# Please Help Me Choose A New Truck!



## jodeelynn (Dec 18, 2007)

It has been quite awhile since I have been on the forum...but I definitely would like some opinions. My current truck, a 2002 Ram 1500 5.9 with a 3.92 now has ove 130,000 miles on her. I am intending in the next year to purchase a new truck. I will buy another Ram but my question is this:

1.) Do I buy a 2500 or 3500?
2.) Is it worth it to get the turbo diesel?

I am currently towing a 2008 23KRS. I do not currently put anything but the dog kennel in the cargo hold, but I am also considering buying a motorcycle for more fuel effiecient transporation during vacations. (Last year we towed from upstate NY to Georgia and ended up putting over 8,000 miles on the truck in one trip. OMG the gas we spent just driving around! I am truly looking for anyones opinion! I can't say cost is not a concern but I intend to put the same miles and years on the next one.

I would like to thank everyone for there opinions ahead of time. I would also like to thank you all again for convincing me to buy the KRS. We love are unit and spend 2+ months in it every year!


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## willingtonpaul (Apr 16, 2010)

my money would go for the 2500 with the cummins. then, you can do pretty much anything you want down the road with trailers and cargo. if you are gonna keep the truck that long, that is where i would go. it's gonna me more money up front, but you will love the power.

do you need to SRW 3500 ? only if you see yourself with a markedly bigger trailer down the road. otherwise the 2500 will be just fine.


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## jodeelynn (Dec 18, 2007)

willingtonpaul said:


> my money would go for the 2500 with the cummins. then, you can do pretty much anything you want down the road with trailers and cargo. if you are gonna keep the truck that long, that is where i would go. it's gonna me more money up front, but you will love the power.
> 
> do you need to SRW 3500 ? only if you see yourself with a markedly bigger trailer down the road. otherwise the 2500 will be just fine.


No, we are not intending on going to a bigger unit. We absolutely love our unit. We have only had 1 problem that apprently is not uncommon: the front decals are peling right off!

Thanks so much for the opinion. I know people have their prefrences about Ford's, Dodge's, Chevy's ect. But I am definitely a dodge lady (I owe my life to my 2nd Dodge) so I appreciate the info!

The diesel comes with the exhaust braking system...right!


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## W5CI (Apr 21, 2009)

Before you buy a diesel, look at fuel prices in NY, they are the highest in the country if my memory serves me correctly. I am looking at a Ford EcoBoost, it will tow anything i will ever have. Good Luck


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## jodeelynn (Dec 18, 2007)

danny285 said:


> Before you buy a diesel, look at fuel prices in NY, they are the highest in the country if my memory serves me correctly. I am looking at a Ford EcoBoost, it will tow anything i will ever have. Good Luck


I am expecting the fuel prices to be higher...but I am also expecting to get more then 10 MPG and 7 MPG when towing. Yes that is what I am getting now!


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## ORvagabond (Apr 17, 2009)

I aqm not sure the 6.7 diesel in the Dodge is the best dual purpose engine and the nileage is hard to justify paying the higher up front, maintenance and fuel costs especially if you stay in your current weight range.


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## jodeelynn (Dec 18, 2007)

ORvagabond said:


> I aqm not sure the 6.7 diesel in the Dodge is the best dual purpose engine and the nileage is hard to justify paying the higher up front, maintenance and fuel costs especially if you stay in your current weight range.


Well I am positive that the 5.9 I have now is not big enough! I have replaced the transaxel 3 times...Also the power on hills stinks..I am almost betting the cost of the transaxels will out weigh the diesel cost..Over $10,000 on transaxels. That is the only non-maintance repair I have had. Most of the manintance is being done by myself..I am very good to my trucks they are used as my primary vehicle.

If not the diesel what would you suggest?


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## ORvagabond (Apr 17, 2009)

jodeelynn said:


> I aqm not sure the 6.7 diesel in the Dodge is the best dual purpose engine and the nileage is hard to justify paying the higher up front, maintenance and fuel costs especially if you stay in your current weight range.


Well I am positive that the 5.9 I have now is not big enough! I have replaced the transaxel 3 times...Also the power on hills stinks..I am almost betting the cost of the transaxels will out weigh the diesel cost..Over $10,000 on transaxels. That is the only non-maintance repair I have had. Most of the manintance is being done by myself..I am very good to my trucks they are used as my primary vehicle.

If not the diesel what would you suggest?
[/quote]

My 5.9 in a 2500 gets 20mpg solo and 12.5 towing most of my driving in in the Sothern Oregon ranges generally at the 5000 ft or less summkits. I can pull 60 mph up hill pretty easily. I intentionally looked for a 2007 maily as it was the last of the 5.9's and it had the better automatic. Unless you are towing a lot versus an occasional tow I would seriously look at some of the new Fords. The new diesels milegage just makes them harder to justify.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Wow, 3 transaxles?!?!?! That's not an engine problem, and it doesn't sound normal either....









The 3/4 ton should have a beefier transaxle as well (I assume) or at least it will be under warranty for a while....









Seriously, Diesel's are great. The torque is great, leaving a big smile on your face. The emissions put a dent in their fuel economy, but it's still better. Of course the fuel price is higher, so IMO, it becomes a wash on cost there. Maintenance is more (~$100 oil changes and such). Initial purchase price is a lot higher, but then they hold their value better too. What's the right choice? Well, I'll bet most diesel owners smile while towing, but not while they are making the monthly payment (I was that way for sure). Good luck with your decision.


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## WYOCAMPER (Mar 28, 2007)

jodeelynn said:


> If not the diesel what would you suggest?


You mentioned that your next truck will be another Ram - have you considered a 2500 with the Hemi? I would think it would be a good dual purpose choice for your drving needs assuming that you will be staying with the 23krs a while. Outfitted with 4.10 or 4.30 gears, it may be a decent option for you.


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## CdnOutback (Apr 16, 2010)

Keep in mind that although the diesel oil change costs more... you don't have to do it as often.


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## jodeelynn (Dec 18, 2007)

WYOCAMPER said:


> If not the diesel what would you suggest?


You mentioned that your next truck will be another Ram - have you considered a 2500 with the Hemi? I would think it would be a good dual purpose choice for your drving needs assuming that you will be staying with the 23krs a while. Outfitted with 4.10 or 4.30 gears, it may be a decent option for you.
[/quote]

Would the Hemi have enough pull power on hills? My 5.9 takes hills but does NOT like to do them!


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## jodeelynn (Dec 18, 2007)

CdnOutback said:


> Keep in mind that although the diesel oil change costs more... you don't have to do it as often.


Howoften are oil changes on deisels....and does anyone do them thereselves? I do mine about every 4,000 recommended was 5,000. I have even done it in the middle of a vacation (I am rather petit so I can just get right under thee with no lift!)


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## Joonbee (Jan 18, 2008)

As suggested if you are looking at Dodge only. I would recommend the 07 with the cummins, pre tons of emissions and the better trans. Another thing to consider on the Dodge is the cab. Not sure what or who you are generally carrying, but I would personally look for a megacab. I had an 05 quadcab with the cummins and loved the truck, EXCEPT for the backseat which was not much bigger than a Ford supercab. That is the only reason I sold my Dodge was the backseat for my boys was shrinking by the minute. I am a diesl guy, but the hemi is an option if you are trying to stay away from the diesel, but if you are considering a diesel, IMHO you will never regret it.

As for the exhaust brake, it does come on the new Dodge's but you can put them on the earlier years.

Let me back up and be clear on the cabs. If you are looking new then you wont have a problem with the backseat, it has been greatly improved. But if you go with the earlier years, then I would suggest the megacab.

Happy hunting and if you are not in a hurry there are deals out there, new and used.

Jim


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

There is no more emission problems with the new dodges. We have several new ford diesels. Some chipped and emission deleted, some stock. There fuel mileage stock is nothing special. Same as the dodge, no matter if all the ford commercials say different. The chipped fords can cruise all day long at 70-90mph and get 15-18 hwy. Thats good for those speeds. The unchipped fords get 13-15 mpg at the same speed. A dodge will get 14-15 at 75-80 mph, so the fords are the same.

The new ford gets avg 14 stock and 16 chipped. Yes they are good trucks. We have over 50k on one now. Its driven hard in the oilfield everyday.

The new dodges should be switching over to urea soon. The 45 and 5500 models already went that way last year so any problems have been worked out already.

The new 2012 hemis will have a 6 speed tranny now. This will make them every bit as good as any competitor like the 6.2 ford or tundra.

Im buying a 2012 dodge too just after the first of the year. I cant decide on a hemi sport 1/2 ton or a hemi power wagon, or a diesel megacab. Guess I will decide after I drive them all again.

If you want fuel mpg from a pickup diesel, buy a chevy. GM whips both ford and dodge.

Carey


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## WYOCAMPER (Mar 28, 2007)

jodeelynn said:


> If not the diesel what would you suggest?


You mentioned that your next truck will be another Ram - have you considered a 2500 with the Hemi? I would think it would be a good dual purpose choice for your drving needs assuming that you will be staying with the 23krs a while. Outfitted with 4.10 or 4.30 gears, it may be a decent option for you.
[/quote]

Would the Hemi have enough pull power on hills? My 5.9 takes hills but does NOT like to do them!
[/quote]

It's hard to answer that question, because "pull power" may be interpreted differently from one individual to the next. What may be great "pulling power" for me, may be inadequate for you.

I own a Ford F350 with the V10 gasser and love it. I live and camp all over the Rockies and have absolutely no trouble getting over ANY high mountain passes. It was cheaper up front than a diesel, it is incredibly reliable, maintenance is simple and relatively inexpensive. Feed it gas and it goes. It works great for me.

A quick check on the Dodge's Ram site shows that the 2500 Hemi makes 383hp and 400lbs of torque. Carey stated that in 2012, the Rams will come with the 6spd trannys. Properly equipped, this could be a solid towing platform for a 23krs.

All that being said, nothing will pull like a diesel. If you want to be the first one up the hill/mountain, get a diesel. If the intial purchase price and cost of ownership are factors, look at the Hemi.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

WYOCAMPER said:


> It's hard to answer that question, because "pull power" may be interpreted differently from one individual to the next. What may be great "pulling power" for me, may be inadequate for you.


This is HUGE! Look at my tow rig. I've towed up to nearly 10k feet twice this summer in addition to numerous smaller passes (who cares about 8k ft after a while)









At the top of one pass, while the kids played in the snow, I was talking to a guy with the same trailer as mine pulled behind a V8 Dodge truck. He was not real happy with the performance getting up the mountain. I on the other hand was satisfied. I'm betting he had more torque than my little V6, but it's all about expectations. In the end we both made it, and that is what counts in my book. I'm betting he's sitting at home right now flipping through brochures for diesel trucks.


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## rsm7 (Aug 8, 2009)

When I bought my truck I had "dieselitis". Now that i have it out of my system if I could do it over again I'd get the V10. Right now gas is hovering around 3.10 and diesel is still 3.80. Not to mention maintenance costs. Eveyone is different but personally I dont think you need a diesel until you get north of 10k pounds or if you pull heavy frequently. 10-15 years ago diesels made more sense. Fuel was cheaper, diesels got better mpg, and the old big horsepower gassers (Fords 460 and V10, Chevy 454 and 8.0L etc) were horrible on gas. Now days you can get a hemi 5.7 or Ford 6.2 or a Chevy 6.0 that has great horsepower and OK fuel economy but the diesels have gone backwards on fuel economy and diesel fuel costs more. I think the gap has narrowed. Not to mention the 7-8000 dollar premium. Dont misunderstand me, these new diesels are pulling monsters, but the increased power, higher fuel cost, and stricter emissions have taken away a main reason to go diesel, namely the fuel economy difference. Unless you really need or want the extra power the difference is no longer worth the extra upfront money. At least not for the average part time camper hauler with a 6-8000lb travel trailer.

But then there's the "cool" factor, and thats hard to put a price on...My diesel does make me smile


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

If you can afford it, a 2500 truck is your best bet. Even better would be a diesel under the hood. Even if diesel fuel is higher priced than gasoline, you should get about 50% better fuel economy with the diesel. You can do the math to see if that is good for you. (My Chevy 2500HD gasser gets about 8.5 mpg towing my 29BHS - but it is a strong engine, with the 4-speed auto tranny with torque converter lockup clutch and 4:10 rear axle ratio.)

A 3500 truck with a diesel will work for ANY RV you wish to pull.

That said - I'm not a Dodge fan. Most of my friends who've bought the big Dodge pickups simply LOVE them for the first couple years. After that, it's regular trips to the dealer for repairs of some sort or another. (I've had my 2007 Chevy since Dec, 2006, and have not had a single issue with the truck.)

I recommend the Chevy Duramax Diesel with the 6-speed Allison auto tranny - especially if you live in a hilly/mountainous area and/or you intend to pull your trailer quite a bit. Very relieble engine/transmission pairing. But that's just me. I didn't choose the diesel/Allison combo because we do not pull the trailer very far, except once each year on vacation - and we live in relatively flat central Illinois - so that $8000 option was not that attractive for me.

Just my opinion.

Mike


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Scoutr2 said:


> ...
> Even if diesel fuel is higher priced than gasoline, you should get about 50% better fuel economy with the diesel.
> ...


Sorry, have to disagree here. Even in an ideal world, Diesel would only get you 30%. Most of the newer trucks are substantially less than 30% due to the particulate and NOx restrictions...


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## rsm7 (Aug 8, 2009)

Scoutr2 said:


> Even if diesel fuel is higher priced than gasoline, you should get about 50% better fuel economy with the diesel.
> Mike


I wish that were true. Maybe years ago but not anymore. My diesel gets 9-10 while towing. My V10 gets 8-9. With diesel costing 10-15% more than gas you'd have get 13-14 mpg to be 50% ahead. The reality is today's new diesel engines are much more expensive to buy and to operate than a gasser. Yes they pull better but whether thats enough to justify the cost is a personal choice. Ford's 6.2, Chevy's 6.0 and Dodge's 5.7 are adequate enough for a trailer under 10k pounds. JMHO.


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## nynethead (Sep 23, 2005)

before goping the SOB 5'er route, i first has a 29bhs. my 2005 CC chevy 1/2 ton was getting killed going over the mountains to PA fron NY. traded the truck in for a 2006 diesel 2500HD and never looked back.

got 18 in town with the 1/2 ton and 8 towing. diesel gets 18 in town and 14 towing the 29bhs.

with my 11K 5'er i get 12 towing and thats using a heavy foot on all take offs with the trailer. If i mellow out on the take offs i get another 1-2MPG

except for oil changes and air/fuel every 15K i have not required any maintenance in 5 years.


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## rsm7 (Aug 8, 2009)

nynethead said:


> before goping the SOB 5'er route, i first has a 29bhs. my 2005 CC chevy 1/2 ton was getting killed going over the mountains to PA fron NY. traded the truck in for a 2006 diesel 2500HD and never looked back.
> 
> got 18 in town with the 1/2 ton and 8 towing. diesel gets 18 in town and 14 towing the 29bhs.
> 
> ...


For you it makes sense. You have a pre-emissions diesel that still gets decent mileage and a heavier trailer to justify it. An 06-07 Duramax is one of the best diesels you can buy.


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

rsm7 said:


> Even if diesel fuel is higher priced than gasoline, you should get about 50% better fuel economy with the diesel.
> Mike


I wish that were true. Maybe years ago but not anymore. My diesel gets 9-10 while towing. My V10 gets 8-9. With diesel costing 10-15% more than gas you'd have get 13-14 mpg to be 50% ahead. The reality is today's new diesel engines are much more expensive to buy and to operate than a gasser. Yes they pull better but whether thats enough to justify the cost is a personal choice. Ford's 6.2, Chevy's 6.0 and Dodge's 5.7 are adequate enough for a trailer under 10k pounds. JMHO.
[/quote]

I guess I wasn't thinking about the newer diesels - you folks are correct. The newer diesels don't have much of an edge on fuel economy.

What I was thinking was when I bought my 2007 pickup, the 2007 diesel got approximately 50% better fuel economy. (Maybe 40%, but significantly better.) That is offset somewhat by much higher costs for oil changes, higher fuel cost, and a much higher price tag for a truck with a diesel. So for me - it was a cost savings to go with a gasser. But like I said, if I were living in a hilly/mountainous area where all of my towing was strenuous, or if I were retired and traveling/towing quite a bit, then the diesel has the power and reliability that I'd want for that.

Mike


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## #40Fan (Jul 7, 2011)

Go out and drive a new Dodge. Whether it has the 5.7 Hemi or the Cummins, Crew or Mega cab, I am sure you will love them both. Either one will have the power to tow your trailer anywhere you want.

You can change the oil in a Cummins for $60. Another $15-20 for a fuel filter (every other oil change is what I do or recommended 15k miles). Figure close to half that for the Hemi and fuel filters only need to be changed every 30k.


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## GO WEST (May 25, 2009)

You don't need a diesel to pull your 23KRS. A Dodge 2500 5.7L Hemi with a tow package will do fine, no worries, even with a motorcycle in there (if you decide to get one). Diesel would be serious overkill for a camper that size, and you have said you love the camper and don't plan to get anything different. Go with the gasser.


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