My 6.7L Test Drive Review
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Joined: May 2004
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From: NE Illinois
My 6.7L Test Drive Review
Well they finally got one in at my local dealer (Kankakee, IL area) last week so I went to drive it. It was a Sport Quad Cab Dually 2wd w/Auto.
First impression: I like the seats a lot better than my 04.5's. Still firm, but seem to comform to me much better than mine do even after 45K. I like the new dash, I didn't realize they redid the interior as much as they did. It still looks a little cheap to me however.
When it went to start it, it cranked for about 10 seconds, salesman kinda looked at me funny, then I stopped. I waited a second, tried it again, and it fired right up. Quiet--but not so quiet you can't tell it is a diesel, which IMO is a good thing. I want my truck to sound like a truck!
The drive:
Much like the other posters, it is remarkable how smooth the power comes on with this engine. My 04.5, when floored, reponds with nothing for a second, then all comes on at once. This one responds quicker and more linear.
I LOVE the tranny. It shifts firmer than the Allison, both upshifting, downshifting, and downshifting with jake brake on. I see this as a positive. I love the way the RPMs are so low at cruising speed--roughly 1500 at 60 mph and only 1700 or so at 70! My 04.5, with oversized tires and 3.73 rear end still turns 1950 at 70 MPH.
The Jake Brake it flat awesome--it is almost worth buying an 07 just to get it, as I pull heavy and it would really be nice. With the trans in T/H and the JB on, you don't even need to use the service brakes unless coming to a complete stop. It sounds good too!
MPG: The truck had 57 miles on it when I got in, and the overhead read 13.3 MPG. I reset it before our cruise and headed off into a stiff headwind for about ten miles of romping on it, cruising steady @ 70, some stop and go, and just getting a feel for the truck. At the end of this run it read 14.4 MPG.
I reset it again and went back the other way with the wind at my back, cruising at 70, and it read 18.2 when we got back to the dealership. It was running about 2 MPG less going into the wind than my 04.5 was on the same stretch, and about 3 MPG less going with the wind on that stretch. Not too bad for a brand new truck--about on par with my 04.5 when new. I figured the dually with 2wd would be similar on MPGs as my single wheel with 4x4 roughly?
Underhood:
One of the things I always loved about the Cummins vs. the Other Guys was the simplicity of the engine area. Looking at this monster brings back visions of working on my 99 PSD what with hoses, wires, lines, and all kinds of crap running everywhere. Granted, even on an 04.5 the sheer amount of electronics limits the amount that this farmboy can do to it repairwise--but seeing the 6.7 in its natural habitat reaffirms my belief that if basically anything more than a fuse goes wrong, it's probably well outside my ability to take care of it.
Summary:
I really like the new drivetrain--the tranny is such a huge step up that it is hard to put it in words. Likewise, I love the way the power comes on, I think it will be a dream for pulling large loads, especially in hilly areas. Of course, the jake brake is a lovely touch that in my opinion, will be the straw that breaks the camel's back when it comes to those sitting on the fence about buying one.
Because my 04.5 has such low miles and has been an excellent truck, I can't see much reason to get rid of it at this point in time. I doubt I can even touch the interest rate I got with it if I take the rebates, and IL no longer has the tax credit for "D" plates that kept me from paying any sales tax on my current truck. I personally will probably wait a year or two to see if there are any bugs to be worked out. But in due time I am 100% sure that an 08 or 09 6.7/6sp auto will be hooked to my trailer(s).
Thanks Dodge for a real winner!
First impression: I like the seats a lot better than my 04.5's. Still firm, but seem to comform to me much better than mine do even after 45K. I like the new dash, I didn't realize they redid the interior as much as they did. It still looks a little cheap to me however.
When it went to start it, it cranked for about 10 seconds, salesman kinda looked at me funny, then I stopped. I waited a second, tried it again, and it fired right up. Quiet--but not so quiet you can't tell it is a diesel, which IMO is a good thing. I want my truck to sound like a truck!
The drive:
Much like the other posters, it is remarkable how smooth the power comes on with this engine. My 04.5, when floored, reponds with nothing for a second, then all comes on at once. This one responds quicker and more linear.
I LOVE the tranny. It shifts firmer than the Allison, both upshifting, downshifting, and downshifting with jake brake on. I see this as a positive. I love the way the RPMs are so low at cruising speed--roughly 1500 at 60 mph and only 1700 or so at 70! My 04.5, with oversized tires and 3.73 rear end still turns 1950 at 70 MPH.
The Jake Brake it flat awesome--it is almost worth buying an 07 just to get it, as I pull heavy and it would really be nice. With the trans in T/H and the JB on, you don't even need to use the service brakes unless coming to a complete stop. It sounds good too!
MPG: The truck had 57 miles on it when I got in, and the overhead read 13.3 MPG. I reset it before our cruise and headed off into a stiff headwind for about ten miles of romping on it, cruising steady @ 70, some stop and go, and just getting a feel for the truck. At the end of this run it read 14.4 MPG.
I reset it again and went back the other way with the wind at my back, cruising at 70, and it read 18.2 when we got back to the dealership. It was running about 2 MPG less going into the wind than my 04.5 was on the same stretch, and about 3 MPG less going with the wind on that stretch. Not too bad for a brand new truck--about on par with my 04.5 when new. I figured the dually with 2wd would be similar on MPGs as my single wheel with 4x4 roughly?
Underhood:
One of the things I always loved about the Cummins vs. the Other Guys was the simplicity of the engine area. Looking at this monster brings back visions of working on my 99 PSD what with hoses, wires, lines, and all kinds of crap running everywhere. Granted, even on an 04.5 the sheer amount of electronics limits the amount that this farmboy can do to it repairwise--but seeing the 6.7 in its natural habitat reaffirms my belief that if basically anything more than a fuse goes wrong, it's probably well outside my ability to take care of it.
Summary:
I really like the new drivetrain--the tranny is such a huge step up that it is hard to put it in words. Likewise, I love the way the power comes on, I think it will be a dream for pulling large loads, especially in hilly areas. Of course, the jake brake is a lovely touch that in my opinion, will be the straw that breaks the camel's back when it comes to those sitting on the fence about buying one.
Because my 04.5 has such low miles and has been an excellent truck, I can't see much reason to get rid of it at this point in time. I doubt I can even touch the interest rate I got with it if I take the rebates, and IL no longer has the tax credit for "D" plates that kept me from paying any sales tax on my current truck. I personally will probably wait a year or two to see if there are any bugs to be worked out. But in due time I am 100% sure that an 08 or 09 6.7/6sp auto will be hooked to my trailer(s).
Thanks Dodge for a real winner!
Dodge should have put this type of tranny in their trucks a decade ago.
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,528
Likes: 16
From: Oregon
I just took a spin on a laramie h dually 4x4 w/auto and 4.10.
The thing spools up much faster than my truck. The response to the accelerator is much more linear.
I think the new engine brake is likely more effective than the Jake I have on my truck, and in combination with the push button shift thing is really nice.
With the 4.10's it was turning about 1900 at 70.
I wonder what a 4x4 dually auto with 4.10's would get for milage? (Test drive is probably too short to get a realistic view).
My truck is nice, and nearly paid off, but these new ones are super-nice and I'm seriously considering pulling the trigger...
The thing spools up much faster than my truck. The response to the accelerator is much more linear.
I think the new engine brake is likely more effective than the Jake I have on my truck, and in combination with the push button shift thing is really nice.
With the 4.10's it was turning about 1900 at 70.
I wonder what a 4x4 dually auto with 4.10's would get for milage? (Test drive is probably too short to get a realistic view).
My truck is nice, and nearly paid off, but these new ones are super-nice and I'm seriously considering pulling the trigger...
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
I just traded in my 04 2500 quad cab short bed CTD for the 07 3500 SLT 6 speed manual, full size bed, with the exhaust break. I must say that there is a big differance it the two trucks. The reason i traded it I'm going from a 30' Pull Toy hauler to a 36' to 40' fifth wheel.
The new truck seems to have alot more power, don't know if it's just going to the manual tranny, or if it's really that much more. I'm a little nervous seeing some of the trouble some are having with the new rigs.
Overall..........I love it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a25...x/IMG_0016.jpg
The new truck seems to have alot more power, don't know if it's just going to the manual tranny, or if it's really that much more. I'm a little nervous seeing some of the trouble some are having with the new rigs.
Overall..........I love it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a25...x/IMG_0016.jpg
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