Honda Ridgeline Owners Club Forums banner

RAM 1500 diesel seems to be a go...

17K views 123 replies 32 participants last post by  RAYDAHS 
#1 ·
A little birdie told me that Chrysler has approved the RAM 1500 diesel and some test mules were very recently built.

The engine they put in them was not the Cummins V6 as many had expected. They were built with the VM 3.0L V6 turbodiesel. This is not the same engine family as the current VM 2.8L V6 turbodiesel used in the Jeep Grand Cherokee. A new engine design.
 
#2 ·
I wonder if the popularity of the F150 Ecoboost has anything to do with this?. This could be the start to some really cool engine packages for trucks. If the RAM sells like hot cakes you know Ford & Chevy will follow. Toyota should follow too, not sure about Honda.
 
#4 ·
Brings up a very frustrating situation for me. Not that I have any pull, but I was pushing Honda as hard as I could for the Ridgeline to be the fist Honda with the V6 diesel. We were within a year or so of it becoming a reality when Ito cancelled the project.

Honda would have had a huge lead on the competition... instead that engine is in the boneyard.
 
#5 ·
Ito should just do Honda a favor and commit Hari-kiri.
 
#6 ·
I second that nomination!! All in favor please send Honda a letter.
 
#8 ·
Thanks Joe, I will be watching this topic. would rather have the comfort and size of Ridge in TDI but I gues I can have 2 dodge diesels. If I can get 24 mpgs in my 3/4 on a round trip from palm springs to pasadena than I wonder what a motor half the size would get.
 
#9 ·
I've been watching the V6 TDI in the Touareg. But they want a lot of money for a mediocre interior.

Why did Ito cancel the Honda diesel? Was it because it would need DEF (Urea) to clean the emissions? People I've talked to are OK with that - yes it adds $30-40 to an oil change, but with the extended change intervals with synthetic oils, the cost isn't that prohibitive (on top of the cost of the synthetic). Plus, you can buy it at WalMart now for about $14 for 2.5 gallons.

Chip H.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Why did Ito cancel the Honda diesel?
Takeo Fukui was in charge of Honda and he was a very progressive leader. He had strong opinions and kept Honda on the right track. Fukui was a proponent of diesel technology (and not a fan of hybrids so he was my kind of guy). Sometime in 2009 Fukui left and was replaced by Takanobu Ito.

I don't like Ito and time has proven that he has run Honda into the ground. The Civic debacle rests squarely on the shoulders of Ito. The designers and engineers had a great new Civic developed and ready for market... Ito cancelled it and told them to make it smaller and plainer... and do it in a year or so. The result is the disaster we now have as the Civic, and Honda is scrambling to try and fix the problems.

When Ito took over he scrapped both North American diesel engines. It's that simple. Even earlier this year, while other manufacturers are starting to embrace diesel technology for North America, Ito made it clear that he has no intention of bringing Honda diesel to North America.

Perhaps fuel cells or other technology may reduce our dependence on foreign oil at some point in the future... the key word is perhaps. Diesel is proven technology that's available right now that could allow us to tell OPEC to choke on their foreign oil because we don't need it. Diesel has traditionally been 25% more efficient than gasoline, but the newer diesel engines are approaching 40% more efficient than their gasoline counterparts. 40%!!!!! Here's a circa 2009 Audi ad that says it better than I could... please take 30 seconds and watch it:


Fuel prices vary by area, but today I filled up my tank with regular unleaded gasoline and I paid $3.399 per gallon. The same pump had diesel for $3.299. So diesel fuel is cheaper and you get 25 - 40% more energy out of a gallon of fuel when compared to gasoline.

I'm not pretending like I have Ito's ear, but I do know some of my comments were not so popular in his regime. So I'm not making many friends when I scream that I believe Ito is an idiot that has already caused damage to the Honda name and his legacy will continue in a downward spiral for years to come even if he left today. Terrible decisions.
 
#11 ·
Harsh words indeed but the stark reality is that Honda had an opportunity to be a leader and they faltered. Thanks for taking a stand Csimo.
 
#12 ·
I've known Eric Peters for a while, and in his recent review of the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country minivan, he points out something interesting:

Why hasn’t it occurred to anyone at the OEMs to make a diesel-powered minivan? A diesel engine would be the ideal powerplant for a minivan. They produce lots of low-end torque, just what a heavy (and not driven especially fast) minivan requires. High RPM hp is a wasted effort in a minivan. Imagine instead of 283 hp at 6,400 RPM – and a puny 260 ft.-lbs. of torque at 4,400 RPM – the T&C instead had 350-plus ft.-lbs of torque at a much more usable 1,500 RPM. This would give the van better off-the-line oomph than the thirsty gas engine – and probably 10 MPG better average fuel consumption, too. Just an idea… .
http://ericpetersautos.com/2012/06/04/2012-chrysler-town-country/

So imagine if the Odyssey had a diesel option. Better fuel economy. Better performance in-town (where a minivan spends most of it's time).

Chip H.
 
#16 ·
i think americans had bad taste with old diesel and no one wanted to take achance with modern diesel for a long time. besides VW. plus most americans are about big V8 power and care less about MPGS as we have such cheap gas. We'll buy any gas hog with good incentives. hoestly I think most americans consumers have mental capacity of a cow or a sheep ..
I just hope Fiat comes through. I would love to see the diesel in mid size like their concept rampage. would love tid in the ridge. I dont want 2 full size trucks. but if they ever make the 1500 tdi and it will get high 20s-low 30s highway mpgs, i might have to.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Honda's already too late to the game - Ford has just announced the 2013 Explorer Sport with the twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost that will make 350HP (http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2013-ford-explorer-sport-photos-and-info-car-news). Between that and the upcoming great improvements to the Ram and Silverado pickup lines for 2014, there will be too many relevant choices in the next few years for Honda to even realistically compete in this segment any longer.
 
#18 ·
I disagree with most of you. I think this is pointless.

This isn't 1995; gas motors go 250k miles with utter consistency across-the-board these days.

Why do you want to pay 4-6k more for a motor that will last 400-500K miles when the body of that made in Mexico POS (I'm allowed to say that, I own a Dodge) will be dead well before 200K? I guess if you really want to replace the entire suspension, ball joints, and just about everything else in order to keep an invariably-rusted 15 year old truck going for another 5-10, then by all means..

The mileage differential is moot because of increased fuel and maintenance costs, and if you look at most modern diesels they don't get that great of mileage anyway due to various regulations, etc. You can get low end torque with a turbocharger for a fraction of the cost, if that is the major concern. Diesels also suck in a big way off road because of the weight, therefore making these trucks less capable for some owners.
 
#23 ·
There are still gas stations with out diesel. How long has diesel been around? There would have to be something drastic for most gas station to carry cng
 
#24 ·
That's true; but you don't have to look hard or long to find diesel when you need it - same will be true for CNG in a few years. Plus, the technology (and option) is in place to manufacture diesel and jet fuel from natural gas (http://money.cnn.com/2012/05/09/news/economy/natural-gas-diesel/index.htm). In either scenario, turning NG into diesel or ramping up production of and infrastructure to support CNG vehicles, the US wins by keeping more of our energy dollars at home.
 
G
#28 ·
The vast majority of vehicles sold in Europe are diesel. Their fuel is also better than the junk we pump here.
An MB E320CDI will do 40mpg @ 65 mph. I've seen one average 34mpg in all around driving. That's not bad for a full size car that can take a licking in an accident too.

A TDI VW will break 50mpg with a stick. That's a winner in my book!
 
#35 ·
No... but I can't remember all the details. At one time Detroit Diesel bought VM, but then Chrysler bought Detroit Diesel. Then some other company bought all or most of the interest from Chrysler, but Fiat ended up with 50% of it so they may have inherited it from Chrysler.

Today GM owns 50% and Fiat owns 50% of VM.

The result of all that is that we may see the same VM 3.0L engine used in the RAM 1500 and the new Chevrolet Colorado. I drove a prototype vehicle with the previous generation VM diesel a couple of years ago and was impressed. I'm told this new engine is one of the best available.
 
#39 ·
And grille shutters and airsuspension for lowering/raising the ride for fuel economy maximization. If Ram prices it right and actually puts it out by 2014 they will sell like gangbusters. With the mileage predicted, if their isn't too much of a price premium for the diesel, a Ram 1500 setup like that will steal a ton of mid sized sales as well, since it will outdo their fuel economy by a significant margin.
 
#41 ·
What will the price premium be for the diesel version? On other boards the figure $4000 came up. That is a steep price to pay, IMO.
 
#43 · (Edited)
Joe, have you driven one?
I know cummins is a 6 or 7k option.
If a new mid level, 4 door, 4x with diesel is mid 30s I will be ok. And if they really want to start selling a lot of trucks, then that's what they should do. But if its Pushing 40+ I'll have to wait and see.
The Ford Eco boost are 40k and they cant keep them in stock.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top