'13 Hemi to a '17 Eco thoughts?

Nice looking truck.
I calculated you would roughly save about $1,100 - $1,200 per year in fuel costs if you can average 25mpg in the New-Blue unit. That'll pay for insurance and some other goodies!

I'd like to know how well the heater works in the new Eco ...being diesel and all. Does it take a little longer to heat up? Pump out enough heat? Same as a gas?

Jimworld said:

I had a 2006 Ram with the 5.7 Hemi. I love the truck except for the gas mileage. In Oct. 2016 I bought a new 1500 Eco Diesel. I get between 20 and 22 MPG around town and going to back and forth to work. Longer trips, I have gotten up to 30 MPG but on average 25 MPG. There are some extra expenses. You will need to buy DEF about every 4000 miles and it cost $12.00 for 2 1/2 gals at Walmart (cheapest place I have found). The engine requires synthetic oil and 10 quarts of it. The oil filter is not easy to find and is expensive too. About $30.00. Altogether, the oil change was about $100 to do it myself. I called Dodge and they wanted $150.00. I know a fuel filter change is coming, but I have not had to change it yet. I have no regrets buying the truck and will probably buy another diesel when I get rid of this one in 2026

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DEF is cheap. I mentioned previously that my oil changes are free for life. Not worried about that at all!

I also had an 06. Terrible mileage. 16 on the highway at best. Nice truck though and I miss how big the front seat and general area was.

Jeepwalker said:

Nice looking truck.
I calculated you would roughly save about $1,100 - $1,200 per year in fuel costs if you can average 25mpg in the New-Blue unit. That'll pay for insurance and some other goodies!

I'd like to know how well the heater works in the new Eco ...being diesel and all. Does it take a little longer to heat up? Pump out enough heat? Same as a gas?

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I did notice that a bit. It’s not a big deal. I usually remote start it and let it run for 5 minutes before getting in. I have heat right around that time albeit it may not be a lot but it’s quick enough. When I turn the heat on after the truck cold starts I did notice the rpms jump up likely to heat up quicker. At first I thought the idle jumped because the defrost turned on which triggered the A/C pump but it was just floor heat and the A/C pump wasn’t kicking in. So.....it must be programmed that way.

Last summer I consistently got 19-21 on the hiway. Then winter came, and I swapped tires to an All Terrain with a much more aggressive tread...and, now we are on winter blend fuel and winter head winds on the hiway....I'm down to 15.5-16.9 most of the time....can't wait for summer.

zogg said:

Last summer I consistently got 19-21 on the hiway. Then winter came, and I swapped tires to an All Terrain with a much more aggressive tread...and, now we are on winter blend fuel and winter head winds on the hiway....I'm down to 15.5-16.9 most of the time....can't wait for summer.

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With which motor? The Eco or Hemi?

Diesel's run cooler than gas engines (more energy going into 'rotationan' energy than waste heat), also, due to the higher compression, the heads/blocks on most diesel engines are usually heavier duty (more mass to heat up), but I don't know a whole lot about the eco engine to say if it's a really heavy block. Probably not being a new design .....but, I'm guessing.

The missing variable is the difference in cost between gas and diesel. In the Midwest where I live it is running about .40-.50 cents higher for diesel. At 15k per year that adds up to a savings of about $300 per year for the eco. The upgrade cost to get the Eco is between 3-4K depending on the deal you get. That looks like a 10 year break even without any additional maintenance factored in. I also think diesel fuel cost has potential to get even higher where I am at- which made me choose the Hemi. I love the diesel and would have chosen it if there wasn’t that difference at the pump around here.

Jeepwalker said:

I'd like to know how well the heater works in the new Eco ...being diesel and all. Does it take a little longer to heat up? Pump out enough heat? Same as a gas?

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The EcoDiesel have supplemental PTC heaters in the HVAC system and using the winter front grill cover helps get the truck up to temp fairly quickly even for being a diesel. I would have to say it maybe only little longer than a gas V-8 to warm up but doesn't lack any heat in the cab.
If you use the block heater with a timer and have it come on about 3-4 hours before you leave, even in 0°F weather the truck's HVAC system will be blowing heat within 3-4 miles going down the road.

tempotantrum said:

The missing variable is the difference in cost between gas and diesel. In the Midwest where I live it is running about .40-.50 cents higher for diesel. At 15k per year that adds up to a savings of about $300 per year for the eco. The upgrade cost to get the Eco is between 3-4K depending on the deal you get. That looks like a 10 year break even without any additional maintenance factored in. I also think diesel fuel cost has potential to get even higher where I am at- which made me choose the Hemi. I love the diesel and would have chosen it if there wasn’t that difference at the pump around here.

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As a whole you are correct. However I've always used 89 octane or higher in my old Hemi which is the same or higher cost than diesel since it's what RAM recommends. Therefore the fuel is break even or in my favor. Furthermore, this Evo costed me the same amount as the Hemi would have. Whether I went with the Hemi or the Eco the bighorns were marked down to 35k. For the mileage I drive it's a no brainier.

Podcast said:

As a whole you are correct. However I've always used 89 octane or higher in my old Hemi which is the same or higher cost than diesel since it's what RAM recommends. Therefore the fuel is break even or in my favor. Furthermore, this Evo costed me the same amount as the Hemi would have. Whether I went with the Hemi or the Eco the bighorns were marked down to 35k. For the mileage I drive it's a no brainier.

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Where I am (Long Island NY) diesel is more expensive ($0.20+) than premium gas.

Diesel fuel typically is used to pass along the increase in taxes, since it mainly is used by truckers (and other commercial vehicles). If gas prices fluctuated like Diesel did, voters would be losing their minds...

I would get diesel in cars since the mpg almost doubles their gas equivalent. The only reason I would get one for a truck is for towing needs, since the mpg increase and added initial cost take so long to recoup.

Congrats !

JPT said:

Where I am (Long Island NY) diesel is more expensive ($0.20+) than premium gas.

Diesel fuel typically is used to pass along the increase in taxes, since it mainly is used by truckers (and other commercial vehicles). If gas prices fluctuated like Diesel did, voters would be losing their minds...

I would get diesel in cars since the mpg almost doubles their gas equivalent. The only reason I would get one for a truck is for towing needs, since the mpg increase and added initial cost take so long to recoup.

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That would make sense. Here 92 octane is $3.20 and diesel is $2.89. It's been like this for a couple years now here.

I have had other diesel vehicle that I liked but note the following issues -
1) up front cost is generally much more....You would have to keep the vehicle a long time and drive a lot of miles before you hit the break even point.
2) Fuel is generally more....so its nice that you get better mileage but the extra fuel price cuts into that savings.
3) Mantaince is expensive....not every shop can deal with a diesel. Oil changes are $$.
4) Fuel availiblity is OK but not as good as gas...Engines are very sensitive to fuel quality.
5) Cold weather starts and vehicle heat can be an issue....
6) Best mileage occurs on long steady driving trips.....on a short drive to the store the mileage is not that good.
7) Power...The torque is nice but the engines lack the long acceleration pull of the gas engine.
8) Diesel stinks...refilling seems to always get your hands dirty etc

The diesels certainly have a place but it is for people who drive a lot, like more than 20-25,000 miles a year just to break even. That’s pretty much the same whether it be the Ecodiesel, the Cummins, or even the VW TDIs.

And that’s the breakeven point if you buy a new one from scratch. If you are trading in a 1-3 year old truck to go to an Ecodiesel the payback is going to be even further money lost trading in a nearly new vehicle.

WOW what am I doing wrong? My 2013 Ram hemi regular cab only gets 10 to 11 miles per gallon around town in the winter and maybe, at best, 13mpg's in the summer. At my most recent fill up the info meter said 248 miles after I filled it up! Any suggestions?

fredwalters said:

WOW what am I doing wrong? My 2013 Ram hemi regular cab only gets 10 to 11 miles per gallon around town in the winter and maybe, at best, 13mpg's in the summer. At my most recent fill up the info meter said 248 miles after I filled it up! Any suggestions?

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I get about 14-15 with winter gas in Long Island NY commutes. Now I do drive opposite of traffic (I work East of where I live, which is away from Manhattan) so not too much bumper to bumper for me.

I have had other diesel vehicle that I liked but note the following issues -
1) up front cost is generally much more....You would have to keep the vehicle a long time and drive a lot of miles before you hit the break even point.
2) Fuel is generally more....so its nice that you get better mileage but the extra fuel price cuts into that savings.
3) Mantaince is expensive....not every shop can deal with a diesel. Oil changes are $$.
4) Fuel availiblity is OK but not as good as gas...Engines are very sensitive to fuel quality.
5) Cold weather starts and vehicle heat can be an issue....
6) Best mileage occurs on long steady driving trips.....on a short drive to the store the mileage is not that good.
7) Power...The torque is nice but the engines lack the long acceleration pull of the gas engine.
8) Diesel stinks...refilling seems to always get your hands dirty etc

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Yep, that's about right. If you keep them in your house garage, expect to let the diesel fumes/soot vent out a while. Cars like Jetta TDI's are pretty easy to maintain if you have good mechanical skills (and time) and don't mind getting her hands in there. One benefit of diesels is they usually last a ton of miles. My Jetta always averaged pretty much 40 mpg on the nose between tankfuls (hand calculated). As far as diesel cars, I think hybrids are becoming a better way to go. For a while there it was either the TDI or nothing if you wanted high fuel economy, now there are lots of cars (gas and hybrid) that can get close or better. Options for trucks too ...like the eco

I recently, like two weeks ago, traded in an absolutely fantastic 2014 4 WD, hemi powered, Longhorn Ram, on a 2017 4 WD Ecodiesel Laramie. I loved my garage kept Longhorn and it only had 29 K miles. I have two friends who own similar Ecodiesel trucks and both pull enclosed car trailers around the country. I don't have an enclosed trailer, but do have an open 18 foot aluminum trailer I haul a Focus ST to SCCA autocross events with. The deals were so good during the end of year sales I was able to trade out for well under 10 K, but did not realize the difference in convience and features between the Laramie and the Longhorn in terms of useful items to me.

I could manage 17 mpg local driving, and as much as 22 highway on my Longhorn hemi, but I no longer see how quickly I can get from one point to another, rather how much fuel mileage can I glean by soft pedaling with my right foot, but still drive 5 mph over the limit on open highways, not towing. I left DFW a week ago, not towing, with 500 miles on the odo, and headed to Hopkinsville, KY, about 800 miles, to instruct a corporate driving school. My first tank of diesel netted just under 24 mpg, and for the entire leg of the trip, I averaged just over 24 at 24.2. This included local driving in KY. I headed back to Dallas area following the one day instruction and averaged 26.8 on the first tank. By the time I got home, I had averaged 27.1... I think as the engine broke it, the mileage got better, but some of it was wind and terrain related as well. I not have 2300 miles on the truck, and while I like it, I miss the overall power and sound of the Longhorn hemi vs the Laramie Echodiesel. I will be towing my car for the first time in a couple of weekends and see how much difference there is in towing power and fuel mileage. Still missing the features my Longhorn had...Edit...this is my second diesel. I purchased a Chevy with Duramax back in 2004. Good truck, but pretty rough around the edges compared to this one...BTW, I don't get a heavy diesel odor when starting or stopping this truck...not much difference than gas model to me...

...BTW, I don't get a heavy diesel odor when starting or stopping this truck...not much difference than gas model to me...

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Good to know. Probably because of the soot-scrubber cat, being new, and better technology

Also outside tempature can affect cold start up smell/soot. I have had some -30 cold starts and there was black chunks coming out the tailpipe...left a dirty patch on the snow. As for your mileage I found that after breakin (about 5000 miles for me) there was a major bump up in mileage....probally around 150 miles per tank onthe highway. This was on a VW TDI.