matelotmax

Hi

Trying to do a bit of research prior to coming over the pond.
Maybe its a European thing, but I prefer diesel pick up trucks yet all I can find [so far]is "Gas" - which I have to assume is petrol ;-I
Could anyone tell me: [1] what diesel is called in USA/Texas; [2] where I can find either new or used diesel Utes/SUVs/Pick Ups
If anyone has a strong point of view to the contrary [i.e. Pro-petrol trucks], I would also like to hear those.

Cheese Grommet

Max

Pulaski

Diesel is "diesel" (surely you knew that petrol is "gas", .... if you didn't, America is going to be full of surprises for you! )

You may have to special order a truck with a diesel engine, so check the manufacturers' web sites, but be careful, because if even trucks (diesel cars are quite rare) are not being sold with diesel engines, you may find that "gas stations" in the area don't sell diesel either. EDIT: See below, diesel seems to be very common in the Houston area. :nod;

So far as the reasons not to buy a diesel truck, diesel is substantially more expensive than gas. Currently where I live, diesel is about 50¢/gal more than gas, and I think it's been as much as 80¢-$1 more. Diesel engined trucks tend to be noisey, especially Dodge and Ford trucks, by reputation at least, and to the point where the noise is intrusive in the cab. So unless you're planning on becoming a farmer, towing a large horse trailer, towing one of the largest RV trailers (that's American for a caravan, if you're not familiar with the terminology ), or have delusions about being an HGV driver, then personally I would buy a gas powered truck. FWIW I drive an F250 as my daily vehicle.

Weeze

I'm glad you said that. I was just thinking I don't think I've noticed any diesel pumps near me.

Pulaski

You might want to open your eyes, because I have just checked over at gasbuddy.com, for gas stations selling diesel and there are many dozens in Houston, at least one whole page full (maybe 50 or 60, and I couldn't see how to load another page of results). ALL major brands and independent retailers are represented, even including Kroger, which I'm guessing is not specialising in the heavy truck service market!

Round here, most stations now have pumps with a diesel hose on the same pumps as the gas pump, but others have a separate diesel pump, often off to one side, and not under the canopy so tractor-trailers can access it, or only have a diesel hose on some of the pumps.

Mr Weeze

Shell typically have diesel at their stations, and once you get out of the urban areas you will find it at the giant road stops.

You won't get any real MPG benefits with a diesel truck here.

Without knowing anything more, here is an autotrader search for 100 miles around Houston for used $10k - $20k trucks:

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...rch=true&Log=0

And here is the same search except for new, and uncapped on price:

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...rch=true&Log=0

Weeze

Ohh yeah. I'm out in the burbs but it looks like the bigger gas stations have it, just not the ones I use!

matelotmax

Hi Chaps

Thanks for the info about lack of diesel trucks, mpg etc.
Really useful and has saved me an awful lot of research time
I think the lack of sight of diesel pumps is one of those, until you actually "look" you don't see them.
My RV [yes I do know what that is ] is made by Euramobil {German} but I never noticed them until after I had bought one ;-I
Vis "Gas" - yep figured that one too, but not to confuse it with "Gasoil" which in Europe is Diesel ;-O
FYI - hoping to settle in the Corpus Christi area, but may be working across the state [& Inter-State] to supplement My Army & Navy Pensions ;-)

Cheese Grommet

Max

scrubbedexpat097

Most of them do honey, it is usually not seperate from the regular gas pumps you just have to use the green pump if you want diesel

Scouse Express

No. You look at the pump before you put in your vehicle.

One of my collegues was thinking along the same lines and put 93 Gallons of Gas into a Diesel Tour Bus.

Fortunately, he didn't start it. The 232 Gallons of combined Gas/Diesel fuel had to be pumped out, filters changed and replaced with 232 Gallons of Diesel.

The work cost about $3,000-$4,000.

Always look at the Pump and read it,. before you start fuelling.


Jim.

AdobePinon

Plenty of diesel around these parts.

Regarding the trucks, your best starting point is probably to take a look at the manufacturers' web sites and familiarize yourself with the terminology used to distinguish the diesel trucks, and which models are available with diesel. The smaller the truck, the fewer diesel options in general. For the most part, for trucks you're talking Ford, Dodge (Ram), Chevrolet / GMC, Toyota, and Nissan. The last two don't sell diesel trucks in the US as far as I know. For SUVs, there are more vehicles, but fewer diesels.

Pulaski

Yeah, well they're not proper trucks!

Vimto

Dodge has for many years sold the Ram 1500 with Cummins diesels switching recently to their own (VM Motori partly owned by Fiat and GM) 3L V6 EcoDiesel,
Nissan Titan will be available very soon with a brand new 5L Cummins V8,
Ford doesn't have a F150 with a diesel option you would need to step up to the F250 with 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel V8,
GM has yet to announce if they will drop into their 1500 class pick ups the same VM Motori V6 engine.
On the second hand market there tens of thousands of Dodge Rams with the older Cummins straight 6 5.9L B series engine or later ISB engine (better emissions regulations electronic fuel pump and 24 valve versus earlier 12 valve mechanical fuel pump), the last variant has the 6.7L Cummins

As many have said diesel pumps in urban gas stations are now anonymous as they have been integrated into the regular gasoline pumps, simpley choose the correct hose when filling up.

I recall back in the late 70's early 80's when Mercedes introduced the 300TD they would send owners a directory of where to buy diesel fuel and sent out updates every 6 months as its availability increase

scrubbedexpat097

l


Ok...I guess you misunderstood what I was saying.
Most gas stations around here have four pumps at each station and usually at least one station has a pump for diesel and it is a GREEN handled pump.

Nutmegger

So have you figured out a way to retire to the US? In your last thread on that topic you seemed to have hit a brick wall.

Weeze

Man, I'm going to have to start paying more attention