Last-Minute Oil Change - 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

Last-Minute Oil Change - 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Long-Term Road Test

I was doing last minute errands before heading out of town when our 2014 Ram EcoDiesel's oil change notification winked on.

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fordson1

Well, I would bet that someone did see the 500-mile warning, but they did not pass that information or put a sticky note on the dash, make a notation in the vehicle log, tell the fleet manager, etc.

If I were in this situation and had a garage with a lift and a couple of rollaway toolboxes and 90 minutes to spare, I probably would have done the oil change and rotation myself. Only sticking point would have been to get that particular filter at my local auto supply place - might not be readily available yet for this engine.

Yes, that is an expensive filter...and that is a lot of oil for a 10,000-mile change interval. At $162 + tax just for parts every 10k miles, that is way more expensive than a gas engine. One popular comparison of this engine is with the 2.7L Ecoboost Ford...that engine also offers 10k mile oil change intervals, but has a 6-quart capacity and its filter costs $6.59 (Motorcraft) at Rock Auto - about $60 in parts for that oil change. Now add more and more expensive fuel filters and the need for DEF to the Dodge...

allthingshonda

Like I said before, any savings you get in fuel from buying a diesel is far out weighed by the cost of maintenance. Over the life of this truck, it's going to cost more to own than a similarly equipped Ram with the 5.7 Hemi V8. The next service will probably require a fuel filter change also.

tatermctatums

The oil filter was billed out at cost and the oil was slightly above it.

g35buf

That is one EXPENSIVE oil filter...Even AT COST...YIKES!

mic6384

just got my oil change at scheer motors in grayling michigan.$245

wavefan

I have a 2015 Dodge Ram EcoDiesel. Yes, the oil change is going to be expensive, but I traded in a 2010 Ford F-150 that was a great truck that I did all of the oil changes on. Since I always used synthetic oil, it was more expensive, but well worth it in my opinion. On a good day I got 20 to 21 miles per gallon (both are a 4x4). I recently made a 527 mile trip with the EcoDiesel and got 28.7 mpg. That is where the difference in the cost of oil changes is made up. Furthermore, I pulled my 16 foot tandem axle trailer recently with 2 4 wheelers on it over 300 miles and got 20.5 mpg, my old truck would have got 16 on a good day with a tailwind.