Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Which Diesel Pickup Should I Buy?

dooleyboydooleyboy Member Posts: 2
edited August 2017 in Chevrolet
Hey, I am a new member who is looking for a little advice. I am getting ready to buy a new truck and would like to find out what everyone thinks is a better truck. I am looking at either a 2006 Chevy 2500 Duramax or a 06 Dodge Ram Cummins. I am personally a Chevy fan, but not opposed to Dodges. I just would like to find out what users have found about these trucks. Thanks!
«13

Comments

  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    If you can provide a little more info, that would help:
    - cab size
    - drive type (4x2 or 4x4)
    - transmission (auto or manual)
    - intended use

    kcram - Pickups Host
  • mjf3474mjf3474 Member Posts: 1
    Hey there, I own an 03 dodge ram 2500 cummins HO 6spd 4 door long box. This is the best truck that I have ever had. I have owned fords and chevys gas motors and I have buddies that drive the diesel fords and chevys. Long story short. Dodge has them all beat in performance ie, power and lots of it. Chevy has the comfort, and they are really comfortable, like a caddy. Fords are pretty comfortable too. Dodge is also the cheapest and Chevy is the most expensive. I have 130k on my truck and my only complaint is the front seats. They are not near as comfortable as the chevy. I should have added the seat upgrade but even then it would not be as comfortable as the chevy. My only other complaint is that it is a little stiff in the ride however the suspension can handle the toughest of off road terrain. I run my truck out on a ranch in west texas and in 4 low lock and 1 2nd or 3rd gear it will just crawl up and over just about anything. My truck produces 305HP stock and I think around 550 on the torque. I added a Dr. Performance (predator) chip which added 100HP and 250 torque. This chip keeps the EGT (exhaust gas temps) way down in the green where it shoud be. Other chips can raise the EGT's into the red which will hurt the life span of the engine in the long run. It increased my fuel milage from 10 to 20 percent. I drove from san antonio to waco on sat and I got a solid 25 mpg on the highway at 78mph, which was a record, I also had a pretty stiff tail wind which helped a lot. 23.5 mpg is the norm on the highway. Comeing home into the wind I got 22.5 mpg at 73mph. I get 21.5 mpg in the city. I might add that I try to keep my foot out of it. This truck wants to run. It will smoke the tires. When I run it hard thru the gears it just wants to take off in 5th and 6th. At 60 70 or 80mph all you have to do it push on the accelerator and the turbo comes alive and it will really go strong. It really likes to cruise at 80. It gets the best fuel mpg below 2100 rpm or 72 mph. As for the towing performance, well let just say that it pulls like an 18 wheeler tractor. It will pull more than the 2500 limits will allow. I pull boats, flat beds and a cattle hauler and I could not be happier with the performance. However when you load it up the fuel milage goes down. Anywhere from 10 to 18 depending on the load. I might add that I have 3.73 gears which are better suited for the highway and light hauling, but that is also what helps on the ausome fuel milage I get when I am not pulling. Good luck.
  • mearsmears Member Posts: 4
    He is right about the Dodge. I have an 04 with over 298,000 miles on it. I used to haul horse trailers and flatbeds. I was a hot shot. i've been all over the country in the past 2 years. We had a little mis-hap with a Towing company up in Tenn. Needless to say we was without our big red She Devil for about 4 weeks. We had to rent a chevy dually in order to be able to keep working. That is the only type of vehicle that you can rent to do the work that we do. That is what the Insurance wanted us to do. Anyway, after have to use that Chevy for such a short period of time, I would never buy one. The Fuel mileage sucks.. I just loved running about the country. It was like a working vacation. My wife went with me. She is the one who found this beautiful truck on the Show Room floor. We took the back seats out and customized the back seat with a really nice bed and curtains. It was awesome. The funnest week we had was when we went to Niagra Falls and surprised her brother up in Buffalo NY. He is the batting coach for the AAA Phillies in Scranton-Wilkes Barre, Pa and they was playing a few games up there. We get a lot of comments about how pretty our truck is when she is all cleaned up..
  • celestemitchcelestemitch Member Posts: 1
    Hey, I'm looking for some advice on a truck.. I'm considering a purchase on a 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 diesel engine. Would this be a good choice? I don't know how the diesel engines differ from the gas engines, but after about 90,000 miles, my mother's Dodge Durango and my step mother's Dodge Ram 2500 gas engine began having problems. This truck I am interested in, I know, has been WELL taken care of, but I'd just like a little bit of input on how a Cummins holds up rather than a V8.
  • trucktrickstrucktricks Member Posts: 45
    My advice is to go for the six speed automatic. You won't be sorry. Better performance, better fuel economy, quieter highway cruising.

    Check it out: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=115662
  • trucktrickstrucktricks Member Posts: 45
    Long story short. Dodge has them all beat in performance ie, power and lots of it.

    Well not any more..............

    http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=115662
  • dltdltdltdlt Member Posts: 2
    I am very interested in a 2006 Chevy or GMC Extended cab 4x4 with the Duramax. I have never owned a diesel and I plan on starting a small construction business soon. Anyway, I can't seem to find much info. on the maintenance cost and fuel economy with this diesel. :) I'm talking about the new 6600 HO. I have owned many 6 liter 2500's and found in the city only about 10mpg. I would like to take advantage of the 0% finance offers currently. Thanks for your quick responses.
  • dooleyboydooleyboy Member Posts: 2
    Hi. I posted a similar question earlier. But for what its worth, I went and ended up buying a 2006 Chevy Duramax Crew Cab 4x4 and I absolutely love it. I live in Branson(which is the hilly road and sitting in traffic capital of the world) and I'm getting about 16 in town and 22 on the highways already. The truck still has less than 1,000 miles on it too! Besides the $3.05 a gallon for diesel, the costs and fuel economy have been awesome for how big of a machine this is. But anyway, I hope this helps!
  • timowen1timowen1 Member Posts: 2
    I just bought a new 2500 HD GMC d-max allison 6 speed June 29th. 0% at 72 months what a deal. The first 403 miles I drove it easy as suggested in the break in procedure. I filled the fuel tank just dying to see what the mileage was. It took 21.36 gallons, that's 18.86 mpg combination highway city. I put a tonneau on it July 1st, I hope that will make it a little better. I went from a 2003 2500 HD 8.1 5 speed allison that got about 11.7 city/highway. Both trucks were crew cabs, the 03 was a short box the d-max has a long box. This is a big truck. The Dodge and Ford boys need to look at the new numbers for the '06 Duramax , 360 hp and 650 ft.lbs of torque at 1600 rpm. I will follow the owners manual for maintenance and due it myself. I am going to get a Diesel Turbo Lifesaver. The guys at shopdiesel.com are checking into one. They only list up to 2004.
  • joebostonjoeboston Member Posts: 3
    I own a 03 Chevy Crew Cab 2500HD w/Duramax. I think it has around 85k on it now. I did purchase the truck new and just love it. I pulled a 35' High profile fifth with it since new and cannot begin to describe the RAW power. My old 1996 Chevy 2500 extented cab with the older 6.5 diesel had a very hard time pulling this large trailer. With the Duramax I just set the cruise at 70 and it never drops out of over drive (Tow Haul mode). Pulling the trailer I get about 11 to 12 MPG. I only know my combined HWY/City not pulling which id around 20 MPG. Since adding the Edge Juice I find it very hard to keep my leg out of the injectors. I drive I75 from the Pontiac area to Detroit every day. This route takes you from zero MPH to 90 (Just never know). As for comparing my truck to others (Ford or Dodge) GM is finally in the truck segment. All 3 brands all have excellent power and can compete with each other. If someone tells you one has more power than the other they are blowing smoke. Bottom line you need to decide which truck will be the most dependable one for you. That is Engine and Transmission holding over the long haul. My choice will always be GM.

    Joe
  • carrieb1carrieb1 Member Posts: 3
    HI There -
    I am having a hard time deciding between these 2 trucks. The primary use will be to pull up to 10,000 gooseneck horse trailer, but will also be used a few times a year for a family trip vehicle. I am looking at the new '06 to take advantage of 0% financing.

    Both trucks are auto trans, 4x4, diesel,Short Bed. Here are the differences:
    F250 - Crew Cab (I found the Super Cab too small to really have passengers in the back) SB is 6 3/4 ft, an XLT model. Has the integrated brake box.
    Dodge 2500 - Quad Cab. SB is 6 1/4 ft, SL Model which doesn't have elecric windows or locks. Have to add the brake box.

    Here are my questions.
    1. Bed size: will the shorter bed size (by 6 inches) of the Dodge compromise turning? A trailer dealer I spoke w/ assured me the Dodge bed size would be fine, but I am wondering if better to go w/ Ford since its SB is 6" longer. HOwever, for my own driving convenience, I would rather drive the smaller truck.
    2. The Dodge will have to have aftermarket elec windows and door locks (scant supply of '06s)put in. Should I be concerned that these are not factory? Dealer assures me it will be covered like the Dodge Warranty.
    3. What about reliability, performance and fuel economy comparison between these 2 vehicles?
    Thanks!!!
  • carrieb1carrieb1 Member Posts: 3
    HI There -
    I am having a hard time deciding between these 2 trucks. The primary use will be to pull up to 10,000 gooseneck horse trailer, but will also be used a few times a year for a family trip vehicle. I am looking at the new '06 to take advantage of 0% financing.

    Both trucks are auto trans, 4x4, diesel,Short Bed. Here are the differences:
    F250 - Crew Cab (I found the Super Cab too small to really have passengers in the back) SB is 6 3/4 ft, an XLT model. Has the integrated brake box.
    Dodge 2500 - Quad Cab. SB is 6 1/4 ft, SL Model which doesn't have elecric windows or locks. Have to add the brake box.

    Here are my questions.
    1. Bed size: will the shorter bed size (by 6 inches) of the Dodge compromise turning? A trailer dealer I spoke w/ assured me the Dodge bed size would be fine, but I am wondering if better to go w/ Ford since its SB is 6" longer. HOwever, for my own driving convenience, I would rather drive the smaller truck.
    2. The Dodge will have to have aftermarket elec windows and door locks (scant supply of '06s)put in. Should I be concerned that these are not factory? Dealer assures me it will be covered like the Dodge Warranty.
    3. What about reliability, performance and fuel economy comparison between these 2 vehicles?
    Thanks!!!
  • smokin03smokin03 Member Posts: 4
    Hello there! I will try to help you make a decision, since i've owned both trucks. The first was a 99 F350 with a 7.3 crew cab Powerstroke. The truck I currently own is a 2003 Quad Cab Ram with a 5.9 Cummins.
    You will find that with the Ford it is a really nice truck. The interior is nice and comfortable. The crew cabs are very roomy and very comfortable for long trips. Backseat room rivals most large passenger cars. It will tow very smooth and the transmission should not give you any trouble at all. The engine is pretty powerful but it is not as quiet as the Cummins is. The engine has had some problems, especially in the 03-04 years such as head gasket, injector and turbo problems but the 05+ engines have had these "bugs" worked out of them although there is still the occasional truck with some issues. The torqshift transmission is by far the better choice, and is actually built by Allison Transmission - but GM owns the rights to market theirs as an Allison.
    As for the Dodge you just can't go wrong with the Cummins engine. They have stuck with the same block since the late 80's aside from major improvements over the years and they were mainly due to emissions. The interior is very nice as well. Although the cabin is smaller than the ford the back seat is still comfortable but if you have tall passengers riding in the back it could be a squeeze. The transmission is not as good as the Ford Torqshift but it is not at all bad.
    Now to answer your questions!
    1. Both trucks have coil over front suspensions, but the Dodge still turns much tighter than the Ford, which could come in handy backing a trailer or making tight turns with it.
    2. If the dealer is going to install and warranty the power windows and locks then make sure it is in writing that it's covered for the agreed term and don't worry, they will be fine.
    3. For reliability as far as the entire truck I would put them right on par. The Dodge trucks have come a long way since the old days.
    Engine reliability is an issue with the Ford, as some owners of 6.0's have had repeated issues with their trucks.
    Transmission reliabilty is a small issue with the Dodge, but as long as you don't try to do anything like add 200 HP with chips and try to tow over the recommended capacity you should be fine.
    Performance is going to be pretty even, but it does not appear you are looking for a drag racer. Diesels have made tremendous improvements since the old days. They are far more advanced and much more powerful. You will not see any noticeable black smoke upon acceleration.
    For fuel economy with both trucks being automatic it's going to be pretty close, but you should see empty MPG's in the 16-19 with the Ford, and slightly higher with the Dodge. I average over 20mpg 90% of the time and as high as 24 in my Dodge, but it is a manual and they traditionally get better mileage.
    I should add that you can increase the performance and mileage by 1-3 mpg wihtout sacrificing the reliability of either engine by researching aftermarket "chips" For about 3-500 hundred bucks you can add 50-75 horsepower and about 150lb-ft of torque just from the chip. If you have never owned a diesel or don't know much about them, it is a whole new world! Please reply if you have any further questions!
  • smokin03smokin03 Member Posts: 4
    The duramax is a very good engine. It makes a lot of power, and is very cheap to get a lot of horsepower from. The only downfall for me is the weak styling and the IFS.
  • mtreedmtreed Member Posts: 2
    I am new to this forum, and if I were you I would stay FAR away from the FORD 6.0 liter. You can search online for problems with 6.0 and find a ton of unhappy people. My husband and I have an 03 and an 06 Ford Diesel. They are both junk. The 03 has been in several times for an array of problems and is currently having the head gaskets replaced. We have had trouble with it since we got it, and you can start it on a cool morning forget about going anywhere for any time soon. You can floor it and it spits and sputters and will barely move, it is a 450. Our 06 350 King Ranch has had problems with since the first week. It nearly burned up on the side of the road. It has been injectors, EGR sensors, and now is doing has the same symptoms as the 450 with the head gaskets. The 03 is in the shop and the 06 needs to be in the shop, but we need to have one for business, so we are having to baby it and fill the sucker up with water a couple of times a day. They say they are putting a new engine in the 07, but who knows if they can get an engine out there that is not plagued with as many problems as the 6.0. STAY FAR AWAY from the 6.0.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I have to agree with you. We have several Ford Crew Cab and Excursion diesel trucks where I used to work in the Arctic. There are 3 full time warranty companies for Ford in Prudhoe Bay. They stay booked up all the time. Most of the problems are the diesel engines. That is all that is used there. Mostly little things like sensors. Ford needs to get their act together.
  • stdbobstdbob Member Posts: 14
    what is Diesel Turbo Lifesaver
  • mtreedmtreed Member Posts: 2
    We just got our 450 back tonight after having the head gaskets replaced and left our 350 there, the 450 still misses. We will see when we get our cold front down here if it will go or not. We had no choice our 06 350 is going through water like crazy and has oil in the water. The ford rep says he is not interested in helping us if we do not take another ford. We WON'T OWN another 6.0, and who knows how the new 6.4 will be!!!!
  • daj82859daj82859 Member Posts: 1
    I have the oppotunity to buy a 1998 Dodge 2500 w/ a diesel engine. The truck is 2WD and only has 10,000 miles on it. Yes that is correct => 10,000. Were there any major difficulties with this year and engine? What kind of fuel mileage should I expect?
  • jvickjvick Member Posts: 1
    The truck is an '03 Duramax Crew cab, Long bed 4X4. It has 129,000 miles. The truck had started smoking at idle. The smoke was blue/grey at idle then black when I accelerated. I recieved the letter from Chevy about the extended warranty on the injectors so I took the truck to a Chevy dealer. The dealer informed me the injectors(3)did not meet the criteria for the extended warranty and it would be $3400.00 for the repairs. I called Chevy and they worked a deal with the dealer to split the cost with me. The dealer told me I did not buy the truck from him nor did I use them to service the truck and Chevy was forcing him to split the cost with me. I had to bite my tongue, at a 100 miles away he is the closest dealer and another 50 to the next one. The deal was made and the repairs done and my half was $1200.00 . The service manager told me bad fuel was the cause of the injector failure. Then at 156 miles after the repairs the truck came to pieces. Something popped the engine started rattling and thick grey smoke was billowing out the exhaust. The truck was dead by the time I got it shut down and off the road. Now the dealer is telling me the injector pump has failed and it will be another $1800.00 for to replace it.

    Now for your help. Does bad fuel cause injector failure? Could the injectors have been cleaned instead of replaced? Why would the injector pump go out after only 156 miles after the repairs?
    Any help or comments would be appreciated.
    Thanks
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    There were two different engines used in the 98 model year. If the door badge reads "Cummins Turbo Diesel", you have the older mechanical 12-valve engine. If the door badge reads "Cummins 24-Valve Turbo Diesel", you have the electronic-fuel-injected engine. The 12-valve will get better mileage on an overall basis - you'll have no trouble getting in the mid 20s mpg-wise. Properly maintained, both engines will see 300-400K miles with no sweat.

    kcram - Pickups Host
  • guy7guy7 Member Posts: 9
    I am considering the purchase of a new 350 dually. I have heard good and bad about each vehicle. I am leaning towards the Dodge as I own a 93 that just wont quit with a CTD. My friends are pushing me in other directions. Is my choice a wise one or are there any common problems the 06 CTD and rest of truck are having?
  • vanderleestvanderleest Member Posts: 1
    hey! im lookin at a 01 f350 7.3td with a utility bed and 180k in miles. im not into it for the towing but it will be involved in my solar power business. my concerns are if it is too big of a truck, although that sturdiness would likely hold up better to 180k mileage (highway miles). single rear wheels. it will be a loud engine i suspect? what mileage in mpg can i expect? will it handle a biodiesel mix? asking price is 16k..let me know, thanks
  • alcockalcock Member Posts: 3
    My '03 2500HD GMC diesel had numerous problems, but just got it back from the dealer after2 weeks being fixed. 139000kms on it, lack of power and could not get it to run over 60 km/h. The dealer found out that there was iron fillings in the tank - new filter, fuel pump, injector pump, fuel lines, and clean injectors as they were somewhat plugged plus labour$$$, total bill $ 10,000 cdn - insurance covered as they believe vandalism. Now GM has said warranty would be in question on engine if anything happens due to the recent issues with fuel.
  • erikerik Member Posts: 21
    I cant wait until Toyota or Honda comes out with a diesel pickup truck because Im trading in my yuppie mobile for a reliable and economical truck. Hopefully a nice v6 common rail engine like the new Mercedes V-6. Ford, DC, and GM are in big trouble. Why sell a big V8 when hardly anyone tows, except a few buddies to the bar. What happened to Ford's V6 diesel? Outsourced of course. Ford has a nice TDCI in their Transit van in EUrope and in their Mondeo wagon.

    Ford vs Chevy? Ha

    Im buying an import because the quality is better and the transmission wont fail.
  • alcockalcock Member Posts: 3
    GM is coming out with a 4.0 ltr diesel for there 1/2 ton pickups - should be good as long as it is a good diesel engine.
  • ripleydodge1ripleydodge1 Member Posts: 1
    I wrote last year about the problems I had with the fuel injector pump with my 2000 Dodge Diesel 2500. The truck only had about 70,000 miles I believe. The cost to replace the fuel injector pump is quiet expensive! It isn't just replacing the pump it's all the other stuff that goes with it. We had a whopping $4300.00 bill for us to PAY! Dodge would NOT cover any of it. Even though the dealership had informed us that they had been alot of replacements of the fuel injector pumps and new fuel pumps. Dodge said they did a relocation of the fuel injector pump as they thought that where the pump was located it was causing the malfunction, ultimately BURN UP! So the cost is on you...
    Recently my brother was visiting me here in CA and made the long haul drive home (WA) about 11 hours. Next day he drove his 2004 Dodge Diesel an additional 20 miles and his truck died, just as ours did last year. YOU GUESSED IT A FUEL INJECTOR PUMP & FUEL PUMP! He had the fuel injector pump go out under his first year of warranty they did replace it, no charge but lied about where they had put it. Cause now he has to replace it at HIS COST and the fuel injector pump isn't where they said it was "mounted in the gas tank. He had to buy a conversion kit to mount it in the gas tank.
    Actually none of this about remounting it our where it goes is really the issue here. The injector pumps on the Dodge Trucks are an issue and they are DAM expensive to replace! And at the rate they are going out we are putting nearly $5,000.00 into our trucks every other year! Dodge needs to fix this problem and do a recall.. Oh I forgot Dodge only does recalls if it is a "safety" issue! I guess if your truck dies while you are driving passing a big ole truck and you have NO power steering and you crash and burn, THEN IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE!
    Here is a link to last years letter I wrotelink title
  • guy7guy7 Member Posts: 9
    I have heard that there have been a few issues with the injector pumps. Was the problem rectified in the 06 MODELS OR CAN I EXPECT THE SAME FATE ? Are there any other 05 and 06 owners experiencing the same problems? Is dodge doing anything besides calculating the repair charges on your bill?
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    I own a 2005 Ram 3500 dually, coming up on 39,000 miles in just under 2 years, and my Cummins has not missed a beat.

    kcram - Pickups Host
  • rjenningsrjennings Member Posts: 5
    My Father and I are in the cattle industry so I know exactly
    what you are trying to do. I would highly suggest buying
    a 1 ton cab and chassis 4x4, than put a nice custom flat bed
    on it. That has been the configuration my father and I have
    settled on the last half dozen trucks and it is vastly
    superior to a 3/4 ton pickup truck with a standard bed in every respect. When you haul animals they tend to move around
    alot, single rear tire trucks get shoved around quit a bit.
    At the wrong time it can be very dangerous. You will be
    amazed at how much better a truck with 4 tires on the back
    runs down the road with a heavy load of animals. As for
    wheel base the shorter the better, theirs a reason way the
    trucks they use to move house trailers are so short. Every
    where you go in regaurdes to livestock will seem to have
    narrow gates and tight quarters. A short wheel base truck
    cannot be bet as far as maneuvering a Goose Neck Trailer.
    As far as reliability goes they all have problems. Don't
    let some salesman lie about it. I don't think any of the
    domestic makers are building anything very reliable right
    know if you plan to really work a truck. Duallies as they
    are called are mostly for show, I bought a new F-350 Dually
    a few years ago and will never own another one. Both fender
    flares were broken into pieces and flapping in the wind
    by the time I sold it. That's why I suggested a Cab and
    Chassis. The other day a lady ran a red light and hit me
    right in the side of the flat bed. Her car was totaled out.
    I used a can of black paint on the bed, and you cannot tell
    that anything ever touched my truck, not one dent, that's
    how a truck is suppose to be. My father currently has a 04
    6.0 liter F-350, he's had alot of trouble with it. If you
    buy any diesel truck in the near future get the extended
    warranty on it, you will not be sorry. A old cattleman told
    me once about 3/4 ton trucks, that he considered them to be
    between hay and grass, and in your application I agree.
  • carrieb1carrieb1 Member Posts: 3
  • jlcjlc Member Posts: 30
    Hi folks, I am considering getting into rv ing and would like some advice on a tow vehicle. I'll be towing max gvwr of 12,000 lbs. 5th wheel. Should I go diesel or gas? 4wd or 2x4. Am also thinking new. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    thanks

    Joe
  • codykcodyk Member Posts: 5
    I currently have a 97 ram 2500 4wd 5.9 magnum xtended cab auto with o/d that gets a whopping 12 unloaded and at best 9mpg pulling a 16 foot steel stock trailer with two to three horses.Guesstimate 6500-7000 pds. and I am probably way overguessing on wt.I'm trying to find ways to improve mpg such as possibly adding lockout front hubs or if the expense of a diesel is the way I should go I have been looking thru posts on mpg and see the old gundeck variants {random mpgs from 12-25 with same brands e.g. dodge,chevy}I need a 4wd so that is a given and as everyone else want the best mpg. I understand that I will want a high geared rearend and o/d tranny. I will be pulling the above mentioned wt. and running empty.I live in oklahoma and will not be pulling in mtns. etc. mostly flat to rolling hills, however one doesn't always know where the road leads. I have also read about the ulsd failures due to the ulsd acting as a solvent. If there is anything else I missed please let me know and also please give advice. any and all is appreciated.I have a friend that has a duramax after his 2500 2wd cummins was totalled ,he recommends the cummins. He got 21-22 empty and16-18 pulling a 22 ft steel gooseneck with 2-3 horses. thanks in advance
    Cody
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    Depends on how long you plan on keeping the truck and how many miles you drive. If you really pound a truck, the diesel will definitely outlast a modified gasoline truck. I'm on my second Cummins Ram (1996 3500 Club Cab 4x4 dually, now a 2005 3500 Quad Cab 4x4 dually). No trouble getting 20+ mpg "empty" if my right foot behaves (I have the standard axle, no need for the 4.10s). Duramaxes and 7.3L Powerstrokes also can get 20+ empty., so it'll come down to what truck you find at what price.

    ULSD has been reported as an issue only on previous-generation engines. I run it in my 05 with no issues at all. Keep your fuel filter fresh until the engine has had a steady diet for a while, and watch your seals and gaskets.

    kcram - Pickups Host
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Am I understanding you that you just bought a used 1997 Ram with Cummins? If so how many miles does it have? Most newer diesel trucks get 20+ MPG if you don't race every Corvette you are along side of.
  • codykcodyk Member Posts: 5
    No, I have a97 2500 with a 5.9 magnum
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    Do a cost comparison of how much gas you will save vs. the cost of a new truck. If you just drive 5000 a year it doesn't matter what you drive.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Either something is wrong with that engine or you are an aggressive driver. You should have no trouble getting 18-21 MPG empty. Find a good independent diesel shop and have them run a complete test on it.
  • codykcodyk Member Posts: 5
  • codykcodyk Member Posts: 5
    I don't mean to confuse you. I currently have a 5.9 gas magnum that I am geting that mileage with. I am trying to get a handle on best mpg in a diesel. Reading posts people are getting between 14-25 mpg even with the same model trucks.
    Cody
  • malice1malice1 Member Posts: 3
    I got a Ram 1500 sport Ex-Cab. I want to get a Diesel truck fuel is cheaper and better milage than gas. Im just a daily driver dont tow anything just hall boards and sometimes garbage. Im Thinking of getting a ram 2500 diesel. Im looking to spend around 8 to 9k. What do you guys think? What would you get around that price thats reliabule.
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    Do the math on how many miles you drive per year to see how much you can save. I would defer purchase 2 or 3 years till you can get a smaller diesel truck like a Tacoma. 8k buys a lot of gas. Hope this helps.
  • malice1malice1 Member Posts: 3
    Im 6'3 230lbs i dont fit in tacoma's all that well. My uncule has a 92 yota ex-cab v6 and he's getting 13 around town and 23 on high way. With numbers like that getting a diesel seems better. There's also bio-diesel stations starting to go up where im at to.
  • malice1malice1 Member Posts: 3
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    Then just wait for a 1/2 ton diesel. The longer you can wait,the better the technology.
  • tent2tttent2tt Member Posts: 46
    I am trying to find a reliable truck with as good gas mileage as possible that can tow a maximum 5,500 lbs hard sided (not fold-down) travel trailer (that's the GVWR fully loaded up + 2 passengers) without overtaxing the engine going up hill and while still getting decent gas mileage towing and around town (particularly around town). Decent gas mileage to me is at least 20 mpg when not towing. I noticed that several versions of the Tacoma have a GVWR tow rating of 6,500 lbs, but no one seems to be using them for towing trailers--why is that, if the tow rating is that high? Would it overtax the Tacoma? I have seen one posting about using a Tundra for towing loads, but the gas mileage on the Tundra looks awful. Does anyone out there use have a Tundra for towing a travel trailer? If so, how much do you tow, how does it do uphill and what's the towing and non-towing real world mpg? Is it true that I should get a Dodge Ram 2500 with Cummins Turbocharged diesel instead? Which size engine should I get? I have seen numerous posts on travel trailer sites by people saying that they can get 20mpg empty and 11-15 mpg towing (heavier weights than my prospective TT) in their Dodge Ram TCD with the Cummins engine, but the overall reliablility of the Dodge, Ford and Chevys seems very worrisome compared with Toyotas great consumer report ratings and reliability reviews. This is a big purchase for me so I need a truck that will last and won't ned up having a ton of problems. I take very good care of my vehicles and I need a truck (or SUV) that I can take to travel on dirt roads, and that will be reliable, strong and get good gas mileage, especially when I drive it when I am not towing. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
  • farmerbrownfarmerbrown Member Posts: 1
    If u plan to pull a tt over long distance u need to stay with the big 3 "Ford ,Chevy,Dodge,.
    if u want good mph go diesel. I get 19mph city 20.8 highway and 16 with a 6000# cattle trailer 15mph with a 20000# hay trailer,with a 2006 chevy 2500 6 speed
  • coontie57coontie57 Member Posts: 128
    I wrote a long message on this post two days back but an electric storm kept it from being sent. Oh well.!!

    Go diesel and you won't be sorry was the summary of my post that didn't make it. My 06 Chevy is great. The seats are very comfortable and the XM radio with Bose speakers are going to be hard to beat. I still have OnStar but will let it go in July.

    I have talked to many , many people/men and lots of them have 300K miles on their diesel pickups with no problem. Fords... Chevy...Dodge I doubt if a GAS Tundra can say that with 300K..

    20+mpg on the road is very doable. My truck now has 13K and I can just now see the MPG going up so the engine must be getting broken in... I still got right at 20 from the start.

    You won't be sorry getting the 6 speed transmission. I really like the way it brakes you on hills/mountains.

    I related a story of a trip I made in January returning from Greenville, NC on I 40 to Asheville, NC... I was crusing with the empty truck about 60-65mph and I had a Tundra pass me pulling a silver bullet camper (can't think of the brand name--Airstream??) all aluminum... When we got to a few little hills around Marion NC before hitting the MTNS of WNC I passed him again... still in cruise.. and we did that for 20-30 miles untill he hit OLD Fort Mtn (10 mile grade of 7%).. I never saw him again. I slowed down to 55-60 there as that's the speed limit.

    The moral of that story is don't buy something without enough punch to pull what you want to pull. Also I don't think its a good idea to pull at or near your MAX CGVW,,,, give your vehicle a break.. I pull a 11.5K camper and the vehicle is rated at 15500 lbs (as I recall).. The chevy handles it really well... 11.6+ mpg..
  • tent2tttent2tt Member Posts: 46
    Thank you both, coontie57 and farmerbrown for your input--it really helps to get specifics in terms of hill grade and mpg figures to understand how the gas and diesel differ in performance. I definitely do not want to be overtaxing my tow vehicle and crawling up hills when towing.

    I noticed that the Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins is now coming out with an additional component that allows it to meet 2010 emission standards too, which is important to me, so that may be the best choice, though I will certainly consider any of the other American brands that has a good reliability history. I will be doing a number of test drives this weekend! Happy Trails and thanks again!
  • advequityguyadvequityguy Member Posts: 138
    Dodge and Chevrolet are coming out with altered diesel engines because they have no choice. I wouldn't call either engine new, though.

    As of 1-1-07 (already come and gone), every diesel engine made for use in a pickup truck has to run on the new ultra low sulphur diesel fuel only, and has to have a particulate filter that burns the soot. All 3 manufacturers reacted in different ways.

    Ford went ahead and started manufacturing their new 6.4 diesel engine at the beginning of the year, which is why the 2008 Ford arrived a bit early.

    Chevy produced a large amount of their Isuzu diesels prior to 1-1-07 to be used in the production of their diesels for the forseeable future (manufacture date of the engine is the only thing that matters, not the manufacture date of the actual truck).

    Dodge produced a large amount of the 6 cylinder Cummins to last until they could modify it to meet the new requirements as well. Unlike Chevrolet though, rumor has it that with the required modifictions, Dodge is having power output issues with their modified Cummins.

    Anyhow, that's the story as I heard it.
Sign In or Register to comment.