[BradS2]

Hey GC lovers,

I am wondering if you guys can help shed some light. I've been back and forth between motors on my new GC I want to buy.

Background... This will be my 4th GC. Had a 95 Laredo, 98 Laredo Special Edition, and currently 06 Limited Hemi. I am sold on GC's. Absolutely love them. The 95 was my first ride, then I bought my 98 with 39k on it, traded on the 06 I bought with 23k.

This will be my first new GC and I want what I want. Now I have read numerous articles and forums about the Pentastar, Hemi, & Eco Diesel. I am in the market for best MPG. Currently I have nothing that I tow, I know I know then why do you have the hemi in your 06? Just loved the fact of it being somewhat of a hot rod at the time when I bought, the constant 14-15 mpg isn't doing it anymore. I love the giddy up and fun to drive factor at times but the mpg is a huge downer

I know there are a lot of passionate views and I've seen where it's like comparing apples and oranges to the Pentastar to the Eco Diesel, which is better mpg vs cost associated? I would tend to think diesel is the way to go seeing as "most" diesels hold their value more so than their gas counterparts but it's a new motor and you never know. Is the diesel going to be close to the hemi performance I have in my 06 now but with better fuel Eco? I like what I am reading in people getting 26-30 mpg in a 4x4 GC but every driving style and area is different and as such effects mpg. I want the best I can get out of the GC. I'm afraid if I go v6 route I'll end up getting the norm 17-19mpg where if I would have spent the extra $ on the diesel I would have been more pleased, on the flip side if I spent the extra $ on the diesel and it's very comparable mpg to the v6 then all I'm holding into is hoping it's worth a lot more if I decide to trade.

Performance and mpg... Diesel or v6? What are you guys seeing?

 

[MDBones]

Everyone's situation, needs and preferences are different. There really is no right or wrong as far as engine choice goes.

For me personally, this is my 5th 4x4 GC and the 1st one with a gas V6. All previous ones were V8's. I as well don't tow.

I took a look at the diesel and after crunching the numbers quickly determined that the cost of ownership of the diesel was not justified simply for its fuel economy. Maintenance costs and the price delta here between gas and diesel fuel quickly burst my bubble on buying one.

I went with the 3.6L gas V6. I have no regrets on going with it. It has a surprising amount of power. It actually feels stronger than the 4.7L V8 I previously had. I'm currently running a 20.4 mpg combined average on almost 10K miles. That's not bad considering the winter we just had and the idling time warming it up. I've never checked fuel economy on purely highway miles as that's not realistic for my actual driving conditions.

 

[BradS2]

Thanks MD, are you doing any babying to get that number or are you driving the exact same as you did in your v8s?

My hemi sucks gas because of the quadra drive II all time 4 wheel plus the hemi.

 

[MDBones]

Not doing any babying, just driving it like I usually do. I don't mash on the gas like a lot of people do but I also don't drive like a 80 year old grandma. I think how hard you accelerate affects fuel economy far more than the highway speeds you drive. My acceleration is smooth and controlled but I don't dink around getting up there either.

I have a 50 mile roundtrip commute to work. Of that, 35 miles is open highway and 15 is stop'n go city driving.

The best running average I used to have with my 4.7L V8 was 17.2 mpg and that was with QDII.

If this winter wasn't so brutally cold and snowy I'm sure that 20.4 mpg average would be much better. Under those conditions my 4.7L V8 would only average 13-14 mpg. Now that winter is over I'm expecting my average to come up. We'll see.