I don't want to get battered here but I have an '01 F350 CC PSD. I like it very much and it performs admirably. What I am looking at is a new one ton and I really like the Cummins diesel. What is stopping me is what upsets a great number that own the Dodge. Where is the true 4 door? If it is due out in '06 then I will wait. But I like the new Fords as well but cannot get "hooked" on the new 6.0 PSD...too MANY problems. What also bothers me is the "starting the load" with the automatic. Some of the issues is the build quality of the Dodge. No 5 speed auto. No Crew Cab option, no integrated trailer brake(when incorporated with the trucks computer it is awsome). The pluses are the Cummins, some of the options that Ford will not seem to offer, Sirius radio, NAV options, etc. But my main reason for looking at Dodge is the fact that Ford cannot seem to get all the bugs out of the new PSD. It is going to be enlarged to 6.4 in '06 according to rumors so does this mean a whole new learning curve? Don't Know but if they cannot get it right...Dodge here I come. I am asking what some of the buyers here have found or reasons they own the Dodge. I really think I will wait for the Crew Cab from Dodge if I do decide to purchase the Cummins. Just want to know a few facts before I do this purchase.
Doug

 

I'll bite. I GOT RID OF an 01 F350 PSD to get this truck. In 35,000 miles, I had more warranty work (and one tow, and two more would-have-been tows had I not been a mile from the dealer) than ALL OTHER vehicles I have owned in 25 years of driving. Two of those vehicles were Dodge trucks (a 96 1500 w/360, and a '97 2500 V10) that were very reliable.

The Ford issues were not ALL with PSD either, some were with the Ford truck, and would have been issues regardless of engine: clutch master cylinder, ebrake mechanism snapping, seats breaking, cab rattling....I could go on.

While I have a lot or respect for Ford, and have a lot of friends with both PSDs and IDIs who get excellent service from them, I could not stay with Ford, after the lemon I got.

Just my experience.

 

DJA,
I'm a first time diesel owner. But I've participated on this web site for a while now and every former PSD owner that has bought a Dodge has not regreted it. Of course that's just the people that are a member of this web site.

Love my truck

Jamie

 

Megacab in 2006. Check out this thread: https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...hlight=megacab

 

In the interest of "full disclosure" I have already needed a tow with this truck - when my serpentine belt shredded with only 5400 miles on the clock. Happened to several over on TDR, no real explanation.

Basically, when it comes to trucks - there are gems and lemons with every brand. As my dad used to say "you pay your money and you take your chances." But then again, my dad is an A-1 annular opening.

 

I, too, was torn about whether to buy a Dodge or a Ford. I have always owned Ford--never a Dodge. The 6.0 was too big a gamble. I don't like the small back seat on the Dodge, but so far have been quite happy with the rest of the truck. I thought I would just use this truck to ride out the storm with the Ford motor, but now I'm not so sure I will automatically go back, especially if Dodge makes a true crew cab.

 

The Dodge has the smallest back seat out of the bunch, but I bought the Quad Cab upgrading from a Chevy extended cab. My friends who I live with have cars of varying size. Whenever we have to take more than 2 people, we take my truck. It may not have a huge sum of room, but today we had 5 people in there and we were all very comfortable. My friend (6'8") and me (6'2") in front, and 3 other guys (5'6"-6'0") in back. No problems. Yeah, another few inches of legroom in back would be desirable, but this is one big truck and it has plenty of room, at least in my opinion. The only thing that I don't really like is the fact that the rear doors on the Quad Cab have slightly odd proportions aesthetically, which throws my eyes off.

 

DJA, I would like to urge you not to consider the Ford "integrated trailer brake" controller when you're thinking about which truck to get. I can say from personal experience that an aftermarket Protegy brake controller works GREAT and only takes about 5 minutes to install. No joke!

 

This is my 3rd dodge and my second cummins, wouldn't have anything other than a dodge truck, I think the cars are a crap, but the trucks are numero uno. I miss my 01.5 though, it made others around it very aware of it's power. This one is too quiet.

 

I will respond. First, I didn't know about all the PSD problems from Ford when I was looking. I just knew that my 2000 Ford Expedition was struggling like hell to pull my new boat. My concerns were simple: Pulling power and build quality.

I didn't drive the Chevy, as I didn't like what I saw of the Tahoe earlier this year when I was thinking of trading the expedition. I didn't like the interior components and quality.

So, my first stop was the local Ford Dealership. I liked the cup holders and the outside appearance. The interior wasn't great and had a similar feel to my old E. So, I talked to the salesman and he told me to take it for a while. I drove straight to the Dodge dealership. My wife test-drove the Dodge before I did. She liked it. For her, it came down to manueverability.

The only concern we had was the back seat space. I fit back there. I wouldn't want to sit back there for more than a couple hours, but my boys have no problem back there.

In the end, it came down to price and what I felt was a better interior. The Dodge was better equipped for about 8K less. Kinda hard to argue with the numbers. This is my second Dodge truck and I am very happy with it. Mileage is a little low, but beyond that, it's been great.

 

Prodigy takes 5 minutes to install, yes. A little longer if you're me. I made a bracket to install it in the cigarette lighter area without having to drill any holes. Was also going to install it using some 5/16" female quick connectors to the stock connector instead of buying the harness (it's not that I'm cheap as much as I like doing this stuff myself), but nobody in this town has them! Arg!

The Prodigy is by far the best brake controller I've used. I had it on my old 6.5 for 30,000 miles of towing many different loads. I very rarely had to make an adjustment. Most of the time it was just adjusted for car on trailer or car off trailer, which was easy to do with the boost feature.

 

My truck below now has 28.5K miles, 2/3 towing a 10K# 5er with absolutely ZERO problems. I get 20-23 MPG unloaded, 12-13 towing @ 68 MPH. Just brought the 5er home today, going out for a month on Thursday.

Turbo built 1/2/03, Charleston, SC;, engine 1/7/03, Walesboro, IN; truck 1/17/03 in Saltillo, Mexico.

I haven't owned other trucks unless you count my '73 Datsun

 

This is my third Diesel, but first Cimmins. I have 70,000 Km on it. No trouble so far except for the BFG tires. The side walls are falling apart, but I can replace those (would have to sooner or later). I bought the Dodge as it has a true diesel (inline configuration) engine. When you look at major diesel manufacturers around the world such as Cummins, Cat, Detroit, Volvo, Man, DAF, Mercedes etc (including all our big rigs) every diesel engine is of the inline configuration. I am not aware of all the problems of the PSD or the Duramax, but I am not covinced by a V configured diesel engine.

Also, the AAM axles rock. The Dana's were awsome, but these make Dana look like little mary sunshine.

 

Cummins Turbo Diesel. 'nugh said

 

Ok, John_C has very good mileage to report, but his motor also has probably fully broken in by this point if he has that many miles, especially that many towing miles, which it seems most people complaining of poor mileage haven't. Also, he has a 555 not a 600.

I'm just trying to collect thoughts and such for all those complaining about mileage. I'm still pretty happy with mine getting just under 15 around town and the same going 85 down the highway.

Definitely glad I bought my CTD and wouldn't buy anything else!