Diesel VS Gas....
Well here is my take on it, and has nothing to do with Jeep, just the two fuels in general. I'm a farm boy, born and raised, have only been a small town boy since i got married. I have had my share of Diesel and Gas experience for the past 20+ years.
Diesel... More fuel efficient, more torque, usually last longer, have their problems as same as ANY engine does. From my experience the main CONS are, starting in Winter, many winters of plugging in the tractors, putting a nipco heater on them, and copious amounts of ether to crank up in the morning. Well below zero temps makes it rough. I have changed fuel filters on both diesel trucks and tractors in the middle of the road at -20 to -30 air temps and have the frost biten fingers to prove it, they still hurt every year when its cold. Diesel soaked through the gloves and i got frost bite, no running engine and no place to warm up i had no choice but to finish the repair. I said USUALLY last longer on the internals, mainly because its so overbuilt to withstand the extreme heat and pressure that a diesel engine sees compared to a gas. But we have blown up and siezed a few diesels with moderate use as well, so failures happen. Fuel consumption is less but the fuel costs more, so even if i get twice the mileage i still spend the same on fuel. So don't even argue that bull. Right now it costs me $2.75 for a gallon of gas here in town, diesel costs me $3.24, $.74 a gallon more. I can get biodiesel if i want, but i would only run that in the summer hearing the horror stories of winter use around here. The one station even puts a warning on the pump in the winter about preventing frozen fuel lines. Around here diesel availability is good, farm country, but i know some towns that don't have a single diesel pump other than a co-op that requires an account or membership. So you have to worry about that as well, especially in some cities where there might be only one or two stations along the interstate or major highway that have diesel to satisfy trucking needs.
Gas... Use more fuel per mile compared to a diesel, but general reliability is just as good, all engines have parts that break or wear out. I have only been stranded by minor problems myself, a belt, a hose, small things when driving gassers all my life. They last much longer then they used to, every vehicle i have upgraded from lasted 200k or more before i got rid of it. The minivan i replaced with the KJ was at 200k when i sold it, and the next owner got another 40k out of it before it blew a rod, 240k isn't bad for a 3.4l V6 in a minivan. And it would have got more had the new owner not been a cheapskate about oil changes and service. The minivan that minivan replaced was at 230k when i sold it, still running strong to almost 300k before the next guy blew it up, around here a used vehicle even with 200k plus sells easy for a farm beater or for kids to learn how to drive so its an easy sell, if it runs its worth money. I can walk into any auto parts store around here and get what i need, diesel parts are a so-so thing in small communities other than for diesel trucks and tractors, the CRD would probably have to sit for a dealer to order a part because they are so uncommon. I know of ONE KJ in this part of the state thats a CRD. The dealership actually had two of them, one sold, the other was put on a trailer and hauled off to a "better market" according to the dealer. I honestly thought the CRD would do damn good around here, most farmers are running diesel trucks, have a diesel barrel on the farm, and why not get the wife a diesel SUV right?? Think it would make sense but they didn't sell.
So overall... Whatever... You go your way, i go mine...
It's a Jeep after all, i don't care what you got under the hood man!
