newbie - best diesel truck
 

First post, found this site and really liked what I read. Looking at getting a 2500 4x4 diesel, can you tell me what makes the Dodge any better or worse than the Ford and Chevy?
Any and all comments welcome. thanks in advance.

The CUMMINS

The cummins is a great motor and is the most bomb friendly imo. I like the truck itself better on the Fords, but the motor is garbage. The Chevy is a decent truck if you're 80.

The Cummins gets better MPG it seems but I could be sticking my neck out by saying so.

The Cummins gets better mileage and is cheaper to maintain.

Pop the hood on the Chevy and Ford and take a look at all that mess you can't even see the engine!! An I6 is better for producing gobbs of torque and also produces it over a broader flatter band from way down low to up high. For the time being Dodge 4x4 is the only truck still available with a solid front axle.

Also this being just an observation of mine from the driver seat of my big truck. There's a good mix of Cummins/Rams, Duramax/GMs, and Ford/Powerstrokes out there on the interstates amongst the masses but you will notice the vast majority of the ones out there pulling heavy loads with interstate trucking authority and an ICC number plastered on their door are Cummins Rams.

The 08 Furd still comes with a solid front axle coil springs and radius arms. Gm is the only one using IFS on a heavy duty truck and you can keep that crud. I just bought a cummins and the simplicity and power can't be beat.

yup- I-6 cummins and a solid front axle- does not get more basic than that. like stated earlier- go pop the hoods on all three trucks. the ford and the chevy are like a nightmare!- especially the ford! if you want a cushy ride, then buy the chevy with the ifs. the I-6 cummins motor will feel and accelerate,etc differently than the v-8 diesels. the diesel v-8's accelerate and sound close to a big v-8 gas motor-(quiet). when you have a cummins under the hood- you know that you are driving a diesel!

The LBZ Duramax is hard to beat for an automatic, but that was for 2006 only. The LLY (2005) was junk, and the LMM (2007) is unproven.

Wrenching on a Duramax sucks terribly.

I believe Dodge in the 2006-2007 vintage, with a manual transmission, is probably the best all-around package on the market.

I have had a new ford f250 or 350 every 2 years or so (110+ miles) 96,99,01 ,02,04,03 7.3.

then as they all say look under the hood of a ford if its a 7.3 get it if not RUN!!!
i think the 06/07 5.9 is the last of the REAL motors...like the 7.3 was.
Now they wil have to prove to me a 60K truck with more junk on it than a airplane is better....[director]

Agree 100%

I will buy whatever maker runs a cummins under the hood. I have a little saying " I drive a Cummins with Chrysler accessories".. 99% of the problems with dodge trucls are the chrysler accessories!! LOLOL Yes, I saw under the hood of a new ford, from what I understand, you have to REMOVE THE CAB of the truck to do most work on that engine!!

That is correct, the 08 is designed for cab removal. The Designers saw that most techs were taking the cabs off to do major repairs on the 00-06 with 6.0 and designed the new ones for the pop off cab. No thanks, I'd much rather pop open a beer while looking at my new Cummins

The Duramax LBZ was also available in the 07 Classics before they jumped to the NNBS 07's with the LMM's. The LBZ is a very good motor.

I personally grew up GM and will always have one for a toy or something to that nature. I tested the waters with the Dodge and I must say the engine is great. The truck could still use alot of work but I guess thats what you get when you get the cheaper priced truck out of the 3. I would own a GM Duramax any day of the week but if I had to buy over I would probably still stay with a 5.9L Cummins just with the mega cab instead.

kyle

I run oilf field hot shot. My first truck was a ford f350 with a 7.3. It lasted me 115,000 miles. Thats when I started dumpng money in it. I pull anywhere from 8,300lbs (empty trailer) to 24,300 (loaded to the nuts).

My first Dodge I ran 430,000+ miles
My second dodge I ran 243,000 miles
My third dodg has 90,000 and its less than a year old.

I could of bought a ford, I could of bought a chevy. But more ease of maintenace, reliability, and I can raise the hood and see the ground - I buy Dodge.

I will agree that 8-10 years ago the Dodge body and componets had a lot to be desired. Since the Germans (Daimler) got invlolved, thes trucks have been totaly transformed.