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When I ordered my diesel 136 HT 13 months ago I bought the diesel option based on Adrian's (an early former owner of first a gas then a diesel) comments on its drivability and towing ability, as well as his trouble free ownership. We did have more than a few diesels with issues relating to the emissions and about the time I ordered they had quieted down so I believed the bugs were worked out, and by and large they are. Mine has been great- no issues. I get consistent 26+ to 27 mpg and love the way it drives, it is just better than I had expected. I never planned to caculate how long the payoff would be as my motivation was drivability and longevity.
Many posters who came over from the Sprinter World predicted a forever payoff with the diesel predicting about 21 mpg, huge service costs, and expensive fuel. Some have said the DEF would be a big cost, others complained about the oil around pumps and the stink.
I am happy to report they were well intended but respecfully WRONG. In 10 months and 12 thousand miles I have averaged price less per gallon for diesel than I would have for unleaded, in fact I have paid more only about 10 times! Today I paid $185.9 at a discount gas station that had unleaded at $195.9. A gas promaster would have gone 17 miles to my 26. I get fuel at these stations that have a diesel pump next to the gas pump and are nice and clean never at a truck stop.
I have no way to go back and re-compute the time for payback as I did not keep the competing gas prices and I still don't care. But it would be interesting! Gas Buddy is a must for diesel owners if they hope to get D'fuel at the unleaded price.
Nationally they are close, but diesel varies much more than gas so shopping the low price has considerable advantage. Some diesel is just priced for ignorant people who don't check prices and that brings up the average price. See: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/
Many posters who came over from the Sprinter World predicted a forever payoff with the diesel predicting about 21 mpg, huge service costs, and expensive fuel. Some have said the DEF would be a big cost, others complained about the oil around pumps and the stink.
I am happy to report they were well intended but respecfully WRONG. In 10 months and 12 thousand miles I have averaged price less per gallon for diesel than I would have for unleaded, in fact I have paid more only about 10 times! Today I paid $185.9 at a discount gas station that had unleaded at $195.9. A gas promaster would have gone 17 miles to my 26. I get fuel at these stations that have a diesel pump next to the gas pump and are nice and clean never at a truck stop.
I have no way to go back and re-compute the time for payback as I did not keep the competing gas prices and I still don't care. But it would be interesting! Gas Buddy is a must for diesel owners if they hope to get D'fuel at the unleaded price.
Nationally they are close, but diesel varies much more than gas so shopping the low price has considerable advantage. Some diesel is just priced for ignorant people who don't check prices and that brings up the average price. See: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/