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Help me decide. Diesel or HEMI

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7K views 45 replies 17 participants last post by  Qmulus 
#1 ·
I have done countless hours of research, and just when I think I have made my decision, I find something to sway me.

I am coming from a 2011 JGC Overland with HEMI and loved it. I will say the transmission left something to be desired, but from what I have read, the new 8-speed is a dream (with HEMI or Diesel).

I am not really basing my decision on economy, but it doesn't hurt.

I am also not really basing my decision on upfront cost, but again, it doesn't hurt.

What I am mostly interested in, is day-to-day experience. The HEMI had plenty of power and never left me disappointed. How does the Diesel stack up? I have read "Hemi for passing, Diesel for towing".

I have never owned a diesel powered vehicle, but know that they can be tuned for some serious power. My buddy had a Ram 2500 Cummins, and with a little tuning, was putting out some impressive numbers. I have not seen anything concrete for the ECO Diesel though.

I do not plan to do much towing, and if I do, it would be light duty and not often.

Am I missing anything? Please let me know your thoughts. I am looking to buy within a week.

Thanks in advance!
 
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#3 · (Edited)
#5 ·
What is your normal daily drive? That is distance and style.
If it i short start/stop then ignore the CRD, if it is a longer smoother run, then consider it.

A couple of the CRD tuning threads - http://www.jeepgarage.org/f222/tuning-your-ecodiesel-72719.html

http://www.jeepgarage.org/f157/anyone-tuned-a-crd-yet-42109.html

Love my CRD.
My commute to work is about 15 one way. On the weekend however, I might be inclined to take a 100 mile camping trip.

Mostly though,, it will be a daily driver.
 
#4 · (Edited)
For me, I wanted the Hemi power, but couldn't stomach the MPGs, so I went diesel. Next best thing. Feels quick, but is not as quick as either of the other two engines in a drag race, but effortless hill climbing compared to the gasser 6. Tuning? Maybe, the Bluespark is good, and better options are coming.

Honestly, if you I didn't care about MPGs, I'd get the Hemi. I didn't even bother test driving the Hemi. I knew I'd like it too much.

Snuke's right though, you really need to try them both before finalizing where to out your $50K. :)
 
#6 ·
Doesn't the Diesel cost about double to buy vs HEMI? The flip side the resell value will be there with the Diesel vs the HEMI.

Aren't Diesel's a bit or quite a bit more to maintain? I know in the heavy duty trucks there is a lot more cost to maintaining them, not sure on these EcoDiesels.

I would think you would have to do a lot of driving to make it worth while. I also heard that they are a bit "flat" in the 40 to 70mph range...

I also thought about a new limited diesel before i ended up with my 2011 Summit with the HEMI. I was 55/45 HEMI vs Diesel, so much to love with each...

Maybe a HEMI EcoDiesel is in the future...lol
 
#10 ·
Aren't Diesel's a bit or quite a bit more to maintain? I know in the heavy duty trucks there is a lot more cost to maintaining them, not sure on these EcoDiesels.
Yes they cost more to service. The dealer should be able to provide the schedule service costs for both to compare.

I would think you would have to do a lot of driving to make it worth while. I also heard that they are a bit "flat" in the 40 to 70mph range...
Depends on what you consider worthwhile. If you're considering the CRD from a purely economic choice, then it's a relatively easy calculation, once you have average fuel and service costs.
We didn't it look at it from an economics standpoint. We tow horses, so it was a no brainer over the 3.6 and V8. However it also has quite the different driving experience and we both preferred it over the 3.6. We never considered the Hemi. The mountain of torque is very addictive.

As for "flat" spot, no, not even close. It is still well within it's peak torque at that speed. It accelerates in that range as easy as it does from a stand still. You build speed so easily you don't even realise it because the engine doesn't rev up like a petrol.
There is a slight learning curve as to how to apply the throttle to negate turbo lag. I no longer bother turning off the ECO mode or putting it into Sport mode as I know how to get it going quickly without any surging.
 
#7 · (Edited)
i have been debating this for a while now. really tried to talk myself into a diesel but just could not justify it.

the VM 3.0 is a fantastic engine, no one can deny that. but the emissions stuff that Jeep has to put on to meet requirements by epa are expensive and crippling for the engine. price difference is minimal between engines, so you will be saving money on gas. the problem is that when the mechanical parts wear out in the turbocharger, cat, DPF, they will be super expensive. this is not a huge deal if you have the unlimited warranty. however, you cant just go down to your local parts store and pick up the parts in stock. not to mention the $150 oil changes.

bottom line (in my opinion), if you drive long distances, add lots of miles on the jeep each year, and plan to get rid of it in 3-4 years, then the diesel is perfect.

anything else (performance upgrades, city commuter, low annual mileage) is better suited for hemi.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I would suggest driving all three engine choices. The '14 V6 is as fast or faster than the '11 to '13 Hemi because of the transmission. It is significantly less expensive than the Hemi or Diesel, feels a bit lighter and gets decent gas mileage for the weight of these vehicles. There are currently incentives on the Diesels, so that might lessen the sting of that big upcharge.

Personally, we went with the Hemi. We tried the V6 as well, and probably would have been fine with it, but after trying the Hemi it came home with us. I was HOPING to get close to 17MPG (what we averaged with our old GMC Jimmy), and we average a bit over 18mpg with some tanks being almost 20, which was a pleasant surprise. My guess is the V6 would have done 2-3 MPG better, which is significant, but we don't put on that many miles so it wasn't a big issue for us. I did notice that as the engine broke in the mileage went up noticeably. I was a bit surprised at how much of a difference (improvement) there was all around as it got broken in, in many respects. Now it seems even quicker, shifts smoother, etc.

From a service prospective, I have experience with diesels (GM and VW) and while the mileage is great and they are usually reliable, when things do go wrong it gets REALLY expensive, so from an economy perspective it never worked out for me. On top of that a lot of places don't have much experience with them so even minor issues can be a problem. The VM Motori Diesel is a bit too new here in the US and there seems to be some teething pains, both with some of the systems (like the DEF injection) as well as service department knowledge and parts availability issues. I am sure that stuff will improve, but experience has made me shy away for now. Last I heard Jeep was NOT offering the Lifetime Maxcare bumper to bumper warranty on the Diesel. (Hmm...) I haven't seen an issue here with the WK2 Hemis, and every MOPAR shop out there knows how to work on them. The transmission on the Hemi (and Diesel) seems to be rock solid as well.

So, all in all I am happy so far with our '14 Overland Hemi and look forward to many years of ownership. Do yourself a favor and try them all.
 
#11 · (Edited)
...they are usually reliable, when things do go wrong it gets REALLY expensive....
Wait. Which engine are you talking about again? When was the last time you had ANY engine related failure and came away thinking "hmmm, THAT was cheap"?

Honestly, the above argument is more bias than true isn't it? All engines are expensive if they fail, BUT modern engines hardly ever fail and I'm guessing diesels in general are even more reliable than gassers. Am I wrong? I hear this argument a lot, but have yet to see any evidence that shows Diesel engines are more expensive to repair WHEN FAILURE RATE is taken into account.
 
#15 ·
From reading the original post, the only reason for the OP to buy a diesel would be to say, "I have a diesel".

The V6 would probably meet every need but additional fun that comes with more power. Since MPG was not listed as a critical point, the Hemi would fit the bill without any additional tuning.


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#21 ·
Both the Hemi and the Pentastar are really fine engine choices....I did extensive test driving with the Pentastar and thought it was very refined and had more than enough power, so I completely understand why many people would go in that direction.....that being said, I LOVE the Hemi in my Overland and really enjoy driving it.....it's a beautiful match for the ZF 8-speed......the passing power at the top end is really impressive, which makes highway driving a ton of fun......in fact, I purposely look for reason to take it on the highway....I think the choice comes down to whether or not you really NEED the diesel...in other words, would the diesel actually add tangible value in your life...do you need the better fuel economy, do you need a superior tow vehicle....My GC is not my DD so I may not have the best perspective on this issue, but I really am impressed by both of the gas engines available in the non SRT GC's.........
 
#23 ·
Now you've totally confused them, Snuke.:lol:
 
#26 ·
We use our JGC mainly for road trips. Did a 4000 miler to NM/AZ/UT/CA in April/May and just got back from a 2500 miler to CA. Our next trip in Sep/Oct to the Florida Keys will be another 4k.

Our Overland diesel is fabulous on road trips, especially 70/75 and 80mph roads here in Texas. See 25mpg easy at 80mph....effortless and comfortable cruising and it doesn't even downshift going up some decent grades!

In the 55/60 and 65mph States (damn 'em! LOL) we see 31/33mpg at highway speeds.

I do use it a little around town but it's focus is really highways cruising. We are in a small town with the next nearest one being 22 miles away (it's just up the street in Texas language!) and we are an hour away from San Antonio on IH10.

As far as maintenance goes. Oil and filter changes (oil/air and cabin!) are a piece of cake and take just the time to drain the sump and filter housing and they cost me around $90.

Fortunately, my need for speed is met by my motorcycle....but the JGC diesel doesn't disgrace itself on the road and at stoplights. I've smoked the tyres a couple of times :D!

The Hemi is a great motor but we just love the diesel on the highway. It pulls just a shade over 2000 rpm's at 80mph and is in the meat of the torque band there.
 
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#28 ·
we do in fact have donks in the US. although they are limited in their demographic appeal.

definition according to urban dictionary:
Any POS late 80's or early 90's American heap (preferably an Impala) that has large enough wheels installed until it resembles (and rides and handles like) a Conestoga wagon. This is done so it sits up high enough so as to be at the same eye level as the Playas with real juice ridin in their Escalades. Adding in a bad candy paint job and Wal-Mart sub box completes the transformation.
With no money left over for necessary suspension and brake upgrades, the lifespan is limited to a few drug runs or the first Police chase, whichever occurs first.
ex) That donk is fly and ridin high.


IF YOUR A HATER (SO WHAT) ..DONK CAR VIDEO - YouTube
 
#30 ·
we do in fact have donks in the US. although they are limited in their demographic appeal.



definition according to urban dictionary:

Any POS late 80's or early 90's American heap (preferably an Impala) that has large enough wheels installed until it resembles (and rides and handles like) a Conestoga wagon. This is done so it sits up high enough so as to be at the same eye level as the Playas with real juice ridin in their Escalades. Adding in a bad candy paint job and Wal-Mart sub box completes the transformation.

With no money left over for necessary suspension and brake upgrades, the lifespan is limited to a few drug runs or the first Police chase, whichever occurs first.

ex) That donk is fly and ridin high.




IF YOUR A HATER (SO WHAT) ..DONK CAR VIDEO - YouTube

Man those tyres and rims on that video ? , all I can say is WTH ...


iPad using JeepGarage
 
#39 ·
I drove a diesel Overland today. I loved it. I made sure to put it in sport mode, and I gotta say, it did not disappoint. It felt plenty quick. I felt it was every bit as fun to drive as the HEMI.

I will drive a HEMI tomorrow and then decide. I have a HEMI and a diesel picked out, so I should be taking one home this weekend!

Any last thoughts or advice, before I pull the trigger?

Thanks!
 
#43 · (Edited)
I'm going to add to my prior post so it doesn't look like logic went completely out the window when I made my purchase...

I had a fuel efficient compact car that I used as my commuter vehicle and a 1/2 ton truck that I used for utility work. I wanted one vehicle that would be a capable enough for utility towing but still gave me decent fuel economy for my commute.

I might have been able to get by with the v6 gas for towing but I preferred erring on the side of a bit more capability in that area.

The hemi would have been a great tow vehicle but when I did the math the diesel ended up being cheaper.

I based my decision on a $2500 initial price differential and 100,000 mile fuel costs.

I didn't factor in maintenance or resale values... the current higher diesel maintenance costs will probably decrease as filters and oil for the vehicle become more common and the resale value might come out in the diesels favor but that remains to be seen. I consider these two a wash.
 
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