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Thanks for the update. I hadn't heard about power issues with the new Cummins.
Have been looking at downsizing our travel trailer size considerably to still be able to use a Nissan Frontier, because the diesel and other 1/2 tons just feel to big for our everyday needs. There are at least some very lightweight and towable TT brands that have excellent reliability ratings.
For people who really need a huge work truck and greater tow capacity, I can completely understand why the diesels are the best way to go.
I only hope that the gas engine manufacturers will work harder on increasing mpg--I believe the technology exists, just hasn't been introduced to the market yet.
As I see it with the Duramax I can beat that any day on the road mpg and I wouldn't consider pulling anything with much size with a 350 Chevy engine and that's what a 5.7L really is.. I should have taken a few extra moments and looked at the towing capacity but I didn't.
Another real thing to consider is a person really doesn't know what he will be pulling in 3 years... 5 years etc.. My new bass boat is also quite heavy with 2 axles and I am glad I have the power I have. That poor Chevy stays hooked up to something heavy most of the time. It gets no break as they say.
I still have my OLD 91 Chevy 1500 4 x 4 but I only got it in a V6... really silly of me.. I had a nice little aluminum boat and couldn't see getting a fiberglass but then a good deal came up and the little 6 cylinder had problems... The old Chevy now has 168,000 on her... I am going to keep it till I turn 200K and then say goodby... I do like the 8 ft bed for hauling sheetrock etc..
6-8 mpgs towing the trailer depending on hills and my speed..so i dunnno ..I'm looking at diesels
The oldest is a 1997. Next is a 2004 and now a 2007
ALL 3 are still running and none has had a major problem except rust on the 1997 from the tons of salt they use on the highways around here.
Jim pulls a heavy steel cattle trailer which holds up to 18 head.
I JUST had to have a Ford (dumb jerk!) F350 with that "Wonderful" 6.0L diesel which has spent so many days in Ford shops that I have lost count. The head gaskets blew at 59,000 miles. They asked me what I wanted to do with it and I said (half joking) burn that pile of Cr__.
The ABS system has failed from 2000 miles on and they can't seem to get it to work dependably. Now they say it is out of warranty so they won't fix that which they never did fix.
Now that I have shifted my brain in gear, I am looking for Dodge 1 Ton.
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Import?
Duramax engines are manufactured in Moraine, OH.
As for MPG:
Mine is a 2003 2500HD Crew Cab. While towing at 13K High profile Fifth Wheel Camper I get 11 to 12 MPG (70 MPH). When not towing I can get 21 to 22 MPG if I keep my leg out of the injectors.
Joe
Thanks
I'll be pulling toys with it and that's about it. How have your experiences with programmers vs chips been? This GM has a bullydog (generally I see the Edge in GM products and the Bullydog in the Dodge) but the milage is showing close to 20+. Would you go chip or programmer? Gages to monitor temps or program it and forget it?
I won't be smoking the tires on it (much) but I'm concerned about the chip or programmer shortening the life of the engine.
Thanks again
I live in Atlanta, and will be moving to Colorado this year. I have two trucks, an 01 F150 Supercrew, and a 94 F250 XLT Diesel. Both are two wheel drive, so I am selling both.
I am also hearing that diesel 250s, 2500s, 350's and 3500 are selling at 40% to 50% off sticker based on drop in demand. True ?
I do know my next truck will be a diesel, and 4 wheel drive. Here is where I need help.
1. As I am moving from a warm climate to a cold climate, should I shop for dealer stock only in colder states to be sure the truck on the lot has block heaters and other cold weather specific applications ?
2. In a couple of years, I may buy a fifth wheel camper. A local dealer said to get a 3 ton series dually. But, having driven two, I just don't find dually's to my preference. I will be using the truck on a hobby farm with horses. Does a dual rear wheel make a big difference ?
3. Ok, now for the religiuous questions. I have never owned a Dodge. My first truck was a GMC, with my two current trucks as Fords. A local Dodge dealer (depending on answers to question one) appears to have the most aggressive pricing.
But I know the 09 Dodge will change body styles.
So, for a truck used 50% for driving, 35% for work and 15% for hauling, a 2 ton or 3 ton ? Dually or single ? and which brand ?
4. Can any of there trucks run biodiesel with no modifications or with modifications that do not void a warranty ?
5. For the Chevy fans, what is the difference in a GMD and Chevy ?
Thanks
Chip
GMC has lock washers and Chevy doesn't.
One thing for sure if you're looking for a 4x4 I'd buy it in a warmer state that doesn't need 4x4 as the pricing should be better compared to an area that needs 4x4.
The SRW 350s or 3500 are rated to haul and tow more than a dually. The benefit to a dually is stability of the load and not a higher tow or haul rating.
Better buy it now before gas and diesel prices drop anymore resulting in people buying trucks again.
My brother-in-law is the service manager at a very reputable auto/truck repair center here in the mid-west. He says that he sees lots of F-350's and Rams for tramsmission problems and the repairs are VERY expensive. They never see a problem with the Allison in the Chevy and GMC. He claims it basically goes forever.
Looks like a no-brainer to me.
On the 95' Automatic have had quite a few problems with only 168k miles on it. The 96' just general maintence with 268k miles on it. Manual transmission, Same rear ends, and they both get about the same fuel mileage pulling close to the same loads.
Now the 2000 Dodge that I have has had the same injector problem that I read someone else has had. Mine was $3400 with the conversion kit, and already had problems after about another 30k miles on it. Everyone always told me they got 20 to 25mtg, Mine is 4x4 and it only gets 17 when it is strictly hwy miles no load, 10 to 15 with a load. Both my Fords pull my 50' Fifth wheel way better that that dodge does. Now if it was a manual it prob would be better, I really don't like auto's pulling.
I once had a 1990 Dodge with a 360 in it that the odometer stopped at 220k miles and I know I put another 30 or so on it before I parked it. It would still start after just sitting there, it only got 8 mpg so the Diesels took over. I think I am going to try a Chevy the next go around.... lol. New Fords are getting 5 to 10 mpg with those twin turbos.
Me too. The same 1982 diesel pickup for almost 25 years. I'm a pipeline inspector every now and then.......don't haul too much.
But at 50+ MPG, I just can't bring myself to replace this little feller. Odo is near 300k but hopefully the 4-cylinder diesel will hang in there.
best, ez....
FWIW, my 09 Duramax diesel could care less about the mountain, 6th gear 80 mph unloaded with very little throttle. I can tow my tripple rig of boat and travel trailer ~ 8500 # at 70 mph (I don't drive this setup any faster than that anywhere), although I do need to be in 4th gear while towing up that hill.
My 03 Suburban 5.3L v8, 4 spd auto (sold), towed the boat ~6500# over the top at about 50 mph in 2nd gear IIRC.
The only thing you might consider is that many of the used 1/2 ton single cab short bed trucks out there have v-6 or the smallest v-8s available at the time they were made.
So in GMC or chev look for the 5.3L V8, Ford 5.4 L V8, Dodge 5.7L Hemi V8 (don't buy a dodge v8 prior to the Hemi redesign or you will be dissappointed with the power), toyota 5.7L I force v8, Nissan 5.6 L V8.
He will be using it for a feed/farm truck and will put a Dew-Eze bed on it.
What sort of truck gave you....... hi7echredneck....50mpg.
Please give all the information as I will look out for one it would be just what I'm looking for,
Please tell me it was a 4x4 and that they are still about/still making them.
Did you have to do anything to it to get that gas mpg ?.
Anyone else getting that sort of mpg out of a 4x4 ?.
If so please tell me what 4x4 you are driving.
Thanks,
Laura
GM Customer Service
We have had very few issues, mostly routine service type work like new tires or brakes and I love the Gas milage I get on the freeway. I have never run into a hill where I could not drive it as fast as I wanted to. My only regret is not getting the longer bed.
Now that it's 5 years old and still running very strong the only issue I have is the driver's site seat is starting to show some stretching at one seam that I'm sure will tear someday. Other than that it has the normal scratches from parking lots that any car would have.
If we buy another one someday it would be between Ford and Dodge as I'm taking a stand not to buy from GM until they pay back all the loans and the government sells all its stock in GM. And I mean pay back the tax payers with GM profits not by taking another government loan to pay off the first one like they did last time with the first loan.
Anyway I could not be more happy with my Dodge, my wife loves it, my kids love it, and I get all kinds of truck envy even after six years of wear from car driving guys who wish they had a truck.
Once in a while some over paid desk jockey will try and criticizes me over gas millage, first I ask what their BMW or Mercedes gets on the freeway, when I beat them at my 23.2 MPG they shut up.
I had a 2001 Chevy Suburban and loved the comfort but had terrible MPG and it could not tow as easily as my 2500 HD.
I plan on either getting a travel trailer 2500-3000LBs or getting a truck camper of about the same weight. Both dry weights.
I posted a link below with the sticker on the door that talks about weight limits and such. Would either of those 2 options be ok?
GAWR
Front: 4500LBs
Rear: 6084LBs
GVWR: 8800LBs
http://img864.imageshack.us/img864/9897/ramih.jpg
Here's the link to the car:
http://clients.automanager.com/018227/vehicle-details/0d36f05fcdb9400c91bc6034b1- 1f7ba5/default.html
Thanks,
Raf
Have driven older Fords ('96) and Dodge ('95). Like ride, turning, comfort of my truck better.
QUESTION:
Keep it or get new one, due to ever rising cost of disel?
Looking for a pickup to buy in 6-18 months. I'm looking for a reliable diesel. I tend to keep my cars for years. Some of the comments that I have read here point to the longevity of these engines. But it seems that the comments made suggest that the Rams need transmissions anywhere from 100 to 150k. And somewhere else I read the Chevy Duramax tends to last longer. I am open to open both brands.
I drove a cummins 6.7 yesterday in the ram 2500. I loved it. But then the salesman also said that at some point in the year the 2013 ram 1500 will definitely have a diesel engine. Most likely the one used in the VM engines used in European jeeps.
So now I am faced with choosing among three types. I'm excited about the 1500 getting diesel but before anything else, can anyone else offer new insight onto the long-term reliability of the Chevy Duramax compared to the Cummins compared to the VM engine?
While the Allison is certainly an excellent transmission, GM has the 6.6L Duramax pretty much at its upper limits, and will likely have to introduce a new one soon to meet future regs.
The Cummins was re-engineered in 2007 when it went from 5.9L to 6.7L, and with a 350,000-mile-to-overhaul rating, it's pretty much bulletproof. The Chrysler 68RFE transmission behind the Cummins in the 2500 has actually been a very durable transmission since its introduction.
Since your window is up to 18 months, my advice would be to wait until the redesigned Silverado/Sierra is introduced, then compare to what Ram is offering before you make your final decision.
kcram - Pickups/Wagons/Vans+Minivans Host
Of the three Dodge has the best engine. Made by Cummins the engine is itself is very impressive. Ford I would say has the second best engine in the Powerstroke (very stout and powerful diesel). The trick to the Powerstroke is LEAVE IT ALONE, everyone who is complaining about the engine needing constant repairs has also chipped it and modified it. If you leave it stock you will have all the power you need and won't have nearly the repair bills (guys who chip a truck so they can drag race it need to be horse whipped for ruining a fine truck). Chevy Duramax is a nice engine, has long lasting service, but under load generally doesn't have the power of a Cummins or Powerstroke.
Now if we all rode around on top of the engine block Dodge would be the way to go, however we need a frame, axles, transmission, ect... Of the three Chevy has the best transmission hands down. Ford transmissions usually don't have too many issues and are stout. Dodge transmissions are dog crap plain and simple. You want to quote "I got 500K out of my Cummins engine in my Dodge" -- how many transmissions did it take to get you there? Replacing a tranny for a diesel engine isn't cheap- a buddy of mine almost went bankrupt trying to keep his RAM 3500 on the road.
Frame wise in my experience Dodge trucks have weaker frames than Chevy or Ford. Seen a lot of Dodge 2500 and 3500 trucks with bent/straightened frames. Both Chevy and Ford have strong frames.
So the break down is buy a Chevy or a Ford. I personally have a 1999 F250 Super Duty with a 7.3 Powerstroke Turbo Diesel (stock) and have put 450K miles on it hauling everything from horses to tractors to sawdust (I got mine used with 150K on it, but jumped at it as it had never been modified). It is still running super strong and doesn't blow a ton of black sh*t into the air whenever stressed. A buddy of mine bought a '09 3500 Cummins Turbo Diesel dually and people can praise the Cummins engine all they want to, but if the truck is in the garage because the drive-train is crap that engine isn't doing the truck owner any good. He sold it after only having it for 3 years, but in that three year span he put 5 transmissions in it, 3 transfer cases, and 6 rear differentials. He never had that trouble with his old Chevy 3500, so its not his driving, and his old Chevy never had any problems with the loads we haul. Due to his truck being in the shop so much my truck had to do a lot of double duty and took it in stride.
The Cummins is a really good engine, but Dodge stocks their trucks with crap drive-train and a weaker frame. Dodge has the worse dog crap transmissions in the industry, so what good is that awesome Cummins engine if the truck is broke down? I highly recommend Ford F250 and F350 Super Duty or Chevy 2500 or 3500. Both are great trucks that you can work for many, many years and and many, many miles.
As far as Dodge upgrading their frames, every year Dodge claims best in class this and best in class that, and every year when they are all rated head to head Dodge comes up last. The Cummins is a great engine, but Dodge still hasn't gotten their trucks up to par overall. Did they correct all the problems of past years with their upgrades in 2013 and new 2014 line? Enough time hasn't past to give a definitive answer yet. I can tell you that the 2013 Ram Cummins turbo diesel still has transmission (and overall trans-axle ie: transmission, transfer case, front and rear differentials, drive shaft) problems (more so than Chevy and Ford combined- just look up the raw numbers online), but haven't heard much about the newer frames yet.
I guess it also depends what you want to use your truck for. If its just going to be jacked up to the point you can't fifth wheel hitch it and can't work it anymore heck you don't need anything bigger than a 1500 or 150 and any of the "power three" will suit your needs. If you want to take it to county fairs and drag race it, and enter short distance heavy pull competitions I would actually recommend a Dodge for that. You chip a 3500 Cummins turbo diesel, they will roll coal more than any other diesel, and take off faster than darn near anything else. For short distance pulls a chipped Cummins is going to win more than it looses. Where Dodge looses their reputation is you take that same county fair truck-pull winning chipped Dodge, put it on the through way with a 15-19K lbs load and tell it to travel a few thousand miles (say east coast to west coast) and its not going to fair well at all, will probably have some trans-axle problems, not to mention your going to be rolling so much coal your only going to get 4 or 5 mpg (when a diesel rolls coal its nothing more than unburnt diesel fuel going straight out your exhaust). You want a workhorse for hauling the heavy loads long distance there really is only 2 choices Chevy or Ford.
A little long winded but I hope it helps. You can never know too much about the trucks your looking at buying. It is also important to know what you want to use your truck for and not do something to it that is going to make its primary function useless. If you want to tow don't lift it, and don't chip it. You can't pull the heavy loads with a TT and no goose neck is going to hitch to a super lifted truck. Keep in mind too when your looking a a lift kit - how high are you going to want to lift something to put it in your truck's bed? Regardless of what make truck you buy if you want maximum life and want maximum dependability while towing DON'T CHIP YOUR TRUCK. Chipping adds lots of HP, torque, ect.. But no chipped truck is going to tow long distance better than a non chipped factory truck. And chipping is going to make your engine run harder and put extra strain on it and your whole trans-axle assembly causing decreased life expectancy. You want tire burn-outs, rolling coal, big short distance pulling power (ie truck tug of wars) then by all means chip and mod the heck out of it. Just don't expect it to last very long.
I'm former GM fan, but my last two experiences left me swearing to never go there again. Interiors seem to lag about 5 years behind Dodge and Ford in both quality as well as features.
My opinion: All three trucks are fairly dependable, each having abilities and features that vary slightly. Yes, the GM and Ford will out drag race the Dodge... But I have never drag raced my trucks, so I guess I really don't care about that. I'll say this: Nothing pulls like a Cummins, and IF you have really ever pulled with these trucks (and trust me I have!) you will come to the same conclusion. An in-line 6 cylinder diesel makes torque in a way that a v-8 just cannot match. Ever seen a v-8 in a semi truck?
In the end, each of us has to make a decision that matches up with our unique mission requirement for the truck. Yes, I own a Dodge and I could not be happier. I wouldn't buy either of the other two options even if they were half the money. I refuse to believe that the Dodge has any problems that are any different than the other two. They are all machines, and machines are never perfect. I refuse to believe that the Dodge isn't up to the challenge of cross country pulling. Our Dodge has pulled our 14,000 pound Fifth Wheel all over the country flawlessly!!
KCRam - Pickups/Wagons/Vans+Minivans Host