Diesel’s are not an economic advantage unless you drive lots of miles.
$2.90 per gallon gas / 10 mpg = $.29 per mile for fuel
$3.20 per gallon diesel / 15 mpg = $.213 per mile for fuel
difference being $.077 lower operating cost per mile to run the diesel. Thus when you add the $7000 (plus 8% tax) for the diesel engine you will find that it takes 98,000 miles for the diesel to pay for itself. Actually a little longer when you include higher maintenance costs as well as buying power service in the winter. Emissions equip has killed the economic advantage of the diesel.
It’s VERY difficult to make money plowing snow. IMO its not worth it to do a driveway for $300 a season. Many [smart] people will not hire you to plow without proof of liability insurance.
Plus people are just a pain about driveways - Don’t come after 8 pm the kids are asleep, get here before 6 am because thats when my husband walks to the mailbox for the newspaper, you scraped my driveway sealer, the flashing light makes my dog bark, BLAH BLAH BLAH. Residential customers are a pain. Commercial work is where the money is at. It’s not easy though. When the snow is coming down you never sleep.
If you can justify the plow for your own use and want to do some neighbors drives for $20 each and shit like that go for. Just don’t go into plowing expecting to make your fortune.