homebrewer

Greetings from an new forum member. This is a Dodge 3/4 ton truck question, I promise. Please read on.

I currently own a 1/2 ton p/u (not a Dodge) and frequently tow a travel trailer weighing in at 5,800 lbs. when we go a-campin'. It tows pretty well with the truck and trailer loaded up but I am looking to the future with a possibly larger travel trailer/fiver.

I am getting advice from my neighbor who is a professional mechanic and big Dodge truck advocate leads me to believe that of all the used diesel 3/4 ton trucks out there the Dodge 2500 is the best bet. I just want to hear from other sources if his advice is sound. I am sure any brand 3/4 ton diesel truck will suit my current and probably future needs so power and performance is a lesser consideration. Value and longevity are the highest priority.

What I am looking for is to spend is a max of $15K for a used 3/4 ton diesel that will last several years with casual use both around town and towing our travel trailer. My neighbor says that the Dodge turbo diesel if properly cared for will last 300K miles (maybe more). I see many of these for sale with 100 - 200K miles on the market within our price range.

My questions:

1. Are his statements accurate?
2. Is the Dodge 2500 "hands down" the best choice for my application? If so, why?

Thanks.

estrada5.9

Yes sir

I would look for a really clean 96-98 12v extended cab only bed 4x4 5 spd

rich

yes i run mine hard and get rid of them if possible around 200k. you mite find a 3500 in good shape and newer for a lower price then a 2500 due to the fact that in a lot of areas the 2500 is way popular. its easy to change a drw to a srw

homebrewer

Thanks to estrada5.9 and rich for the responses so far.

rich and all, will I take a big hit on fuel economy by choosing a 3500 over a 2500?

Busboy

As your trailer is not that heavy I would go for a 2500 as it's much easier to park in town than a DRW. I would also get a standard 5 speed with 3.55 gears not 4.10's. If you don't need the 4X4 then go with a 2WD as you'll have less to fix in the front. The Cummins engine is what makes these trucks and with a little care you'll get good service from it.

hamilton71801

Mileage should be about the same between the 3500/2500 but rear end/trans will be the determining factor. For 15K you can get a very nice 2nd gen (98-02) with the 12V being the most poplular choice (98) because of the mechanical fuel pump. I've got 205K on mine and its going stronger today than the day it was born. I bought my wife an 03 4x4 for 14K but it was a family deal between myself and my cousin. One thing about a Cummins is its a straight 6 versus Ford's and Chevy's V8s. The straight 6 makes more low end torque and is the choice for OTR truckers which is why ours is better.

Fiftygrit

My 06 is a 2 wheeler, and I ordered it new just for towing my trailer, mine loaded is around 8 to over 9 grand in weight, I like the 2500 as it will tow up to 13500 lbs, and when its empty, shes a bit smoother than a 3500, 1 less leaf spring in the back, 65 thou on her and half thats towing, so far best truck i have owned, love the 5.9 for towing, pulls hills and gets better fuel mileage over my brother inlaws 08 duramax and frinds 60L ford. all good

homebrewer

So THIS might be a good choice for my needs?

hamilton71801

That is a VP truck which means its a 24V with an electrical injection pump which are known to fail (like mine, but its going on 205K with no problems...kind of a crapshoot). You will need to check it for codes and do a fuel pressure test to make sure the lift pump(elect pump that supplies the injection pump) has good pressure because if its shot, it can also take out the injection pump ($1500). Also, dashes are know to crack and disenegrate and the '99 has rear drums (rear disks avail on the '01.5). Price sounds a little high but I'm sure they'll come off some for a serious buyer.

STate

That truck would be a great canidate. I like the manual transmission , but am partial to longbeds. If you are really wanting to move to a 5er, the long bed will be a better fit. Not saying the short bed wont work with a 5er...it will but you will need a "slider" type 5er mount.

st.rodder2

Just like Busboy said above, the 2500 would be a great choice. I did the same upgrade from a 6K tag-along to a 10K fiver and then did the upgrade from a '02 1500 QC 5.9 gas (6-8 mpg towing ) to a '03 2500 QC CTD (11-13 mpg towing). The power difference between the two was unbelievable. I paid a little more last year than what you want to spend cause I found one with only 75K miles on it. You should be able to find a 3rd gen around in you're price range.

homebrewer

Thanks, all great advice. I'm at least three weeks away from a potential purchase so I have time to search and dicker with a cash purchase.

TexasCTD

My opinion is that all Dodge Cummins are good. Older 12 valves (96-98) are great and run forever. The 24 Valves (98.5-2002) last too, just be aware you need a fuel pressure gauge to make sure the VP44 is kept fueled and cool. The Common Rail 5.9 (03-07) have proven to be very reliable and make very easy power upgrades and generally have better frame, brakes. They all should run 300,000+ miles if you can get the truck body to last that long.


I would go with a 2500 or if you can....a single rear wheel 3500. Ride is the same but the srw has overload springs to help when heavily loaded, but don't otherwise hurt the ride.

Definately go 4x4! Our trucks can get stuck even on wet grass (say in a campground) while trying to tow. Whatever it costs, it's always worth that much more so you get it back....and you have the free insurance of having it if you do need it.

Manual or auto is fine. If you decide to upgrade your power (like so many of us here do....it's an addiction!) you will need to upgrade the trans or clutch.

I prefer long beds just because........well it's a truck. You may need to haul something in it some day. I think they ride better and tow better too.

Good luck with your search! For your purposes any of them will work great.

..

CODODGE2500MAN

I agree with above.

In Summary:

Get a manual : Better for towing heavy loads and no reason to build an auto.
Get 4x4: may be heavier, but better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it.
Get a 03+ as the 24v (98-02) tend to have injection pump issues. If you don't, be sure to budget $1000+ for a new one.
Get a long bed: Simply more stable when towing and not that different to park in town. Also if you are going to tow a 5ver, the short beds will need a slider which I believe cost a bit more for the hitch setup....

I'd look for a 05 (600 series motor) 4x4 2500 or 3500SRW with a manual trans. That's where I'd walk in and offer cash for a deal....

I do believe the cummins is the best engine you can get. That's why I told my brother the buy the exact truck listed above. He's happy with it.

Good Luck with the purchase and Welcome to the family (Hopefully).

PaulDaisy

I have replaced the injection pump in my truck. It is a $1k replacement but it is typically not a routine replacement. I would not put off a 24v truck just because of the VP44 issue.
If you do include 24v trucks on your list, look for 2001.5 - 2002 so that you can get rear disk brakes. Mine has drums in the rear and it is just fine so all of the above is just suggestions.
Watch out for "53" block on second gen trucks. Or, consider a 2004-2005 truck for more money.
I drove both Duramax and Powerstroke and prefer my Dodge even though Duramax was 2005 and the Ford was 2003. Neither one has the same low end power as the Dodge.
I recommend just going and looking at individual trucks. They are as much of a personal thing as guns and worth trying to see if they work for you personally.