've got a three week old 06 CTD with 650 miles, I'm not selling mine for the gas mileage though...my reason is much more mundane and ridiculous. Guess why i'm selling mine? Well, first I dont like the color (flame red) and second, I think I'm going to the Duramax..now that's blasphemy. If I get my asking price, which is 1k plus less expensive than equal trucks with many more miles, I plan on clearing 2k over my purchase price including taxes.

In terms of gas mileage..that's not exactly a valid reason. Here's my take on it. You have two trucks, one gas, one diesel. According to my calculations with the price difference in gas vs diesel, your actual cost per mile is about 1 cent per mile. This last weekend I paid $1.99 for gas and $2.27 for diesel. The gas truck get 11 mpg vs 15 mpg (still new) it equates to this...

Gas 11mpg / $1.99 = 5.52 cents per mile
Diesel 15mpg / $2.27 = 6.60 cents per mile

Not that bad is it?

For the record, my 05 accord 4 banger is getting 18mpg in the city..

Christov

Diesel is going back down around here. We are at around $2.35/gallon, and I have seen it for $2.29 today. You may want to hold out, it will be hard going from a sweet truck to a "compromise". Trust me.

bucknasty

By the way..if I cant clear 2k on the truck, I'll keep it with no regrets.

LJRoy

Right conclusion, wrong math. You divided backwards - look at it this way:

Drive 100 miles @ 15 MPG. That's 6.66 gallons used. Multiply by $2.27, comes to about $15.13 Divide $15.13 by 100 miles - $0.15 or 15 cents/mile. Sanity check the answer - 15 cents per mile * 100 miles = the $15 bucks it cost for the fuel.

epenn03

You can do what you want,no one can tell you what is the right thing to do.
One thing is for sure you will be sick after a while. I done the same thing, I was wandering if a smaller truck was the thing for me. So I drove a friend of mines truck. After a week in the truck it was awful. Dont get me wrong if you want a small truck thats great but like the rest of the people here there is nothing like a big dodge truck with a cummins diesel in it nothing else compares.

05 flame red 4wd 3500 6 spd

ROOSTER108BM

PYBR Idont know much but I know you bought what you wanted .Dont let it go because of fuel prices.You wont be happy with your replacement.....give your truck a chance to break in.I contemplated sellling mine and buying a dmax...but Im glad I give it a chance to show its true colors.TRUST ME around 12000 miles that cummins is gonna come alive and put a smile on your face that even 50mpg wont wipe off

3500lly

I'm guessing most people pay around 35 to 40k for these trucks so the fuel costs are relatively small in comparison but it gets talked about so much, but if it's really not fitting your budget then I would look for cheap ways to increase your fuel economy and possibly change your driving habits to accomodate it because your going to end up taking a huge hit by selling that truck so soon

spankdog

Jeez man, theres other ways to solve your delema. Keep the truck!! If youre so worried about the cost of diesel then make your own bio-diesel. Most kits are averaging $1.00 a gallon or less. Think of it in the long term. You love your truck. Its flawless. I truelly believe you'll regret selling it. Think about how good it feels when you step on that pedel! Dont do it!!!!!!