Gas vs diesel SMB?

[deserteagle56]

Originally Posted by Gnarvan

Which model Eaton did you have that took a lot of wheelspin to get it to engage? Was it the True Track? I'm still trying to decide which way to go on upgrades for my van. I've narrowed the choice down to the Eaton E-locker or the Eaton True Track.

It's whatever GM put in their vans and pickups a few years ago. For sure it wasn't the e-locker because there was no wiring going to the rear diff. I just know it only engaged after one of the wheels spun, after which the other wheel would lock up and start pulling.

[deserteagle56]

Originally Posted by WVvan

Also I don't go off-road. Just off pavement.

"Go Off-Road" is just a manner of speaking. I don't believe any of us actually go "off-road", only off pavement. In a state like Nevada there are thousands more miles of dirt roads than there are pavement - and some of them are just two tracks through the brush leading to some abandoned mine or ranch site and can be pretty darned rough. Driving those is what we call off roading. If a BLM or Forest Service Ranger were to catch someone busting a new trail out through the brush they would be arrested.

[ridintall]

Man, I wish I got 16-18 MPG in my 6.0 diesel. I have a 2004 RB50 that weighs in at 9K lbs. Best I've ever gotten was 14.5 and that was only once in 7 years. I get 11-12 in town and 13-13.5 on the highway. Towing my SMB trailer gets me about 11-12 tops.

I've spent over 10K in repairs since my van went out of warranty. I've just come to accept that repairs are expensive, that my rig is a money pit. But I've had a ton of fun in my diesel SMB and honestly I love it. Yeah it's a little loud, a little stinky a little warm on the inside in the summer. But it's bad a$$, looks cool and I get a lot of use out of it. Plus, there's something nice about a single fuel source for driving, heating (and cooking as some SMB owners have done).

I almost sold it last year....until I found out I couldn't get a diesel. Lately I've been considering a new one with the V10. I may pull the trigger once Ford announces a hard date on the end of the E-Series. Seems like when you own one of these for a few years, you learn a lot about what you would like to do different the second time around. For me it would be an EB with a full height top, SMB 4x4 and full float rear w/ locker. I'd rather not deal with propane, so maybe a custom 10 gallon diesel tank so I can have my cake (diesel heater and cooktop) and eat it too (V10 reliability).

[webbmac]

Do the math on fuel consumption and you should find that you would more than pay for every oil change and every problem that a 6.0 could ever have by your savings in fuel over the V-10.

This is irrespective of resale value, also. The market gets to decide to which is preferable, and diesel wins, hands down and by a wide margin in every market where it competes with gasoline (marine, gensets, trucks). Not even close.

[carringb]

Originally Posted by webbmac

Do the math on fuel consumption and you should find that you would more than pay for every oil change and every problem that a 6.0 could ever have by your savings in fuel over the V-10.

Really? The 6.0 uses about 20% less fuel than the V10, however diesel can easily average 10% more at the pump, sometimes more in the winter. That puts the V10 at about a 10% fuel cost / mile disadvantage compared to the diesel, which would probably end up being $0.03-$0.04 extra fuel cost per mile. It would take 100,000 miles to recoup the cost of a single FICM failure which takes out the injectors. Or an single oil cooler/egr cooler failure.

Paying for oil changes, the V10 (assuming $30 oil change every 7500 as recommended) costs $0.004/mile. The 6.0 diesel (assuming a $100 oil change every 3,000 miles as most mechanics recommended to prevent HPOP failure) costs $0.033/mile.

Last I checked residual values for fleet leasing, the V10 had a slightly better residual value (%) than the diesel. But yes, since the initially cost is more, the diesel will still carry an outright $ premium after 24-months. Recently, I have looked into higher-milage cutaways. After 100,000 miles (5-6 year old), the V10 carries $ premium over the diesel.

[BIGVANS]

I agree with your math, Great points!