Thanks for all the help fellas.

I live in Texas, so cold starts won't be that big of an issue. Finding something heavy to drag around for 500 miles might be though. I might be fixing to move though, so this would be a good time to get a ctd and hook a huge trailer of all my stuff behind it.

What about breaking in at long droning highway speeds? Don't you have to vary the speeds? Break in question also, if you don't have something to tow, can just flooring it all over the place be an idea?

I really can't see myself getting anything close to good mpg with a hemi as I have somewhat of a heavy foot at times, other times I just putter along on the way to work though.

 

my father is a VERY light footed driver and his 04.5 CTD gets about a best of 17 on the highway unloaded cruising at 65, the 3rd gen trucks really arent getting the greatest mileage.

 

could this be a seating of the engine issue?

i have read about starting off an engine by just blowin and goin before for gassers, but hadn't heard about diesels possibly being needed to be done that way before I got on here

i know some people in the gasser community say that it is bunk and really don't recomend it at all, they always say the "go with what the owner's manual says"

what does the manual say about the ctd?

 

Having driven a hemi and getting to mash the go pedal a few times .... I gotta say, I think they are highly over-rated. Yeah, they are better than stock but c'mon ... it ain't like the "real" hemi's .

I would go with the diesel. When I am at home, I use mine as a daily driver and only tow accasionally. The mileage is nice, the power is nice and the ability to tow the occasional mountain is a bonus in anybodys book !!

Definately work the extra $$ for the diesel over the hemi.
PISTOL

 

Not even discussable. It is a disgrace to the REAL Hemi's of the 1960s and 70s that they even call this motor a "Hemi". It only runs on 4 cyliders until you need 8! I'd love to see what a 69 GTX with a 426 Hemi would do to one of these "Hemi" engines today. It is all marketing-100%. I cannot begin to express how glad I am that I went with the "little 6" CTD (04). Mileage is outstanding, don't ask me about the power, I will never know. Just when you think the motors at it's breaking point, it comes at you with more. And lastly- look at the pumps now- and in maybe 5 years- how comforting will it be to know you have a motor that can run on a number of fuels? What happens when E85 or whatever new gas is beginning to rear its ugly head has quality or quantity issues? There will always be big, diesel trucks- America stops without them. These Cummins motors are awesome.

 

Go with the Cummins.Can`t add much to what everyone has said,but you also have alternate choice of add in fuels ie. black diesel and bio diesel.These fuels over ten years will make a not inconsiderate saving on your running costs.

 

my best friend has a 05 1500 hemi. i have a 2000 ctd. i love driving her hemi, but i love driving my cummins more! she get bout 14 mpg ave. i get 17 when beating on it and i have got as high as 22 being nice to it. the hemi has plenty of power especially on take off, and she has 3.41 or whatever the low rpm gears are for that yr. kickin it in the butt at 65 though its kinda slow, compared to the ctd. IMO hemi is a fantastic engine! the cummins is the BEST engine! Bret

 

If it don't blow black take it back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!

 

I had an 04' Quad Cab 1500 Hemi. I got 15 mpg. That was it no matter how I drove. My 04.5 Cummins gets 17 to 18 mpg. Pulling it gets 12 mpg. Hemi didn't pull worth a crap. Had to keep it in Tow/Haul mode. Keep shifting in and out of overdrive. Plus I couldn't put anything in it. Set it on the axle several times with small loads of lumber. I'll keep the Cummins any day. Hemi what??????

 

After four Cummins powered Rams, I decided to give the Hemi a try. It gives 14.5~mpg light city, 17-18mpg hwy 70mph and 8.5mpg average towing our 10,040 lb high profile 5th wheel pictured in my galllery 68mph. The Cummins in the same situations gave 18~mpg light city, 19mpg at 70mph, and 10.5mpg towing 68mph. The Hemi delivers as promised. 4000-4500rpm on the steeper uphills isn't a problem for it. During R&D, the Hemi was run 5400rpm full load for 300 hours. It showed only normal wear and nothing broke or melted. I too put over 30k miles a year on my trucks by I don't plan on keeping any truck for ten years. Many gas V8s see 300k miles. With proper maintenance I have to believe the 5.7 Hemi will be comparable. The Cummins has proven to live past a million miles with proper maintenance. Real Hemi's have been from 231cid to well over 500cid. Just as real Cummins diesels have come in all sizes.
I don't love my truck. It's just a truck. I love my wife, family and that little brunette down at the restaurant! I'll tell it exactly as I see it and experience it. I can afford either and my next truck might be a HO 6spd with 3.73 ratio. If it is, I've enjoyed my four previous Cummins powered Rams and I will having nothing but good to say about the Hemi powered '05 I have now.
For comparison, it pulls very similar to a bone stock standard output Cummins one gear down in every situation or 30% higher rpm and uses about 30% more fuel in the process.
But my recommendation is, get the Cummins. It's obvious you want one and every male human should own at least one. Or four. Maybe five or six.

 

Gents,

I didn't say not to buy a CTD. If you've got the money, be my guest. Hey, I have one. I live in Canada, it does get cold here and it can take 20 minutes or more at highway speed, with a weather front on the truck, just to get it up to temperature. Texas, I don't think that'll be a problem. As for a load, one can always be found. Just like friends who have to move, just after you buy a brand new truck. (Scratch, Chip,Dent ) If you buy one TOG, I'm sure everyone here will agree, you will never be happier. (Unless it's built on hangover monday after the long weekend DC Beer League Ball Turnament) Help a buddy haul a pallet of cement for his new barbeque, do whatever you want with it. Just remember, it's not a minivan, don't baby it, it was made to be worked, it loves to work. (I'm probably going to be crusified for herasy here, but there can be drawbacks to owning a diesel.) Every Case backhoe has the 12V version in it. Lot's of Zoom Booms have the 4 cyl 8 v versions in them. It is based on a tractor engine. If you don't need a truck with the heaviest duty engine on the market, if you are buying a grocery getter (unless you are hauling groceries for Costco), if you need compact size because you live in a micro sized apartment that has parking stalls that are over filled with a shopping cart in them. Get one, just breaking it in with full throttle accelerations as you suggested is not only fun, it's really fun. Don't be pushed into something you don't need. Unless you have the money. Then get me one too. Like I said before, if you buy one you will love it and will want to tow or haul something with, it's just the nature of the beast. (There is a reason it says HEAVY DUTY on the tailgate) Many miles to you and your's.

 

I bought a 2004 2500 Cummins Quad Cab long Box 2wd because I thought I was going to put a truck camper in it...I ended up getting a tent trailer.
If I had to do it again I would buy a mini van like I intended to in the first place.(BTW it take b*lls to admit you like minivans on this site!)

I should NOT have taken that diesel for a test drive...WAY TOO MUCH FUN!

Having said that, if I was buying a pickup and not going to tow real heavy, I think that the Mega Cab 1500 with the displacement on demand is a good idea over the diesel, in fact I would get the 1500 Quad cab if you are not going to carry many people.

I beleive the Quad cab is based on the 1500 series frame and the Mega Cab on the 2500 series frame...I could be wrong here.

Also if you plan on 4x4 the 1500 series is independant front suspension as opposed to a solid axle on the Mega Cab.

You will read many, many complaints about the "Death Wobble" with the solid axle 4x4.
I don't think you will have this problem with the independent 4x4 system on the 1500 series.

Again, if you plan on doing heavy work, you can't beat the diesel, otherwise I would check out the Hemi Displacement on Demand.
You might want to do a search to see what this technology is doing for fuel consumption.

BTW do you really think you will keep the truck for ten years?
Some folks do...I wish I had the dicipline, but by far the majority don't.

Now I am going to run for cover!
Have fun!

 

"With the $5-6000 adder over a gasser, it takes 6 years to pay back the cost differenetial with driving 15k miles per year".

Don't buy into this comparison without knowing the assumption that is being made; that everything else on the truck is as important as the engine / powertrain. Think about this now; butt warmers, vanity mirrors, dvd players, doillie dispensers, etc., are as important in a truck as a diesel engine. If that's how you buy trucks and want to compare trucks, fine. I started with:

1. I need a truck.

2. It has to be a crew / quad cab.

3. Since it's gonna be big and I need to make it last, it's gotta be a diesel.

4. Since it's gonna be a diesel I want a Cummins.

5. I want a manual, as probably none of the autos will last as long or have fewer problems.

6. It has to be a 4x4 (around here they make sense even just for on road use).

7. For me, the simpler the better; I like those manual door locks, rubber floor, etc.

8. Shop for a loss leader instead of ordering a truck.

With that criteria I ended up with a truck that cost less than what a lot of others are paying for fancy 1/2 ton gassers, minivans, etc. If you want more options, most people want more stuff than I do, fine, but prioritize your options for your price point. If you do that you'll find that a diesel is usually 'affordable'. If you don't prioritize a diesel over other features then obviously you don't want it as badly as the other features, and don't 'need one' :^)