Hi everyone, I need to hear pros and cons regarding the Duramax and the Dodge Cummins. I'm asking the opposite of this question on the Dodge Diesel forum. This is my Chevy question.

Thanks, Eileen

In 2002 It was the Best overall Package of Engine, Transmission, Interior, Ride, Handling, Noise (lack of), and towing capacity.

It is no longer the groundbreaker it once was, I do know if i had to purchase another truck right now it would be between the Dodge and the GM.

Opinions are a dime a dozen ... however, I went with the GMC for the 5 speed auto (Allison), quieter diesel engine and more rear seat legroom in the GM crew cab.

With the drivetrain opinion set aside, GM's trucks are more comfortable and better built, alot more creature comforts on the interrior makes it an easy choice for me. The only downfall with GM is the stock height, but thats easily taken care of. Plus you dont have to swallow your pride everytime you get in. ):h

I went with a diesel because better gas milage while towing. At the time diesel fuel was the cheapest out of all fuel. It would only take 50,000 miles to recoup the extra cost of the engine/tranny. Now with diesel fuel being the most expensive I kinda fuel like I am getting shafted.

As fas as the GM product over the others. Ford had just went to the 6.0 and it had not been tried and tested. Dodge had not released the quite engine yet. So GM was the best choice at the time.

I have recently driven a Dodge 2500 Cummins auto. It was very quiet and had great power. Something about the interior layout just ruins it for me. I also am not a big fan of the Dodge front suspension arms.

I just noticed Ford has Front coils and there motor/tranny has the bugs worked out. ( well most of them). If I get back in the market I will seriously look at the Ford.

I simply chose the duramax because of the better gas mileage and more torque. With the Duramax I am getting 20 empty and 15 when towing.

The Duramax / Allsion was my choice due to quiet engine and the overwhelming power the Allsion is able to handle in towing applications. At the time, GM had the highest GVWR of the big three in the 2500 HD Class.

Had ford or Dodge had a similar package in a GM sized cab, it may have been a different story.

Personally, I don't like Chrysler, Had enough of the tin cans with their finicky electronics. Love the Cummins.

Ford had too many tranny issues for me and their cab was not as roomy as the GM.

Now, as long as the sheetmetal stays on my truck, (I hate rust), I'll be happy. I keep them for a long time.

I would have never bought a truck this size without a diesel engine. Additional factors were the Allison transmission, the SUV/large truck tax writeoff, and the fact that I had over $5000 in GM Card credits and some were about to start to expire.

I liked the color... Arrival Blue

I had a 2000 1500Silverado Piston Slapper. I figured if I had to listen to that I might as well get something that was supposed to make noise. As far as brand goes I'm just a GM guy plain and simple. These trucks are just plain awsome! :ro)

Had a few Dodges and always had more troubles than I cared for. My son loves Dodges althought he's had tranny problems with all of them. Few guys I know have Fords and they have their fair share of difficulties. The Isuzu basic diesel and the Allison tranny sounded good to me. Had 3 other GM trucks with very few problems so went with the D/A last July and have been more than pleased. Regular maintenance and that's it. (So far)

I have bought 2, 02 and a 05. I work my trucks and the ford & dodge are to tall when the utility body is on, you need a ladder to get in the bed! Also the duramax is quiet, so when I start my truck at 4:45 am and its 12 F, my neighbors won,t get pissed off and I won,t wake my kids! I have owned all 3 and by far chevrolet is the overall best!
Though I think the ford f350/450 has a stronger suspension.

I just flat out wanted a diesel. That and I got a got deal and I really like the 01-02 style.

I wanted to see what it was like to use a pump with a green handle ...at least most of the time. also is a good excuse to wear those little rubber gloves found at some filling stations :)

Been a Chevy man all my life, the Allison transmission, and all the incentives and GM money. Definitely didn't buy it for the looks or the amenities. I still think the Furd is the best looking truck.

Third generation Chevrolet buyer, couldn't go back home in a Dodge or Ford...wanted power, safety, smoothe ride and fuel economy. Chevrolet Silverado, a packaged deal. The Allison has surprised the hell out of me though. It has to be my favorite part of the truck! It just makes moving a large load easier!

ever since i have had my license i have been a chevy man . driving in the others would make me sick . i have owned several chevy trucks and have never been disapointed.

Since I wanted an automatic, it was a no brainer to go with a GM (Chevy) an Allison. Overall, I think the GM is more refined (interior, ride, noise level) than the Dodge. They both have good engines.

.... and the dealer made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

Eileen, Didn't you get enough answers to these over on rv.net ? Just kidding, I have been a GM guy for quite a while, never even considered looking at the Dodge. To me, the overall package is just hands down nicer .

In 2002 It was the Best overall Package of Engine, Transmission, Interior, Ride, Handling, Noise (lack of), and towing capacity.

It is no longer the groundbreaker it once was, I do know if i had to purchase another truck right now it would be between the Dodge and the GM.I agree for the most part, except that I would look at the GM version. I still like what I see over the comp. I have driven stick alot in the past and I still don't like haveing to shift gears on a truck.

drove a dodge before the gmc i bought there is no comparision

in the interior dodge has none real basic,there cummins is tried
and true but gotta think how much power is goin to bring that
engine into damaged product,trans is not worth the aluminun case
its built in gas milage sucks from what i seen,ford has it real bad already heard
that they are scrapping the (new)diesel they built.because of to much
troubles with engines breaking they are talking with cummins from what
i heard also tried mac and cat both said get f...ked they only deal with
big rigs.gm has the power/trans comfort and reliability there is not a choice
in the matter gm all the way especially if your looking at a crew cab dodge
dont have a true c/c goo luck

I chose mine three days after i bought a 1500 gasser.. I tried to take it back and they would not take it back.. was so pissed.. then I figured I would lift it and dump alot of money into it to make it better......... never the less and no matter how good it looks (it looks good and is for sale) it still was not what I always wanted.... now i got my diesel and can pull anything i want....... lesson learned... expensive lesson but oh well...

DVD for the Kids, color matches the vette, high tech engine and trans that is easy to increase power on.

Not to mention a very attractive price. I originally was looking at the Ford (Calif only had 235HP Dodges at the time), but price, reported problems with the 6.0, and lack of a DVD player canned it.

Hi everyone, I need to hear pros and cons regarding the Duramax and the Dodge Cummins. I'm asking the opposite of this question on the Dodge Diesel forum. This is my Chevy question.

Thanks, Eileen
Four doors for the kids. Quiet. Power at high altitude -- if you drive at greater than 10,000' you know what I mean. We got the Allison because no other transmission is available in California!

The dodge is still a mopar and you know what they say about mopar...

Mostly
Old
Parts
And
Rust.

Hi everyone, I need to hear pros and cons regarding the Duramax and the Dodge Cummins. I'm asking the opposite of this question on the Dodge Diesel forum. This is my Chevy question.

Thanks, Eileen Because my daddy would turn over in his grave and tell me to kiss his a$$ if I drove anything but a chevy. That and I wanted a crew cab dually. Thought the wife might not want to drive a truck that big. WRONG any chance she gets it's gone.(dang EDGE) It needs to know when she driving. (ie level1).Then she might stay in suburban

I drive a Cummins at work, all day, every day, for 180 or so miles a day.....

other than the fast start-up (even in cold weather), it's a loud, stinky thing.

Wouldnt ever buy one for personal use.

Give me a DMax or don't give me any diesel.......

'Nuff said!

Tom

Cause it's the best):h :ro)

Confidence in the Isuzu designed eng ~ Allison w/solid reputation neither of which even GM couldn't mess up too badly and of course, the ride quality. Thots after the fact, good experiences w/dealer support (contrary to many of the horror stories/exceptions on the forums ~ maybe I'm lucky).

Keep in mind that GM was first out the gate w/the new tech diesels and when I ordered mine in 01, there weren't any real choice. I did do the homework and at the time it was Duramax/Allison or settle for a gasser. Only downside is the cost of diesel has changed since my decision.

Although I am a Chevy man, I checked out all 3. But since we needed a truck that my wife could drive as well (automatic), that favored the D/A combo. And I wanted more towing capacity than I had in my old 3/4 ton without going to a one ton, that pretty much sealed the deal.:) :) :)

My opinion of Dodge is that the motor is great, but resale value-:t . Most farmers and ranchers in this area say that if you buy a dodge, you better plan on running it till the wheels fall off. ;)

I haven't confirmed this, but I have heard that insurance is higher on dodges as well. :confused:

I totaled my last truck w/170kmi (92 ford F250 4x4 460cuin, 5spd, 4.11/trac-loc), in 2001. Bought a 2001 Dodge, kept the Dodge 7 months and bought a 2002 Chev 2500 4x4 w/6.0 (piston slap special). The startup noise really got to me. Only a Chev dealer would give a good trade. Chev gas engines still were having piston slap issues, So I bought the Duramax LLY combo.. since my gas sounded like a diesel anyway :^)

except for the speedo going out last Thursday, been happy with it.

Heard about Trany problems on the dodge, didn't like the smaller back seat on the crew cab and didn't like the sound of the six cylinder diesel.

I too bought because of fuel prices and mileage, got shafted on both, truck is now for sale. Power is very nice though!

I have been a Diesel fan for many years. Worked for a John Deere dealer and turned wrenches on many. I owned a 7.3 Ferd with a 5-speed and liked the truck, engine was fine but a little loud and power nothing outstanding. Sold it and bought Chevy K1500. Good truck and I probably would have kept it but......
I happened to stop by a Chevy dealer that a friend worked at. I asked him about the D/A parked on the lot and how it ran. He said "I'll get the keys for ya to test drive her." I said, "Nah, but I would like to listen to it run." He started it up and I couldn't believe how quiet it was. It was unbelieveable. Made a big impression. Still wasn't thinking about buying a truck. Then I did what it took to separate me from my money. I drove it. I loved the ride and drive. I loved the power. I was very impressed by the way the engine/tranny combo put the power to the ground. It was and is impressive. Obvious to tell this wasn't a bunch of parts slung together, the package was engineered. I swallowed the bait hook, line, and sinker.
Although he tried to get the truck I wanted, I couldn't make the deal with my buddy. Bought a truck elsewhere and we have been hard to separate ever since. Best truck I have ever owned barring none. The truck hauls me to work, supports my hunting/fishing habits and will pull a load when I need it to. I would not hesitate to buy another Duramax/Allison combination.:)

:rant: I can't be the only one thinking this is one ridiculous way to determine which truck you should buy? You come to a GM/Chevy site asking for objective advice on which truck is better, a Dodge or a GM/Chevy??? :rolleyes: Know what, I'll bet if you go to the Ford site and ask them whether you should buy a Dodge or a GM/Chevy they'll try to sell you on the Ford!!! ):h Every truck owner, regardless of brand, made the right decision when they bought their trucks. And as you can see all you have to do is ask us!! ;)

You need to determine what your requirements are for a truck, decide which models meet those requirements, test drive each of them, compare apples to apples, and make an objective decision based upon the intel you have gained.;) If you are not comfortable making a buying decision on this type of vehicle you might ask someone that knows their stuff to go with you when shopping. :)

If you are looking for a tow vehicle try searching the internet. Be aware a lot of the information you read on the internet is nothing but hype, many automotive publications receive money from the manufacturers to market/push their products. :rolleyes:

Not trying to flame anyone, not my style, but you are getting absolutely nothing of tangible value to help you in making your own personal decision. After you have looked at the trucks if the GM/Chevy Duramax/Allison is under serious consideration then post your specific questions, I'll be one of the first to answer. Good luck. JJ :)

What is a Dodge ?


:lol: :funnypost :badidea:

this is why I went GM

i test drove a dodge 3500 srw H.O diesel ,i needed a dually for heavy towing ,the salesman got sick, he was supposed to bring a dually for me to test drive . that never came to pass.i heard what a pice of junk the truck was except for the engine .So i went to the gmc dealer to test drive 3500 D/A ,i heard nothing but good things about D/A it road really nice ,lots of power, the wife liked it also. So far the only thing i didnt like, was the factory tires, general ameritrac only got 12000 out of them . the truck hauls with a goose 22000 it took the weight really good on the scale i was around 30000 the combined weight of truck trailor and load went down a 6 percent grade ,the allison automatically downshifted slowed the truck down real nice didnt have to use much break pressure . The breaks are still like new , we like taking the truck on long trips, its really comfortable, no body part fatigue . the crew cab has lots of room , the atomatic dual zone climate control system is really good ,my wife is always cold , im always hot , on her side she can crank the heat all the way up to 90 ,on my side i keep it in the 60s that solved marital a conflict lol. i like the looks of the truck and its fun to drive . when im hauling i get between 10 and 15 mpgs my truck weighs in at 8500, on trips without towing from 17 to 19.5 mps .

Dodge for me, GM for the wife.

I chose Dodge because this site needed some controversy.

Truthfully, I was always curious about the Cummins and I like the Third Gen Dodges. They have made some great improvememnts so I thought it would be worth a try. I don't base decisions on someone else calling a brand junk. If I did I'd be riding a bicycle.

Longer I own it the more I like it. When I punch it it tears arse, breaks the tires loose with my TST on 4/4. No powerbrake. No other significant performance mods. Looks great, rides and handles great, runs great.

15-16mpg around town and 20+ on the highway.

No CAT, No EGR, easy access for maintenance and mods.

My GMC had a few annoying quirks that never got fixed. This truck is just about perfect.

GM

#1 RELIABILITY !
#2 HAUL LIKE A BEAR !
#3 BEST INTERIOR !
#4 DODGE SUCKS !


:muahaha:

i really feel sorry for you because there is no good comparison that is non bias out there! the duramax as good of a diesel as the cummins in my opinion as far as hp torque and has proven good reliabilty. the dodge on the other hand has a great diesel for the most part but when you compare transmissions the allison is great and the dodge in my opinion sucks as far as autos are concerned. so when you add them up i think the GM is better over all. just for a kicker i will throw in that GM has the highest resale value of the big 3 and dodge is next to none from what i have seen personally. i also perfer the ride and drive of a GM over a dodge even though the dodge has the higher ride. i too think the GM extended cab is more comfortable than the dodge's quad cab .....and quad to quad is not even a comparison. i can go on forever about the features like OnStar etc etc but you have to see it for yourself.:rant:

Because it's the best!

Dodge resale is good if there is a diesel under the hood. Ask the guys looking for used Dodge Cummins trucks. They aren't easy to find and ain't necessarily cheap.

the quietest smoothest diesel, best tranny, felt it would be the most dependable, my other gm trucks have been good...not overpowering for my wife to drive, she thought the dodge was too big and too high..ive never had problems getting a good buck back on my gmc and chevy trucks..later, bc

I drove a Ford 3500 and liked it ok but the Chevrolet dealer made me a very good offer over a $1000 under the from F250. The Chevrolet cost a little more but I got it for less. I have since driven my neighbors 2003 F250 and My Chevy drives so much better. I will not ever again buy anything from Chrysler. I tried it twice and got burned both times. Trouble when owning it and low trade in when it came time to replace.

Hmm, this probably won't help much but i've always wanted a Chevy/GMC pickup, my jeep wasn't able to play hard enough any more and I wanted way more truck than I'd ever need just in case I needed it. Also have two people in my family who worked at the same GMC dealer, the price was right and I liked the truck so I bought it :grd:

Cause They Are The Best!

FYI, the person that started this thread bought a dodge, no need to respond to her anymore, she will see the errs of her ways soon enough.

I was in the market for a 1500 and the salesman showed me a 2500 longbed with D/A and I took it for spin and just fell in love with it. So I ended up buying a 3500.

I wanted a REAL 5-6 passenger truck. (That eliminated the Dodge, my son has a quad cab, nice, but almost enough room for adults on a long trip,) That left Ford and Chevy. I don't pull huge weights, and valued ride/ step in height, comfort over what can pull the most. 5 guys at work went from Chevy to Ford/Dodge. All but one said the Chevy was more comfortable and better ride on long trips and they missed that. If they had it to do over again, 4 said they would buy a Chevy. After driving a Ford and Chevy I felt the same. Plus, for what I needed the Chevy IFS vs. solid front Axle of the Ford/Dodge was better. lower ride height, sorter turning, better ride. Then seeing my neighbor go through 3 transmissions on his ford in 100K miles, didn't give me much confidence either. Granted the new Ford is supposed to have fixed that. I have a friend that is a Chevy dealer service manager. Until the Durmax came out he told me "Stay away from a Chevy diesel". Now he says the 03 and up Durmax's and Allison are virtually trouble free.
Man am I glad I went with the Diesel. the mileage is a plus, but just for the pulling power alone it's worth it. No more staying in the slow lane on hills, no more staying behind slower traffic on passing lanes, and it is quite, even climbing a grade. Yes the 6 liter gas will pull grades but you Hear the motor spinning its guts out as it downshifts.
On something this expensive, I didn't try to justify the diesel payback in $, it is a satisfaction issue.

Eileen,

Don't know if you have made a decision yet, but your wanting this for your new Artic Fox correct?

As I no longer post over on the AFNash site, due to the extreme requirement of Political Correctness, I have to ask a few questions that might help to give a better opionion on truck selection.

First, I'd assume, given the name, that your a woman. Further I'd assume your retired or close to being, and wanting to do some full-timing in the AF. Are you going to be the primary driver of this TV while pulling the AF? Do you have much experience towing large 5vr's?

Since you have already eliminated Ford from your list (probably a good choice, if nothing more than the fact that the Ford interior does not lend itself to creature comfort) your left with two relatively good choices. Based on the above questions, and my assumption as to what the answers are, I think that the GM product may suit you better.

Engines are a wash, maybe slight nod to the Cummins (LOVED my '99 CTD)

Allison, Allison, Allison. Unless your ready to stir that transmission yourself, the Allison is going to be your best towing friend. (Did I mention that I HATED the 47re in my '99?)

Bed height, GM should be fine stock with the AF. Dodge, you already know it is going to be close on the 4x4.

Interior ingress/egress, GM is much lower in stock form (not to my liking but I'm a late 30's male) but could be a plus to you.

Interior comfort, including seats are pretty darn nice in the GMs. I have no idea what the 3rd gen Rams are like, I DID like the seats in my '99 and could go all day without discomfort.

Hope this helps, and tell MCN9 over at AFN to go f himself. ):h

I got mine because some 86 year old lady ran a Red light and bent my old tuck in to a U.

She bought a Dodge! :eek: Geesh was it something we said? :wtf:

Turfmower, you should send that little ol' lady a Christmas card every year! ):h

So we lost another one to Hoot, he must have offered to change her oil for life or something like that! :exactly: Til we meet again my friend! JJ :)

She bought a Dodge! :eek: Geesh was it something we said? :wtf:

Turfmower, you should send that little ol' lady a Christmas card every year! ):h

So we lost another one to Hoot, he must have offered to change her oil for life or something like that! :exactly: Til we meet again my friend! JJ :)

I'm not out to sell Dodge. It would be sad to think we are friends only through the brand of vehicle we like.

Hoot, JJ was just funnin! ):h Later. JJ :)

Sent email to local Ford, Dodge, Chevy and GM dealers with what I wanted. GM gave me the best deal and I bought. Very glad I went with the D/A. When this combo is out in an SUV will buy for wife.

Sent email to local Ford, Dodge, Chevy and GM dealers with what I wanted. GM gave me the best deal and I bought. Very glad I went with the D/A. When this combo is out in an SUV will buy for wife.

So if Ford gave you the best deal you would be driving it now?