thevenin2
03-17-2009, 03:46 AM
I have an 04.5 Dodge with turbo, full tranny, injectors, dmax aluminum drivline ha!, etc., etc., and I decided I needed to buy a dmax because the first diesel I drove was a triple chipped lifted pewter full everything dmax in o3, love at first sight.
I have always drooled over the Chevy's cause I like the look and sound. So, about a week ago I went out test driving with slight inclination to buy. I actually drove an 06 King Ranch 6.0 Powerjoke and liked it! Their engine sounds sweet, rides softer than my Dodge, soft leather, looks pretty cool, and it handles tight, but I had already put $200 down on the dmax I just bought.
I'm not a newbie, I have been in the diesel game since 03 with a cummins dually, then 04.5 with my shortbed, but here's what I got.
2007 Chevy LBZ LT3, white, leather etc., bose, onstar, all amenities I can see except dvd, moonroof, and homelink (if someone can explain why mine doesn't have homelink?), no lift which is good, not even leveling with the torsion bars, 5th wheel in bed installed so he did some towing but the rear diff cover is not rusted from heat/paint flaking so looks like what he towed was relatively light, 60000 miles, no intake or exhaust which is a plus, owned buy architect so doubt it was chipped, bought it for:
$28500 plus tax, title, licence from a stealership. They tried to hit me with 399 to transfer theft registrations, told them I didn't want it, 299 for dealer doc fee, told them that was a deal breaker, and then tried to sell me an extended warrenty that covers the powertrain for less than the remaining factory 100k warrenty!
I think I could have saved a little if I had waited for a vehicle with less miles, and an individual in a jam. How is the price and miles? The vehicle is in great condition, my only qualms r a few chips in the very front of the hood from freeway travel, few scratches on the top of the bed rails which doesnt matter cause I'll be putting something over that, and normal wear and tear, obviously it's not a new vehicle, but getting a 47000 list vehicle for almost 20k less a few years later seems worth it.
Any thoughts on what I got for the $? I love the truck, but now I think I appreciate my Dodge even more because I think all 3 manufactures have something to offer, I know the Dodge is actually a pretty stout machine, I have 115000 miles on mine and handles like the day I bought it cause of the simplistic solid axles, even with a lift. I also like my cummins, and the stout 48re transmission (after $6000) which lauches ya upon lockup. Not to mention the cummins which speaks 4 itself. I get compliments from alot of younger kids on the Dodge, but tonight in my stock duramax the old guy at Maverick said "that's a nice truck, that's a really nice truck!", cause obviously white blings and is the best color!
So, for a newbie, what advice. I know oil and air filtration are paramount, for all you people installing intakes on your truck your sandblasting your engine by allowing move air/sand in, google it, so I plan on putting an amsoil auxillary oil filter on, a high efficiency synthetic air filter, synthetic fluids everywhere, and plan on taking the cat off along with straight thru muffler. Anything else for a newbie? I know the fuel filter is key, so I plan using balwin low micron fuel filters, also I add a quart of 2 cycle to my cummins gas tank per fill up to raise the lubricity of the fuel, what do I need to know about this ultra low sulfer setup? Also, can I run the CI-4 older heavy duty engine oil, or do I have to go with specific?
I have always drooled over the Chevy's cause I like the look and sound. So, about a week ago I went out test driving with slight inclination to buy. I actually drove an 06 King Ranch 6.0 Powerjoke and liked it! Their engine sounds sweet, rides softer than my Dodge, soft leather, looks pretty cool, and it handles tight, but I had already put $200 down on the dmax I just bought.
I'm not a newbie, I have been in the diesel game since 03 with a cummins dually, then 04.5 with my shortbed, but here's what I got.
2007 Chevy LBZ LT3, white, leather etc., bose, onstar, all amenities I can see except dvd, moonroof, and homelink (if someone can explain why mine doesn't have homelink?), no lift which is good, not even leveling with the torsion bars, 5th wheel in bed installed so he did some towing but the rear diff cover is not rusted from heat/paint flaking so looks like what he towed was relatively light, 60000 miles, no intake or exhaust which is a plus, owned buy architect so doubt it was chipped, bought it for:
$28500 plus tax, title, licence from a stealership. They tried to hit me with 399 to transfer theft registrations, told them I didn't want it, 299 for dealer doc fee, told them that was a deal breaker, and then tried to sell me an extended warrenty that covers the powertrain for less than the remaining factory 100k warrenty!
I think I could have saved a little if I had waited for a vehicle with less miles, and an individual in a jam. How is the price and miles? The vehicle is in great condition, my only qualms r a few chips in the very front of the hood from freeway travel, few scratches on the top of the bed rails which doesnt matter cause I'll be putting something over that, and normal wear and tear, obviously it's not a new vehicle, but getting a 47000 list vehicle for almost 20k less a few years later seems worth it.
Any thoughts on what I got for the $? I love the truck, but now I think I appreciate my Dodge even more because I think all 3 manufactures have something to offer, I know the Dodge is actually a pretty stout machine, I have 115000 miles on mine and handles like the day I bought it cause of the simplistic solid axles, even with a lift. I also like my cummins, and the stout 48re transmission (after $6000) which lauches ya upon lockup. Not to mention the cummins which speaks 4 itself. I get compliments from alot of younger kids on the Dodge, but tonight in my stock duramax the old guy at Maverick said "that's a nice truck, that's a really nice truck!", cause obviously white blings and is the best color!
So, for a newbie, what advice. I know oil and air filtration are paramount, for all you people installing intakes on your truck your sandblasting your engine by allowing move air/sand in, google it, so I plan on putting an amsoil auxillary oil filter on, a high efficiency synthetic air filter, synthetic fluids everywhere, and plan on taking the cat off along with straight thru muffler. Anything else for a newbie? I know the fuel filter is key, so I plan using balwin low micron fuel filters, also I add a quart of 2 cycle to my cummins gas tank per fill up to raise the lubricity of the fuel, what do I need to know about this ultra low sulfer setup? Also, can I run the CI-4 older heavy duty engine oil, or do I have to go with specific?