Duramax w/ 6sdp Allison. Reg. Cab 4x4 3500 srw, crank windows, vinyl floor, cd player.

Wow was this thing fun to beat on.

Very fast, but that wasn't the best part, the 6-spd Allison was. Smooth shifting but that wasn't even good compared to the new

Manua-mode on the shifter. You pick the gear and it goes there and stays there. It MAKES the new duramax. The turbo whine is even noticable inside with the windows up, but its not retarded like the PSD.BTW with a 4800 rpm redline you can easily run 62mph, I know I did.

Ihave to say the the 650lbs is nice to have.

The dealer was quoted saying "You really want to buy this" after I broke it side say getting on to the hiway.lol

 

They are nice but no thanks on the Dmax. I consider it #2 on the risk list. Too much money to put up for a so so motor. The Allison is the best part. The truck itself is very nice. The motor is too crapped up with junk and has the risk of gremlins that dealers never can fix, ie. overheating. Then you just wait for the injectors to take a dump.

Lowest risk - Cummins
Dmax
Navistar

I went from a Dmax to my Dodge. Got 43,000 on the Dodge and am way ahead on problems/issues compared to the Dmax at the same mileage. I haven't been to a dealer in almost 2 years. My wifes Buick Rainer has been back for service twice in half the time and half the mileage.

The moral of this story...

Never buy a vehicle based on test drives and wow factor. Always take your time and research your major purchases. If you do go with a particular brand at least do yourself the favor of researching what years have the least issues.

 

Smooth shifts equal slipping clutch packs , which equal more wear , which equal lower transmission life , which adds up to car truck .

 

I'm really curious to see if Dodge gets it 'right' with their new auto tranny behind the 6.7 liters. I really like the manu-matic tranny idea, just so long as it really holds the gears until you tell it to shift... And of course it needs to be reliable.

 

Write after I submited it I told myself, "someone is going to say somkething about the smooth shifting".

What I meant is that the jerky, odd shifting 5-speed allison woe'sseemed to be cure. I shifted firm, but not jerky.

I'm a college student in no possition to buy even a $35,000 base model work truck, but since we were a little greasy and we wanted to go beat (test drive) something the 3500 duramax seemed fit.

And since I drive leaf spring "beat you to death" vehicles it was a nice change to have power and comfort. (ie, hey I drive a first gen, 400 hp is HUGE)

And the new 6.7 is retarded

 

Then go get a D-max.

 

Sounds like a plan. I'd make that my first purchase after college if I were you. Don't want any retarded motors under the hood.

 

This comment is based on what???

 

Shhh! Shhh! Don't stir it up-just politely encourage them to go buy a duramax. That's called a self-solving problem-let nature take it's course.

 

Yea, I hear ya, it's probably a waste of keystrokes

 

Like I said in another thread, a lot of times the best way and the easiest way to handle these things are the same. Rarely in life will you get the opportunity to take the easy way out and the best way out in one shot. Just agree with them in whatever inane statement or idea they're presenting, and sometimes they'll go away and do whatever it is they're talking about doing. If they don't, well you haven't stirred anything up, you've just agreed with them. How can they take offense at you agreeing with them?

 

Ummm I'm thinkin the "retarded" comment was supposed to be a GOOD comment......kinda like "DOPE" or "STUPID"....don't think it was a slam on the Cummins!!!




~Nick

 

Maybe so-I don't read it that way, but I could well be wrong now that you mention it.

 

Some of us can remember how great your Duramax was until the tree fell on it. And that was way more then 43,000 miles. How quick you changed your STORY once you traded it in. All of a sudden it was junk, and always needed work. And as time goes by, you make it sound worse then. In another year or two, your stories will tell about how it left you stranded 50-100 times, and it spent most of the time in the shop.

 

Whoa, sounds like a DieselPage post to me....