Report: Diesel Wrangler On It's Way

[voodoojk]

My daily driver is an 03 VW TDI Golf. I love the 50 mpg so much that we are in the process of putting one in my 87 Syncro Westy. Not to mention the torque....I believe Americans will come to realize that their "hybrid" cars will leave a bigger carbon footprint when it's time to dispose of their HUGE batteries. I think VW took the right route....
My wife and I will definitely get a wrangler in diesel if and when they sell in the US....she's already asked that we put a VW TDI in a Wrangler for her.

I work for VW and can attest to the incredible MPG the Vw can achive. With dodge just announcing a diesel in the 1500 ram now and the GC coming out maybe we can start to see that diesels can be a great choice over hybrid. Even though VW has a hybrid Jetta now.. They just built it because that's what the general public was wanting..

 

[goneover]

I allways keep my eye out Diesels. Wrangler would be a nice addition.. thanx for the headsup....

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: Very good info-but--

There is no reason for me to trade my '08 JKUR in on a 2014/2015???, just because of a diesel engine--there's nothing for my benefit, or

At the most, maybe 1 or 2 mpg and thats of no interest to me for the cost-incur

:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO

 

[David Harris]

I bet it will be expensive. . .

 

[X-plorenow]

I work for VW and can attest to the incredible MPG the Vw can achive. With dodge just announcing a diesel in the 1500 ram now and the GC coming out maybe we can start to see that diesels can be a great choice over hybrid. Even though VW has a hybrid Jetta now.. They just built it because that's what the general public was wanting..

What the public is wanting, is exactly what I am talking about. The general public still has a bad opinion of diesel engines, stinky, dirty, and loud. They view hybrids and electric cars, whether correctly or not as cleaner. And if there is not enough demand it won't happen.

Plus don't expect to get the mileage of a VW. a JK weighs way more than a Jetta for example, let alone tires and gearing. Add in that you will pay a premium for a diesel, which if added to a Rubicon trim level will make it very high, and you consider the fact that diesel is pretty expensive, it starts not to make sense. Plus the new Pentastar is pretty damn good.

From a cost savings standpoint any mileage increase probably won't pan out. If you feel that it is helping the environment, you might have an argument. You will need to have a better reason for the diesel, torque, longevity and durability, range, etc.

I love the idea, I just don;t think it is as much of a slam dunk to happen as everyone else does.

 

[Dan Grec]

A lot of people have waited a long time for diesels in North America - it really does seem like it's happening.

Most people are assuming it will appear in the Wrangler for the refresh (likely 2016 MY) - I wonder if there is any chance Jeep will do a limited run of Diesels for either the 2014 or 2015 MY..? Maybe a "premium" model like the 10th anniv., with special bumpers, etc, top of the line and a diesel?

It sounds like they'll be limited on engines for a little while... hopefully not.

And of course, we have to wonder if it will be the 3.0, 2.8 or maybe something smaller (I think there is a 2.4 variant?)

I'd be exstatic with which-ever of those gets the bets mileage, as anything over ~350 ft. lbs. is gravy

-Dan

 

[Jorsn]

You WILL see a diesel in the wrangler, And not just the high end models like the Rubicon.

How do I know this? Simple... All car manufacturers have to meet the new MPG numbers by 2025 and the petrol engine in the current wrangler will not be able to do so.

It's silly to compare a VW diesel that is designed for mpg's to a wrangler that is designed go off road and is shaped like a box.

Jeep/Chrysler has already stated they will be switching over to the 8-speed automatic in 2015-16. Which means they could also be adding a diesel to the line up. Just recently they switched out the 3.8l/4-speed for the 3.6l/5-speed... So they could be doing the same thing in 2015.

 

[Septu]

From a cost savings standpoint any mileage increase probably won't pan out. If you feel that it is helping the environment, you might have an argument. You will need to have a better reason for the diesel, torque, longevity and durability, range, etc.

I don't think you can say that with absolute certainly. It really depends on the length of ownership, and how much driving one does. I don't think one would buy a diesel solely on gas mileage, but it certainly would play a good part of it.

 

[4x4BNB]

Torque is the key on the Diesel engines. Any off road enthusiast must appreciate that..... I think taller gears will help the mileage issue on road...
But u right....Americans just aren't feeling diesel

Personally I love the sound n smell

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: Heh Heh, YUP, taller gears help the mpg/power and make a percentage increase in applied torque--probably as much as 25% increase !


:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO

 

[The Swiss]

No doubt that the mileage will be better but as it stands I get 23 highway 19 city in my 2012 jku, It would be an interesting cost benefit analysis for sure but I doubt the jk will get 40mpg maybe I will stand corrected

Wow, you are doing good! I manage 19 city, 22 on surface roads but just 19 on the highway with my JKUR, I guess I'm driving too fast :elkgrin:. (BTW, I managed an average of 24.7 mpg on highway with my wife's Grand Cherokee with the Pentastar engine, 500 miles between fill-ups, NICE )

That said - and having driven many diesels in Europe - I doubt the diesel will get that much better mpg that it will be worth trading for that alone.

 

[expedition4x4]

Wow, you are doing good! I manage 19 city, 22 on surface roads but just 19 on the highway with my JKUR, I guess I'm driving too fast :elkgrin:. (BTW, I managed an average of 24.7 mpg on highway with my wife's Grand Cherokee with the Pentastar engine, 500 miles between fill-ups, NICE )

That said - and having driven many diesels in Europe - I doubt the diesel will get that much better mpg that it will be worth trading for that alone.

I stay around 60-65 on highway and it is a base model sport with manual 6 speed...

Here in Crawlerado the diesel is 60 cents per gallon more than regular gas so starting out at a 15% deficit on the CBA

So lets start at gas motor averaging 20 mpg on highway with gas at 3.52 that gives you 17.6 cents per mile

A diesel assuming it gets in the jku 30 mpg at 4.12 per gallon comes to 13 cents per mile

Oil changes are also more costly so that would factor into the cba but lets leave that off for now

For me I need to compute cost differential of trading in what I have for the obvious premium a diesel wrangler will have and I would determine exactly how many miles a year I would need to drive the diesel for the fuel savings to pay for itself.

 

[Septu]

I stay around 60-65 on highway and it is a base model sport with manual 6 speed...

Here in Crawlerado the diesel is 60 cents per gallon more than regular gas so starting out at a 15% deficit on the CBA

So lets start at gas motor averaging 20 mpg on highway with gas at 3.52 that gives you 17.6 cents per mile

A diesel assuming it gets in the jku 30 mpg at 4.12 per gallon comes to 13 cents per mile

Oil changes are also more costly so that would factor into the cba but lets leave that off for now

For me I need to compute cost differential of trading in what I have for the obvious premium a diesel wrangler will have and I would determine exactly how many miles a year I would need to drive the diesel for the fuel savings to pay for itself.

Canadian gas (ON prices): ~4.255 (CND) per gallon. ~21.2 cents per mile.
Canadian diesel (ON prices): ~ 4.44 (CND) per gallon. ~14.8 cents per mile

Premium cost of a diesel? 5k? 4k? I split the difference and used $4500. At 6.5 cents difference, you'd have to go 70,000 miles (or 110,000 km) before you'd start seeing a difference (assuming my math is correct). If you want to factor in oil changes, say you double it. That's still 140k miles or 220k kms. I typically average 20-25k kms per year. That would take me 9-10 years to see a difference. All while enjoying more torque, and an extended range.

Honestly the ONLY downside to owning a diesel for me would be the winters up here. And even that's not that big of an issue.

 

[Jorsn]

I would imagine they would pair the new diesel engine/8-speed automatic up to a new transfercase. Should definitely help with improve efficiency.

 

[PirateJohn]

Canadian gas (ON prices): ~4.255 (CND) per gallon. ~21.2 cents per mile.
Canadian diesel (ON prices): ~ 4.44 (CND) per gallon. ~14.8 cents per mile

Premium cost of a diesel? 5k? 4k? I split the difference and used $4500. At 6.5 cents difference, you'd have to go 70,000 miles (or 110,000 km) before you'd start seeing a difference (assuming my math is correct). If you want to factor in oil changes, say you double it. That's still 140k miles or 220k kms. I typically average 20-25k kms per year. That would take me 9-10 years to see a difference. All while enjoying more torque, and an extended range.

Honestly the ONLY downside to owning a diesel for me would be the winters up here. And even that's not that big of an issue.

The last time that I checked diesel in the border areas of Mexico was about $1/gallon cheaper than in the USA.