best all-around diesel truck?

[rancherman]

I love my 24v but I have a feeling the thing is going to start eating into my pocket more than I would like. If I buy new I will have it for a looong time. At 40-70k not sure who can trade these things in every couple of years. I bought my first house for less than I can buy some of these trucks. DEF fluid is a good point but not a deal breaker. We are getting close to 5000 mile out of a tank if we cut idle time to a minimum which is hard when we run inverters and compressors. I might go to a dealer and drive a few gassers and see how  they feel but then I can buy alot of parts and fix rust when it starts on the 24v for 40k.

for  40k,  you should be able to go through (rebuild)  everything that  moves,  rotates,  swings, clicks....  PLUS  have enough left over to buy  2  rust free  rolling   gassers  for   body donations..   

This is  you 'donating'  your time of course.

Wife  thinks  we go  'out west'  for  vacation..  funny how   the  flatbed  always  seems  to follow  us   on a fishing trip! ;)

[rancherman]

AS far as your  original question about  'best all around DIESEL'       

 

I truly believe    what you already own is   about the  end of an era....

Diesel  originally  were the grunt-dirty-forgiving-lug till you die pack mules..  very little  could go wrong, because  there  were very few  components  that  would screw up and    stop em in their tracks...

 

Fast forward  a few decades,  and  the  new  rules  of  life  have  everything  micromanaged, controlled, and  executed  to the Nth degree,  and  it's only going to get worse.

Now, don't get me wrong,  these  new machines  are truly  engineering marvels,   almost a shame  to  get them dirty!   But  the  price  they are commanding  makes me  only   shake my head, 

 I've heard   new pickups  might  break the $100k mark  before  2020....

[CTcummins24V]

Looks like them Dodge boys are at it again

[rlane547]

Do they drink the gas like my 04 2500 work truck with the 5.7 hemi? I heard the gm 6.0 gets horrible mpgs also.

From personal experience they're horrible on fuel.  Doesn't matter whether it's a pickup or a little box truck.

[JAG1]

From personal experience they're horrible on fuel.  Doesn't matter whether it's a pickup or a little box truck.

Yes, and if you do the math with payments you'll be wishen for your old truck back.

 

Ever watch that show called Gas Monkeys Garage?

 

I got to say for 40-50 k bucks you could build a more beautiful truck with your old one than you would ever get off the dealers lot.

 

Trouble is... when your young it's hard to shake the idea of trading in a vehicle. When that bug bites it's hard to get it out of your blood. I know.... I used to be young and was a truck salesmans dream.

 

Last thing I want to say..... I believe a Cummins engine is good for wearing down two trucks to almost complete metal fatigue if you find a good body and frame to drop your original engine into. I know this from my 400 k mile 1st gen because the engine is still like new in power and performance. It's an amazing machine.

Edited June 19, 2014 by JAG1

[Wild and Free]

I can say that in my area where we have a lot of open roads most gasser vehicles made since about 1990 are running to 300K+ miles same as diesels are, the bodies are shot before the engines on most vehicles now days unless they are open road pavement queens. Not sure how you guys are doing the math on justifying a diesel running cheaper than gas fuel wise when diesel has been averaging 50 cents a gallon more than gas for the last several years and empty daily driving they both do the exact same mileage and loaded maybe a gasser sees 3 mpg less so its not even a close comparison saying a diesel saves money taking into account everything else that costs extra with a diesel.

 

I am commenting on the OP asking about the expense of a diesel and mentioning a gasser as a remote possibility but in what he described as his intended use a diesel just doesn't even come close to penciling out to save money no matter how you look at it.

 

If he wants a diesel stay with what he has or buy a new one and don't even talk money savings in the same sentence, either you can afford it or not it is a huge difference between the two and not even a debate worthy topic if the whole picture as I have been pointing out is taken into account.

[joecool911]

We typically get 13.5 mpg and as much as 16.5 on a road trip with our 2006 Hemi mega cab. Not so terrible.

[rlane547]

Yes, and if you do the math with payments you'll be wishen for your old truck back.

 

Ever watch that show called Gas Monkeys Garage?

 

I got to say for 40-50 k bucks you could build a more beautiful truck with your old one than you would ever get off the dealers lot.

 

Trouble is... when your young it's hard to shake the idea of trading in a vehicle. When that bug bites it's hard to get it out of your blood. I know.... I used to be young and was a truck salesmans dream.

 

Last thing I want to say..... I believe a Cummins engine is good for wearing down two trucks to almost complete metal fatigue if you find a good body and frame to drop your original engine into. I know this from my 400 k mile 1st gen because the engine is still like new in power and performance. It's an amazing machine.

I'm with you. After being down the "new car" road before, I say take the 400-600 dollars a month you'll be paying for a new truck plus insurance and put it into the truck you have.You'll have a nice looking, dependable truck probably way before you hit the $50,000 mark.

[JAG1]

I can say that in my area where we have a lot of open roads most gasser vehicles made since about 1990 are running to 300K+ miles same as diesels are, the bodies are shot before the engines on most vehicles now days unless they are open road pavement queens. Not sure how you guys are doing the math on justifying a diesel running cheaper than gas fuel wise when diesel has been averaging 50 cents a gallon more than gas for the last several years and empty daily driving they both do the exact same mileage and loaded maybe a gasser sees 3 mpg less so its not even a close comparison saying a diesel saves money taking into account everything else that costs extra with a diesel.

 

I am commenting on the OP asking about the expense of a diesel and mentioning a gasser as a remote possibility but in what he described as his intended use a diesel just doesn't even come close to penciling out to save money no matter how you look at it.

 

If he wants a diesel stay with what he has or buy a new one and don't even talk money savings in the same sentence, either you can afford it or not it is a huge difference between the two and not even a debate worthy topic if the whole picture as I have been pointing out is taken into account.

  Do you want to do the math on that Wild and Free? All things considered, price per mile to run either will be a bit better on the diesel and I know it'll make up for the extra expense for the fueI. perhaps return a portion of the diesel option. Then you have to take into account the bath your going to take for greater depreciation of the gasoline engine truck.

 

 Hope you are right as the price of diesel may go down compared to gasoline if the popularity of diesel engines ownership goes down.

 

18 yrs ago I was filling my 1st gen at .90 cents a gallon and it was smiles all the way down the road.

Edited June 19, 2014 by JAG1

[Mopar1973Man]

Right now here in Idaho diesel is coming down ($3.929) and gasoline is going up ($3.769). With the MPG's I pull with the diesel hands down the diesel is cheaper than the gasoline power truck.

 

Here is comparing my two truck using current data. This is calculating 1,000 miles.

[rseabur]

At those numbers if fuel prices stayed the same and if I averaged 10000 miles a year which is probably high for me, I would recover the addition cost of the diesel in about 8 years. But don't think the new diesel's are getting that high of mpgs. Something for me to think about.

[CTcummins24V]

Some more plus' for the hemi: there was no redline on  the tachometer, that truck moved off the line and sounded nice with a flowmaster muffler! It did everything I asked it to except get descent mileage haha. If you do go the hemi/gas route make sure you get the extra leaf pack or camper package or whatever the 3500 suspension is. I had just the regular 2500 suspension, and that rear end  would squat pretty bad with a full load of wood in the back. Other than that, I think you're just looking at price and fuel mileage, maybe longevity with the new diesels and their fancy equipment-time will tell.

[YabbaDoo]

Best all-around diesel truck? Well, that would be MINE!!!!    

[Mopar1973Man]

At those numbers if fuel prices stayed the same and if I averaged 10000 miles a year which is probably high for me, I would recover the addition cost of the diesel in about 8 years. But don't think the new diesel's are getting that high of mpgs. Something for me to think about.

 

That is true most today's diesel even light footing barely do in the teens. Rarely cross the 20 MPG mark. This is one reason why I will not touch today's diesel truck and the second reason is the common rail factor which not makes all fuel system part majorly expensive. I would consider going older but never newer.

 

Got to look at from history stand point. I grew up around muscle cars and rod hot times. 1960's and 1970's cars were powerful and without limits for the most part then EPA and the oil embargo occurred so then the whole muscle car age died. Well here we are again but with diesel truck and now hit the high point at 2002 with mild EPA (smog controls) to down hill to current times with EGR, EGR coolers, DPF, DEF, and other thing to degrade diesel performance and efficiency. Just like in the late 70's people were chopping out catalytic converters and doing mods to over come smog devices... No different now. So like myself I held on to my 1973 Dodge Charger SE forever before jumping to the 2002 Dodge Ram. So now I'll hang on to the old Cummins forever till the next thing comes.

[rancherman]

Had a  thought here,   about  fuel prices.

 

years ago,   diesel  was   half the price of  gasoline...  Ok,   it  was  30-40 cents less   (which at the time  WAS  half)   BUT,    Truckers  bought a  fuel sticker  for each  state  they  ran...  Remember  seeing the  plates  with all the  little postage stamps  on the  back of the trailers?

These  days    Truckers    only need  to  buy  fuel...   the road use  'tax'  is now  built in.     I'd  bet  the  'on road'   passenger  cars  back in the day  was  less than  1 percent,  (Mercedes  comes to mind)   of the total   diesel fuel  required in this country.

Plus  the  reformulation  process to remove  sulfur,  and  the popularity of  the fuel,  has  driven it to it's  current  levels. 

In Nebraska,  our  fuel tax  both  fed and  state,  is   54 cents...

[Mopar1973Man]

http://tax.idaho.gov/i-1119.cfm

 

Now at half your tax rate but still more expensive think again... The lowest I see fuel on my trip was 3.849 and highest was 4.129 even back home in Riggins, ID was only 3.969...

[rseabur]

Is a 3/4 ton heavy enough to pull a 12000 lb fifth wheel? Do I need a long bed? Camper is around 10000 dry and Max weight is. 12000 so I am basing off of the Max weight. I is hardto find a 1 ton long bed around here unless it is a dually. That is my other question is a dually really necessary with a fifth wheel? I am trying to get away for a dually. I have been trying to find a 1 ton but it is slim pickings. 3/4 ton ccsb are everywhere. Don't want to mess with the slider hitches either. What are you thoughts

Edited June 30, 2014 by rseabur

[rancherman]

I don't know about   'post'  2000  built  trucks,   but    a  2500   with  manual transmission    had  the  same  springs,  Dana  80 rear    as    the  3500's.     The  rear  brakes  on the  2500  were  a  tic   narrower  than the  3500's,  and   rating  would  be lower  only because  of   less brake power.  It  isn't much  difference!    

Mike has  shown  these   gvw's    being almost  identical  between the  2  trucks..  

Springs,  axles, bearings,   everything that will  carry your load  is  the  same between the  two...   your   'whoa'  capacity  is   a  little  less,  but maybe  without the  extra  flywheels  ( 2 extra tires)   the  difference  will be   negligible.   Yes,  the  trucks  are   the  same,  but that  'sticker'  on the door  is  the  'final answer'  in  explaining to the  DOT boys...

 

I've  kicked around  going  duals  on my project all  winter,  even though  a  trailer will be   hooked to it   90%    I  am leaning to  going  with  singles...   and  probably   19.5  rubber  for  increased   load  capacity.

[rseabur]

If I get something it will be 2010 or newer

[diesel4life]

http://media.chrysler.com/download.do?id=13670&mid=2

Heres the tow specs for 2013 models. The 6.4 wasn't available until 14 (I think) so the only way your going to get that is by buying a brand new pickup.

You say your interested in a 10 or newer, I personally would avoid the 07.5-12 Rams. They use frequent EGR cycles which pollutes the oil, I know people changing their oil as frequently as every 6k miles. That gets expensive. 13 and newer SCR equipped Rams (or 07.5-12 CC trucks use the DEF fluid and IMO is a better cleaner approach. Less invasive, better mpg's, 15k mile oil changes. It is a fairly proven technology and I wouldn't hesitate to own one but you have to use them as intended. Not a good daily driver or grocery getter. There seems to be a general consensus on here that the new trucks are to be avoided like the plague and I honestly disagree. I have seen enough of them in action to see that they are powerful reliable trucks, and very roomy and comfortable to boot. Truth is, our beloved 2nd gens won't hold a candle to them in any category including towing mileage. The big downfall is price, hard to justify 45-50k for a plain jane model but if you can afford it or need it you won't find a more capable and comfortable pick up in my opinion.