What the local Jeep dealer told me about diesels JKs

[srileo]

All,
forum n00b here. I have a TJ and have been itching to upgrade to the JKU. Like all of you, i am waiting on a diesel as well. Because i live in San Francisco, CA, i dropped by the local dealership to have my first look at the inside of the JKU. Loved it. Chatting with salesguy, i brought up the diesel question and his take was simple. "not going to happen anytime soon". Pressing him about the GC having a diesel and releasing shortly, he was pretty sure that even if it release for the US, it will not meet CA emissions.
I left the dealership quite disappointed. After hearing about the new pentastar transmissions being ready to receive the VM motori diesel engine, i had my hopes high that it would happen as soon as 2013. Now, that seems unlikely.
Oh well..

 

[Saiyan66]

Welcome to the forum. I wouldn't get too disappointed just yet. Nobody knows less about the vehicles they sell or future models than the dealers. It really is astonishing some of the answers I have got out of those guys over the years. If the GC makes it here in a diesel, it will meet CA emissions as there are about 6-7 states now that have adopted our emissions standards.

 

[K2ZJ]

Just last night my dealership service manager told me that with the WK getting diesel for 13 and the demand for it in a JK it would probably be around the corner.

EDIT: For those who realize last night was Sunday, I live 3 doors down from him. :coffeedrink:

 

[deadbeat son]

Keep this in mind:

It's the salesman's job to talk you into buying a new Jeep NOW instead of waiting for a diesel to be introduced.

 

[life_w_vagabonds]

Diesel? probably next year. Mainly because I just bought a 2012 JKU, and that usually how it goes.

I was the guy that bought a beta, instead of a VCR

 

[Warn Industries]

Not sure if this would be an option for you, but Bruiser Conversions has a diesel conversion for Jeep JKs. I've seen them in action, and they're impressive.

http://www.bruiserconversions.com/

- Andy

 

[Rancho]

Diesel? probably next year. Mainly because I just bought a 2012 JKU, and that usually how it goes.

I was the guy that bought a beta, instead of a VCR

That is awesome!

 

[SSF556]

All light duty diesels built after 2010 meet CA emissions so the salesman is an idiot. Again just shows the ignorance the general public has on anything diesel. CA used to stand alone, but EPA10 emissions took care of all states.

 

[jgolden]

I recently read an article and it quoted the man in charge of Jeep North America commentting on the demand for a Diesel JK here in the states. I think the article was a little dated (around 2011) but it leads me to believe that the diesel JK is coming.....
I'll look for the article and post it.
There is hope!!!!!

 

[Dan Grec]

Diesels in current year jeeps (or any other small vehicle), SO WHAT???

If you were to buy one... You are going to be paying a premium for the motor, for the fuel... with a slightly better MPG, BUT not able to go south of the border without expensive damage to the emission control system because of the high sulfur fuel (Mexican diesel is fricken incredibly good!).
FACE IT! High performance diesels are a luxury of the past! You might as well just stick to gasoline, suffer SLIGHTLY worse MPG, be able to travel into Mexico...And take the $$$ you didn't spend on buying a diesel motor and putting into travel money!

It's worth noting we're talking about double the mileage.
The gasoline savings from one trip down to Mexico and back for me will pay for the DPF delete 5 times over.

-Dan

 

[Dan Grec]

Really? That seems a bit far fetched to me. I can imagine 40 to 50% better milage... but 100%????

The 2.8 CRD in Australia, 4-door sport standard is rated at combined 8.4L/100km which is 27.5 MPG (USA)

The 3.6 Pentastar in Australia, 4-ddor sport standard is rated at combined 11.4L/100km which is 19.4MPG (USA)

The 3.8 was rated at something like 16 or 17MPG combined.

If they use the new VM/Motori 3.0 in the Wrangler, it's numbers will be even better.
(It's rated at 34MPG USA in the Grand Cherokee)

-Dan

EDIT: Updated with more accurate conversion (1GalUS=3.7854L and 100km=62.137mi)

 

[upcruiser]

I am thinking the diesel could happen after 2015 when US and Euro diesel emissions merge but honestly, with the new V6 I hear that JK Rubicon Unlimited owners are getting 23mpg on the highway stock. My friend Doug at Expo was telling me his AEV lifted JKU on 35's gets over 20. I think people might rethink the extra purchase cost of the diesel since the gas engines have been improving so much. Say23 versus 27mpg for a diesel, I would be hard pressed to see the value in the extra initial purchase price. Talking with some friends who work with Chrysler, I think 27mpg is a bit of a stretch with the current diesels. That said, who knows, maybe the next gen of motors will be more efficient since they will be designed with emissions in mind from the offset. Kind of like the improvement in the new gen Powerstroke engines from Ford.

 

[coguzzi]

its not exactly right to look at it as just a selfish personal cost equation

to me, it goes beyond purchase price and cost savings in mpg, its in environmental, political reasons and fuel that can be made with waste product, and if your ambitious enough--in your garage (i am not ambitious enough). i do have a buddy who makes 55 gallons at a time of biodiesel from waste canola oil for $.47 a gallon and burns it in modern everything VW's and mercedes. reliance on foreign fuel becomes negotiable and bio-diesel (petro diesel for that matter) emissions are arguably cleaner than gasoline (alot of data out there). one reason i own a 4x4 diesel econoline. diesel over hybrid as the answer anyday in my book

putting on my flame suit now--ha

 

[Beowulf]

I've mentioned it before, but for me the cost of fuel and the upcharge of the engine are not even a consideration. It is all about the increased range that I am interested in.

 

[Jorsn]

Chrysler will definitely add a diesel to the US Jeep market sooner or later. They have to in order to meet those ridiculous MPG numbers by 2025 or whatever year it is.

The 2.8l is kind of old, I think we'll see the 3.0L detuned w/ WA580 and an option for the 8 speed trans.

Plus the 3.0L VM Motori is made right here in America.