No brand loyalty here either. I believe that the Dmax/Alli is the hottest combo out right now. Its amazing the power you can get out of this engine with a few simple upgrades. That and we already have a Ford. We are also looking into getting a Cummins 600 in the near future.

 

No brand loyality here,

but the reason I bought the D/A was it was not a F**D, nor a Dodge, nor a Toy, nor and TiT**,

but a real truck, with the best engine/trans combo, the best looks, the best ride, well, just could not see going second fiddle.

Besides, it wears a bowtie, and I collect them.

 

Wife wanted us to buy a 5'ver. The new 5'ver was way too much for the '98 Chevy 1/2 ton that we had, so had to get new truck to pull the 5'ver. Don't ever let the salesman tell you your current ride can pull it. I kept telling him NO F%&$#%G WAY, but was over ruled by the wife. Before we got home from the first trip with the 5'ver, the wife was telling me we needed a different truck. GEE, GO FIGURE.


Since I would be getting a new tow vehicle/daily driver, I wanted a diesel for the pulling power and fuel economy. The new truck had to be a true crew cab, so that ruled out the Dodge. Looked at the Ford 6.0L and the Chevy Duramax. Was not real comfortable with the Ford because of all the problems they were having with that first year run of the 6.0L

.


The sticker on the Chevy was about $3K more than the Ford. After the $3,000 rebate, $2,500 built up on the GM Card, $500 fuel tank settlement certificate, $500 conquest program (wife has an Explorer) and an extra $300 promotional deal with the GM Card, it was a no brainer. There was no way Ford could even come close to that deal

.


Got the LT, so you can't get the 6 speed in that trim. Besides, with my wifes disability a stick was out of the question if she ever had to drive it.Edited by: Darin Billing

 

I got mine because I was missing my old diesel truck. I chose the dura/alli combo because it's the best combo out there. Plus GMC definitely has a nicer interior than the Dodge or Ford with more options too! However, I really like the styling of the OUTSIDE of the Dodge, but the inside looks like one of their minivans

Also, the resale value of a diesel will be better than a gasser.

 

This is my third Diesel!!

My first Duramax!!

I guess you can say I am a Ford guy....and proud of it!!! But with that being said I was not at all impressed with the new 6.0L they need to work the bugs out of them, and big bugs they are.


I bought the Duramax thinking it was bug free, having been on the market for a few years. But as it turns out they also have injector problems. The big difference between Ford and GM diesels with the problems(injectors) that I can see as a guy off the street. After the first year of the 6.0L Powerstroke and all the injector problems they came out with a major fix for the '04s, it was a redesigned fuel filtration system. It is too early to tell if fixed the problem. At least they are trying!!! GM on the other hand has not really trying to fix anything....more like they are living with the problem reather than trying to fix it.


No matter what, there are the die-hards out there. And no matter what GM or Ford can do no wrong. Just like the Rep. or Dem. no matter who is running if they are a Rep or Dem then that is there man.....no matter how bad a leader they are.


Me on the other hand I love Fords....but if it is not the right truck for me then I am not going to buy it! If the person is not going to be a good leader then I am not going to vote for them!


I like the Duramax that is on our driveway, but will I buy another one? It just depends what is on the market when I am looking for a new truck.


Edited by: NoWake200

 

Because I wanted one.

I wanted 4x4 and better fuel economy produced by the diesel engine. I only tow 2000 # to 5000 # trailers.


I love the Allison and the amenities of the LT package.


Corsair

 

I bought it because of the dealer. I've only owned Chevies but was seriously considering a Dodge or a Ford before I bought this one. The new powerjoke scared me away from buying a Ford (plus their dealership is awful) and the Dodge dealer near me is a joke too. The GM dealer I deal with is great and that goes a long way with me.





Reason I bought the dmax is because my '02 2500HD had the 6.0 gasser and the cold start knock drove me nuts. The only reason I bought IT was because there were no duramax/ZF's available at the time.Edited by: Camstyn

 

I went Dodge (360 gasser) to a F250 PSD for mileage reasons. When the lease was up on my Ford I bought a 2003 1500hd witht he 6.0 and was terribly disappointed with the mileage and towing performance. I've had the LLY for a few weeks and just pulled a 16' enclosed snowmobile trailer loaded to the gills with sleds and fishing equipment and got a round trip mileage of just under 17.

 

I bought my DMax for trailer towing. I'm on the lighter side with a 32 foot travel trailer, but I didn't want to have the struggle any more. I had a Chevy 1500 ext-cab with 5.3L and 3.73 axle. When towing I had to run in 3rd gear and in a long hill it would shift to 2nd at about 4500 rpms with a 5-10 mph decrease in speed. The truck was fast and fun to drive without the trailer, but it was like a boat anchor when hooked up. It pulled it, but long term something was going to break. My uncle had a 6.0L gas 4.10 axle combination in a 2500HD crew and he talked of running in the 4000 plus rpm range in a long hill, but with no loss in forward speed. I knew that wasn't what I wanted.


Therefore my options were 8.1 or DMax. Both required the ally trans, so that had to be bought either way. So in terms of MSRP you're looking a like $1000 for the 8.1 vs $5100 for the DMax, less at invoice. I considered the cost difference for the initial investment, ongoing operating costs (there are pluses and minuses in both columns) and then figured if I bought the 8.1 and wasn't happy with it, there was $2000 plus in tax, plus depreciation to trade again. So I figured to go with the DMax as the king of hill and haven't looked back since.

 

I previously had a Toyota Tundra. That truck would pull my 30' travel trailer quite well (~7,000 lb). The only problem was my three kids were squished in the back. Since the wife told me to get a bigger truck (green light alert!), I decided I would get a diesel since I know several people that tow with diesels. Plus, I might get a bigger trailer :-> Since I had absolutely no problems out of Tundra in the two years I had it, I wanted a reliable truck. After reading a lot, talking to friends that had lots of experience in diesel trucks, I decided to go with the GMC. The main issues were , of course, the engine and transmission. A friend with a Dodge noted that while the Cummins was probably better, that the Allison was by far better than the Dodge transmission and that the Duramax was at least in the same ballpark as the Cummins. He strongly recommended that I stay away from the Ford since the new diesel (6.0) had not been proven. (I have another friend with a 6.0 and he has had nothing but problems.) Plus, the Dodge interior is smaller - the wife didn't care for it.

All in all, I decided on GMC. So far, I am very happy with my decision. Price was not really an issue since they were all somewhat comparable.

 

I bought the Dmax because I Need a Diesel for towing and my 2003 6.0L PSD was a lemon return and I dont like Dodge trucks so I had no choice other than the Dmax.... But a damn good choice it has turned out to be!

 

I thought the DURAMAX was built by GM, using parts from various manufactures, including GM. Anyway in my book its a good engine and the Allison tranny is the ideal match up. Would like to see A CAT matched to the Allison .

 

It was the best truck available at the time.... D***e had nothing new (still the 24V Cummins) and F**d was in their last year of the 7.3L.


I needed a truck that could pull a 10,000lb 5'ver, with four kids, comfortably.


This truck met all those needs and then some.

 

I thought the DURAMAX was built by GM, using parts from various manufactures, including GM.

Isuzu - which is 'owned' by GM - so I guess in a way you could say... oh, you know...

Edited by: NCMax

 

It was part of my five year plan to find a diesel truck and a camping trailer for it to tow. When I started looking I assumed I would buy a Dodge for the Cummins. Then a friend bought a Ford and liked it very much. I started hearing about problems with Dodge transmissions, brakes and front suspensions. I began looking harder at Fords. The 7.3 was long in the tooth and I kept hearing of "cackle" issues, though my buddy's truck didn't seem to suffter from it. I did notice, though that the Fords were very heavy and didn't have that great a payload capacity. I heard of the new Duramax coming out so I decided to wait for reports on those. Of course the initial reviews were raves and everyone seemed to concede that the GMs had the best interior, best ride, and the best transmission; they were also lower, which is a plus for me. I wanted 4wd and after 17 happy years with IFS in a 4wd configuration in my 4Runners, I started giving the GMs a really close look. The more I learned, the better they sounded. I read the posts on thedieselpage religiously and finally took the plunge. I got a GMC because I simply like its appearance better. For my pains I got a terrific looking truck with a great engine, a terrific trany, and that's capable of hauling a ton of sh...stuff in comfort while delivering very good fuel mileage. And, it's just plain fun to drive.

Earlier this month I fulfilled the balance of my plan by buyng a new travel trailer to hitch to the truck. Now I just need some time to play.

TC

 

Cause all the cool kids do ....

Oh wait that's smoke ....

Diesels are where the torque is ,I'm GM loyal and I'm not afraid to admit it ,for now....


Mac

 

Because Mac did!

On edit:


My neighbor has a C*****S, my brother has a Powerjoke, living in the gas world I liked the way both of them towed and the mileage. Being a GM nut I started doing some research. I stumbled upon a forum called the "Dieselpage", after lurking for a long time I decided that the Duramax was for me. Then alot of the interesting people at that forum left and came here. Then I got the mod bug....1st one box....then another....and another.....

...I'm nuts I tell ya.... nuts!


But I love my truck!


Edited by: Trippin

 

I am GM loyal as well and proud of it! This is the 11th GM product I have owned since 92. I wanted a Duramax since they came out but like many I was unsure of the extra cost. Ended up buying too big of a camper for my 01 gasser so I just HAD to get a duramax.

In the end I am extreamely happy and wish I would have done it sonner.Edited by: Max Power

 

I had 88 Subarban with a 5.7 towing a 10,000 trailer loaded with leather (We sell leather at Motorcycle shows) As long as we were on flat ground it was ok but, going uphill was a joke. I would hit that hill at 70 mph and by the time I reached the top I would be doing 10 mph. I cried for 3 years I needed a diesel. I don't like F**ds so that was out. I looked at dodge because I liked the cummins but , when I sat in the rear seat I was turned off. I needed a full size rear seat for the kids and I couldn't see them in that dodge for 3 to 4 hours. Also I didn't like the drivers seat just wasn't me. When I sat in the Silverado I just knew it was me. The back seat was full size so that was it I ordered it and not sorry I did. I'm still waiting but it won't be long now. Been a Chevrolet man for a long time.

 

I got a Duramax for a lot of reasons. Some of my customers showed up with them and i liked them, the back doesn't sag at all with my golf bag

. Steve Cole was racing one and i enjoyed working on it (actually i enjoyed driving it). TRIPPEN bought one (Guy, i hope you have a better reason then you stated). BIG DIPPER said he would kick my butt if i didn't buy one (now thats a damn good reason to buy one). Kidding aside, the Duramax is the best damn truck i have ever owned. Didn't know it would turn out that way, but it did. My Duramax makes me feel fuzzy all over.

Thats right, i'm pimping for GM. (I only pimp for products that i know are good)


mike

 

I bought this truck for a lot of reasons but the biggest influence was... my grandpa built a 1968 Kenworth in 68' and he put the Allison in it... well 36 years later, that Allison has over 3 million miles on it, with just regular maintenance (fluid and filter change) and he also said the Duramax was the future of diesels... not bad for a man that is die hard Furd... and I have also had two other Chevrolets that I really liked

 

When the Duramax/Allison first came out, GM sent me a brochure in the mail with pics and specs of the new trucks...It was love

at first sight! The prices however, were more than I wanted to pay. I needed a crew cab truck because my family was growing and I was running out of room for carseats fast in my '88 silvy reg cab. I was origionally looking at used PSD's due to cost reasons, but when GM lowered the interest rates after 9-11, my wife and I decided to get my "Dream Truck".


I have always been impressed with the Allison tranny, They are all we use in our fire apparatus, and the have been outstanding.


I wanted a diesel for fuel economy, towing power and longevity. I plan on keeping this truck for many, many years. I got 14 years and 170k miles out of my old Silverado with very little trouble along the way, and I plan to get at least 200k miles out of this truck, hopefully even more than that.


I am tickled pink with this truck!

And I still, after 2-1/2 years of owning it, catch myself peeking out the window to look at it sitting in the driveway, and looking back at it and smiling, as I walk away from it in a parking lot.

I see people eyeing my truck from time to time as I drive by, and get the occasional thumbs up from total strangers. That just makes me smile that much more!

The truck pulls like a mule, rides like a dream, and looks great to boot!

What more could you ask for?





I love my truck!!!!!

Kevin

 

I wanted a truck that would pull my 5th wheel up a 6% grade in the middle of August in 5th gear. I got what I asked for. Later! Frank

 

I need to replace my mason dump that was totaled last october. was going to get a 6.0 gas but it was sold befor i got my insurace check. Dealer located the truck in a pool. I didnt want a disiel becaus i hated how loud there where, but the durmac changed my mind. on that

 

Main reason "Just Cause I Wanted It"


Also, I am 30+ years GM loyal and I've tried all the gassers and wanted to try a diesel, so I bought my my JD tractor.


It was love at first "smell". I love the smell of diesel.

Seriously, I wanted a truck that could pull stuff and do it with style and comfort. Duramax does that and more. (IMHO)