I'm in the market for a used truck and have never owned a diesel or anything over a 1/2-ton.

I'm interested in a 3/4-ton 4x4 truck and am thinking about a diesel. Can I get some pros/cons? What's it like having a diesel?

About me: I've had a lot of different trucks over the years. I was happy with my 94 Ram 5.9 and my 03 Ram Hemi. So, Dodge is alright in my book.

I usually only tow <5000 pounds. But when I do tow, I want my rig to handle it easily.

I drive off-road for hunting. Nothing major, just plowed corn fields and such.

I like to make minor mods (intake, exhaust, chip, etc.).

Is a diesel in my future?

 

Just find a buddy and drive one and then make your dicision especially with some weight.

 

Welcome to the site! Are you looking for 12V, 24V or CR?

 

He probably doesen't know that now does he cin

 

Well,I'm trying here JD.

 

I was thinking about an 03 or 04 with the 5.9L.

 

I think you are just the welcomin commity leave this to the guys your job here is done

 

Well most guys here will tell you that they would never own another gas truck

 

gas trucks are ok, but theres somthing about driving a cummins turbo diesel that makes it fun everytime you drive. The way they sound, the way they pull, and the boost is just fun. 5,000lbs behind a 2nd gen CTD will feel like you have 2 passengers in a gas truck, it will shrug it off like it's not there. The gas trucks i've towed with you had to get the load moving, the cummins will start pulling the load on idle. I don't think i'm gonna go back to gas engines, unless it's a streetbike or somthing.

 

I agree with JD when he says you would never own another gas truck.As far as a welcoming commity,that was just plain wrong.

 

If you Tow Go Diesel.. I have tried towing with gas trucks and now that I have a Diesel I will never go back to Gas..

Gas
Pros = cheaper to buy, can get parts at any parts store, usually decent ride, and a lot quieter.
Cons = Can not pull the weight well, will not last as long as diesel.

Diesel
Pros = it can do everything a GAS can but better and for a lot long time without any hesitation.

Cons= I do nto knwo any

 

welcome, xclr8n

It wasn't too long ago that I made the switch from a gasser Chevy to a Cummins. I'd always been a die-hard Chevy V8 fan but I also always knew diesels, in general, were more fuel efficient. Generally speaking, given similar displacements and configurations, you can plan on diesels being about 20-30% more efficient than their gas counterparts. The Volkswagen TDI motors are perfect examples when compared against their gasser equivalents. Add to the fuel efficiency the greater torque for pulling loads (my Cummins makes about double the torque my multi-port EFI 350 made), even though horsepower numbers have traditionally been slightly lower on diesels, it was really a no-brainer. I would have considered a used D-max but I had two problems with them: the going rate is still too rich for my blood and the IFS. Not that IFS, if done right, can't be a good set-up (AM General's HMMWV - "Hummer" - is the perfect example of an effective independent suspension setup) but the Chevy IFS gives you reduced strength and durability as a tradeoff for a softer ride. My opinion of the Dodge setup is that they took the inherent strengths of a solid axle and combined that with the better ride quality of a multi-link, coil-over-shock setup that GM should have done. So, even being a Chevy fan, the D-max was out and the Cummins was in.

Are there problems with the Dodges? Sure. Depending on which generation Ram CTD you're interested in/can afford there are various issues. 2nd gens like mine have VP-44 injector pump problems, NV-4500 synchro and 5th-gear nut problems, 47RE auto tranny failures, front-end sloppiness problems, 53 block problems, etc. Do the other makes have similar weaknesses? I'm sure they do and people more knowledgable about D-maxes and Powerstrokes would have to chime in but I own a 2nd gen so they're the ones I'm familiar with. Knowing what I now know about 2nd gen CTD's, would I buy one again? You bet. For my money there's no stouter powertrain than the 24V Cummins/NV-4500 (properly set-up), Dana 60 front, Dana 80 rear that my truck was blessed with from the factory. That's the kind of powertrain I'd pick to install in my dream truck. Which, by the way, is where my Cummins is eventually destined: A '72 Suburban body draped over the Dodge powertrain and frame, with a rear disc-brake conversion and multi-link/air-bagged suspension at all 4 corners.

I love my Cummins but am not brand-loyal enough to Mopar to realize there's lots of good stuff out there. Seriously, though, once you try on a diesel you'll never want to go back to a gasser.

 

Not sure where you are but here in Texas... you can go to just about any decent used car lot and they have a couple of different diesels in stock and you can drive them back to back with a gasser and then have all the information you need... If after that you still need more convincing that you need/want a diesel... Get a gasser.

OG

 

Nope, not even going to try and get you to buy a diesel.

You are in the same boat I am....... I dont NEED one, in fact, it costs me MORE to run one.

I just bloody well wanted another one, and figured I was going to buy the biggest dog.

As others have said, test drive one before you decide, just dont try and rationalize it financially.............

 

think I saw this here and it rings true


Real trucks dont have spark plugs ........... nuff said