Buy a diesel

**4wd-burban** · 05-07-2007, 01:44 AM

Guys/Gals you really should look into a diesel.

Recently picked up an older diesel burban and will be designing a veggie oil pre-heat myself. After that I'm going to be looking for a supplier of WVO however there is a place in Austin where I can fill up on filtered WVO for US$1.50/gallon. I'll be selling my older gas powered soon and using the proceeds to fix a few little issues on the diesel and add some ranch hand style bumpers.

84 K20
6.2L Diesel
Banks Aftermarket Turbo (yea!)

**NHSilverado** · 05-07-2007, 07:12 AM

Originally Posted by 4wd-burban

Guys/Gals you really should look into a diesel.

Recently picked up an older diesel burban and will be designing a veggie oil pre-heat myself. After that I'm going to be looking for a supplier of WVO however there is a place in Austin where I can fill up on filtered WVO for US$1.50/gallon. I'll be selling my older gas powered soon and using the proceeds to fix a few little issues on the diesel and add some ranch hand style bumpers.

84 K20
6.2L Diesel
Banks Aftermarket Turbo (yea!)

Well, there are financial implications in what you suggest...

#1 - the initial cost of a diesel powered truck is thousands and thousands more than a gas powered truck( new anyway ). You can spend $10,000+ more for a diesel rig compared to a gas rig. That is a lot of gas even at $4 a gallon.

#2 - at least here in my state the cost of registering a diesel is significantly higher. I mean SIGNIFICANTLY! The tax on diesel powered vehicles here is very steep.

#3 - maintenance. The cost of maintaining a diesel is quite a bit more as well.

#4 - the cost of diesel fuel is no longer a lot cheaper than gas and many times it is significantly higher. The MPG you get with a diesel is not really all that superior to a gas powered rig either.

#5 - buying the kit/still thing to make your own veggie diesel out of old french fry oil is not cheap either so the cost of that has to be figured in.

Unless you buy a truck and keep it for 300,000 a diesel is not always cheaper. At least speaking about new rigs anyway. I do not buy used vehicles. I have no desire to pay for other people's troubles and problems. Also, not everyone wants a diesel either.

No offense meant by any of this. Just pointing out that it may be cheaper when you look at MPG to own a diesel but there are a lot of other financial factors figured in that make it a lot more expensive( again - NEW ).

**TrailLeadr** · 05-07-2007, 08:06 AM

Diesels do have their trade offs, just like many things. I don't know that I'd want to go with an older diesel. I think I'd rather get a newer one, but then again like it was said before, the costs are much higher. So maybe you save a little at the pump (very little) but it averages out in other places instead.

I just got gas on Friday night for 2.89. Cheapest around here at the time. Most places near me are around $3.00

**tbplus10** · 05-07-2007, 03:05 PM

I've had my 2000 Diesel Dually a few weeks and so far I'm getting decent mileage out of it, 17 city 21 hwy. Diesel prices aren't to bad at $3.00 a gal.
I dont buy Diesel at the pumps very often though, a few years ago I started processing Bio-Diesel for my old truck, when I sold the truck I kept the processor. Bio-Diesel averages me $1.21 a Gal to process.
Texas passed a law at the first of the year stopping the sale/production (comercial) of Bio-Diesel and there was talk of doing the same to WVO. I looked at WVO when I bought my Bio-Diesel processor but at the time it was a new concept and not many were using it. A big disadvantage for WVO at that time was the Cetane level, I understand newer methods have increased the Cetane level and made it an extremely viable fuel now. I may look into it in the future, at this time tho I get all my cooking oil free from a friend in the restaruant business so as long as I can keep costs down I'll stick with this method.

**Davandy** · 05-07-2007, 03:51 PM

Ok I have to warn you guys

Here in Belgium a couple of years ago the government promoted Diesel.
Now eight out of ten cars are Diesel.
Now they say Diesel is worse for the environment (fine dust) so they raised the road tax 100% and Diesel is almost as expensive as Gasoline.

**TrailLeadr** · 05-15-2007, 11:24 PM

Originally Posted by Davandy

Ok I have to warn you guys

Here in Belgium a couple of years ago the government promoted Diesel.
Now eight out of ten cars are Diesel.
Now they say Diesel is worse for the environment (fine dust) so they raised the road tax 100% and Diesel is almost as expensive as Gasoline.

I think I'm seeing why you want to move.

**RatRod** · 03-13-2008, 07:39 PM

Diesel today in the Pacific Northwest $4.13 a gallon

**crane3447** · 03-13-2008, 09:12 PM

For all you desiel downers out there, listen to this. I drive a '93 ck3500 6.5 about 900 - 1000 kms a week. On one tank! Most of this is spent city(75%) and with a heavy load on!(2000 - 2500 lbs is normal) I'm a mason so everything I move is heavy. The truck is well maintained, but I push the thing everyday. It is a stick with low gearing and it isn't a dually. We have an almost identical truck with a 350 on gas and its only a 2wd. The best it ever does is about 550. You can get 650 if you run all highway. I've known this truck for years and it may look like the work truck that it is but, it runs as good as any truck that has been pounded on for 8 years straight. Thats just the milage they get. By the way, did I mention that both trucks are over 300,000kms. Desiel and gas here are about the same price right now, about $1.12 - $1.16 a liter.

And yes both tanks are the same size!