Looking at buying a 05 , 4 x 4 , LB , 4 door , Laramie, 2500 or 3500 srw. Just haven't decided on a stick or auto.
What problems are the 05's having?
Did they fix any of the 03 - 04 problems?
Is the 20mph or 70mph vibe gone?
Is the injector problem gone?
Does anyone have a sunroof yet? Any good?

Also looking at GMC.

Sorry for all the questions

John

 

Sunroof is on hold until March. Don't worry about the vibes/injector problems. Just buy one and don't look back. Any problems (very rare) will be taken care of quickly under warranty provided you have a good dealer. Anyway, keep the speed under 55 mph for the first 500 miles (gear break-in period). Do NOT pull any thing the first 500 miles. After that, keep your speed below 55 for another 500 miles with a heavy load (secondary gear break-in). Get the anti-spin diff!

I owned a 2000, 2002, and 2003 GMC. The Dodge is far superior in terms of fit/finish (build quality), warranty, handling, and power. This thing pulls like a semi and drives like a sports car.

GMC has a soft car like ride and a quiet diesel. I found them to be dangerous in emergancy situations. Fit and finish is unimpressive.

 

Manual transmissions will always outlast auto just depends on you can you stand to shift all the time or not

 

Just get a Cummins. You know you want one!

Seriously though I think the Dodge/Cummins combo is the best thing going right now in light trucks. The Cummins engine speaks for itself. And Dodge has really improved fit, finish, and looks with this new truck. I like the looks of that "new" Superduty but I don't trust the Diesel. I love their seats though!

I like the GMC trucks but the Duramaxx seems a little soft and rev happy. It is certainly no Cummins Turbo Diesel. And I didn't like their manual tranny. Allison auto seemed nice though. Also the GMC is running indpendent front suspension. I really prefer solid front axle for 4x4's when the vehicle is over 7000 lbs! Its just more rugged. GMC is easier to get into though. The Dodge is up in the air!!! Which by the way I think is very cool! Makes you feel like you are riding in a big rig. Ford has front solid front axles. But they are suspended by horse wagon era leaf springs. If I am not mistaken Ford has gone to coil springs for the 2005 models.

None of the trucks are perfect. I guess you have to pick the one that fits you the best. I wanted big power, good mileage, good looks, and reliablity. The Cummins engine makes the Dodge the hands down winner. So far I have been very happy with mine. Good luck.

 

The majority of the 3rd gen trucks have not had any of the problems you mentioned. I have had none. I'd make the same choice if I had it do do again.
you CAN have problems with anything you buy.

 

One other thing to consider is that the 5.9L Cummins used in the Dodge trucks is actually rated as a "medium duty" diesel. The Ford Powersmoke and GM Duranot are rated as "light duty" diesels. The same 5.9L CTD in the Dodge is used in school buses and other medium duty 2-3 ton applications. Yes it is overkill, but we love that!

 

I was going to buy a used truck in December 2003 but the prices were to high for what you get and I didn't want to buy a first year truck ( 03 Ram ) . I went for a test drive in several 2002 CTD's with 20-40000 miles on them and didn't like the way they drove. I was sad that a near new truck drove worse than my 20-year-old truck. So I said screw it !!! I don't need no stink'n new truck.

Then came summer and I was towing the RV up Mt Hood at 40mph. It's amazing how something jogs your memory (((I NEED A DIESEL NOW!!!!!!! ))) kept going thru my mind as I crawled up the hill.

So this year the wife said buy a new truck and quit complaining. Now the hunt for a new truck starts again.

And yes I have drove a 03, 04, 05 CTD both new and used to see how they drive. That's why the CTD is back in the running. Drove great and stopped great !!

John

PS
What is the CVD tranmission for 2005.5