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3.0L diesel for short trips around town mostly?

TroyBoy

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Is it wise to purchase the diesel if 98% of my driving is 2km a day into town? I like the idea of something that can pull my boat better on the weekend but even 90% of that would be for a few blocks to the marina. It's only 2 or 3 times a year I go over a mountain pass pulling a boat and that sucks with my 3.8l auto right now.
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offcamber

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It would be a waste of money to buy the diesel for that. On short drives/in town the diesel gets about 23mpg or so. Not really much better than the Pentecrap. Now for long trips, we get 33-35mpg. Considering you are going to pay about $5K more for the diesel, it woiuldnt make sense in your scenario.
 
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TroyBoy

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It would be a waste of money to buy the diesel for that. On short drives/in town the diesel gets about 23mpg or so. Not really much better than the Pentecrap. Now for long trips, we get 33-35mpg. Considering you are going to pay about $5K more for the diesel, it woiuldnt make sense in your scenario.
Since I never go anywhere I don't really care about the mpg. I do get really pissed off at hill climbing while pulling a boat.
I've never driven a diesel before so I don't know what the experience is like. I do like how I can just turn the key and go with my gas engine. Is the diesel the same? And how noisy are these things at idle say if I am going through a drive through?

I'm leaning towards the pentastar.
 

offcamber

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It has a lot of grunt at low RPMs. From the factory, its quick from 0-30 or so, then lags a bit to 60. Our 2014 Grand Cherokee has a GDE tune on it. It changes it completely. It does 0-60 in about 6.2 secs and has tons of power. It's not as loud as the trucks, but it's a bit louder than the Pentecrap. I've never had anyone at a drive thru complain that they couldnt hear me.
 

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It would be a waste of money to buy the diesel for that. On short drives/in town the diesel gets about 23mpg or so. Not really much better than the Pentecrap. Now for long trips, we get 33-35mpg. Considering you are going to pay about $5K more for the diesel, it woiuldnt make sense in your scenario.
33-35 mpg is a Wrangler is going to be done in la la Land only.
 

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The Great Grape Ape

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This article from the Globe should help, and addresses the additional issues of short trips for diesels, even just the time to warm up in winter for a chilly Canuck;

https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/culture/commuting/need-a-short-haul-grocery-getter-dont-pick-diesel/article4099688/

For hauling it depends on the weight of the trailer, but if you’re doing it with the 3.8L now, even if not impressed by it, then the updated 3.6L Pentastar will be fine especially with the improved transmission and better power band than your 2008.

However, something to take note of will be the axle ratio. What do you currently have in your 2008?

If there is no upgrade option for the Sport & Sahara, even with a Tow Package, as the previously released option grid suggests, then the 3.45 gearing now offered will make it a bit more sluggish than the 3.73 previously offered let alone the 4.10, both of which now appear limited to the Rubicon for the Gasoline option.

The diesel gets the 3.73 option for the the Sport and Sahara, but again, that’s a huge premium and extra maintenance just to upgrade the axles, which can be done for about 1/10th of the price on their own.

IMO, spend the money on upgrading the axles instead of the diesel.
 
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TroyBoy

TroyBoy

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This article from the Globe should help, and addresses the additional issues of short trips for diesels, even just the time to warm up in winter for a chilly Canuck;

https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/culture/commuting/need-a-short-haul-grocery-getter-dont-pick-diesel/article4099688/

For hauling it depends on the weight of the trailer, but if you’re doing it with the 3.8L now, even if not impressed by it, then the updated 3.6L Pentastar will be fine especially with the improved transmission and better power band than your 2008.

However, something to take note of will be the axle ratio. What do you currently have in your 2008?

If there is no upgrade option for the Sport & Sahara, even with a Tow Package, as the previously released option grid suggests, then the 3.45 gearing now offered will make it a bit more sluggish than the 3.73 previously offered let alone the 4.10, both of which now appear limited to the Rubicon for the Gasoline option.

The diesel gets the 3.73 option for the the Sport and Sahara, but again, that’s a huge premium and extra maintenance just to upgrade the axles, which can be done for about 1/10th of the price on their own.

IMO, spend the money on upgrading the axles instead of the diesel.
I'm running 4.56 with 33" tires right now. My new rubicon will be running 35s and I will re-gear if I need to. I guess I'll just have to wait and try the pentastar with the 8speed. I think you are right and it will be fine. It would suck though if I see the diesel later and I like it more. Lol.
 

WXman

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Does the EcoDiesel in the Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 have to go through a regeneration cycle with every tank of fuel? I know that the "Duramax" I-4 diesel in the new Chevy Colorado does. The owners manual says that a regen. cycle will occur with each tank of fuel, and the cycle can take 20 minutes or more. The vehicle must be driven while the cycle is occurring.

The reason this is a big deal is because if you take short trips around town only, you'll never be able to finish a regen. cycle when they occur. Seems like a potential headache.
 

digitalbliss

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Does the EcoDiesel in the Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 have to go through a regeneration cycle with every tank of fuel? I know that the "Duramax" I-4 diesel in the new Chevy Colorado does. The owners manual says that a regen. cycle will occur with each tank of fuel, and the cycle can take 20 minutes or more. The vehicle must be driven while the cycle is occurring.

The reason this is a big deal is because if you take short trips around town only, you'll never be able to finish a regen. cycle when they occur. Seems like a potential headache.
I asked a similar question in another thread and never got an answer. I'm looking forward to some real world data on this.
 

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In your situation I'd say the diesel isn't worth it. A 3.6l+8 speed auto will be a good improvement over a 3.8+4 speed.
 

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33-35 mpg is a Wrangler is going to be done in la la Land only.
Yep, lol. Probably more like 25-26. I believe on a flat road in Missouri going 55 you could probably get 35 mpg in a Grand Cherokee diesel, but there's no way you're getting that in a Wrangler. Sure, maybe 28-29 on a flat road, as described, but realistic for people will probably be 25-26. This is based on my experience with the Ram Ecodiesel, which is more aerodynamic than a Wrangler. Not really a fair comparison for a Grand Cherokee vs a Wrangler.

For me, the diesel is not worth it. I don't tow. If you tow, it's probably worth it. But not worth it for mpg...
 

The Great Grape Ape

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33-35 mpg is a Wrangler is going to be done in la la Land only.
Yep, lol. Probably more like 25-26.
Or.. in UK-land where their gallons are proper Gallons (ie bigger). :movember:

Current Pentastar JK get 30MPG over there right now, so 33 should be a snap. ;)

E75A1479-3899-4993-98E7-3B8706D64EB6.jpeg


Strangely enough this is from the Jeep.ca site, and realistically most of our measures of fluids are US fluid Oz and gallons, not Imperial.
 

robplumm

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Or.. in UK-land where their gallons are proper Gallons (ie bigger). :movember:

Current Pentastar JK get 30MPG over there right now, so 33 should be a snap. ;)

E75A1479-3899-4993-98E7-3B8706D64EB6.jpeg


Strangely enough this is from the Jeep.ca site, and realistically most of our measures of fluids are US fluid Oz and gallons, not Imperial.
That's nuts.

Haven't modded my Rubi...sees about 16mpg around town...about 18 on the hwy.

Even with an imp gallon, can't imagine those figures would be reachable.
 

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33-35 mpg is a Wrangler is going to be done in la la Land only.
Yea I doubt it would happen but Offcamber said his Grand was getting that with a TUNE. A tune on a diesel can help MPGs.
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