Any news on a diesel H3?

[Ipedog]

I'm going to be getting a H3 in the late winter / early spring and would be really interested in a diesel H3. With fuel prices the way the are, the economy of a diesel, not to mention the stump pulling torque, would be a big plus. Do any of you have any credible information to leak (nudge, nudge, wink, wink ) that says that this might be an actual possibility?

Would you be interested in a diesel H3? Am I barking up the wrong tree as GM will never make this happen? What do you think? What do you know?

Thanks -

Rob (Ipedog)

[Ipedog]

I'm going to be getting a H3 in the late winter / early spring and would be really interested in a diesel H3. With fuel prices the way the are, the economy of a diesel, not to mention the stump pulling torque, would be a big plus. Do any of you have any credible information to leak (nudge, nudge, wink, wink ) that says that this might be an actual possibility?

Would you be interested in a diesel H3? Am I barking up the wrong tree as GM will never make this happen? What do you think? What do you know?

Thanks -

Rob (Ipedog)

[DWPC]

I like to see it too, but think its is unlikely unless and until CARB (California Air Regulatory Boneheads) legalize new sales of diesels in smaller vehicles. Now they're only legal in CA for 3/4 (?) ton or larger trucks. So you can commute in a monster Dodge with huge Cummins diesel but not a 45 mpg VW TDI. (You can bring in a used diesel car with over 7500 miles on it from out of state.) Its a very dumb regulation.

GM is not known for flexibility. I doubt GM would bother as long a diesels are banned in CA since we make up such a large chunk of their potential sales.

Other issues:
Since the H3 is supposed to be a low volume vehicle, we'll probably only see a diesel H3 if GM goes diesel across their entire small truck line.

I don't know if GM has access to any diesels appropriate to the H3; I think their Euro diesels (e.g., Opel) would be too small and their truck diesels are too heavy.

Lots of people still remember the lousy self-destructing GM diesels in Olds and Cadillacs in the 70s.

[f5fstop]

GM still has access to FIAT diesels (not saying if this is good or bad), and to any diesel manuactured by Isuzu (Duramax for instance).

[DWPC]

f5fstop:

I couldn't google any info on FIAT diesels, but the Isuzus/Duramax are either too small in power or too large in size and weight. A 200hp Isuzu diesel weighs over 1000 lbs. and is over 4 ft long. By the time the H3 ws beefed up for it, it would virtually become an H2. They need a light turbodiesel like the under-500 lb Italian engine that Jeep is using in Liberties

[f5fstop]

I just threw out Isuzu since GM owns a majority of the company. FIAT makes quite a few diesels, and GM retained the right to still purchase them at a cut-rate price after the 5 billion dollar fiasco with FIAT.

[PARAGON]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by f5fstop:
I just threw out Isuzu since GM owns a majority of the company. FIAT makes quite a few diesels, and GM retained the right to still purchase them at a cut-rate price after the 5 billion dollar fiasco with FIAT. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I think GM used to own about 49% of Isuzu but it's down below 20% ownership now. I think....... I might be thinking of something else.

The Duramax plant has been tasked to design some smaller diesels. What they go in is anybody's guess.

[Voempe]

Well, it wouldn't be a bad thing if they'd put a fiat diesel in there. Here in Europe those fiat diesels are among the best diesels you can get. A lot of other carmanufacturers use them (under some sort of license agreement I think).

They use the MultiJet Common Rail injection system. They are european motors so expect small engines rather then large V8 bigblock-engines.

I think these are the latest/most powerfull versions:
1.9JTD / 120 or 150 hp / 305 Nm / 4cyl.
2.4JTD / 200 hp / 400 Nm / 5cyl.

No idea on the dimensions or weights.

[Fubar]

question or statement out of ignorance having never owned a diesel.

Locally diesel is $3.16 to $3.25per gallon and regular unleaded gas is $2.89 on average. Assuming nothing changes for the better and it only get worse or higher. Will purchasing a diesel with its higher mpg rating make financial sense?
From what I'm seeing buying any size car/truck with a diesel is more costly than its counter part using gas. With .27 to .36 cents difference per gallon how much would you have to drive to see any savings based on mpg usage and would it offset the cost of the truck or car?

[DWPC]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Fubar00:
how much would you have to drive to see any savings based on mpg usage and would it offset the cost of the truck or car? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The 10%-15% price difference is more than made up for by the increased mileage of typically 25% or more (maybe a lot more!). Further, diesels have lower maintenance cost over a longer service life; no tune-ups, expect 250K miles with little repair outlay. Lastly, diesel higher torque (for size) usually means better characteristics at lower speed/high load conditions like offroad use. The decision shoud be based on added cost vs. long-term savings. For example, the Jeep Liberty diesel gets about 30% better mileage than the V6, but adds only about $1500 to purchase cost. You'd get that back pretty quick at todays fuel prices.

[Fubar]

thanks
Maybe I'll go look at the GMC 3500 Crew Cab. Sounds like a bargin at $49,879 before employee pricing and any other discounts that may be available. (not...) Actually a friend of mine is selling his 2004 with pretty low miles, it might be time for a chat..

Engine, Duramax 6600 Turbo Diesel V8, with Automatic Transmissions 300 HP [223.8 kW] @ 3000 rpm, 520 lb.-ft. [702.0 N-m] @ 1600 rpm) (with Automatic Transmissions 310 HP [231.2 kW] @ 3000 rpm, 605 lb.-ft. [816.8 N-m] @ 1600 rpm) (LLY)

GENERATOR

Alternators, dual 105 amp (MSRP =$224.00), Provides 210 amps total alternator power from a dual 105 amp alternator system. (8X5) $224.00



GVW RATING

GVWR, 11,400 lbs. (5171 kg), includes dual rear wheels (C7W) $0.00

GVWR, 9900 lbs. (4490 kg), includes single rear wheels (C4M) $0.00

HEATER ENG

Engine block heater (K05) $0.00

HEAVY DUTY POWER PACKAGE

Heavy-Duty Power Package, includes (LLY) Engine, Duramax 6600 Turbo Diesel V8, (M74) Transmission, Allison 1000 5-speed automatic and (G80) Differential, automatic locking, heavy-duty, rear (PDN) $6,805.00

LOCKING DIFFERENTIAL, REAR

Differential, automatic, locking, heavy-duty, rear (G80) $0.00

TRANSFER CASE

Transfer case, electronic shift, includes push-button controls (NP1) $0.00

TRANSMISSION

Transmission, Allison 1000 5-speed automatic, electronically controlled with overdrive and electronic engine grade braking, includes tow/haul mode selector and (KNP) Cooling, external transmission oil cooler (M74) $0.00

TRANSMISSION COOLING SYSTEM

Cooling, external transmission oil cooler, auxiliary, heavy-duty air-to-oil (KNP) $0.00

[DWPC]

Fubar00:

You could use an H3 for a lifeboat on that rig.

[NoMoGMPG]

General Motors will put a diesel in the H3, just not in the USA just yet.

Dave

http://www.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=51353

[H3 Builder]

The European version of the Colorado pickup is available with a Isuzu diesel now, so that , I would think that's what would come in the H3 also.

[DWPC]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by H3 Builder:
The European version of the Colorado pickup is available with a Isuzu diesel now, so that , I would think that's what would come in the H3 also. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

When GM puts diesels in Colorados and Canyons for the US, maybe we'll see it in the H3 too.