blown32

At work we have a few powerstrokes (ranging from 96 to 04) and 1 new 04 DMax with about 5K miles on it. It's a 3/4 ton HD crewcab 4X4 auto longbed. Well after 250+ miles of driving here are my thoughts:

- Love the seats!

- The auto is the best I have driven but for my money give me a 6 Speed

- MPG was very close to my 04.5 Cummins (16.5)

- Power was good but I like the low RPM torque of the Cummins much better (hard to make a direct comparison between a auto and a 6 sp)

- Really like the nice features like: stuff stays on after the key is turned off until you open the door

- Much more "car like" very low entry and good ride.

Bottom line: I have been a lifelong Chevy guy (still am for hotrods) but boy was I glad when at the end of the day I fired up my Cummins and headed home! I really debated about buying the Dodge and have secondguessed my purchase many times. Well not any more, I will take a Cummins any day.


Allen

BTW, the guys all fight to drive the DMax over the Powerstrokes. Wish we had a Cummins so I could see how the "I want to drive it" vote would go???

CTD NUT

I agree with your impressions of the d-max trucks........I'll take my CTD anyday but 2nd place certainly goes to the d-max over a 6.0 PS.......if you think the d-max has poor bottom end, drive a 6.0 PS!........The 6.8 V10 gassser feels like it has more off-idle torque than that 6.0 PS!
No thanks!.........Sheesh!

Radman

I did some pretty decent research before settling on the Dodge/Cummins. The 'stroker didn't impress me as much when it came to incidence of repairs and economy. Of course, you can probably read 4 studies and get 4 different results. The 'Max seemed OK but nothing about it stood out to me. Even the truck itself... the dashboard and interior is dated as hell. Went with the Cummins due to track record, reliability, strength, economy....oh c'mon.... you all KNOW what I'm talking about!

Hannibal

I like the GM D-max/Allison combo. Very nice truck. But they are expensive.
My '03 Dodge Cummins was a lemon. I made the decision that I'd rather have a Dodge with a Hemi than a Ford with a PSD. The Hemi is a very reliable engine. The PSD is not.

bigman

What kind of fuel milage do you get with your hemi? How do you like the tranny? Just wondering.... thanks! Mark

charcoal600

I was impressed most by the Dmax GMs road manners and it's QUIET, very quiet and quite cumfy; it's definently the Caddy of the HD trucks. What I don't like about the Dmaxes, that nice huge frame is really low under the cab, ie pathetic ground clearance. Call me old fashoined but IFS doesn't belong in HD trucks, from my experience it doesn't hold up to abuse as well, ie plowing. The Dmaxes are too low for my tastes, lift it 6" add some 37's and I'd be happy with one. All in all, despite the previous bits, the Dmaxes seem like good trucks, just not my particular tastes that's all. I prefer trucks to look and drive like trucks, that, among many other reasons is whay I went with the Dodge (the F350 PSD,6 speed was my second choice), I have no regrets at all with my descision.

Neil58

Speaking from experience, you guys are right on the mark about the DMAX. I had a 2001 and finally got rid of it. It was a good truck, put 68,000 miles on it, mostly towing 10,000LB trailer. I followed the results of the prototype truck for a year and then finally ordered one sight unseen. I was warned about first year model trucks but didn't pay attention. The truck was in for many software updates that involved the Allison and engine. Also had to replace the two piece drive shaft with a one piece, just before I traded it, it developed an ugly noise in the left front.....a hinging type noise....never found out what it was. There were many things I liked about the DMAX and my favorite was the Ally. I really miss that tranny. The chasis is a POS.....the sheet metal is crap. some people complain about the Dodge sheet metal but it is MUCH better than the chevy. Grab hold of the bottom front or rear of the sheet metal on the DMAX and see how pliable it is.....can't do that with the Dodge. Also, check out the rubber flap hinge hood covers on the DMAX......they will start flapping in the right wind and drive you nuts......I ran into some people who thought they had a dash ratttle......nope, it's the idiotic way they engineered the hinge covers.....sort of like "oops, better get some trim to cover that mistake."

I now have had a Dodge 3500 CTD DRW for 8 months. It's not the perfect truck but when I get into it and drive it, it feels like a truck. I absolutely love the way the Cummins tows my trailer.....it just seems happy towing and puts out very little effort it seems. I have the 48RE and it works well.....I just wish I had the Ally behind it.......the Cummins deserves a reputable 5-speed to compliment it's legendary performance. I also like the Dodge chasis much, much better than the Chevy........Chevy trucks are built on a car chasis in my opinion. Sit too low....I even bottomed out once and bent my spring shackle bracket.......if I were in my wife's ZR2, any Dodge or Ford, this would not have happened.....DMAX's are low riders. IMHO, the Dodge and Ford sit at the right height. All the trucks out there have good and bad features, overall though, I'm confident that I made the right choice on the best truck overall.

Hannibal

I'm getting 14.6 mixed mostly light city. No downtown. 17mpg highway empty cruise on 70mph. Towing gives a measily 8.7mpg 65-70mph. With my previous Cummins trucks I was getting 17-18mpg, 19 hwy empty and 10.5-12mpg towing.
I really like the 5spd auto behind the Hemi. It's a 3spd with two O/Ds. A .75 for two/haul mode and a .67 for running empty. With the Hemi, I'd just as soon have an O/D off and let it run in direct at 2600rpm/65mph towing. But after a few shifts from 4th back to direct, the tranny learns that it has a load and stays in 3rd. Not too bad. 1st gear is 3:1 and 2nd is 1.5:1. I'm convinced the 545RFE should have become the 585RFE and put behind the Cummins and the 47RE with the old O/D off program would be suitable for the Hemi. The ratios of the 545RFE would be great behind the Cummins.

Beavermike

I don't track my mpg real close, but I probably get about 18 in mixed driving. Pretty nice I think

I had a 2000 chev before this, and I had an 04 rental for two months this past fall after someone hit my dodge. Boy, did I miss my truck. The rental was a gasser, but the interior on the 04 was the same as my 2000. What a waste of space, no storage bins under the rear seats, no rear slider, no middle front seat with and the huge storage under it. The center console is a big waste of space in the chev. My rental had a CD player-and the center storage bin had slots for tapes--real usefull. . Plus, I can't stand the extended cab suicide doors on the chev, couldn't wait to get 4 real doors back again.