Dodge announces a diesel half-ton...

[IDBoating]

We have to say we’re impressed. It’s not a perfect engine, but it offers a great sound and it has the obvious benefits of longer intervals between fillups, functionally invisible drive characteristics, plenty of low-end grunt and the extra trade-in value, which are all huge assets for this new powertrain option.

I especially like the headline photo they used. It's like they were targeting this forum!



I've long said someone needed to make a half-ton with a diesel engine. Looks like we might finally get one from Dodge. There's also a rumor of one from Nissan with a Cummins engine but Dodge is supposedly going to be first to the US market.

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2013/09...rst-drive.html

[Timmy!]

Doesn't sound like it's a good fit for us though:

In fact, it was while towing that we saw a little of the EcoDiesel’s shine come off the finish. We found that even under the relatively light load of a small boat, the response of the transmission seemed sluggish. Our tow vehicle did have the rear coils springs (not the air suspension), so we expect it to be a little more sensitive to tongue weight, but it was clearly not as quick to respond to our inputs or as ready to drop a gear or two when we needed acceleration help. This was another situation where having another form of manual shifting, beyond the thumb buttons, would have been nice, especially for keeping the gears in exactly the right spots on the powerband.

[Timmy!]

REALLY????

Base price: $48,730
As tested: $57,420

NO THANK YOU!!!

[IDBoating]

Doesn't sound like it's a good fit for us though

Agreed, but it sounds like that could be solved with a transmission firmware update. My wife's previous minivan had exactly the same situation; the dealer bumped the firmware and the problem disappeared forever.

[Billua]

No kidding! For that price, you could get a one ton dually with the 6.7 Cummins and Aisen transmission.

[Timmy!]

For $57k, I'm buying the real diesel and not worrying about a firmware upgrade. If this was $40k, that's a different story...

[IDBoating]

Not sure where that price comes from... the article mentioned the diesel cost increment:

the added cost for the diesel option over an identically equipped Hemi Ram will be $2,850

...and I know the cost bump for the Cummins engine in their larger trucks generally hovers around $5000. Who knows what it will be. I'm just glad someone is taking the plunge and putting a smaller diesel in a smaller truck. That's a trend I'd like to see pushed really hard.

[barry1me]

Im all for buying american (big 3) but the NIssan Titan with the cummins 5.0l will be the half ton diesel to get. The Ram is getting a 3.0l diesel and from what Im told the towing capacity is not going to be as high as the hemi option.

[barry1me]

Not sure where that price comes from... the article mentioned the diesel cost increment:



...and I know the cost bump for the Cummins engine in their larger trucks generally hovers around $5000. Who knows what it will be. I'm just glad someone is taking the plunge and putting a smaller diesel in a smaller truck. That's a trend I'd like to see pushed really hard.

The cummins premium over a hemi in a 2500 is $8295

[IDBoating]

The cummins premium over a hemi in a 2500 is $8295

Wow, it's gone up since I bought my 3500! Back then it was possible to replace the standard diesel with their gasoline engine and doing so would knock ~$4950 off the price. Not that I would have ever considering doing it.

Anyway, I agree that the Nissan sounds far better. I have no loyalty to Dodge; what I like are Cummins engines, and when I bought mine it came wrapped in a Dodge truck. I've owned Nissan products in the past and would have no hesitation buying another Cummins engine if the wrapping paper this time around said "Nissan".

The best part about this, as I said above, is that we're starting to see multiple diesel options in the 0.5 ton category. Now if they would only start making modern turbodiesels in passenger cars, like they do in Europe....

[bspot]

Wow, it's gone up since I bought my 3500! Back then it was possible to replace the standard diesel with their gasoline engine and doing so would knock ~$4950 off the price. Not that I would have ever considering doing it.

Anyway, I agree that the Nissan sounds far better. I have no loyalty to Dodge; what I like are Cummins engines, and when I bought mine it came wrapped in a Dodge truck. I've owned Nissan products in the past and would have no hesitation buying another Cummins engine if the wrapping paper this time around said "Nissan".

The best part about this, as I said above, is that we're starting to see multiple diesel options in the 0.5 ton category. Now if they would only start making modern turbodiesels in passenger cars, like they do in Europe....

Like the Chevrolet Cruze?

[IDBoating]

The 5.0-liter V8 is expected to generate well over 500 pound-feet of torque - likely closer to 550, based on the language in the press release - along with over 300 horsepower.

Here's a writeup about the upcoming Nissan/Cummins offering.

[Timmy!]

The best part about this, as I said above, is that we're starting to see multiple diesel options in the 0.5 ton category. Now if they would only start making modern turbodiesels in passenger cars, like they do in Europe....

I agree! Love my TDI Passat!

[barry1me]

The new GM cruz diesel is going to kick butt.....also GM has a new 2.8L turbo diesel colorado and canyon next year. That will be a nice little truck that could probably net 30mpg or better and probably still tow 6k lbs.

[EricU]

I've long said someone needed to make a half-ton with a diesel engine. Looks like we might finally get one from Dodge. There's also a rumor of one from Nissan with a Cummins engine but Dodge is supposedly going to be first to the US market.

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2013/09...rst-drive.html

I can understand a small diesel motor for an around town soccer mom rig, but for towing??? I don't get it, smaller brakes, smaller dif, smaller bearings, my RZ4 is a PIG of a boat on the trailer, I still have my Moomba Mobius and the RZ4 just dwarfs it.

I still tow around with my '01 F250 running the 7.3, with upgraded turbo, exhaust and chipped. The truck tows the boat perfect, but my buddy's 2012 F350 with the new 6.7, WOW what a motor, I would love to have a new version of my truck, but I keep backing off and buying real estate instead of putting out the $63k price tag they want around here for a loaded F350.