total cost of ownership
"I didn't read the article but does it mention the higher cost to purchase a diesel?"
The web link is to a page provided by the Department of Energy, listing weekly average fuel prices by region, and for the USA as a whole. It doesn't talk about total cost of ownership issues, just fuel prices.
Thinking about total cost of ownership, in USA there's usually some price premium for a diesel engine. Not so in Europe, where diesel engines are often (not always) priced similar to gas engines with comparable output. Maybe it's a tax code thing?
The price premium you pay for a diesel varies a lot. In the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the premium is about $1600. For a 2006 VW Jetta TDI, the premium was about $2000. In the pickup truck market, it's $5000 to $7000.
It's worth remembering that you get some or all of that premium back when you sell the car. According to Kelly Blue Book, the 2006 Jetta TDI is actually worth up to $8,000 more at trade-in time than comparably equipped Jetta models witth the 2.5L or 2.0L turbo gas engines.
For total cost of ownership calculations, include the cost of service. The diesel engines usually need oil changes more frequently, and it usually take more quarts of oil to fill the crankcase. Otherwise, the maintenance is about the same up to 100,000 miles. At this point the modern gasoline engines need a more expensive service than their diesel counterparts.
Beyond 100,000 miles, the diesel starts to pull ahead. Diesel fuel is less corrosive and lubricates better than gasoline, so internal engine parts last longer.
Where I live, annual emissions inspections are more expensive for diesels than cars with gas engines. But you might get fewer speeding tickets in your diesel!
Chip Haven
