Future Ranger Gets a Diesel Powertrain Option! (Rumors)

[Cerwin D. Vega]

I'm not sure what to think about a diesel Ranger yet. I feel the VW diesel scandel has put a lot of people off them with the possible exception of the truck market. A downside is a diesel would increase the starting price by several thousand dollars at least. Many of the reviewers are already complaining loudly about how much a loaded Lariat is running. They all say for that price why not buy a F150. Doubt they would put a diesel in a lower trim Ranger. They would stick it in a higher tier thereby increasing cost even more .

A large increase in power or torque from a diesel over the 2.3 EB may expect people to want the Ranger to have closer to F150 tow / haul capacity. Ford won't put the F-150 in danger and I don't think I'd want to haul that much more in a mid sized truck.

There was a time I was interested in the diesel Colorado. The added price plus extra maintenance costs related to diesels gave me pause. Possible expensive fuel rail and DEF issues after the warranty expires had me second guessing the desirability. The complaints of people on the forums with the truck going in to regen mode frequently. Robbing their power and expecting them to continue driving until it is finished. I just did not see the trade offs as worth it.

The up front costs of the diesel engine takes many years to pay off with the increase in mpg one would get. If you tow a lot then you would recoup it back quicker. If you run unloaded mostly, then it would take longer.

I really think people need to give this Ranger some time to build up sales. They only started making them about 6 months ago. How was Tacoma's and GM's sales numbers their first year of production? The first few months the Rangers were not at full production yet. Most of the people I have spoken to do not even know that there is a new Ranger out. I'm looking forward to getting my truck soon so I can show them proof that Ford is actually making them currently.

I would be all for a hybrid type Ranger. Mostly electric with a small gas generator for backup power like the BMW i3. Plug in when you get home and it is fully charged for you in the morning. There is a lot to be said about the instant torque of electric motors. People had a rough time remembering to plug their cell phones in at the evenings but we do it without a second thought nowadays. We can get used to doing that with electric vehicles in time as well.

Some valid points. I would add that the regen reduces mpg for about the distance it would take to burn a gallon of fuel no loss of power. Now that the fear mongering i read about the regen drama has left my brain i do not even notice it when it happens. Diesel and gas prices may trend closer and even invert in certain economic conditions. This bull is old and cycles have not gone away forever. I drove it for a couple of weeks out of the gate with my short commute, it is much more suited to my wife's longer commute. It is her truck. I take her out to the country every free weekend I can, sometimes my wife joins us. The Ranger will take over country visit duties, and stealth light sneak up to he mountain by myself duties if they become available.

We gout our Canyon diesel @ 26% below MSRP huge factor. I always fill up with 15% bio diesel. No mechanical issues whatsoever. She is a keeper a long term keeper! Oh and the exhaust brake is a very nice tool to use in general, but is an absolute blast on a winding two way paved road coming down the mountain.

Ford would do well to introduce a Diesel in the Ranger even with the lower trims, that un-availability was a mistake by GM. I would not own one without the major discount, Laura GMC. But i now understand that a good diesel engine in a mid size truck it is worth a high percentage of the premium price that is placed on it.

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[P. A. Schilke]

2-3 months ago, $1K off was big.
Hot selling vehicles do not get big discount....period!
They sell without big discounts.
Dealer lots are full of Rangers.
Hence, the big discounts and incentives.

Hi,

Maybe a bit more complex than a simple "They don't discount hot selling vehicles". It is called market penetration. Get enough vehicles out in customer hands to create more demand. The assembly plant is double shifted on 10 hrs a shift for six days per week...high demand!

When I headed up Ranger Vehicle Engineering, my production volume was 340,000 vehicles per year with two assembly plants operating. 2019 is a ramp up year.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co Retired

 

[Hounddog409]

Dealer numbers in my area and you know you can get another $200-$500 off.


https://www.fordlincolncharlotte.com/search-new-ford-inventory.html?Make=Ford&Model=Ranger&pt=1

Whats that have to do with the F150? Not a hotter seller around and still discounted.

Disproves your comment on hot sellers do not get discounts.

 

[joeb427]

Whats that have to do with the F150? Not a hotter seller around and still discounted.

Disproves your comment on hot sellers do not get discounts.

This is why.
Volume and staying #1.

http://carsalesbase.com/us-car-sales-data/ford/ford-f-series/


and

https://www.thedrive.com/news/27821...diocre-q1-sales-trails-behind-nissan-frontier

 

[VAMike]

I would assume the diesel would get better mileage.

Not better enough to pay for the initial premium plus the more expensive fuel unless you're spending a lot of time under boost, like towing a lot. But if you're towing a lot, you should probably get a bigger truck. Diesel just doesn't pencil out for the midsize segment these days.

 

[EcoRanger]

The only way I'd get a diesel is if I was going to work it hard. The extra expense of maintenance and def isn't worth a few more miles per gallon.

 

[RedlandRanger]

Not better enough to pay for the initial premium plus the more expensive fuel unless you're spending a lot of time under boost, like towing a lot. But if you're towing a lot, you should probably get a bigger truck. Diesel just doesn't pencil out for the midsize segment these days.

With engines like the ecoboost, the diesels certainly make a lot less sense than they used to.

 

[Cerwin D. Vega]

Difference in cost per mile driven is roughly .06 in favor of the diesel that is $6000 over 100,000 miles. Higher maintenance cost: timing belt replacement is recommended at 150,000 your up $9000 or more in fuel savings at this point. Your well ahead.

Do not forget resale value is higher for a diesel as well.

Def is no problem for almost anybody, fuel filter change; very infrequent and no problem for almost anybody.

 

[RedlandRanger]

Difference in cost per mile driven is roughly .06 in favor of the diesel that is $6000 over 100,000 miles. Higher maintenance cost: timing belt replacement is recommended at 150,000 your up $9000 or more in fuel savings at this point. Your well ahead.

Do not forget resale value is higher for a diesel as well.

Def is no problem for almost anybody, fuel filter change; very infrequent and no problem for almost anybody.

Curious how you arrived at the .06 per mile cheaper?

 

[VAMike]

Curious how you arrived at the .06 per mile cheaper?

The power of magical thinking

I drive a diesel, so I'm pretty familiar with the economics. Right now around here I can get the cheap gas for $2.35 and diesel (there is no cheap diesel) for $2.90. So right out of the gate I need the diesel to get upwards of 20% better mileage just to break even on fuel costs (so about 30 mpg based on what I get in the ranger) and disregarding the up-front cost. The diesel will probably be heavier, which will eat into my payload at the same time it's costing me more. There are vehicles where the numbers work better, but gas fuel economy has gotten a lot better while diesels have actually gotten worse due to the emissions overhead, making the space where they are actually sensible very small outside of heavy duty trucks. (And even there Ford is making a play with a more efficient gasser because diesel isn't the no-brainer win it used to be even for heavier vehicles.) My old pre-particulate diesel is still going strong past 200k, but I don't really expect the newer diesel engines to be as reliable long term--there are just too many pieces to break compared to the simpler engines of 20 or 30 years ago.

 

[Cerwin D. Vega]

Curious how you arrived at the .06 per mile cheaper?

Ya i screwed it up!

Diesel 1000 miles / 26.6 mpg = 37.59 gallons x 3.19 per gallon = 119.91

Gas 1000 miles / 21 mpg = 47.61 gallons x 2.37 per gallon = 112.83

Difference 7.08 savings over 1000 miles = $708 at 100,000 miles and $1062 at 150,000 with timing belt replacement due.

At current prices.

 

[VAMike]

Ya i screwed it up!

Diesel 1000 miles / 26.6 mpg = 37.59 gallons x 3.19 per gallon = 119.91

Gas 1000 miles / 21 mpg = 47.61 gallons x 2.37 per gallon = 112.83

Difference 7.08 savings over 1000 miles = $708 at 100,000 miles and $1062 at 150,000 with timing belt replacement due.

At current prices.

So you're in the hole if the diesel engine costs more than the gas engine. And you didn't count the fuel filters or DEF. And your mpg for the ranger is a lowball. And for that negative return you get to deal with all the little annoyances like stinking of fuel after filling up, or looking for a station that sells diesel, or finding that the one diesel pump is broken, or having a truck with less horsepower. For a commuter that got 50mpg back when comparable gassers got 35 it was worth it; for a midsize truck that gets in the upper 20s when the gas competition is in mid 20s the numbers just don't make sense.

 

[Liam]

Will he have special advantages? When will the official announcement to see the features?

 

[jsphlynch]

With engines like the ecoboost, the diesels certainly make a lot less sense than they used to.

Unless you're doing a lot of heavy towing. With the Ecoboost, getting the power needed for towing relies on heavy use of the turbo, killing the mileage and leading to premature demise of the turbo. But for most potential ranger buyers, you're absolutely right: with the Ecoboost, the diesel doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

 

[VAMike]

Unless you're doing a lot of heavy towing. With the Ecoboost, getting the power needed for towing relies on heavy use of the turbo, killing the mileage and leading to premature demise of the turbo. But for most potential ranger buyers, you're absolutely right: with the Ecoboost, the diesel doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Doing a lot of heavy towing is pretty much the reason to get a heavier truck with a longer wheelbase, bigger brakes, etc. For the occasional towing the ranger is intended for, you won't hit break-even on a diesel. If it's purely a money thing and a bigger truck isn't an option, then the cheapest base model ranger will clock in upwards of $15000 less than a diesel colorado (for example)--and $15k will buy a hell of a lot of gas.

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