I’m in the market for a new truck. I’m going used and I’m going diesel. My business has grown and I getting an enclosed trialer for all my tools. I have done enough research to know that a long lasting towing work truck has to be diesel. I also have done enough research to know that I’m not getting a ford. So I like the ram 3500 cummings with the 6 spd manual and I also like duramax 2500 with the allison. I’ve heard that the cummings is better on fuel even if its a 1 ton but the allison is the best tranny. Does anyone currently have these trucks? Any suggestions, likes or dislikes?
“When the job is perfect, we’re almost done.”
Replies
I've had an 04' and 08' Chevy crew w/8' bed and if buying used would get one before the style changed (07' ?). The earlier (01-07' ?) get much better fuel mileage than the new ones.......16-21mpg empty vs. 13-14mpg empty with the new ones.
Either one will pull a tool trailer just fine.
Why the need for a 1 ton dodge and a 3/4 ton chevy? Either one pulling a large tool trailer in MN will require you to have DOT numbers.
I have an 04 chevy 1 ton (3500)diesel , x-cab, long bed, 4x4.
Not all are created equal: you don't want a first or second generation chevy diesel IF you have the option of going a little newer; 2006 and on is designated as the LBZ engine (and the new ones are called LMM). Go here to read a lot about them: http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/index.php
If you like a truck to look like a truck (old body style) then get a 2006. The power, cooling, and fuel efficiency are all ~10%+ better than the older ones. That being said mine is my daily driver and i freakin' love it. Look up posts by me - I've got pics up here somewhere.
dodge trucks sound cooler - something about those big 6 cylinders. Fords have that cool notch by the sideviews that, well, just looks cool. I have had zero issues and regularly carry 2 yards + of stone in the back (read: almost 3 tons) and i barely know it is there.
for any of them consider a chip or programmer that can be removed when you take it in ... everything works better under them except for your dealer's respect for your warranty.
Good luck! None of them are lemmons right now and I'd have any one of the big three with pride.
You've got the facts correct.. now go and find what you want..
The one thing I will say is that consumer reports has the dodge down ans a much more troublesome truck than the chevy. Although from what I hear the Cummins engine in the dodge is extremely durable..
Incidently if you are looking for engine longevity only the in'line 6 is the way to go..
All the big over the road semi's use inline sixs and some like the Cummins and Cat 3406 have a reputation for being million mile engines..
(just for information the Cat V8 diesel is known as a disposable engine.. when service is required it winds up cheaper to replace than to rebuild)
from everything I've heard. why can't we get a ford truck witha dodge cummins engine, and a chevy allison tranny?????
Ford has an IH engine, one of the best engines ever built.
Not in the opinion of a lot of truckers..
466 IH, a light duty motor, not for a big rig. And most bullwagons, car haulers and heavy haulers use cats. for longevity cummins. For mileage Detroit. Series 60 Detroit in excess of 14 mpg.
Don't tell me your other profession is truck driver, your already 105 according to your experience.
I drove over the road for short of a year.. Hauled 80,000 pounds of cheese out of Wisconsin to San Francisco, Gypsied a load into the LA area and hauled lettuce from Holtville Ca to Mpls..
At the time there were only 2 scales I needed to worry about. The one in Nebaraska was easy to skip by driving through South Dakota instead of through Iowa. The scale at the Calfornia border was also easy in that if you took the right exit out in Reno after refueling you were past the scale. Otherwise I suppose I would have weighed 120,000# going across the scale.
I'd climb Donner pass down in 2nd at maybe 6MPH.
Old worn out GMC cab over with the worlds most worn 6-71.. bad slack adjusters worn 5th wheel etc.. Nasty old truck.Wound up throwing a rod right outside of Ogalla Nebraska. Leasing company gave me a near new Peterbuilt with a Big GMC 12-71 as a replacement..
First semi experiance was in the Phillipines, Hauled mail with a double bottom Diamond T. Had a Hercules gas engine with a tandem transmission arrangement and a 3 speed rear axle.. Started out in Subic Bay in the Phillipines. climbed the sanke up and over into Manila.. Managed to make 2 trips (somehow) before they shipped me off to my carrier..
Was it uphill both ways?
No?
It's steep up hill out of Subic bay as anyone who's been there knows but it's steeply winding down hill on the return trip.
Home D.........Ram 2500 4wd Cummins 280,140 miles .......replaced two injectors....
I don't know your problem with Ford, unless it's with their diesel. I have been running an F-450 and F-250 both with V-10's and couldnt ask for better for load moving. Its $4-5000 cheaper than diesel, the fuel is $.20-.40 cheaper and its about $2000 cheaper to overhaul. Save the diesels for real trucks.
BTW, I never owned other than GM before the 450.
What kinda mileage you get in the V10 F250?
I have a 03 F250 V8 4x4 and seems 10MPG is it.
Joe H
Thanks for the input gents. Sorry ford guys I'm not buying a ford. And yes it is their diesel. I'm torn between the ram 3500 or the 2500 duramax. Not both. The 3500 that I'm looking at has the 6 spd manual tranny. I like manual tranny. All my work trucks in the past that were manuals lasted alot longer then the trucks with the automatic. But on the flip side I know that the allison is bomb proof. I've heard that the cummins will get better gas mileage especialy if its a 6 spd manual trans. Any info? "When the job is perfect, we're almost done."
I have an 07 2500 GMC w/duramax. it gets 15mpg pretty steady. it has lots of nut. I pull an 18 foot trailer pretty well loaded up and I got plenty of power to spare. the allison is impressive, especially in trailer mode. going down a steep incline all you need to do is tap the brake and the tranny will down shift and hold your speed until you accelerate again.
I had a 99 F 350 powerstroke with a 6 speed stick. I got used to the stick ok but the GMC is a cadillac next to that old bear. I liked the ford when it was newer but the repairs after 70K kept me way too busy. the motor was still running strong but EVERYTHING else was falling apart.
if you get a dodge truck steer away from an automatic transmission. thats something that dodge has yet to figure out
What your saying about the ford is what I have heard time and time again. What you said about the d-max I've heard also. Its cadilac work truck. Do you have any after mods on it? I'm leaning towards the d-max but hoping theres some way to get better mpg. Was that 15 mpg with towing the 18 footer? Thanks "When the job is perfect, we're almost done."
no I dont have any add-ons. my f350 got nearly 18 mpg. i knew I was giving that up when I got the gmc. I just could not take the constant state of disrepair
my gmc only has 38 K on it so I do not have any data as yet to prove it is any better. I did however buy into the extended warrantee
I recently bought a new cadillac but only because it now comes with a 100 K warrantee. I am becoming a firm believer in long term warrantees
Before you buy the Dodge, get a couple of cans, fill them with rocks and drive around for a while. Thats what Dodge sounds like in about a year.
"I've heard that the cummins will get better gas mileage especialy if its a 6 spd manual trans. Any info?"The Cummins will get REALLY GOOD gas mileage!
As a matter of fact, it won't use any gas at all;)I have the Duramax and love that Allison tranny. As you get older, you like shifting less and less, esp if you are plowing snow.I drove a Didge the other day for a guy. The engine was strong, but twice as loud as mine.I get 10-14MPG ( of fuel, LOL ) and since I live on an island and almost always hauling or plowing, I never get into high gearing. Would probably do 16MPG highway.One of my subs has same rig same year ( '05) in a king cab 3/4 instead of one tom dump and gets 14-20 MPG
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Mine are crew cab FX4's also. I get about 12 mpg for the 250 which is an 2006 and 10 mpg for the 450 whis is 2002 moderatly loaded and mostly city driveing.
BTW, the V-10 is a lot more durable than the V-8.
Edited 10/29/2009 9:05 pm ET by jimcco
Damn, better than my V8.
Too late, I'm sticking with this one til it dies.
Joe H
I have a older generation Chevy 3500 one ton dually and my coworker has a new 2500 3/4 ton duaramax, we both like our trucks.As far as technical differences, the gmc 2500 series trucks have a gigantic driveshaft, much bigger than the older 1990's era ones and larger than Ford or Dodge. Another point in their favor is that the frame stays at full size as is passes over the rear wheels, if you look at an F350 or a dodge 3500 the frame is clipped/arches/whatever you call it over the rear wheel well whereas the frame on those Chevy's stays consistent height all the way through the bed.
I have an 06' Dodge with the Cummins and an auto....80K miles, never been back to the shop...haul a dump trailer often, and Bobcat, trans is crisp, no rattles at all..mileage is 18-20, 22-23 on highway in OD. I love it. I've had Fords before this but got scared off with the 6.0 and friends frequent shop visits...Just opinions here, now you have mine.
I have a logger friend who has six trucks like yours. He beats the living daylights out of them in the woods, plowing miles and miles of heavy snow a day, towing big trailers and never has trouble with them.
I think the Dodge transmission problems were from years ago or maybe only on lighter duty trucks.
This guy trades them in at 500,000 and rarely ever has a repair during that time period.
My brother has an 06 with hemi. Has about 100,000 on it now. Only money he ever spent was for a new set of tires at 80,000.
I never liked Dodges, but these guys are having a lot better experience than I have with our GM's !
My 2 cents on my experiences
The 7.3 was a great engine. The 6.0 is probably why a lot of people got scared of Ford diesels for a few years (yes they are Navistar/IH, but not next year)
The cummins 5.9 has a superb track record, but the fairly recent ULSD fuels and emissions made everyone change their game. Nobody knows longevity, because it hasn't been out in this format for long enough.
I have a Duramax now. It is a "pretty" truck. Too nice to work in, but well, thats what I have. I really wish they offered a 1 ton in SRW. They didnt. So I have a 2500 with a beefed up suspension and bags. But it looks stock. No engine mods, and an 18' trailer about 10K for weight. It does, sadly, better in every aspect than my heavily modified F350 did. Its a 2LT version, crew cab long box, and I get about 15 pulling the trailer around town and the high end, empty on the open road, mid 19's for mileage.
If you asked me before I bought it if I thought I'd ever have a Chevy in this life, I would have chuckled. All I can say is, whatever your options are, go out, test drive them, make up your own mind. I completely thought I'd have the Dodge, simply because of the Cummins. I'm still surprised most days.
Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
Thanks everyone for the input. I really appreicate it. The crew cab long is exactly what I'm looking at. I did find a 3500 chevy srw. And for the same price I found a few dodge 3500 drw with the 6 spd man tranny. I always hear about guys putting 400,000 or so miles on the dodges and their mpg is usually around 20 or higher. The chevys are really nice trucks. Everyone loves the allison and they all say its too nice of a work truck which I think I work hard enough to maybe spoil myself. But the biggest thing I noticed is the mpg difference between the dodge and chevy when towing. The 18' trailer you have RW is exactly what my next purchase was going to be. I'm tired of making 10 trips for all my tools. So basically my new truck will be towing most of its existence. Is the big trailer too much for your 2500 on a dialy basis? Is that why you wish you got a 3500? Thank you for your input. "When the job is perfect, we're almost done."
No, this works fine save for the springs. Going into this truck purchase, you gotta bear in mind what I was coming from was an F350 that I loved like my own kid, and I'd invested a boatload into modding it. I could bore you with details but even that had heavier springs and bags on it. Just take a stock truck and add $25K of dreaming to it, you get the idea.
I couldnt find a 1 ton Silverado in a SRW or I would have got it. I don't think thats an option, least not today. This trailer is a little of a downsize for me and only weighs a little over half what the last one did. Sanity finally struck me and I started thinking about what I really needed to tote around. And I'm still at an 18', but I trimmed a lot of fat. Honestly, I'm pleasantly surprised how good it does. But the springs in the rear are only good for carrying a bag of groceries. If you're going to trailer, look real seriously at a set of bags, and by seriously I'm saying I think its a genuine safety issue if you don't. The Ride Rites I got from the Suspension Connection. Great price, no drilling, I had them on in about 2 1/2 hours. Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
My 08' Silverado 1 ton didn't have duallies. SRV = single rear wheel?
Ok. There just must not have been one near here when I was looking. Bummer. I was under the impression they didnt make them without duallies.Real trucks dont have sparkplugs