[MoparToYou]

Originally Posted by kolten493

My dad's 6.6L duramax diesel is awesome. it's a 3500 crew cab dually and it gets about 26 mpg highway and 20-22 in the city. With a programmer on it you can get about 28-30 higway and 24-26 city. and on our lat trip to North Carolina (from houston, tx) we averaged 19.3 mpg going 80mph and goin up mountains.
and you can pull anything you want.

my vote is the duramax

Man, some of you guys have got some magic trucks.

But in reply to the original poster on this thread, don't pay anything for a diesel truck right now. Seriously, it is the best buyers market we have ever had, so you might as well steal one if that is what you want. You can buy a new one for up to 50% off retail, and the steep discounts on new diesels has caused prices on used diesels to plumet as well. Plan on being able to get pretty much your pick of diesel truck for half what it would have cost a year ago. If you want a diesel, now is the time to buy it. And if you have a diesel, you might as well keep it, because you wont get anything out of it by selling it. Sad, but true.

[mferrari]

I just upgrade for a Dodge 2500 gaser to a Dodge 2500 with the 24v cummins.

Will a gaser do the job? Yes. What I have found so far is my diesel gets way better gas mileage and has alot more power while towing. IMO if you can afford the diesel then go for it, but if you are one a tight budget then a gaser will do the job as well.

If you are worried about looks. This is my old 2500 with a 2" leveling kit and 35s:


And this is the diesel (stock suspension with 265s)


If you are looking into the cummins engines, the 5.9s are very reliable.
94-98.5 used the 12v
98.5-02 had the 24v

With the 24v's you have to worry about the flexplate, fuel pump (VP44s tend to crap out alot), tranny if you want to put down big power, and once you get into the higher miles you may need a new injection pump, injectors, and glow plugs which can be pricey all at once.

Shoot me a PM if you want and you can come check out my truck and ask any questions. I am not out in howard county anymore though, I am out on the eastern shore. But you can come to RC the first weekend in Oct and see how it tows!

[MoparToYou]

Nice jeep!

[lilboy1023]

I didn't read all the posts, but the ones I scanned were in favor of buying one. I pondered the same thing for a while, then ran across a deal on a 08 Ram 2500 with a Cummins in it. $26,000 and only had 24,000 miles. It was the best thing I have ever purchased. I was pulling with a 04 Tahoe with a 5.3L Flexfuel in it and didn't o that good on the hills down south. I could keep speed, but now I can pick up speed and then some going up hill. Going to test it out in April when I go to the Moab. Can't wait. I say go for it if you are thinking about it.

[1 ton yj]

Originally Posted by mferrari

With the 24v's you have to worry about the flexplate, fuel pump (VP44s tend to crap out alot), tranny if you want to put down big power, and once you get into the higher miles you may need a new injection pump, injectors, and glow plugs which can be pricey all at once.

Another 24v owner here, I have one of the last 2002's before they switched body styles. It tows awesome! I have a 4" exhaust and an Edge Attitude programer and once I'm on the highway I barely feel the 7000 lbs behind me.

I will 2nd the VP44 problem. If you get a 24v, put a fuel pressure gauge on it right away and if it drops below 8 psi or so during normal driving, plan on a lift pump and an injection pump. Mine died on me last September towing home from Virginia, not fun going 45 mph the whole way. I was at the end of my warranty cycle and my dealer put in a new VP44 under warranty. I also added a FASS 150/95 fuel system to it and I cannot pull it below 12 PSI even with the Edge cranked all the way up

The tranny's are fine if you leave the motor stock but if you add power, you will burn up the converter quickly. My stock trans scattered itself all over the highway 2 weeks ago but I knew it was coming so I had time to save for it. I got a Heavy Duty trans from Goerend Brothers. It was expensive, but my buddy's 00 with the same trans tows two rigs easier than mine towed one with the stock trans.

I'm extremely happy with mine, and now that I've got an new VP44, a FASS and this new trans I have all the weak points covered and upgraded. I plan on holding on to this truck for a long time to come.

[mferrari]

Well said and the Goerend trannies are great! I am going that route when the money comes.

[ruff88xj]

i say go for a 5.9L cummins. All 7 of our field service trucks are 03-08 dodge ram 2500's. 5 of which are the 5.9 cummins, one a 5.7 hemi, and one a 6.7L cummins. Mine is a 05 QC 2wd with a regular short bed and 81k on the clock, i average 12mpgs towing and 22-24 unloaded. the other four get 10-12 towing and 20 unloaded but they have a covered service bed which adds a ton of weight. they guy in the hemi is lucky to best 13mpg at all. The common problems we have run into is that between every 80k-100k miles the lift pump will fail and at bout 170k the valve bodies in the trans crap out. the 6.7l only has about 24k on it so we dont know how it will do tho it has been problem free and that exhaust brake is really nice when your pulling a 200kw genset lol.

[drerict]

I agree, go with the 5.9 between 03 and 06. It needs to be the 5.9 motor. in the 6.7 motor, they went to more emission controls, good or bad, they don't seem to have the power that my 04 does.

I know these trucks are pricy, but well worth it. I have 65,000 on mine and only 1 payment left, and this truck will stay with me or in the garage until it craps out or gets totaled. The cabs are not the biggest, but if you want a big cab go with the furd SD with the 7.2. We have some Furds with the 6.0 on our fire department and that is the worst running motor ever. we have had to put in 2 turbos on the rescue and 1 on the brush truck and niether of them have 5,000 miles on them.

Eric

[NEVERSWEAT]

Originally Posted by freeburg

both are well known and 7.3 owners replace the 7.3 with a 5.9 when the 7.3 give out

No doubt Cummins is a fine engine. I hear the 7.3 goes 350-400K. My last one 97..did 300 then I sold it for an 02 with a 7.3. I will keep it maintained and expect at least 350K I would imagine the 5.9 goes that far.. but have never heard of an engine going over 400.. except an old Chevy with a 350 went 1000000. The guy was a natural wrench so he had the midas touch. No pun.
I think OTR's get 400-500 as I seem to recall

[Kris_Kris]

Small particle diesel emissions are a large part of this countries problems. It is the main reason that most cities do not achieve the minimum air quality requirements. If you do not need to pull or haul heavy loads daily, DONT BUY A DIESEL! If you have a diesel, DONT LET IT IDLE!

[Jesse-James]

Originally Posted by Kris_Kris

If you do not need to pull or haul heavy loads daily, DONT BUY A DIESEL!

You're kidding right?

[Kris_Kris]

Originally Posted by Jesse-James

You're kidding right?

No, Not kidding. The Small particle diesel emmisions are extreemly bad and the source of most cities air quality problems. If you drive a diesel, like it or not you are part of the problem. This is why all of the trucks are going through new technology. Just wait untill 2010 when they all have to cary a urea tank to spray into the exhaust. In many states it is ileagle to let a diesel truck idle.

just do a internet serch about diesel emmisions. IT IS BAD.
Here just one of the many many links about the topioc.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/cars/diesel_exhaust_information.htm

[Jesse-James]

My point was I don't need to pull every day to justify having a diesel tow rig.

Now, have a nice day troll.

[1 ton yj]

Kris Kris I am going to crank my Edge up to 6 for my 11 mile commute home just for you buddy

[Kris_Kris]

Originally Posted by 1 ton yj

Kris Kris I am going to crank my Edge up to 6 for my 11 mile commute home just for you buddy

Hey, i love the power of my diesel trucks. If you are pulling over 12,000 lbs you need one. But my commuter/tow rig for my jeep is a 6.0 gas. I dont drive a diesel any more than required. And you should not drive one unless it is requried. They are not bringing down stricter requirements for no reason. Todays diesels are dirty nasty and rude and you must be too if you drive one for a 11 mile commute. Part of the problem.