Billy13

Still have 1 more to look at but right now I have it narrowed down to 3 trucks would like some input form others that might own ones like them. Here are the trucks:

All trucks are Diesel 4 door trucks.

04 Ford F250 4x4 57,000 miles, lifted a couple inches, all power, grey leather, no bed liner, normal minor scratches and dings $21,000

03 Dodge 3500 Dully 56,000 miles, windows locks etc... all manual, spray in bedliner, med tan leather, truck looked clean, $17,175

04 Dodge 2500 51,700 miles, all power, all the bells and whistles but leather seats, no bedliner $17,675

Only down side I saw between them is with driver seat set where I would drive it, in the back seat my knees slightly rub the back of the seats in the dodge, but there is still plenty of room in the Ford.

Free89W350

If it were me I would go with the 04 Dodge 2500. But the final decision is all you.

Diesel_Storm

I agree.

About the back seat, unless you are planning on cloning your self and sitting behind your self while driving, why worry about leg room.

Billy13

I am not sure though that is why I am asking. I have a 97 GMC gas burner and never owned a diesel. Growing up my dad owned them and I always had trouble with them.

Only thing I didn't like about the dodges was the lack of leg room in them. I am 6'3 with 2 boys that will probably be about the same.

Thanks for the quick replies too

Desert Dually

if you've little to no experience with diesels, I'd stay away from that Ford, they've been plagued with numerous problems. 4 of my friends have owned ford 6 liter powerstrokes, and 3 of those 4 have had serious problems with their engines requiring thousands of dollars in repairs. Really poor design with their injection, you can read all about on numerous web searches. The Dodge trucks, while maybe not as refined as the Fords and GM's, have one enormous difference - the Cummins 5.9 turbodiesel

This engine will easily last half a million miles with basic care and maintenance. Is easy to get parts for and has plenty of technical support. Till you really spend some time driving one, it's kinda hard to understand. But you will form an odd attachment to your Cummins, it's unavoidable.

If you are into Hot Rodding, then welcome to heaven.....With a few thousand thrown at its engine, and another few thrown at the trans, it will easily make over 500 horsepower, you grin like an idiot, and still bring back respectable mileage for a big truck.

Get a Dodge with Cummins power, you wont be sorry. If interior space is a concern, check out the Megacab. It's back seat has so much legroom, you wont be able to reach back and slap your kids when they start clownin around

mini14

well.......the dodges engine might last 500k, but the rest of the truck wont, unless u are an o.t.r. and doing that kinda milage in a coupla years....and u can expect to pay some major coin to keep it going that long cauz injection pumps and injectors dont last that long either.....sorry i just hate that statement as justification.....the gmcs would be my first choice if they weren't so dam expensive. just remember if it says diesel on it expect to pay 3x more for parts.

Stickboy1971

I may have missed it somewhere...if so I apologize...

What do you intend on using the truck for? Will the truck be used solely for towing/hauling, or will you need it as a daily driver with crowded parking lots/drive throughs to contend with? Do you NEED it for off-road duties, or would 4x4 be for playing? Answers to those sorts of questions should help with the dually vs 2500 and 4x4 or not questions...

And not to be a brand-basher, as I think the 7.3 Fords are one of the best trucks ever made, you couldn't pay me to own a 6.0 Ford unless it had an EXTENSIVE warranty with it. I have a very good friend that has had over $60,000 worth of warranty work to their 04 6.0 (with just over 60,000 miles now on the clock). No, that is not a typo, and it is not BS (well, the situation is BS, but the facts are true). It has had no less than 35 injectors replaced under warranty, among the many other issues! Not sure about you, but I can't afford $1/mile for non-routine maintenance (or routine maitenance), or the downtime associated with the issues. Unfortunately, based on feedback from many people having owned them, those sorts of issues appear to be an expected part of owning a 6.0 Ford.

96_12V

First - welcome to DTR! Please don't every feel that any question here is not worthwhile - we like to help with whatever we can.

Secondly, I would suggest taking a lot of time to drive all the veichiles you mention, and then drive the GM products as well. The D-max 6.6L is a great engine, especially the '04 and newer versions. I'll probably buy one of those in the future, just due to the fact i don't care for the four-door style cab on the 3rd gen Dodges, I prefer an actual extended cab like GM trucks still offer.

Third, I would completely avoid the 6.0L Ford. Suffice it to say it's been the single worst engine from a warrenty & cost standpoint to Ford Motor Company in recent times - perhaps ever. Research this engine online and you will see that there have been many, many major issues with this engine package. There are brand-loyal folks who will tell you differently, but it's simple brand-blindedness that they are demonstrating.

Good luck with your decision - it's your decision after all. I personally would give serious consideration if you really need a diesel truck at all - they are much more expensive to operate than they used to be: $4.79/gal takes a major toll....

TexasCTD

Run, don't walk......away from the 6.0-NO Flowerpoke!

Also, don't feel like you only have to choose those couple of other trucks. Keep on looking for exactly what you want, if you know what that is. Only you know if you want a dually, long bed, 6 speed manual or auto, color, etc.

But not knowing anything about diesel's...........you should strongly consider the 5.9 Cummins....of any year.
..

Billy13

Thanks For all the input guys.

And to answer the other questions, right now I use it to pull a 16' enclosed trailer but planning to move to a 24' and who knows how big in a few years after that, they are racing trailers. Other then that use it to bring stuff home from the Home Depot. I am moving from a truck with a 305 and 150,000 miles.

matcopage

I have an 04 2500 with 88,000 on it and it gets great fuel mileage compared to some newer ones and has been trouble free other than a lift pump under warranty. Woldn't trade for another brand no way.

Billy13

Ok going for the 04 Dodge I guess. I am going to go in there and start at $13,000 I guess.

Rednecktastic

pulling an enclosed trailer? how much weight?

If you can daily drive a dualy I'd probably get it.

Billy13

Right now the trailer is 16' and probably 3000lb. I will not be daily driving the truck either, on driven when I need to. The truck I have now gets the oil chenged at the 6 month mark vice the milage mark LOL.

nelrod

You asked, so: My vote ----- 03 Cummins Dually. Because you said you don't know what you may pull later. That's why I got mine and love it. Plus --- the 03's get much better mileage than 04.5 and up.