I did mention initial cost and repairs. Def is $15/2.5gal good for about 3K miles. That is less than 1/2 cent/mile. Figure it out you will spend about $7000 more in gas than diesel over 100,000 miles. 14mpg vs 23mpg. Compare the 7-8 mpg vs 14 mpg hauling heavy loads and it is even more than that. That will pay for injectors or an injector pump. Factor in diesels are quoted as commonly running 300K vs 200K for gasser. As you mentioned they hold their value more, so you get that back if you sell it. What is the GVCR rating for a big gasser vs a big Diesel? 1 ton diesel go about 30K + pounds.
A person has to decide based on what they need vs the price.
I get free oil changes
Definitely a situational comparison is warranted before one really knows what they “need” because your weight example brings into a whole nother matter of what a person who is pulling a load needs to be aware of.
Also, per your math, if a person buys new, and does not ever keep a truck past 100k mile mark, then it would cost them more to own the diesel than the gas burner because the higher initial cost of the diesel motor as an option would never pay for itself in the fuel efficiency it holds over the gas within that 100k miles of use.
A person who keeps vehicles longer than 100k miles of use may actually benefit from the initial diesel purchase.
Each person just needs to look at their overall use and what makes sense for them.
No comparison when you start talking about towing capabilities and torque, but a person really needs to understand all this in order to make an informed decision.
