zx12-iowa

I read that forum a lot to learn about the ecodiesel before buying my second ecoboost. The diesel is way too slow for me. And all the quirks I read about on the ram forums spooked me as well. But the mpg is very good. If you tow light and slow, the dodge may be for you.

smurfs_of_war

Yeah, not really sure how they will get that little thing to take off when the Hemi is returning some fairly decent mileage for a big 8- and the Hemi is mature and reliable. I have turned 22 highway hand calculated- and that's nothing to scoff at for an engine with that displacement and a 3.92 rear end- 11 towing our camper. Plus it's got all the muscle I need to pull the camper I have plus more without breaking a sweat.

Anyways, not sure what they were aiming for with the ecodiesel. I suspect the euro-yuppie crowd that would have otherwise bought a Jetta. I won't be surprised to see that ecodiesel being a rare bird.

As for the quirks- knock on wood- I have a solid truck so far but I am really anxious to see what the refresh on the F150s and Rams looks like since I will likely replace it again in another few years. Going SD this time.

nihilus

No doubt Ram deserves a lot of credit for putting a modern diesel in a half-ton. It will work well for some, but at this point you would be selling yourself short if you didn't wait a bit and give the 2.7L eco a fair shake. If you plan on getting a loaded screw with 20" rims, the ED or even a V-8 might still be a better choice mpg wise.
Funny that the members at the Ram forums scoff at the idea of the 2.7L even coming close to the ED in pulling power. Even if it is "only" 75% of its big brother's power, it will be more than a match.
BTW, TFLtruck is currently looking for a ED ram...

smurfs_of_war

Wonder if there will be any after market for them? It would be interesting to see if they could be opened up a bit.

zx12-iowa

I'm sure it will, but my guess is it would impact mpg. That's the big calling of the diesel. Without that, the engine makes no sense.

nihilus

It does have a purpose. Just not for private use. Even if you tow alot it is still only a small fraction of the miles you put on. A perfect use of this would be for a landscaping buisness that tows 4000 lbs ALL OF THE TIME and super duty is an overkill. For this kind of use, the small diesel is unmatched.

acadianbob

Yes, but most people forget to factor in that diesel fuel is 10 to 15% more expensive per gallon. So, 28 mpg becomes effectively equivalent to about 23 to 24 mpg in gas. Also factor in the $3 to $5K price of the diesel.

Then you get smoked (pun intended) by an Ecoboost up the mountain pass.

IMO, the Dodge diesel is for people who are fixated on having a diesel.

And for non-Ford manufacturers, it is the only chance they have against the torque characteristics of the Ecoboost.

brulaz

Diesel's been cheaper around my place in Ontario for some time now. Especially in comparison to the Ecoboost if you use Premium when towing.

Just checked with GasBuddy and in Los Angeles CA, USA: regular is about $4.00/g, Diesel is about $4.05/g and Premium is about $4.15

Not a big diff, but I know there are other areas where diesel is more expensive.

Really depends upon where you are and where you plan to travel.

But yes, the EcoB has the same torque but more HP than the EcoD, but you pay for that in mpg.

acadianbob

U.S. National average is $.26/gallon more for diesel. The diesel will knock down better mileage. But, considering the extra diesel maintenance costs and original purchase cost ($3K vs $1K Eco), I doubt that you would ever recoup the cost through fuel savings.

Add to that the payload capacity of the Dodge, I'm not sure what you do with the EcoDiesel. Probably a good truck for light towing and running empty.

I do think that the new F150 2.7 Ecoboost in the aluminum 2015 will be a killer combination; especially when considering the torque curve.

smurfs_of_war

Depends on the longevity of the ecodiesle compared to the eb. That would be my attraction if I considered any engine other than an 8. The Ram payload is a sore spot. But most I have engaged in this exact conversation don't give a crap or even understand.