Diesel for overlanding- are you happy with the choice?

[Regcabguy]

Speaking from experience in Baja,my diesel sipped fuel offroad compared to the V-8 I previously had. Plenty of diesel down there. Utah had more than California when I visited. I took a hundred mile round trip into a remote spot and the gauge hardly moved.
That being said this will be my last diesel and fullsize truck. Mine weighs 6400# wet and 8600# with my camper wet. The axle loads are only 400# apart.

 

[echo7tango]

I haven’t heard anyone mention fuel availability. On my recent AZ / Utah trip we took a scenic route that was very rustic on a few parts of the trip and was surprised to see so many gas stations that didn’t sell diesel at all. A friend once told me that was his biggest negative having his diesel. I didn’t believe him till my recent trip.

I love my CRD Jeep Grand Cherokee, but this aspect — ULSD fuel availability — is a limiting factor as to where I can go. Right now I can drive the 3,500 one-way miles from San Francisco to Deadhorse Alaska, but I seriously doubt I can drive the 4,500 one-way miles from SF to Yaviza at the Darien Gap in Panama. And these are two road trips I want to take. In the coming years, diésel UBA (diésel de Ultra Bajo Azufre) will I hope be available soon enough for me since I’m nearing 60 years driving this Earth.

My engine can’t use the old diesel.

The 2016 JGC CRD is a nice, small package. It’s not too big, its tight turning radius makes it nimble and maneuverable on the trail and in the city, and the CRD engine, I am hoping, will last me hundreds of thousands of miles. And here out west on our open freeways with many miles between towns, it is a comfortable, effortless, high-speed cruiser, easily holding at 90MPH.

So, gas engine vs diesel engine? If I can get ULSD / DUBA then I prefer the diesel engine. But for the rest of the world, like the 10,000 one-way miles from San Francisco to Ushuaia Argentina, then clearly the gas engine still rules.

 

[dreadlocks]

or just throw all that pesky emissions crap on a shelf in the garage and you can run whatever fuel you like.. and get better fuel economy to boot.

I've never had any issues finding fuel and I been driving diesels for decades, when I go out to BFE I bring a fuel can just incase.. but its never been needed.. having 400 mile range when towing does not give me any anxiety.. Case in point, I towed for ~7h this weekend +4h of trails in the mountains, slowly.. came home with the same tank of fuel I left home with.