Cost of gasoline vs diesel when trying to decide on the engine type

Andystoy AT4 · Jun 14, 2023

This info should help those who are trying to decide gasoline engine or diesel LZO in todays trucks

Filled up today in Edmonton, Alberta: Cdn dollar

UFA Dieselex Gold (Top Tier is 4 cents more than regular) $127.9/l includes 5% GST
UFA Def at the pump is 1.217/l including GST

Posted price at Shell is 127.9/l for regular diesel
and regular gas is 145.9/l

Costco Top Tier
Regular: 134.9/l
Premium 152.9/l

Anyone trying to do a comparison should use their local pricing unless they travel long distances where prices change usually due to taxes added and transportation cost.
In my case the top tier diesel price is 7 cents/l cheaper than top tier regular at Costco and 11 cents cheaper than the posted price at Shell.
Keep in mind that the prices vary due to world oil price so that is why I state todays current price.

The conversion to US/Gal is 3.785l/USG

poopster · Jun 14, 2023

Andystoy AT4 said:
This info should help those who are trying to decide gasoline engine or diesel LZO in todays trucks

Filled up today in Edmonton, Alberta: Cdn dollar

UFA Dieselex Gold (Top Tier is 4 cents more than regular) $127.9/l includes 5% GST
UFA Def at the pump is 1.217/l including GST

Posted price at Shell is 127.9/l for regular diesel
and regular gas is 145.9/l

Costco Top Tier
Regular: 134.9/l
Premium 152.9/l

Anyone trying to do a comparison should use their local pricing unless they travel long distances where prices change usually due to taxes added and transportation cost.
In my case the top tier diesel price is 7 cents/l cheaper than top tier regular at Costco and 11 cents cheaper than the posted price at Shell.
Keep in mind that the prices vary due to world oil price so that is why I state todays current price.
The conversion to US/Gal is 3.785l/USG

What's that mean in US gallons and US dollars?
Here in Western New York the cheapest gas is $3.46/gallon, and diesel is $4.46/gallon. At the reservation, gas is $3.35/gallon and diesel is $3.25/gallon.
I remember when I bought my first diesel fuel was $.87/gallon. My last diesel truck was a 2018 Silverado LTZ, absolutely loaded. and diesel was close to $6.00/gallon! That's when I decided I didn't really need a diesel, although I really miss that truck.

BigLaker · Jun 14, 2023

In Alaska most diesel has been about the price of unleaded and for a couple weeks it has been cheaper than unleaded. I have no idea why.

Andystoy AT4 · Jun 14, 2023

poopster said:
What's that mean in US gallons and US dollars?
Here in Western New York the cheapest gas is $3.46/gallon, and diesel is $4.46/gallon. At the reservation, gas is $3.35/gallon and diesel is $3.25/gallon.
I remember when I bought my first diesel fuel was $.87/gallon. My last diesel truck was a 2018 Silverado LTZ, absolutely loaded. and diesel was close to $6.00/gallon! That's when I decided I didn't really need a diesel, although I really miss that truck.

1.279 Cdn x 3.785 =$4.84 for a US Gal in Cdn funds and todays exchange is 0.75 US for a Cdn dollar so $4.84 x 0.75 =$3.63 US$ for a US Gal. If regular fuel is cheaper than top tier by the 4 cent equivalent in US$ that would reduce your price by 3 x 3.785 = 11.36 cents US for regular fuel =$3.63-11.36 =$3.52 US/US Gal for regular. Comparable but likely difference is taxes??

That's why I suggested the comparison be made in your currency and location.

slythetove · Jun 14, 2023

BigLaker said:
In Alaska most diesel has been about the price of unleaded and for a couple weeks it has been cheaper than unleaded. I have no idea why.

Because it’s cheaper to make than gas and historically has almost always been cheaper at the pump until more recently.

Diesel takes less refining than unleaded gasoline

grover · Jun 14, 2023

Just don't base it just on cost of the fuel. When I was comparing I used ave mpg comparison and then looked at the price of fuel per mile.

TB_Rider · Jun 14, 2023

grover said:
Just don't base it just on cost of the fuel. When I was comparing I used ave mpg comparison and then looked at the price of fuel per mile.

I agree. Based on current local fuel pricing and average mpg, my old 5.3l SLT was $0.19/mile ($0.36/mile towing). My current 3.0l AT4 is $0.16/mile ($0.30 towing) including cost of Def

Teegunn · Jun 14, 2023

Diesel here in Montana has been .50 to .75 cents a gallon higher than gas (I use 87) for a while now. When I first got my 2020 AT4 3.0 diesel (early April of 2020), diesel was actually cheaper than gas. I don't remember how long that lasted - maybe 6 months, can't remember - that diesel was cheaper than gas. It was nice to really be saving some $ at the pump because of better mileage and cheaper fuel to boot.

Then when fuel prices skyrocketed, diesel jumped way higher than gas (although both were insanely overpriced). A dollar or even more per gallon more for diesel for quite a while. My 3.0 got around 5 MPG better than my 6.2 2023 AT4X gets in the same usage for both. I do a lot of towing of my job trailer, that cuts into fuel mileage. Especially if I tow where I have to travel some distance on the interstate. But even there, I don't think the diesel got 5 MPG better - maybe 3 MPG better. Just driving the diesel got 5 to 6 MPG better. Overall I am sticking with an avg of 5 mpg better with the diesel, and I do figure every tanks MPG whenever I fill up, so I literally kept track to the decimal point.

For all intents and purposes, it is near a wash in my view in fuel/overall costs between my previous 3.0 diesel and my current 6.2 gasser. My 3.0 burned DEF at a higher rate than anyone else here has mentioned, always did. Maybe there was always something not right with the DEF emissions system in that truck IDK. Even then, DEF was not a huge extra cost, but added some since mine burned up DEF quicker than others 3.0's do. Oil changes are higher on a diesel, but again, every 5K miles or so we are talking 30 maybe 40 bucks difference. Not huge.

I am not too concerned about the difference in $ per mile driven between the two trucks - I think they are pretty close. I do wish my 6.2 AT4X had at least a 28 gallon tank, though. The range is just too short on a 24 gallon tank, especially when towing or on longer road trips. 24 gallons was fine (still too small but good enough) on my 2020 AT4 3.0. It is not fine on the 6.2. But no way of changing that. It is the biggest negative for me going from the 3.0 diesel to the 6.2 gasser. The 3.0 was snappy, smooth and quick. Not as quick nor did it have near the passing power the 6.2 has, but I don't need/use that kind of kick in the pants power very often, so the 3.0 was plenty good enough power wise. Towing power seems about the same (and it should, both have 470 lbs of torque).

I still like the 6.2 better overall by just a bit, but not enough to be a deciding factor. The deciding factor for me is the DEF emissions systems in modern diesels are overly complicated and IMO a real possible problem issue/headache (I get why people delete and would have done so on mine if it was possible). I don't want to be stranded 1000 miles from home for 4+ weeks again because GM and the dealership can't figure out how to fix a limp-mode emissions system trouble code on my truck. To me, there are not enough positives with the diesel to outweigh the possible extra negatives. But I get why people like their diesels - I liked mine until those major issues hit. My wife still has her 2020 AT4 Carbon Pro 3.0 diesel and has no issues so far (32K miles at just over 3 years ownership). But she just drives hers, I used mine for work and as my only/daily driver. Different scenario on maybe why mine had issues and hers hasn't.

nabatron · Jun 16, 2023

Andystoy AT4 said:
This info should help those who are trying to decide gasoline engine or diesel LZO in todays trucks

Filled up today in Edmonton, Alberta: Cdn dollar

UFA Dieselex Gold (Top Tier is 4 cents more than regular) $127.9/l includes 5% GST
UFA Def at the pump is 1.217/l including GST

Posted price at Shell is 127.9/l for regular diesel
and regular gas is 145.9/l

Costco Top Tier
Regular: 134.9/l
Premium 152.9/l

Anyone trying to do a comparison should use their local pricing unless they travel long distances where prices change usually due to taxes added and transportation cost.
In my case the top tier diesel price is 7 cents/l cheaper than top tier regular at Costco and 11 cents cheaper than the posted price at Shell.
Keep in mind that the prices vary due to world oil price so that is why I state todays current price.
The conversion to US/Gal is 3.785l/USG

Here in okanagan regular right now is 174.9 and diesel 156.9. Alberta always has the cheapest gas in Canada solid perk to live there.

rick25s · Jun 16, 2023

poopster said:
What's that mean in US gallons and US dollars?
Here in Western New York the cheapest gas is $3.46/gallon, and diesel is $4.46/gallon. At the reservation, gas is $3.35/gallon and diesel is $3.25/gallon.
I remember when I bought my first diesel fuel was $.87/gallon. My last diesel truck was a 2018 Silverado LTZ, absolutely loaded. and diesel was close to $6.00/gallon! That's when I decided I didn't really need a diesel, although I really miss that truck.

You in Chautauqua county? Almost everybody I grew up there has worked at the Cummins plant there. A lot of them lifers.

rick25s · Jun 16, 2023

I'm not recommending either way, because I have little driving experience with a diesel, except for 5 ton dump trucks. All I know is what friends, who work at a Cummins plant in western NY, have told me. They say don't make your design on gas mileage, get a diesel if you 'need' a diesel. If you pull stuff often, do it. The engine is designed for a load. The engineers have made great strides (using turbos, and other minor things I can't remember) in making the diesel run and feel good under normal driving conditions, but it really shines when fighting a load. They are like those big draft horses.

Again, that is not my experience, it's just info from people who build and drive them. I'm not saying anything bad about them. I also don't know the driving difference between Cummins and Duramax. Personally, I think you'll be happy either way.

poopster · Jun 16, 2023

rick25s said:
You in Chautauqua county? Almost everybody I grew up there has worked at the Cummins plant there. A lot of them lifers.

Nope, but my hunting camp is in Chautauqua County. I live in North Tonawanda, which is halfway between Buffalo and Niagara Falls, NY.

poopster · Jun 16, 2023

Teegunn said:
Diesel here in Montana has been .50 to .75 cents a gallon higher than gas (I use 87) for a while now. When I first got my 2020 AT4 3.0 diesel (early April of 2020), diesel was actually cheaper than gas. I don't remember how long that lasted - maybe 6 months, can't remember - that diesel was cheaper than gas. It was nice to really be saving some $ at the pump because of better mileage and cheaper fuel to boot.

Then when fuel prices skyrocketed, diesel jumped way higher than gas (although both were insanely overpriced). A dollar or even more per gallon more for diesel for quite a while. My 3.0 got around 5 MPG better than my 6.2 2023 AT4X gets in the same usage for both. I do a lot of towing of my job trailer, that cuts into fuel mileage. Especially if I tow where I have to travel some distance on the interstate. But even there, I don't think the diesel got 5 MPG better - maybe 3 MPG better. Just driving the diesel got 5 to 6 MPG better. Overall I am sticking with an avg of 5 mpg better with the diesel, and I do figure every tanks MPG whenever I fill up, so I literally kept track to the decimal point.

For all intents and purposes, it is near a wash in my view in fuel/overall costs between my previous 3.0 diesel and my current 6.2 gasser. My 3.0 burned DEF at a higher rate than anyone else here has mentioned, always did. Maybe there was always something not right with the DEF emissions system in that truck IDK. Even then, DEF was not a huge extra cost, but added some since mine burned up DEF quicker than others 3.0's do. Oil changes are higher on a diesel, but again, every 5K miles or so we are talking 30 maybe 40 bucks difference. Not huge.

I am not too concerned about the difference in $ per mile driven between the two trucks - I think they are pretty close. I do wish my 6.2 AT4X had at least a 28 gallon tank, though. The range is just too short on a 24 gallon tank, especially when towing or on longer road trips. 24 gallons was fine (still too small but good enough) on my 2020 AT4 3.0. It is not fine on the 6.2. But no way of changing that. It is the biggest negative for me going from the 3.0 diesel to the 6.2 gasser. The 3.0 was snappy, smooth and quick. Not as quick nor did it have near the passing power the 6.2 has, but I don't need/use that kind of kick in the pants power very often, so the 3.0 was plenty good enough power wise. Towing power seems about the same (and it should, both have 470 lbs of torque).

I still like the 6.2 better overall by just a bit, but not enough to be a deciding factor. The deciding factor for me is the DEF emissions systems in modern diesels are overly complicated and IMO a real possible problem issue/headache (I get why people delete and would have done so on mine if it was possible). I don't want to be stranded 1000 miles from home for 4+ weeks again because GM and the dealership can't figure out how to fix a limp-mode emissions system trouble code on my truck. To me, there are not enough positives with the diesel to outweigh the possible extra negatives. But I get why people like their diesels - I liked mine until those major issues hit. My wife still has her 2020 AT4 Carbon Pro 3.0 diesel and has no issues so far (32K miles at just over 3 years ownership). But she just drives hers, I used mine for work and as my only/daily driver. Different scenario on maybe why mine had issues and hers hasn't.

I actually know guys who have deleted the DEF emissions systems from their trucks, but that's the end of their warranty. I just could not justify the cost of a diesel because like I said, I don't tow anymore (36'- 5th wheel) but every time I see a new diesel go by, I'm thinking maybe I do need one of those.