I don't see the point of a half ton oil burner honestly. Not unless it's a means to shift the whole fleet eventually. Still a 1500 with the same limitations, which are not limitations imposed by their current power levels with gas options. It is limitation of frame/suspension/driveline and most importantly what the market believes.
I always like diesel, have had a few VW TDI's which were fantaastic. But with a 1/2 ton, priced out with a diesel, you're bordering on HD territory in price. I know I would never short change myself for a few grand by limiting the capacities of my truck and getting a 1500 to save 1500 haha. I am also crazy.
The Ecodiesel in ram is not an engine I would choose, nor is a ram. They tend to rust pretty severely here in the NE. The 3.0 came out in the Jeep first. One of my customers had a Toaureg TDI with 3.0 and a Jeep Eco with 3.0. The Jeep had bookoo problems especially with winter driving. The touaregs were always pretty fantastic albeit expensive to maintain.
But if we compare capacities, cost to own, diesel quirks which don;t suit the average car owner and base price, the diesel doesn't make much sense unless its a trophy truck they make a few of, or the beginning of the market switch from big V8 gassers to small displacement diesels.
WIth the VW emissiosn stuff going on, I am surprised to hear other companies bringing their diesels to the states this soon. Perhaps its the old no press is bad press thing. Either way it is a good thing, but it doesn't make sense unless it's a niche option orfull scale implementation
