Wife's new Cruze 2.0 TD

tripleturbo

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Feb 27, 2013
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Baltimore, MD
I'm paying close to 4.50/ gal for diesel, i can't see the justification for buying diesel over the gas. Maybe one of you guys can break down the numbers for me

See same here, with the diesel being so much more expensive, almost 60 cents a gallon more than gas, I don't see how the cruze diesel is a better purchase than the gas version. Does it get that much better millage to counter the higher cost of diesel? With the initial cost of any diesel with any brand being higher than the gas equivalent, it's hard for me to justify it with the fuel prices being so different. Now if it was a car they offer in Europe like the twin turbo jaguar that topgear tested that did 900 miles to the tank I could see it being worth it lol
 

DBUSHLB7

Team DMAX
Mar 9, 2012
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See same here, with the diesel being so much more expensive, almost 60 cents a gallon more than gas, I don't see how the cruze diesel is a better purchase than the gas version. Does it get that much better millage to counter the higher cost of diesel? With the initial cost of any diesel with any brand being higher than the gas equivalent, it's hard for me to justify it with the fuel prices being so different. Now if it was a car they offer in Europe like the twin turbo jaguar that topgear tested that did 900 miles to the tank I could see it being worth it lol

MPGs are much better in the diesel version. I priced out the sportier turbo gas version (RS) and it was 2k dollars cheaper. Every breakdown we did the Diesel option beat the gas version. In some categories it was close but the MPG difference did offset the cost difference in fuel type. GM is the one who shows the cost of ownership breakdown...
 

tripleturbo

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Feb 27, 2013
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Baltimore, MD
MPGs are much better in the diesel version. I priced out the sportier turbo gas version (RS) and it was 2k dollars cheaper. Every breakdown we did the Diesel option beat the gas version. In some categories it was close but the MPG difference did offset the cost difference in fuel type. GM is the one who shows the cost of ownership breakdown...

Thanks for the response, it just seemed like every diesel car wasnt a whole lot more efficient than the gas versions. I would like to get one of these if they prove theh are great cars. It seems like they are coming along nicley though.
 

motoking_1990

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May 9, 2011
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Either way you look at it. You can't just look at the mpg it is most definatly faster and more torque than the gasser. I have drove both and if I would buy the gasser I wouldn't have considered the cruze would've just bought a geo metro or something. The gas cruzes are very doggy IMHO. I mean why did we buy a diesel truck? We wanted the torque and acceleration correct? Some goes with this.


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durallymax

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Apr 26, 2008
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I'm paying close to 4.50/ gal for diesel, i can't see the justification for buying diesel over the gas. Maybe one of you guys can break down the numbers for me

There isn't one, you buy the diesel because you want the diesel. With the diesel price of fuel it offsets the economy UNLESS you spend a lot of time on the highway. If you want economy in stop and go, get a hybrid thats where they shine.

The numbers breakdown like this.

Average fuel economy based on Fuelly

Cruze Diesel (2014):38mpg
Jetta TDI (09-14 ave):38mpg
Cruze Gas (11-14ave):32mpg
Jetta Gas (11-14ave):35mpg

My local Fuel today

Diesel: $3.99
87 Gas:$3.55


Fuel costs after 100,000 miles of driving with above numbers.

Diesels:$10,500
Cruze Gas:$10,940
Jetta Gas:$10,150

As you can see the costs are negligible especially since both get a good 2-3k more for the diesel option to begin with. Under average conditions it will not pay for itself over the lifetime until fuel prices change which i doubt they will. If you sit on the highway all day it can. My wife routinely got 42-45mpg with here TDI before I gave her too much power, winter fuel also came at the same time and she dropped to 38mpg. When I would fill it up at the farm she would go back to 40-41 due to us not having as much or any #1 blended. However on the highway a gas is going to also do better and keep the gap close.


If you need to justify it, don't buy it. If you want it, buy it and quit worrying about justifying everything in life. How much money does a cheeseburger make you versus a salad? probably none but it tastes good so you eat it.

Holy hell I didn't know they made Duramax's motors so small. That's pretty neat. How come people don't drop them in other vehicles?

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Duramax is the name of an Engine line, like Vortec. Doesn't mean a whole lot, the little ones are not built by DMax LTd.

Why don't people put them in other vehicles? Because where these engines are sold the peoples others vehicles already have diesels or diesel options so theres no point.

It'll be a GM version from VM Motori. GM owns half the company, might as well get something out of it:)

No they do not they sold the rest to Fiat last fall.

The new 2.5 and 2.8 engines are supposedly different from the VM Motori version and are built in Thailand. They are modular motors with the same block and head.
 

MACKIN

Smell My Finger...
Aug 14, 2006
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How about maintenance gas verses diesel plus the "pee" ? I understand GM pays the first year but after?

You are lucky when it comes to fuel pricing in your area here it's a bigger gap! Much bigger gap! If I recall .60 cents and GREATER per gallon.

Based on your figures gas and diesel per gallon and doing it yearly not 100k it isn't worth it IMO. At 15000 miles per year you will spend $1572 on diesel and $1664 on petrol. Difference of $100 bucks per YEAR roughly. Now if the diesel option is $2000 more on the up front purchase and figuring you will keep the vehicle for 5 years that puts back $400 dollars per year in owner costs! Not to mention maintenance.

I just don't see it . Plus your hands get smelly when you fuel up from some truck driver! :D
 

matt78

Finally boosted launches
Sep 10, 2012
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Depends in my opinion what you have been driving. My wife went from a gmc terrain v6 that got 24-26 mpg, she drives 85 miles a day 5 days a week. Now she gets combined 42 mpg. Now if she would have already had a small car that got 30 plus probably wouldn't make sense to buy a diesel. Also, we drove a cruze gas as well, the diesel rides better. Better front end to handle the weight, if thats worth looking at.
 

durallymax

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Apr 26, 2008
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How about maintenance gas verses diesel plus the "pee" ? I understand GM pays the first year but after?

You are lucky when it comes to fuel pricing in your area here it's a bigger gap! Much bigger gap! If I recall .60 cents and GREATER per gallon.

Based on your figures gas and diesel per gallon and doing it yearly not 100k it isn't worth it IMO. At 15000 miles per year you will spend $1572 on diesel and $1664 on petrol. Difference of $100 bucks per YEAR roughly. Now if the diesel option is $2000 more on the up front purchase and figuring you will keep the vehicle for 5 years that puts back $400 dollars per year in owner costs! Not to mention maintenance.

I just don't see it . Plus your hands get smelly when you fuel up from some truck driver! :D

DEF costs will be really low. In almost 100k on our 2011 LML we've spent less than $200. Wal mart price would be around $500 though id guess. I don't know how much DEF the Cruze is using but I would think you would spend less than $300 in 100k.

Oil changes are a wash as is the rest of the service items.

The killer for diesels is always the fuel filter. Gas engines simply don't use one other than their cheap line strainer that you replace maybe once in 100k.

I just looked up the Cruze diesel filter kit. I can't find it cheaper than $80 through GM. And guys complain about spending $40 on a Racor for their Duramax. I pay around $20 for TDI fuel filters. I use MANN filters on our German stuff.

I also don't care for the service layout of the cruze. I like that they use cartridge filters like the TDI but half of the reason I love these on the TDI's is because they are all up top and changed from the top. I have a car lift but this is especially nice for those who don't. The Cruze had the fuel and oil under the car.

It does sound like the Cruze will have a long Fuel filter interval which will help. I change TDI's every oil change which is between 10-15k.

15k miles a year isn't much or is that what they have figured as the average a person drives now? My wife's had her TDI for 9 months to the day and has put 25k on it. She has a long commute and works two jobs so for her the savings are there. The savings are really good if I fill it up at the farm with our road fuel which is nearly $0.20 cheaper than the pump and better fuel too. Could save another $0.50 if I dumped off road In it but I am a law abiding citizen.


The diesel pumps at gas stations suck. I don't know a trucker who doesn't carry gloves for Fueling. Probably best to do the same with your car. Many gas stations have the diesel gloves anyways though.

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Bobo

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Aug 27, 2006
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We have 4,500 miles on our Cruze now. I like it a lot, but my wife drives it most of the time.
 

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JoshH

Daggum farm truck
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Feb 14, 2007
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How about maintenance gas verses diesel plus the "pee" ? I understand GM pays the first year but after?

You are lucky when it comes to fuel pricing in your area here it's a bigger gap! Much bigger gap! If I recall .60 cents and GREATER per gallon.

Based on your figures gas and diesel per gallon and doing it yearly not 100k it isn't worth it IMO. At 15000 miles per year you will spend $1572 on diesel and $1664 on petrol. Difference of $100 bucks per YEAR roughly. Now if the diesel option is $2000 more on the up front purchase and figuring you will keep the vehicle for 5 years that puts back $400 dollars per year in owner costs! Not to mention maintenance.

I just don't see it . Plus your hands get smelly when you fuel up from some truck driver! :D

You have to consider resale value also. Most diesels hold value better than a comparable gasser, especially as miles get higher. I'm not sure if it's the same on cars, but it is on pickups.
 

DBUSHLB7

Team DMAX
Mar 9, 2012
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Oil changes are more frequent on the gas engine? As they use the same oil, the diesel version wins this category. The average American puts 15k on their vehicle a year and GM covers oil changes the first two years so basically 30k miles. The Diesel engine will last longer and use less oil to do it. Am I looking at this stat incorrectly?
 

SmokinHotLLYGirl

Smoked Out's wife
Jun 14, 2011
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4ybe3era.jpg
 

durallymax

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You have to consider resale value also. Most diesels hold value better than a comparable gasser, especially as miles get higher. I'm not sure if it's the same on cars, but it is on pickups.

If you look at VW's the Diesel's get 2-4k more usually for the same car especially if it has a manual. Right now in my area you still cannot buy an MKIV or newer straight body, clean, manual TDI for much under 6k even if it has 250k on it.

Oil changes are more frequent on the gas engine? As they use the same oil, the diesel version wins this category. The average American puts 15k on their vehicle a year and GM covers oil changes the first two years so basically 30k miles. The Diesel engine will last longer and use less oil to do it. Am I looking at this stat incorrectly?

I think the difference is a couple thousand miles. Lets say 5,000 for gas and 7,500 for diesel. At the so called 15k "average" thats one more oil change per year. I don't know what the Cruze capacities are but lets say they are like every other little car and take 5 quarts. Looking at Dexos 2 oils I see $6/quart and filter is about $10. So $40 to change oil with no labor. $40 per year doesn't add up too fast, but it is money I guess. You would think they could get more than 5k for intervals though my god, just showing how far behind they must be.

Will the diesel last long? Will the Cruze last long? Detroit does not have a reputation for consistently producing 200k+ cars like VW and the Japanese do. In the TDI world the TDI lasts longer, but the gassers dont have issues making it to 200k so its kind of a small point to make, not a ton of people that run them to 300k or more.