Why is Diesel Fuel so Much More Expensive?

[E365]

Originally Posted By: jayg
Originally Posted By: E365


I tow small trailers and the TDI only gains you about 75 lbs extra unbraked towing capacity. 1,400 lbs vs 1,475 lbs. (635 vs 670 kg.)


That TDI torque will FEEL so much better towing that trailer than the 1.0 ecoboost though. That said, my 2012 CR TDI was lemon lawed for egr failing,dpf failing, trunk leaks etc etc all at 18k miles. Great car when it worked which, in my case, wasn't often at 100%.



Very true. Although, I figure the 1.0 Focus (148 lb-ft @ 1400 RPM) will still tow better than my BMW. That's 138 HP and 138 LB-FT, but you have to rev the he!! out of it to get those numbers. I'm guessing peak torque in the BMW is @ 4,000+ RPM. Even then, towing 1,500 lbs. with the BMW is a breeze. Only have to downshift to 4th on the very steepest highway hills. I'm thinking the 1.0 Ecoboost will easily tow what I need to.

That new Golf is a REALLY nice car though! The interior is basically newish BMW levels of quality. Way nicer than my 1996 BMW. I'm looking forward to seeing the updated 2015 Focus interior in person.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: E365

I tow small trailers and the TDI only gains you about 75 lbs extra unbraked towing capacity. 1,400 lbs vs 1,475 lbs. (635 vs 670 kg.)


I wouldn't look at the numbers for towing capacity. The TDI could tow much more than that but it isn't a towing chassis and the car itself wouldn't hold up to heavy towing. You'll have to drive a new TDI first before you make a decision though. I've driven a 2013 TDI Beetle quite a bit, what a blast! It has gobs of torque, and it doesn't take much pedal to get you hauling a$$! It'll blow the doors off of a lot of cars out there. I'd rather pull a trailer with one at 2,000-2,300 RPMs up hill than at 6,000 RPMs.

 

[Trajan]

http://www.nacsonline.com/YourBusiness/F...n-Gasoline.aspx

https://blog.gasbuddy.com/posts/Why-diesel-costs-more/1715-485481-832.aspx

 

[dlundblad]

This is why I am giving up on diesels here. Are they cool? Yes.

When gasser cars can get 40+ MPG and not have the German engineering expenses, they just don't seem worth it to me.

 

[splinter]

http://www.eia.doe.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/

Upside is it's currently dropping.

Downside is the "oil men" in the current administration haven't been able to lower consumers' energy expenses.

 

[Newreet]

Rather than compare the cost of diesel per gallon to the cost of gasoline per gallon, compare the fuel cost to drive 100 miles.

[(Cost per gallon / miles per gallon) * 100 miles] = cost to drive 100 miles.

Using GasBuddy.com for the Phoenix, AZ area and limiting ourselves to the Top Tier brands, today we find the least expensive low octane gasoline price is $2.47 per gallon and the least expensive diesel price is $3.25 per gallon.

Diesel at $3.25 per gallon and a diesel car averaging 45 miles per gallon works out to $7.22 to drive 100 miles.

Low octane gasoline at $2.47 per gallon and a gasoline car averaging 32 miles per gallon works out to $7.72 to drive 100 miles.

So in this example although diesel costs more than gasoline, it is less expensive to drive a car a given distance compared to driving a gasoline car the same distance.

A difference 50 cents to drive 100 miles is not a lot. How about $5 to drive 1,000 miles? $50 to drive 10,000 miles? $100 to drive 20,000 miles? If we drive 20,000 miles annually then in this exampple over 10 years we'd save $1,000 with the significantly more efficient car burning slightly more expensive fuel.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: Newreet
Rather than compare the cost of diesel per gallon to the cost of gasoline per gallon, compare the fuel cost to drive 100 miles.

[(Cost per gallon / miles per gallon) * 100 miles] = cost to drive 100 miles.

Using GasBuddy.com for the Phoenix, AZ area and limiting ourselves to the Top Tier brands, today we find the least expensive low octane gasoline price is $2.47 per gallon and the least expensive diesel price is $3.25 per gallon.

Diesel at $3.25 per gallon and a diesel car averaging 45 miles per gallon works out to $7.22 to drive 100 miles.

Low octane gasoline at $2.47 per gallon and a gasoline car averaging 32 miles per gallon works out to $7.72 to drive 100 miles.

So in this example although diesel costs more than gasoline, it is less expensive to drive a car a given distance compared to driving a gasoline car the same distance.

A difference 50 cents to drive 100 miles is not a lot. How about $5 to drive 1,000 miles? $50 to drive 10,000 miles? $100 to drive 20,000 miles? If we drive 20,000 miles annually then in this exampple over 10 years we'd save $1,000 with the significantly more efficient car burning slightly more expensive fuel.



That saved $50 can go towards the TDI oil change.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: Newreet
Rather than compare the cost of diesel per gallon to the cost of gasoline per gallon, compare the fuel cost to drive 100 miles.

[(Cost per gallon / miles per gallon) * 100 miles] = cost to drive 100 miles.

Using GasBuddy.com for the Phoenix, AZ area and limiting ourselves to the Top Tier brands, today we find the least expensive low octane gasoline price is $2.47 per gallon and the least expensive diesel price is $3.25 per gallon.

Diesel at $3.25 per gallon and a diesel car averaging 45 miles per gallon works out to $7.22 to drive 100 miles.

Low octane gasoline at $2.47 per gallon and a gasoline car averaging 32 miles per gallon works out to $7.72 to drive 100 miles.

So in this example although diesel costs more than gasoline, it is less expensive to drive a car a given distance compared to driving a gasoline car the same distance.

A difference 50 cents to drive 100 miles is not a lot. How about $5 to drive 1,000 miles? $50 to drive 10,000 miles? $100 to drive 20,000 miles? If we drive 20,000 miles annually then in this exampple over 10 years we'd save $1,000 with the significantly more efficient car burning slightly more expensive fuel.



You've failed to factor in the added initial expense of a diesel engine. If the diesel has an initial up front cost of $2,000 (conservative estimate), using your numbers it would take 20 years before an owner actually enjoyed any savings.

 

[MNgopher]

Right now in the Minneapolis area, Diesel is running about 3.90 (least expensive per gas buddy is 3.59) a gallon. Gasoline is running 2.70 (least expensive is 2.51) a gallon. Yes, diesel is averaging 1.20 a gallon more right now, and that spread has been going on for a few weeks. Diesel was generally over 4.00 a gallon two weeks ago or so due to a local refiner not being able to meet their contracted demand for jet fuel and diesel. Makes it very hard to justify running a diesel on fuel cost savings right now.

Some of it is the ULSD, some of it is inelastic demand (customers are less price sensitive), and early cold hasn't helped here as more expensive additives and or cutting No. 2 with No. 1 (which is more expensive) has to be done to deal with cold weather problems. On top of that, heating oil is also needed to deal with the cold)