The truck I want

Charlie Mike

Charlie Mike

Sober since 1-7-14 (still a Paranoid Nutjob)
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Nov 1, 2000
Messages
28,365
I want the Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab with the optional 3 liter 6 cylinder diesel motor and 4 wheel drive. Does anyone have any bad experiences with this truck? I will likely buy the 2013 model.
 
I can't help you with the engine, but I have an '11 Dodge Ram with the 5.7 HEMI and I love it. In my opinion, Ram's have the best lines out there and the ride is very comfortable. Tows and hauls like a champ as well. However, I thought the EcoDiesel was out in '14? Anywho...good luck.
 
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I can't comment on the current ones 'cause I'm retired now Charlie Mike, but we used to run Dodge Ram 2500's 4x4 with the Cummins Turbo Diesel on the farm - no bad experiences at all. I really like the Cummins - rock solid engine & they seemed to run forever.
 
I love mine. The only complaints I would have have all been fixed in the '13 models. 2010 TRX4 5.7
 

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Here is a picture of my new 2013 HD 2500 4x4 with the Cummins engine, that I got in August. It is a Laramie and has all available options except a sunroof.

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The new Rams are a nice pickup. I had a 2013 4x4 1500 for a loaner while mine was in the shop, and they drive great. It had the gas engine, and the power was very surprising. The seats are actually very comfortable too...
The small diesels haven't gone into production yet, for release to the general public. That said, if that is what you really want, I would wait until they have been out for a couple years. The first year of production usually have quirks that need to be worked out.
 
Might have to settle for a gas engine :(
 
Buy a good value used pickup and drive it for a year or two. Then buy the Diesel you really want instead of living with a pickup that is almost what you really wanted ... been there, done that, won't do that again.
 
Sid Post said:
Buy a good value used pickup and drive it for a year or two. Then buy the Diesel you really want instead of living with a pickup that is almost what you really wanted ... been there, done that, won't do that again.
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Yea, I've settled too many times.

I've had much better experience stretching myself a little further and getting exactly what I wanted.
 
neverdie36 said:
Yea, I've settled too many times.

I've had much better experience stretching myself a little further and getting exactly what I wanted.
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I agree, CM with everything going the way it is for you right now, get what you want, how you want it, and don't settle for anything less. I have settled for less on 2 vehicles and it sucks buddy, one was a car I wanted , the other a motorcycle. I eventually got both I wanted , but I coulda saved a lot of time and money just getting what I wanted to start with.
 
coyote711 said:
Great looking' truck, Mike! :thumbup:
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Thanks

Charlie Mike said:
Might have to settle for a gas engine :(
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The gas engines are surprising, but if you want a diesel, you may not be happy. I don't know how much the price difference will be for the diesel in a 1500, but on my 2500 it is almost $8,000 difference. But, if it's what you want, the difference doesn't matter as much.


Sid Post said:
Buy a good value used pickup and drive it for a year or two. Then buy the Diesel you really want instead of living with a pickup that is almost what you really wanted ... been there, done that, won't do that again.
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Yep...
 
I think it is going to be about $3500 extra for the 3.0 vs the 5.7. I love the 5.7 it has tons of power and torque

Plus with the new 8 speed Trans, the 5.7 is getting pretty good mileage
 
neverdie36 said:
I think it is going to be about $3500 extra for the 3.0 vs the 5.7. I love the 5.7 it has tons of power and torque

Plus with the new 8 speed Trans, the 5.7 is getting pretty good mileage
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The 5.7 is sounding better and better.
 
If it is the Mercedes diesel engine you will likely have trouble finding mechanics that will want to work on it, and every service will be expensive. (the three I worked on in my short career took a lot of diligence to do correctly, and it was not at all fun.) Cummins engines on the other hand have a long and deserved reputation in north america. finding shops with the know-how to look after them is much easier, and your aftermarket support will be much better.
That being said, Dodge has had (at least in my experience working for a couple years on what I would guess would be a few hundred trucks, a large number of them multiple times) very good luck with their 5.7s. they seemed to have very predictable lives. Same with the Chevies (in both cases, not always good, but predictable) Fords on the other hand seemed to have the most random and strange failures, mostly since they change design way more often) I haven't worked on a new one since just after the ultra-low sulfer change over, (2007-8?) but unless you get a lemon, or they have made huge changes, you should be safe.

For mileage, the big diesels aren't the best, but you may want to look into chips, or other things that might help reduce consumption, since if you are not towing those things have horses to spare. And a huge factor of mileage in a turbo-diesel is between the wheel and the seat. plus most guys consumption reports are on AT or mud tires. run day to day on good hard touring tires, and you'll get much better.
 
You mean like filters, oil and such? diesels are like that. Its a trade off you make, but at the end of the day, a diesel will run much longer, and more reliably, than a gasoline engine. The change that was made for the ultra-low sulfer diesel, and reducing emissions did make maintenance more expensive, but diesel still has quite a few advantages.
 
Something I didn't consider until recently... I think the 2 door might be a better option. Besides better gas mileage and price, it dissuades folks from asking for a ride.
 
A number of our work trucks are dodge 5500 diesels, and are not by any means driven hard. Granted they are 2008 and 2009 models, with the 6.7L, 3 of the 7 never made it to 60 000 miles before the injectors were shot. That said I have a few buddies with 2012 and newer dodges and every one of them loves them and doesn't seem to have issues.
 
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