LibertyCRD wrote:
Right now, diesel is running $2.89 (I paid $2.84 yesterday at Walmart though). Gas is running $2.69. These are local prices.
Using Fuelly.com, we can see that the average MPG for the CRDs is around 24. The average MPG among 3.7L gas KJs is around 18 MPG. That is a 6 MPG difference between the two.
The average U.S. driver logs 1,250 miles monthly.
So... doing the simple math.... diesel fuel would have to be $0.90 PER GALLON MORE than gasoline just to get to the break-even point for the average driver!! It would have to be $1.00 per gallon more than gasoline to start costing you more to drive the diesel!
It is true that our gas KJ was slightly less expensive in maintenance while we had it. Gas engines with no turbos are a little simpler to maintain. But the fuel economy you get with the CRD, and the power, and the resale value, and the flexibility to run various sources of fuel, and the torque for offroad trails....it all adds up to make for a much nicer vehicle.
I would have never bought a KJ if it wasn't for the diesel option. I've owned two of them now.

The gas one was technically my wife's.

STILL ignoring the intitial investment costs, as well!!!! LMAO! Rough couple of days for the CRD; It went from diesel having to be 1.50 more per gallon to being .90 cents more per gallon...heck of a drop in diesel value ( 60 cents a gallon) in less than a week.
If any other vehicle required $3k in mods just to make it acceptable, people would be calling it a lemon or worse. Yes, all fixed up, their torque number is impressive. But jeez...of course, the fact that this little experiment is long over makes it moot, anyway.... I do feel horrible for those 2nd & 3rd owners making an uninformed purchase and winding up with one of these
potential money pits. Especially those who didn't get magical purchase prices ( unexplained) well below market value on the used one.