Diesel engines (no matter which one) are really not designed for short trips because it usually takes a long time to get them up to operating temperature, especially the oil. It takes my truck right at 15 miles to get the oil temperature above 200 degrees. If you just putt around in town and do short trips you asking for problems like moisture (water) in your oil, excessive amounts of fuel in your oil. quicker soot build up in your D{F, etc.

 

Remember that this is not a traditional commercial diesel engine in our trucks. This engine was in fact designed for use in a car. There are many diesels autos running around the US and near half in Europe. Small diesel engines warm up fast and I find mine getting up to temperature in about 7 miles, my regular round trips. The reason that these engines warm up fast is not only the way that they regulate coolant, but because they are high output engines that make unheard of power for their displacement... compared to industrial and older light duty diesels. I think that this "don't drive short trips in your diesel truck" comes from the old days when diesels were huge blocks of iron and low HP. For example, my old 7.3L Navistar makes 25 HP/Liter. The Ecodiesel 3.0 makes 80 HP/Liter, more than three times the power per liter.

I will agree that longer trips are better for any engine and that will result in better reliability and longevity, but not to the extremes that are often suggested on this site.

Finally, if short trips were an issue, the manufacturer would suggest that in their literature, so as not to incur low mileage warranty work. If I only get 60-70% of the miles that Vern got from his engine, I will be most satisfied.

 

Of course you can use it as a daily driver. That's what I do with 99% of my use for this truck. It's about 7 miles each way to work and I have never known of a regen and I've had it for a year.

 

It's about 7 miles each way to work and I have never known of a regen and I've had it for a year.

You have an active regen every 75-150mi, you just don't know it.

I know a guy here in town that delivers pizzas in his '15 Eco, no reported issues. Doesn't get much more extreme short-distance use than that.

 

Mine does 7 miles twice a day, at a minimum, to and from work and my last oil analysis shows water at 0% fuel is less than .5%. In the winter I run a winter front, plug it in overnight and do not drop it into gear until the oil hits 70 degrees, 67,000 miles and runs great

 

What do you consider short drives? To me, my drive to my 2nd job is 10 miles away is a short drive, and primary job is anywhere from 30 to 75 miles away. With that said, I usually try not to take the truck to my 2nd job, especially in winter.

 

I bought mine as another vehicle for our family and that's how it gets used. In the winter I try to get it out on the highway every week or two just to fully warm up - but I do that with my gas vehicles also. Drive it and enjoy it.

 

Stepbillo - Welcome to the forum - First post!

Return and make a comment or two after so many offered their ideas as answers to your question. Guessing your are contemplating a future purchase. Hope you make the right decision for you.

 

I would not buy this truck with the intent of short commute driving it. I live in south Texas, during the summers we are steady in the 90-100+ degree range and will be into the 80-90 degree range off and on throughout the winter as well and it still takes the truck forever to get warmed up. During the winter and not plugged in I can make it 3/4's of the way to work 15 miles at hwy speed 60 mph+ before I reach complete operating temps. In that time before you reach operating temp the truck runs like crap, gets horrible fuel mileage for what it is capable of, plugs up all the emissions suff and wont burn off till the system reaches temp and then has to stay there fore a while to do it. As it is I have a 20 mile commute and most of the time it will just barely complete a regen on the way home.

Buying this truck with your described commute is asking for trouble. Enough people who get them out and run them often have issues, I don't see why you would put yourself through that. Ive driven several vw tdi's in my mind they are apples and oranges compared to these trucks, they sure as heck heat up a lot faster anyway.

 

I find my 17 ED warms up faster than my 10 VW jetta wagen.

 

I'm driving my EcoD in almost the same manner you describe. I haven't seen any problems whatsoever. It's great getting over 20-mpg even on the short commutes vs. 12-mpg I was getting with a Chevy 4x4 gasser.

 

I wouldn't want to use an ED for a short say daily 3 mile commute in a cold climate. That said as long as its running long enough to get to temp. Utilizing the weather front and plug in can help considerably. Part of the concern would be emissions. A tune that turns off EGR and better manages DEF usage would be helpful in that regard. So IMO its manageable.

 

My Ecodiesel is my daily driver and have not experienced any problems. I routinely do trips that are 5 miles one way. That said, I also do trips that are 10 to 300 miles one way. My Service Manager advised that soot is the enemy and the short trips are soot builders. Early on I discussed the GDE tune with my Service Manager and he recommended that I get it. So I got the GDE tune, primarily to shut down the EGR and therefore soot buildup, all the other benefits are frosting on the cake.

If you want an EcoD, I say go for it and consider the GDE tune. If you don't want to pay the high cost of a GDE tune, and If ALL of your trips are very short, go Hemi.

 

Good job and lucky you to have a GDE before California no longer allowed them.

 

Half done regens aren't desirable. If your definition of short is 10-15 miles, and that's a common drive, I'd say go gasser.

 

I'm trying to decide on wether to keep my Subaru outback and use for local drives or to trade it in on the ED and get a much lower payment.