I own a 2000 Ford F350 Crew Cab 4WD Diesel Lariet Edition.
I am rolling this truck over into our company to my superintendent and buying new.
I have had good sucess with Ford Diesels (4 total for 1,000,000 miles and 18 – 20 mpg), but since the 7.3 was changed in 2003 – 2004 to a “new” 6.0 I have not talked to anybody (personally) that is getting the mpg I have with the 7.3. I have also heard of mechanical problems. Two people telling me their new fords were in the shop several times in the first year.
For this reason I am thinking Dodge.
I am a bargain hunter and also making plans to build a new home, so I am looking at 2006.
The deal / see actual vehicle Window Sticker / attached.
MSRP $43,210 / 2006 Dealer Incentive Total Discount $11,000.00
What do you think? Anybody own Dodge Diesel?
SIDE NOTE: The only Chrysler product I owned was 32 years ago, a 1967 Puke Green Plymoth Fury II in my early daze as a frame carpernter. Land yatch, but with a big trunk and lots of room for tools.
Replies
I have a 96 3500 Dodge dually,rear wheel drive that gives me consistently 24 mpg at 70 Mph and equally as good around town. Spoke to a guy last week that has 4 dodges and 1 ford PU, all diesels. The ford costs him more for repairs than the 4 dodges combined. He has a new dodge and the driver claims to be getting over 30 mpg. This seems a bit hard to believe but the Cummins Diesel is heads above the others. Talk to those pulling those 5th wheel trailers.
Have 380,000 on mine and runs like new
Brian
I can't help you with the deisel part, but I just purchased a 2006 dodge quad cab for $13k of msrp. I bought the leader ad truck that came out on Fri am. They had 2 of them. (last week..yahoo!!)
Great deals on clearing out the 06's right now. Get one while you can...Ithey were dealing on diesels too!
Ford, chevy, and Toyota were at least $5-6K more
As a matter of fact, they had a full size 6cyl quad cab short bed(red) with air, auto,pw,ps, pd, pm for $15,400. This has been in the papers for 3 weeks. Not the best deal for hauling, but for someone on a tight budget, I'd work quite well
Yes I can help. I bought a 2006 3500 4x4 SLT quad cab cummins auto in January, have 17,000 on it now...also came from a F350CC 4x4 powerstroke.
I LOVE the dodge...much more than the Ford.
Mileage has been around 17 overall average.....but, I made some changes. I put on H2 hummer wheels and tires, so mine are 315/70/17's....so more tire means less mileage...but just slightly.
You don't have the load flat floor option...demand it! back seats fold up, floors fold out...instant nice large flat floor in back. Original option..$100, buy from dealer $800, buy from e-bay $300.
I put on seat covers, rear air ride bags, a 2" front leveling kit, a rumblebee scoop, the REC/Nav stereo, changed the speakers to JL audios, then put in 2-650 watt amps and a sub, the new rims and tires(just 2 weeks ago) running steps, line-x, a cross box..blah, blah. blah...to the tune of another 5-6000.
Mine stickered at 43,825...went out the door at 35,000 then another 14,321 for my trade(1997)
Oh... I don't have the electric shift on fly...and don't want it!
There are 2 Dodge Diesel sights you will LOVE....as I do
Just what I needed to hear. (from you and others)
Looked at 3500, but my super is doing more (in the old F 350) and I less. I thought I could do with a 2500, but never owned a 3/4 ton.... all 1 ton previously.
F350 did not have shift of the fly, but friends do, they like it.
I also realized in my reasearch that the D 3500 (perhaps 2500) is avaliale with an optional jake brake. Interesting for haulers of heavy equipment. It would be fun to have one just for the sound it makes.
Lonestar Edition. I guess that is a Texas exclusive. Many of the manufacturers have Texas Branded Editions, I think toyota included. I guess Texas is a big truck market. The Dodge Lonestar Edition comes with a Lonestar Badge of some type.
Ford has Texas Editions. One of their premimums is a "King Ranch Edition" named for the real King Ranch, which is several 1000 square miles. Yes...square miles. The King Ranch has a saddle leather interior and bucket seats in the front. ....nice, very nice. $52,000.00 - $60,000.00 Roll up and there is no questions about who is boss.
Hey, maybe I could order the King Ranch Edition with a Cummins diesel. : - )
Ford dealer acknowledged some of my concerns (fuel milage and reliability) and mentioned the 2008 6.3 liter coming out in January 2007 with all the bugs worked out. No thanks, I think I will give it a few years.
Edited 11/21/2006 10:27 pm ET by txlandlord
Lonestar is not so special...it's exactly the same as the Big Horn(shipped North of the Mason Dixon) and the Thunder Road, shipped south of Mason Dixon...same wheels, tow hooks, rear slider ,Sirius.
3500 is the same as the 2500 except for rear overlaod helper...price is real similiar also.
I just thought it was interesting that the name Lonestar is State specific. It is not unlike the Mason Dixon divisons Big Horn and Thunder Road that you mention.
I have wondered if anyone else catches any or all of the Texas specific truck commercials. Big state, big money and big truck market. If I was a truck manufacturer I woud consider it a special market.....worth specialized marketing tricks.
Lonestar, King Ranch, Long Horn, no lack of speciallized truck appropiate names in TX. And, of course the new Texas carpenter model, the Longneck Edition, with built in mini fridge and bottle opener.
I am from Memphis, been here for years, and long enough to know these Texans need to think they are special.
One of their premimums is a "King Ranch Edition" named for the real King Ranch, which is several 1000 square miles. Yes...square miles. The King Ranch has a saddle leather interior and bucket seats in the front. ....nice, very niceone of my first jobs was working at the kings ranch, kingsville texas
Noce Ride.
I like the hood. I have an 06 4wd Ram 2500 Big Horn and love it. Used to have an 03 2wd 1500 with a gas motor. No comparison.
Where did you get the hood and how much?
Bolt on scoop from Mopar...comes prepainted for $325....same scoop as the rumblebee.
Man, I want your truck! Dodge has the beastiest lookin rigs on the road. Although, the '07 Silverado sure has my eye.Ram envy, Carl
Good lookin truck.
Post a pic with the new wheels.
There are 2 Dodge Diesel sights you will LOVE....as I do
So, where are the links?
Edited 11/21/2006 11:03 pm ET by txlandlord
http://www.dieseltruckresource.com
http://www.turbodieselregistry.com
Enjoy!
I've got the 06 Ram 1500 with the hemi....love the hell outta that truck.
Had no use for a deisel, so I can't speak to that.
Last truck was a Dakota....got 15 hard years outta her....my plumber still drives her around town.
Wifes got a Caravan....'96....no complaints....other than its a Caravan.
I've had the Ram for exactly two years....no complaints.
Very happy with Dodge.
FREE SPONGE BOB,SANCHO PANTS!
I wouldnt be afraid of the Dodge. I'm die hard Ford, but I don't use that to knock the others. They all have their pros, and their cons. The 7.3 PSD, the 4R100 auto tranny is the achilles heel. The 6 liter, 03 and 04MY, heads and a multitude of kinks that shoulda been worked out sooner. 77 TSB's in 03? Gimme a break. That was a big, huge biff. GM I hear people griping about suspension, and Dodges I hear electrical. But. You just as easily can find a slough of people with any of them with no problems and no gripes.
Anything you buy is a roll of the dice. If you like it, and the price is right, man, go for it. I recently faced a handful of not so cheap repairs and kind of said what the heck. Time for a new truck. Since I love my 7.3 to death, I spent an unfortunately copious amount and basically have a new truck now. But its an 01. But I'm a mod addict and coulda spent a lot less to just keep things status quo.
I don't know if you want to mod it or are into that. Two thoughts. One, dont. It voids the warranty (which would be important on a new truck) and its so dang addictive its shameful. I rue the day I realised how choked up diesels leave the factory and how easy it is to unlock the power thats actually in that powerplant. It's like buying a Commodore Vic20 computer only to realise that you could change the plug and have a Pentium. But if you are going to do that, the Cummins will take boost pressures higher than the others without extensive alterations. If you look at people who are clocking 11 second quarters and those going to truck pulls, the current favorites certainly weigh in on the Dodge, solely because of the Cummins.
I would also look into what other people who already own whatever you're going to buy are dealing with now that we have ULSD. Its not been nice to many trucks. You can ease a lot of grief with a healthy dose of Diesel Kleen every tank, but from sluggish engines, fuel leaks (it frags some older o-rings) . . . just be aware of the extra attention you might have to pay to that diesel.
I think steering away from anything thats "designed" to run on the new ULSD - the 08MY trucks, is smart smart smart. The grapevine stuff I've heard on that so far sounds like its a whole lot of technology ramrodded into production and keeping the big rigs that they're using as show mobiles for the stuff on the road is a never ending chore. Like 500 miles between breakdowns. If I had to own one I'd rip all that garbage off of there and straight pipe it from the turbo back. Which wouldn't be "legal", but it'd keep it driving.
Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
RW,
Thanks. I can see that you may know lots more than I about the mechanics and mods.
I have been told not to mess with new trucks and mods until the warranty expires. Can I do anything to improve the 7.3L F350 18-20 mpg? Power, acceleration and everything else works fine. I am not interested in smoking the tires, or running a truck quick quarter...just mpg improvement.
I too have loved the Fords I have owned, and my trip to the Ford dealership today was to express my concerns and ask for comfort. They did more to confirm my concerns as appropiate than dispel them as "just a few problems that are mostly solved". Mostly sad faced, their most exhuberant cheers were about the new 2008s.
Honestly, if you're getting 18-20 stock, don't do a thing to it. Thats awesome. I was getting 11. After the first round of mods, I got to 16, and I'm pretty much stuck there. Everything else increases the hp or torque or something else, but the mpg is sitting still.
That said, if you really are completely stock, there are a couple of things that aren't real expensive that may give you a slight improvement in mpg, more than anything they just help the overall efficiency of the engine. One would be an air intake. AFE makes some good kits. K&N might for gassers but their FIPK lets too much garbage through and can dust your turbo. So dont do that. Volant is another good one. The cheapest route is to delete the stock air box, buy a Napa model 6637 filter (its huge) and clamp it on the end of the hose. You can do that yourself for like $65.
An exhaust. You've probably noticed the stock exhaust is what, 2 inches. Choked bad. Get a 4" flow through (meaning even the muffler you can see right through, but don't worry, they still muffle just fine) from the turbo back. Those two will help the engine breathe, and the exhaust reduces the backpressure. Look into MBRP. Good products. Good prices.
If you want to get a chip / tuner, you're getting into territory where I'd say get gauges first before you do anything else. You need to monitor your tranny temps, boost pressures, and especially EGTs if you're modded. However, some companies make a tuner combo that gives you all of those readouts. Edge evolution comes to mind. Not a bad setup if you don't plan on doing anything further. Those sorts of tuners are a high grade 10K mod but they work and on the lowest setting you are likely to not only feel a difference in oomph but your air fuel mixture will be optimised and you may get some mpg out of that. You can also look at BullyDog and SCT. Or even DP Tuner. Jody at DP is infamous for his tunes. He'll give you whatever you want, big or small. But his F5 doesnt give you other readouts, so you'll need a gauge pod, which is about $400 unless you really want something high end like Autometer Cobalt gauges. I have Isspros. They work fine.
But with a chip, thats where I'm saying, careful. You put an Evolution on, you're in for it. You'll look at how to drop your EGTs more, and then you bought an intercooler and a new turbo. (Because a chip will add fuel, and that ups the temps, and when towing, you can break 1200 pretty easy). Then youre starting to really generate some torque, so you start looking at aftermarket trannies. Now you're going faster, you need better brakes. Then you're neck deep and modded injectors arent even a question anymore, they're a must have. Along with the fuel system to feed them and the regulated return system, a beefier tranny cooler, . . . its a darn slippery slope. But when people look at me crosseyed and say "well what the heck do you pull with that?" now I just say anything I want. With 4.56 gears it'll climb a tight barked tree.
Seriously. I feel like the guy dying of lung cancer telling kids not to smoke. If you're going to do small stuff, do it, be happy, and quit. If you go digging deeper than the intake, exhaust, and chip, the hole is bigger than you can dig out of. :-)
Just for perspective. A year ago I had a stock 01 F350. I've done intake, exhaust, intercooler, tranny cooler, turbo, regulated returns, FASS system, custom transmission, gauges, tuner, dual HPOP system, swapped to heavy duty 4.56's in both pumpkins, commercial wheels, commercial tires, aftermarket springs. Injectors are next on the list. Don't ask me why. I can outrun a mustang with the stockers the way it is.Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
put a Cummins in it with a Gear Vendor..
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
After reading all that, I am thinking chip.....maybe two.
Two chipmunks and a treadmill.
I got 2004 dodge 3500 single rear wheel. I love it . My last truck was a dodg3 3500 dually thta went to my foreman and his crew. I also have a 97 3500 with an 11' dump box on it it also gets a plow and salter in the winter. and I have a 92 2500 with 37 tires on it that get a plow on the winter and is just a spare the rest of the year. My excavator operator has a 96 f350 and hes bugging me for a dodge his truck gets a plow on it in the winter also. He also has 100 gallon fuel tank on it. All my dodges are great but the ford, GARBAGE. The fuel economy on it sucks nothing compared to the dodges and the guy who drives babies it despite the fact he hates it. All my dodges have cummins diesels and 5 speed manual trannys with the exception of mine with is 6 speed. The fords an automatic and the trannys starting to slip.I figure that if it goes I'll give my operator a new dodge. The dodges also have a lot more power for plowing and I borrowed my buddies tri axle gooseneck camper/trailer to go to daytona bike week last year with some friends the trailer weighs 10000lbs empty plus the weight of 2 harleys a street bike a goldwing and my chopper. Truck didn't even fart. Recommed the dodge. My buddy is in trailer manufacturing and sales and also has one for pulling trailer all over. He won't get anything else and swears by it for towing despite the fact his personel truck is a 2500 chevy. Go Dodge go.
I bought a 2006 RAM 2500 with the Cummins diesel back in February. Great truck, but at best I get 20 MPG on a highway trip - lightly loaded. Overall, I average 16, but do more highway than city driving.
The only issues I've had are with the injectors - 2 replaced in the first 15K miles, under warranty. The truck has 17K now, and I'm hoping that the injector troubles are behind me.
I have the standard cab with long bed, as this truck is strictly for working. The truck stops on a dime with the anti-lock brakes, but I'm definitely going to have to keep it loaded in the winter. With all that torque from the diesel, the rear end fishtails on starts, even in a light rain...
Bob
Good thing it comes with the tow package. That way you can pull a fuel trailer because it's mileage zucks!
Thanks all. I will probably will be pulling the trigger today.
this website. great info and they are willing to help. I used them quite a bit when I purchased a 2000 powerstroke.
http://www.thedieselstop.com/
did you ever get the new truck? the thread needs updating
did you ever get the new truck?
Yes.
2007 Dodge 2500 SLT / 4 x 4 / Quad Cab / Diesel / Khaki / Lonestar Edition
See attached window sticker.
I have already installed a spray in over the rail bedliner, upgraded the tires to a larger AT tire and next week will be adding wheel to wheel nerf bar steps.
I've have never had Satillite radio, but sure do enjoy it in the new truck. The truck comes with one year free subscription.
Before you go buyin nerfs, check 4 wheel parts online for prices. Man they smoke anyone local.
Glad to hear you got a rig though. Pics, man, Pics!!!Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
I'm not so sure I'm likin' the gas mileage on that truck Tex- the window sticker says "0" MPG- city or highway.....lol.
Bob
I have a 2000 f350 7.3 and I too love this truck! But as to your problem the Dodge with their cummins engines are known to be good trucks and every forum,magazine test says they are very reliable and strong. Unfortunately I have heard the same as you about the new Ford truck 6.0 although I'm hearing of improvements in the new trucks coming out. You might want to go to the Powerstroke forum and ask some of the guys there about their trucks. Great bunch of guys there and they'll be honest with you. Also read in Diesel Power magazine that the GMC Duramax gets the best milage out of any of them. Hope that this helps some.