westdrz
12-09-2005, 02:34 PM
Just picked up my 2006 2500HD CC LB LT1 with the 2006 LLY. I don't know in which forum to post since the 06 LLY is a de-tuned LBZ but move this if you want.
I sold a 2004 Dodge 2500 Quad Cab LB CTD with 48RE Auto Trans, standard output California motor 235HP, 460lb torque. I loved that truck however it was 4x2 and let's face it, the rear seat is just too small for full size people over 3 hours. I looked hard at the Mega Cab, very nice truck but the short bed killed the deal. The cab was huge, real nice, could sleep back there. But I haul a 37' 14K lbs. toyhauler to the desert at least once a month and putting up with the hassles of a sliding hitch, even a auto-slide, seemed too much, so I decided on Chevy. I could not find a 3500 SRW in LT1 (bench seat) and thus went 2500HD and I'll still be in specs for the truck for GVWR and GCWR. Got a "good deal", $500 below Red Tag and a full tank of fuel from Leo Hoffman Chevrolet in City of Industry, California. Go see Manny, he'll take good care of you. So fresh on my mind are driving impressions for anyone on the fence between the two, I'll offer my opinion.
Starting: This morning it was 53 degrees, glow plug light went right out. Started great, no grid (intake) heater I could detect after starting. The Dodge would do a full 3 minute heat cycle on the intake whenever it was less than 63 degrees. So it was a little strange not going through that ritual. Dodge was also much noisier in when cold.
Noise: Chevy wins. My Dodge was the new high pressure fuel rail setup and it was very quiet but the Chevy on startup is like a car, mind blowing how quiet it is.
Warm up: Chevy wins this one. The Allison keeps the revs up and other stuff is going on I'm not 100% sure of that gets the water temp up much quicker than the Dodge. I could drive the Dodge 20 miles before the water was up 1/2 way to operating temp, and that was in California! The Chevy was blowing warm air in less than 10 minutes.
Take-off: The Dodge had a lot more feel off the line, the Chevy feels numb in 1st and 2nd gear. The Allison is so smooth, like butter, that it may be just perception, but the Dodge felt like you were moving when you took off from a light, the Chevy feels like you are floating. I liked the Dodge setup.
Cruising: Not much difference at speed, both have a lot of power, again the Chevy's power is smooth and sometimes feels 'numb'. I can't wait to tow with it and see how it acts.
Luxury: Chevy wins hands down. The Dodge interior is far more spartan, the DIC is awesome as is the auto climate and steering wheel controls.
Storage: Dodge wins in the CC division, especially with the bench seat in the front. Dodge had a huge center console, plus more storage under the front center seat, a fold flat rear floor with more storage underneath the floor. Chevy has a lot of space under the rear seat but there is nothing to hold anything in.
Turning: Dodge. I know the Chevy is 10" longer than the Dodge but it also takes 4 more feet for a u-turn. I noticed it right away, takes a lot more turns to turn it, going to be quite a learning curve, the Dodge just turns much tighter/qucker.
Brakes: I'm only rating feel because both trucks stopped well but the Chevy pedal feels more spongy than the Dodge but again, it does stop just fine, just takes some getting used to.
Overall I'm very happy with the Chevy, I can't wait to take advantage of the power and new transmission when towing. Towing the Dodge was a workhorse but their transmission always kept me wanting something different. The gap between 2 and 3rd gear was just too wide and it would always lug up a 6% grade in 3rd down to 45 then I had to go down to 2nd and just cruise at 45-50 @ 3000 RPM the rest of the grade. It just couldn't bridge that gap between 2nd and 3rd, very frustrating.
Mileage will be interesting. At 55 MPH empty in the Dodge I'd get 25-27 MPG. Last night at the dealer I reset the DIC and got 20 MPG at 55 cruising home 25 miles from the dealer. The Dodge didn't break in until about 20K miles and I expect the same from the Duramax. I'm following the break in pattern by the book.
Bill W.
I sold a 2004 Dodge 2500 Quad Cab LB CTD with 48RE Auto Trans, standard output California motor 235HP, 460lb torque. I loved that truck however it was 4x2 and let's face it, the rear seat is just too small for full size people over 3 hours. I looked hard at the Mega Cab, very nice truck but the short bed killed the deal. The cab was huge, real nice, could sleep back there. But I haul a 37' 14K lbs. toyhauler to the desert at least once a month and putting up with the hassles of a sliding hitch, even a auto-slide, seemed too much, so I decided on Chevy. I could not find a 3500 SRW in LT1 (bench seat) and thus went 2500HD and I'll still be in specs for the truck for GVWR and GCWR. Got a "good deal", $500 below Red Tag and a full tank of fuel from Leo Hoffman Chevrolet in City of Industry, California. Go see Manny, he'll take good care of you. So fresh on my mind are driving impressions for anyone on the fence between the two, I'll offer my opinion.
Starting: This morning it was 53 degrees, glow plug light went right out. Started great, no grid (intake) heater I could detect after starting. The Dodge would do a full 3 minute heat cycle on the intake whenever it was less than 63 degrees. So it was a little strange not going through that ritual. Dodge was also much noisier in when cold.
Noise: Chevy wins. My Dodge was the new high pressure fuel rail setup and it was very quiet but the Chevy on startup is like a car, mind blowing how quiet it is.
Warm up: Chevy wins this one. The Allison keeps the revs up and other stuff is going on I'm not 100% sure of that gets the water temp up much quicker than the Dodge. I could drive the Dodge 20 miles before the water was up 1/2 way to operating temp, and that was in California! The Chevy was blowing warm air in less than 10 minutes.
Take-off: The Dodge had a lot more feel off the line, the Chevy feels numb in 1st and 2nd gear. The Allison is so smooth, like butter, that it may be just perception, but the Dodge felt like you were moving when you took off from a light, the Chevy feels like you are floating. I liked the Dodge setup.
Cruising: Not much difference at speed, both have a lot of power, again the Chevy's power is smooth and sometimes feels 'numb'. I can't wait to tow with it and see how it acts.
Luxury: Chevy wins hands down. The Dodge interior is far more spartan, the DIC is awesome as is the auto climate and steering wheel controls.
Storage: Dodge wins in the CC division, especially with the bench seat in the front. Dodge had a huge center console, plus more storage under the front center seat, a fold flat rear floor with more storage underneath the floor. Chevy has a lot of space under the rear seat but there is nothing to hold anything in.
Turning: Dodge. I know the Chevy is 10" longer than the Dodge but it also takes 4 more feet for a u-turn. I noticed it right away, takes a lot more turns to turn it, going to be quite a learning curve, the Dodge just turns much tighter/qucker.
Brakes: I'm only rating feel because both trucks stopped well but the Chevy pedal feels more spongy than the Dodge but again, it does stop just fine, just takes some getting used to.
Overall I'm very happy with the Chevy, I can't wait to take advantage of the power and new transmission when towing. Towing the Dodge was a workhorse but their transmission always kept me wanting something different. The gap between 2 and 3rd gear was just too wide and it would always lug up a 6% grade in 3rd down to 45 then I had to go down to 2nd and just cruise at 45-50 @ 3000 RPM the rest of the grade. It just couldn't bridge that gap between 2nd and 3rd, very frustrating.
Mileage will be interesting. At 55 MPH empty in the Dodge I'd get 25-27 MPG. Last night at the dealer I reset the DIC and got 20 MPG at 55 cruising home 25 miles from the dealer. The Dodge didn't break in until about 20K miles and I expect the same from the Duramax. I'm following the break in pattern by the book.
Bill W.