Schoolie: gas vs diesel

[MeiraNomadRN]

Hi all!

My 22 yr old vegan niece has a gas schoolie (I don't know it's details, but I'll post a picture), and is debating trading it for diesel.  Please share your knowledge with us!

Relevant datapoints:

- She has a nest egg she can use to invest up front, but she is loathe to commit to expensive maintenance.
- She's concerned about which has the lesser ecological impact 
- She has no engine/mechanical knowledge, but some interest in learning
- She loves to follow bands around on tour
- She lives on the west coast but has family on the east coast


So!  Should she keep the gas bus or trade for a diesel?

 

[MeiraNomadRN]

Here’s the current bus, in case that’s useful to anyone.

 

[tx2sturgis]

I don't know if that picture is from when she got it or as it sits now, but my first question:

Has a conversion been done to the one she has now? (if that is an old picture)

How many miles are on the existing unit compared to what she would be looking at?

Being environmentally conscious adds a layer of complexity, but basically, an older, affordable diesel that 'rolls coal' will probably not be what is considered 'clean' or 'green' by her peer group. 

Older diesels are easier to work on, but usually pollute a bit more....But since diesel formulations at the pump have changed over the last couple of decades, a really older diesel might have problems on the new fuel, and sometimes they are sold for reasons that relate to that. Newer diesel engines are cleaner (usually) BUT that comes with a price in emissions equipment maintenance, cost, and repairs when that stuff breaks...and it will. Many owners of newer light truck diesel engines do what is called a 'delete'...a simple term that means they tossed some of the emissions equipment and sometimes 'chipped' the ECM....resulting in more power, better reliability, but again, a dirty exhaust.

If the unit she has now is paid for, fully converted and registered, or about to be converted and registered, and reliable, and meets her needs, I would see NO reason to change (just for the sake of a different fuel).....unless she just runs across a screaming deal on a diesel unit in good to excellent condition.

 

[highdesertranger]

wow that thing has a gas engine? what kind of fuel economy is she getting? give us something to work with. highdesertranger

 

[Buster1903]

First I agree with what tx2sturgis said.

I think there would be so many concerns before "diesel or gas" Most important is it (the one she has now) in good running condition? Does it meet her needs? It looks like a good schoolie. Why sell what you know for something you may not be sure of? 

But to your questions: 
Maintenance: All vehicles need maintenance. A diesels maintenance usually costs more but the engines tend to last longer. Again with a used bus it's all about starting with an engine (diesel or gas) in good condition.
ecological impact: These are both fossil fuel engines and with a bus you will be burning a lot of fuel. Gas tends to be a little cleaner then diesel if they are both in good condition and running properly. but the difference is minor. 
some interest in learning: If your going to be living in or spending a lot of time relying on your vehicle the more you learn the better. 

The more I read you post the more I think your niece needs a smaller rig. Less maintenance, less ecological impact, and a huge savings in fuel costs driving back and forth across the country.

 

[MeiraNomadRN]

tx2sturgis: She would be returning the bus she got a month ago back to the guy she bought it from for a diesel bus that he is finding. Is he super trustworthy? I don't know. Thank you for the insight & opinion.

HDR: Yep, gas engine. I think she's getting around 10 mpg?

Buster1903: She's gotten pretty comfortable driving the bus, but I think she's feeling conflicted to the idea of taking it on tour. I think you've got a good point about a smaller rig, but she's also lived in a 4Runner and she hasn't mentioned missing it's maneuverability. She loved driving my scion xB, though. She has genuine interest in learning but . . . y'know . . . she's also a busy 22 yr old living in a schoolie in Cali, lol.

So overall we're leaning towards skipping the diesel. Does eventually switching a diesel to used vegetable oil make a difference in opinion?

 

[highdesertranger]

well if she is getting 10 which I find hard to believe I say keep what she has. highdesertranger

 

[MeiraNomadRN]

well if she is getting 10 which I find hard to believe I say keep what she has.  highdesertranger

She just texted back, says she is getting 13!

 

[Buster1903]

Does eventually switching a diesel to used vegetable oil make a difference in opinion?

Vegetable oil is definitely not a fossil fuel and it's is much better for the environment. But all the "emissions equipment" tx2sturgis talked about will be a problem, and I would have questions about availability.  I think if you set it up right you can switch back and forth from vegy oil to diesel and even mix the two in the tank. but where do you find used vegy oil at the pump?  
It's a nice idea but how does it really work in practice?

 

[MeiraNomadRN]

OK, I got more details. The bus is a 2004 with 102K miles. Getting 13 mpg.

You are correct that you need both -- diesel to start the engine, and then you switch it to run on veg. The guy I watched carried 100 gallons of veg he got from a local mom & pop food place, apparently the big chains have contracts with professional oil removers or some such. And that 100 gallons has got to be horrible on gas mileage... I've heard of people putting their dogs on a diet to save weight in the vehicle, can you imagine an extra 800+ lbs of fuel?

 

[Buster1903]

13mpg with a shot bus WOW that's good. mileage is not bad ether. Keep It!

LOL "an extra 800+ lbs of fuel" my TTT fully loaded weighs less

 

[Weldman]

How about get a diesel which only takes one step to refine it from oil, last forever and gets great mpg and lastly if she is so concerned about ecological impact then stop chasing bands around the country.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Groupie Skoolie....ya gotta love it...

 

[Elbear1]

if she is so concerned about ecological impact then stop chasing bands around the country.

Lol. On many levels. I have no idea but id be suspect about 13mpg. 6k lb vans barely get that.

 

[tx2sturgis]

The 13 mpg might be the dashboard reading...those are usually 'optimistic'....Calculated pump mileage will almost always be less.

 

[highdesertranger]

you know running waste veggie oils not a straight forward thing. you can't just dump used fry oil into your tank. even on the older diesels modifications must be done and newer diesels forget it. you also must basically refine the waste oil so this process is not nomad friendly. you can however run petroleum based waste oils with just filtering in older mechanical diesels. oils like waste engine oil, waste transmission oil, waste hydraulic fluid. where is Low Tech when you need him. highdesertranger

 

[MeiraNomadRN]

The 13 mpg might be the dashboard reading...those are usually 'optimistic'....Calculated pump mileage will almost always be less.

I think I know what you mean, but can you explain 'calculated pump mileage'?  I've personalizing been trusting what my 2015 Honda Pilot tells me, I'm guessing I should not?

 

[MeiraNomadRN]

lastly if she is so concerned about ecological impact then stop chasing bands around the country.

That seems . . . unkind.

 

[B and C]

I think I know what you mean, but can you explain 'calculated pump mileage'?  I've personalizing been trusting what my 2015 Honda Pilot tells me, I'm guessing I should not?

Calculated mileage is when you divide the gallons used into the mileage driven.  
The computer generated one changes as you drive.

 

[tx2sturgis]

When the daughter fills that bus at the gas pump...have her zero out the trip meter, or simply write down the odometer reading. Or, she can simply take a pic of the odometer with her smartphone camera.

Next time she fills up, lets say at 200 miles later, then divide the miles traveled by the gallons she bought.

Suppose she filled it with 15 gallons: 200 divided by 15 would be 13.3 mpg.

If it takes 20 gallons to top it off, then the mpg will be 10 (200 divided by 20).

Easy.

The dashboard display is often optimistic because the manufacturers choose to use the algorithms and calculations that produce a favorable reading. This is just human nature to want to see good numbers instead of lousy numbers.

Have her reset the dash readout mpg reading when she is on a flat highway cruising at about 60....after a half mile or so, she will probably see the mpg numbers above 15...maybe even 17, 18 or 20....but the reality is, that is only the highway cruising mpg..not the REAL mpg for combined city/highway stuff. Which proves the numbers can be optimistic.