Hi All!

Just found the site. I'm researching buying a new 2500 Cummins 600 Dodge. However, I don't really need the truck for towing, I'm just looking at it from a reliability stand point.

Long story, I bought a 2002 1500 4.7L SLT, when what I really wanted was a Laramie. So I've decided that it's time to trade her in for what I want.

I suppose my questions are:

1 - Am I an idiot for looking at a "Heavy Duty" truck as a daily driver?

2 - I've heard it said that the Cummins engines were just updated and that they are getting "poor" mileage. Is this true?

3 - Do the Cummins really get anywhere from 20 -28mpg when not under load?

4 - Any other advice you might have for someone who knows nothing about diesels?

Thanks,

Rat

 

Hi Rat, welcome to DTR

1. If you are, so am I and probably a third of the people on this site are too.

2. The new trucks don't seem to be getting the mileage the older trucks do. Still better than a gasser V-8 though.

3. If you're one of those old guys doing 50 in a 65 mph zone in the left lane with the blinker on, maybe. I see 18 mpg on the highway (70 mph), 16 in town. Expecting over 20 mpg at normal highway speeds is unrealistic.

4. Don't put gas in it.

 

1. Yes, you are an idiot.....but we're all idiots here so you'll fit right in. Welcome aboard!!! From what you have said, you don't NEED a heavy duty truck or a diesel. But, neither do I really....and I have one....and I use it as a daily driver....and I love it.

2. Yes and maybe. They were just updated. The Cummins 600 (325 HP / 600 torque) is updated from last year's HO Cummins (305 HP / 555 torque). It is also 50 state legal for emissions, which the "old" model was not. Some people have reported "less than my last Cummins" mileage, but in reality most people probably have not put enough miles on their engines to break them and increase fuel effeciency.

3. Probably not. My daily driver....which is mostly city driving...gets 17-18 mpg unloaded. On the highway it gets 21-22 mpg. I have seen very few people get over 22-23 mpg....but that is still VERY good for a heavy duty truck. There are always exceptions though.

4. Advice - spend a lot of time reading these forums and learn everything you can before making the plunge into diesel. Diesels aren't anything to be feared, but they are different from gassers. As a first time diesel owner I haven't had any problems making the adjustment.

 

What Hoss and Wannadiesel just said!

 

Hoss, you DO need a Heavy Duty truck to properly haul that concrete bedliner you made last week.........LMAO

Gary

 

LOL, ahhhhh... what a website.

 

 

Oh yeah. Almost forgot.

After a bad experience with a shovel over the weekend, I'm thinking of putting some dowel rods and wire mesh in and making it an "over the rail" bedliner. What do you think??

 

Well, I don't NEED a 2500 series truck either, but I wanted one!!!

I guess the way I look at it, I don't haul or pull a lot of heavy things all the time. But when I want to, I want to be able to. I don't want to have to worry about overloading my pickup.

And really, my diesel gets better fuel mileage than my gasser did, it is going to last a lot longer, and diesel is cheaper.

As for mileage, my wife got about 23 mpg the other day going to Omaha from northern MO. But she has a MUCH lighter foot than I do!!

 

Im an idiod times 2 It appears. heck my old commuter celica didnt get much better on MPGs. 2wd at 20mpg and the 1 ton 4x4 gets 16mpg. what more could one ask for? Good resale, great power ,good mpg, haul anything, tow anything, smoke out your enemies on demand, and finally wake the neighbors in the wee hours on start up

 

Trust me the 4.7L with the Gibson dual exhaust wakes the neighbors now!

I appreciate everyone's feedback, just didn't want to spend $40k+ on a truck and do what I did with this truck (find out it isn't what I want).

Thanks again,

Rat

 

Sign me up for the idiot club too! Bought and use my 3500 Dually as my daily driver for three reasons, 1) it was the biggest Dodge pickup I could find 2) its loud and obnoxious 3) 18+(ish) mpg hwy beats the tar outta the 10-12mpg I've seen the V-10's getting.

 

i am the only guy where i work that drives a diesel dodge or pickup period for that matter...do i really need it=NO...do i love it =YES....people ask me why i have a " big,loud truck that (they think) is really hard to park"...just laugh, i am loaded w/ leather, can haul anything, never get stuck, can tow anything, can out perform gassers, get better gas mileage and the best reason...NICE AND NOISY !!! you can feel, hear and smell the power !!

 

It is nice to have the oomph in your back pocket when you need it. When you figure the 18+ mpg, cheeper fuel cost, engine life, power to pull and reliability of the Cummins .... anything less doesn't make sense (at least to me).

Welcome to the site !!!

PISTOL

 

Hoss might I ask what happen with that concrete bedliner? Sounds like a funny story