I drove a 2005 Dodge 3500 w/Cummins and a 6 speed and I must say i was very impressed. I have always heard how Dodge isnt a good truck and so on and so forth but I must say I might have to disagree. They have the best looking truck that they have ever had (but I do not think it is the best looking truck on the market, I am very pleased with the looks of my HD) and their interior is def. not a GM interior but it isnt bad. But that Cummins Motor is awesome. Since driving I have gave alot of thought into possibly buying one sometime. You cant go wrong with a inline six diesel motor. Now I didnt post this to get any thing started but just to see if some of you all felt the same way about the new Dodges with the Cummins in it?

Flame suit is ready!:eek:

very loud engine-also I have heard the dodge tranny's dont hold up-jmo...no offence ment,michael-

You should go with whatever turns your crank. You will be the one making the payments. As you can tell by my other toys, I am Chevy through thick and thin.

I think someone just posted a similar thread but the idea was the other way around... I smell TROLL:exactly: .... I think someone is searching for ideas and looking in the wrong places..:blahblah:

I seriously considered a Dodge as well, and I wouldn't have a problem owning one as my daily driver. I think they definitely outshine GM in certain categories, but I still maintain that the GM is the best overall package. It would be hard to give up the great ride, Alli, and nice interior. On the other hand, it would be nice to step up to something that will accept decent sized tires in stock form, etc.

I'm certainly not ready to trade my Chevy in on a Dodge, but I'd be willing to try one.

You should go with whatever turns your crank. You will be the one making the payments. As you can tell by my other toys, I am Chevy through thick and thin.
I agree. Dodge has been on a campaign to make sells, lets see how long they last. I havent seen an older "Dodge power wagon" since I was a kid....... Hopefully, Their new marketing push to sell trucks will carry over to longevidy and serviceability. You can't beat the Cummins, but I think its all in what you are looking for. I need a durable tranny that will last, and to tow with decent milage (now that Diesel prices are through the roof). The GMC interior, comfort, and Dmax/Ally are the best combo for my needs.

:grd:

:exactly: ):h

The cummins is a great motor and I would hope nobody would argue that. The thing that kills me is people who think that 350,000 miles with NO repairs is the norm with these engines. While the dmax is just a 200,000 mile motor. Anybody who beleives this is either in denial or hasn't really done the research. I have a good friend who is a die hard cummins man...love the guy to death but he is one of these cummins is the best types. He just reached 80,000 miles on both on his 01's.....2 trannys(on his auto), 2 clutches on his 6 spd., each truck has had a new head gasket, both trucks had front end issues, 1 blown rear, 3 fuel pumps etc.. all the while saying that dmax ain't bad but its no cummins!....sheeesh!

My Dad has a '03 Dodge/Cummins 3500. pretty quiet compared to earlier models. He's got 90,000 on it pulling heavy. The truck has had rear end problems but the tranny and engine has been flawless.

I have to admit there is something to this Dodge thing. I just drove from L.A. To Tucson and back last week end and saw nothing but Dodge after Dodge, stopped counting after 25 and seeing few GM, and few Fords.

As you can tell by my signature, I have a few vehicles, miles, and hours in GM diesels over the past 23 years, including one (the 84) with a Case Cummins 6BTAA installed by Las Vegas Cummins. I sold the vehicle after 9 years and 300,000 miles, and NEVER did one thing to the engine other than change oil & filters. Trannies, now that's another matter. Only reason I sold it was it was dual wheel and rode rough. It is still going, towing trailers, and has over 500,000 miles on it, with no engine repairs of any kind. I like my DA's, but the best truck IMHO would be a new GM HD (with a little thicker sheet metal), the new Cummins engine (only because it is a lot quieter), the new Allison 6 speed, and the rest of the nice HD package with 70 gal fuel capacity. First, we would have to kill all the GM bean counters who continue to bankrupt the company with their high salaries and idiotic ideas on changes for the vehicle.

I have had a chance to test drive all of the Big Three. I will agree the Cummins is a good, strong motor and matter of fact the Cummins 600 is a pretty quiet motor. Dodge actually let me take one home for the evening just to see how I liked it... mind you this thing is completely decked out with every option and my Chevy is a reg cab "work" model truck. I will tell you what, by the next morning I was missing my Chevy bad and went straight to the dealership and got my truck back. Since then, I have not considered anything else but what I've got.

Dan

Had an 01 Dodge (gas) , liked it except for the Transmission.. really hated it, traded for an 02 chevy(gas), then upgraded to my lly. All round the Dodge was fine, lots of cab room, loads of extra's (really liked the organizer behind the seat (Reg cab)). minus's - single wall box (you REALLY need a liner) and the trans.. constant shifting..

JJ

My Son drives Dodges with the Cummins engines. Loves them although all have had transmission difficulties. Fried of mine in Elko has over 400K miles on his Cummins. The engine is the only part of the truck that hasn't been worked on. Cummins is a fine engine. Rest of vehicle is in doubt. I've owned several Chrysler products in the past and they were trouble plaqued. No more of them for me. I'll stick with GM.

Our mechanics with the utility company I work for have decided to stick with ordering GM & Fords for the diesel p/u work rigs (We have 41 diesel p/u's and 28 heavy line trucks). One of the main reasons I went with the GM rig.

Since our line crews work the hell out of 'em, we've found the Cummin's motors are holding up pretty well, but it's the rest of the truck that's falling apart around the motor. However, out of our fourteen mechanics, we have one who is a die-hard Mopar fellow - 'course, he marches to a beat of a different drummer anyways. . .

Prior to purchasing my new Duramax, I drove all 3 brands of diesel pickups, several times. I came close to buying a Dodge, but kept coming back to the Chevy even though it cost me almost three grand more. The ride is unbeatable, the interior is the nicest, and after 3 trannys in my 460 Ford, the Allison seemed like the way to go. Also, the quad cab's rear seat just didn't cut it, too cramped for adults.
I think any of the three have ample power for towing, it just gets down to the finer details............

Dodge is the cheapest, GM is the most expensive. Dodge has a7yr. warrenty. If you don't know what your looking at, the Dodge looks attractive. If you like them , by all meens get one. P.S. Ya ever see an old Dodge?

If your paying list I guess you could be right, but if you deal you can get the gm for the same money as the dodge. A guy I work with payed more for his hemi quad than I did for my da cc.

Ditto Durablue,

I paid 36,500 out the door for my 05 GMC SLT. 9.5 hours of negotiation though!!!

I owned a 2001.5 Dodge 2500 diesel w/auto trans for 4 years and 90,000 miles. I drove it, pulled with it, and took care of it too. I didn't like the trans much but I never had any problems with it, the engine, drivetrain or the quality of the truck. I almost bought another new Dodge but I went back with Chevy/GM Mainly because I have always owned and liked GMs and I wanted the Allison Trans too. The first and second generation Dodges are routinely seeing 350,000 to 400,000 plus miles without any repair work being done to the block and heads.

Also starting in 03 all Dodges w/Cummins engines are very quiet. Even though this engine is new, it is not very different from the old B series engines used in the first and second gen trucks.

that last line is about being the same is wrong. the new engines built 2003 and up use only about a quarter of the same parts. the entire fuel injection, turbo, intake, head, etc are all new. its a 5.9l inline 6 cummins thats the only real similiar issue between them

Dieselmaniac,

That is completely true. The point I was trying to make is that the block is the same basic tried and true design. I know the head is different, just not sure how much. The rest of the engine components as you stated are completely different.

Dodge is the cheapest, GM is the most expensive. Dodge has a7yr. warrenty. If you don't know what your looking at, the Dodge looks attractive. If you like them , by all meens get one. P.S. Ya ever see an old Dodge?
GM the most expensive? Not at all, Ford is. A comparable Ford was 3-4 grand more than the new Chevy I bought in January. Ford increased the price of their trucks this year. Guess they had to pay for that POS brake controller........

so your gonna pule a hoot too? :blahblah:

I haven't the slightest idea what you mean.

...You cant go wrong with a inline six diesel motor. ...

There is a reason V-8 engine configs are common. It is one of the smoothest designs, the crankshaft ends up stronger lb for lb, crankshaft support is triangulated, and you can put more displacement per cu ft of engine bay.

We do not have enough data on the Duramax yet as far as longentivity goes. Since they are only 4 years old, we are not seeing enough failures to determine true expected lifespans. But the Isuzu diesel has been around a long time, and their reputation for durability overseas is very good. Even in the medium duty US market trucks, Isuzu has proven to make a very tough engine.

Is the Cummins better? Nobody will know for perhaps 7 years. Since average light truck consumers do less than 20,000mi a year, the first large groups of 2001 trucks to hit 250,000mi will be in 2013. In the 4 years of Duramax sales, they have proven to be pretty reliable on the initial quality.

Still having a blast with mine.

I like the looks I get from all the GM guys.

Looking up

I haven't the slightest idea what you mean.
hoot had a dmax and then he went and traded it in on a dodge diesel

hoot had a dmax and then he went and traded it in on a dodge diesel


We still love him even though he's "batting for the other team". :D

Rumor has it that Dmax scared him because it was too fast. :eek:

Dmax was too fast....and his dodge has a better turning radius;)

Hi,

I agree that the Cummins had been a good stout motor, but if GM had to choose another for their trucks, there are so many choices out there it is not funny. They can choose from Mercedes/Detroit, CAT/Perkins, or even SISU, now that would be awesome ( a SISU in a 2500HD!! ) My Dad's 05 Freightliner Business Class M2 has a Mercedes MBE 4000 ( 12.8L, 350HP, 1350tq @ 1100RPM. ) and it is a total torque monster, and I love the deep beratone like rumble it has, especially taking off or loaded going up a hill!! A smaller scale version of that would rock in a truck too.


Like I said earlier, there are so many choices out there, and if I were in charge at GM, I would choose one of them!!

Just my 2 cents

Will

In the beginning I don't think that Dodge or Cummins knew those B engines would last quite that long. I wouldn't be suprised if the Duramax ends up lasting alot longer than everyone expected.

I'm with you Will! Unfortunately if anyone of the Big 3 get a new engine soon it will probably be Ford. Unless they have ironed out averything with Int/Navistar. I have heard some speculation of Dodges being Mercedes powered some day, we shall see.

Later

SISU diesels are awesome. We have two massey that have em. One is almost up to 10000 hrs. and still running great. Pretty good for a tractor I think.:grd:

Dmax was too fast....and his dodge has a better turning radius;)


The GMs are really nice trucks. I wanted to try a Dodge with an old heavy weight diesel and classic chassis.

Hi,

I sure hope the DMAX lasts longer than people expect it too. That would be a nice reward for the GM loyalists who would not witch brands during the bad diesle years, and also good for anyone who has bought one, or will buy one!!

Take care

Will

so hoot how does that cummins in that dodge compare overall to the old GM you had. You seem pretty short worded on the whole deal.

so hoot how does that cummins in that dodge compare overall to the old GM you had. You seem pretty short worded on the whole deal.


Which old GM? I had a few.

93 6.5TD
97 6.5TD
01 Dmax

All were decent trucks but the 6.5's were mediocre diesels. The Dmax had good performance characteristics but the future of the engine after 100,000 miles turned me off, especially considering the cost of the engine and trans.

After the tree fell on the truck it was only a matter of time. I'm short worded because I pretty much got satisfied for the time being. No big bucks to throw around so no new accessories for now. Also trying to keep a low profile on the site. You guys don't like having Dodge boys smiling :) in your posts that much.

Dodges are good, but i heard the new one dont get anything for mileage.

oh ok hoot, that was more of what i was looking for. no need to keep a low pro for my sake you know the + and - as much as anyone. i could care less if you enjoy what you have, good for you.

Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Originally Posted by sledman
I haven't the slightest idea what you mean.
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hoot had a dmax and then he went and traded it in on a dodge dieselNot unless I have many severe problems with my Chevy. I've owned Dodge, GM, and most recently Ford. When I replace a vehicle, I choose what I feel is the best overall package at the time, taking into consideration what I'll be using the vehicle for. I'm not at all "brand loyal".

This go round, I was still leary of the longevity of the Ford tranny, it's Powerstroke engine was too loud, the truck didn't ride as well as the Chevy, and I didn't care for the interior. I have reservations about the reliability of the 6.0 liter Powerstroke engine also, although I would have bought the extended service plan, so that would have been a moot point. The Ford was also the most expensive of the three.
The Dodge was very quiet, rode the best of any Dodge I had previously driven (so did the Ford for that matter), but there wasn't enough room in the rear portion of the Quad Cab to be comfortable on trips for adults. It also had a shorter short bed than the HD Chevy, and again I was leary of the automatic tranny. I really like the Cummins engine, however, it's reputation speaks for itself. The overall styling of the Dodge is great, it's a tough looking truck. The Dodge was the cheapest of the three, $2600 less than I paid for my Chevy.
I put 3 trannys in 212,000 miles in my last Ford pickup, and rebuilt the 460 once due to an oil pump failure. That truck worked well for what it was, but the maintenance got way to spendy. This time around, I bought the extended service plan, so my 100,000 mile bumper-to-bumper coverage will give me peace of mind, if nothing else. It will be paid for within a year (over half paid for now), so there won't be much lost to interest charges, I guess that's one of the ways I justify the cost of the service plan. I plan on spinning the truck at around 80,000 and replacing it with another new vehicle at that time. Notice I didn't say "replacing it with a new Chevy". We will see what's available when the time comes.
Obviously different things are important to different people, and the fact that we all have the choices we do are just another great freedom we should all be thankful for. I could be happy with any of the three brands of diesel pickups, and surely they all have ample power for towing.
I had chicken strips at Chili's for lunch today, tomorrow I might be in the mood for a burger. I'm the same way with vehicles...........

They are selling a few. When I looked I could have got a simularly equiped Dodge for nearly $6000 less than my 05LLY. Money talks.

I had a power wagon years ago seat fell thru the floor. The cummins is a great eng, but it is just what it is wrapped in. My soninlaw has a 06 4X4 cummins the first thing I noticed about it was the interior cheap looking plastic. But like the man said drive what you like your paying the note. Heck if everybody want D/M the price might double

Fords the only truck that will hold up to any use and abuse. Dodge avoid if at all possible. I dont know why anybody would ever consider one off those.

Fords the only truck that will hold up to any use and abuse. Dodge avoid if at all possible. I dont know why anybody would ever consider one off those.

Thats gotta be a dieselplace qoute of the year......thats toooooooooo funny!:lol: You don't own one of those sick O's do ya?

Nope got a 7.3. I wouldnt be caught dead in a GM or Dodge product. Ive heard plenty off injector problems with the duramax on this forum. After twenty years of junk GM diesels . Dont want to have another one. Dodge there not even worth taliking about. Fords in a league off its own.

Nope got a 7.3. I wouldnt be caught dead in a GM or Dodge product. Ive heard plenty off injector problems with the duramax on this forum. After twenty years of junk GM diesels . Dont want to have another one. Dodge there not even worth taliking about. Fords in a league off its own.Yeah, that's why my good friend that owns a front-end and alignment/auto care shop is likely going to trade his Ford diesel in on a Duramax.............
He's just a certified, and highly successful technician/business man, what does he know.

Course, another friend traded his Powerstroke in on a Dodge,, and has zero regrets.

Funny, of the people that I know that own diesel pickups, nobody, with any brand, has had any injector problems..................

The Ford guys have ALL had tranny problems though...........But to Ford's credit, none of these tranny's were Ford's latest 5 speed auto. It is only fair that I throw that in.

Fords in a league off its own.Your definately right about Fords being in a league of there own http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/images/smilies/hihi.gif ......

Nope got a 7.3. I wouldnt be caught dead in a GM or Dodge product. Ive heard plenty off injector problems with the duramax on this forum. After twenty years of junk GM diesels . Dont want to have another one. Dodge there not even worth taliking about. Fords in a league off its own.
Ahhhh.....a powerhouse 7.3....sorry my bad. The 7.3 can make some power but your bank account probably coundn't handle it.:eek:

Your definately right about Fords being in a league of there own http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/images/smilies/hihi.gif ......
that was a miss quote. the are in a field of their own.

LEFT FIELD that is! ):h

sold my 04 GMC slt and bought a 05 f250 w/ powerstroke. the ride is way more balanced than my gm. much better ride. even my diehard chevy/gmc friends are starting to like ford more. go figure.

Ditto Durablue,

I paid 36,500 out the door for my 05 GMC SLT. 9.5 hours of negotiation though!!!
You must be REALLY a master in negotiation to get the truck 6K under invoice and with free taxes!

When I bought my truck I studied this forum for a long time and I always was wondering how cheap every body else got his truck and I never came even close - dealer after dealer.... I learned then that there is NO WAY that any dealer will sell any truck far below invoice - otherwise they would be bankrupt very very soon.....:blahblah:

According to the new Diesel Power Mag our dmax is the slowest truck, especially when pulling a trailer (far behing the F250 and slower than a Dodge).

I am a little disappointed because I figured that a least the highest torque would help a bid, but looks like it doesn't.... :confused:

You must be REALLY a master in negotiation to get the truck 6K under invoice and with free taxes!

When I bought my truck I studied this forum for a long time and I always was wondering how cheap every body else got his truck and I never came even close - dealer after dealer.... I learned then that there is NO WAY that any dealer will sell any truck far below invoice - otherwise they would be bankrupt very very soon.....:blahblah:

Incentives and discounts get you way under invoice.

Ahhhh.....a powerhouse 7.3....sorry my bad. The 7.3 can make some power but your bank account probably coundn't handle it.:eek:


7.3 is a good stock motor. Maybe just a little help power wise but it's not a good motor to play with. The SuperDuty is a good size truck. I just have strayed away from Fords. Don't like their designs and I don't mean styling.

You must be REALLY a master in negotiation to get the truck 6K under invoice and with free taxes!

When I bought my truck I studied this forum for a long time and I always was wondering how cheap every body else got his truck and I never came even close - dealer after dealer.... I learned then that there is NO WAY that any dealer will sell any truck far below invoice - otherwise they would be bankrupt very very soon.....:blahblah:Mahalkita,

I ended up with a down payment on my contract of $6,711 that never came out of my pocket. I didn't question the general manager of the dealership on that--and oh, BTW, it helps to have a relative that's a vendor to a specific dealership ):h that always gives a good deal to the dealership. Being in sales also helps a lot too. If you can, watch the movie "Suckers", it is a cheap movie, but it shows some of the dealings that you get at your car dealership.
----
off the topic, I was once in Mandeville back in 1998 on a trip to N'awlins for mardi gras and almost got into an accident on that bridge (Ponchatran?) going the wrong way after a very long day of drinking lots of hurricanes at Pat O'Brians :badidea:

Has anyone ever looked up DODGE in the dictionary? If you haven't it says: TOO AVOID. Go figure.

I have friends with Ford StupidDuty's and Dodge's, they all claim their truck is the best. Even though the Dodge and Ford guys are constantly under the front ends changing track bars, tie rods, wheel bearings, etc. Chevy's tierods are the size of a pencil yet the other guys are dropping thousands of $ into a neglected front end.

All the trucks have flaws. I'll never own a Ford, I almost bought a Dodge 5 years ago but I couldn't deal with them. The thought of having a 300,000 mile engine in a 30,000 mile truck just doesn't seem right.

Has anyone else ever had the comment made to them: "I don't know why you just don't buy a Ford, (or Dodge.)" when you're shopping around for a new truck. One of my responses is, "Are you gay? (response - hell no) Asking me to buy a Ford would be like asking you to suck a guys private parts..... it ain't gonna happen!"