Overnight TEST DRIVE a 06 2500 4x4 SLT
 

Hello everyone, I'm new here and have been shopping for a 2004-2007 4x4 quad or Mega cab Dodge diesel for awhile now.
I posted last night for the first time in the Towing and Hauling / RV forum thread "Tired of getting stuck off-road". Hopefully it helps someone one day.

Dealer is trying to get me hooked on a 2006 SLT 2500 4x4 quad cab. All stock and only 72,570 miles! Truck has cloth seats with power group, trailer tow package, rear sliding window, aluminum wheels, and cruise control. Averaged 22.5 MPG after resetting trip computer for last 40 miles. Even hotrodded it a bit too. The 5.9 seems perfect, auto transmission shifting tight and smooth. Only 1 problem so far - left front caliper dragging. They will have to fix that! Getting the hot brake smell and feel the heat coming off the rotor, but not glowing in the dark yet. Figure complete brake job with new rotors for good measure to complete deal. They are asking $26500, NOT bad in this area for a low mileage truck. Hopefully they get the payment where I want it - I would hate to walk away, but I will.

Been reading here, camper, and other Dodge and Diesel forums for months now. Love the info ya'll provide.

Any advice in the next 20 hours? Taking it to work tomorrow and back to dealer after work. See what they found for getting the numbers better on my trade. It is a GMC Sierra 1500 Z71 Extended cab with 172500 miles on it. I REALLY hate to let it go - been a great truck with NO problems, but to SAFELY tow my 27' Salem toyhauler, I NEED a 2500/3500 truck. I've been towing beyond the limits of the 1500 and wind from semi trucks has it swaying.

That's a great truck, I have worked on these trucks everyday for the last 20 years and the 2006 is one of the best trucks out there. You'll love it especially when you pass all the Fords going up the grades towing your toy hauler.

Thanks, hopeing it will be in the family tomorrow night.

2 things...

Caliper failure is common, I replaced all of mine after the 2nd one hung.

Don't believe the overhead fuel mileage. I've never seen 22.5 hand calculated, fill up to fill up. The overhead display is very generous with numbers.

Guardrail

Thanks Guardrail. I'm hoping that it isn't too generous, LOL. 18-20 will be better than what I'm doing with my current gasser.

I'll look back more today with my Smartphone to see any other replies.
If I put it in my signature, you will know I bought it.

My 06 has been great, I get 21 plus up to just about 25 mpg on mine,"highway" on paper dont believe the over head, but mine is a 2 wheeler, it all depends on your right foot, good luck.

GOT IT!
New-to-me 2006 Quad cab 2500 Cummins Powered 4x4 w/ AT and 3.73.

Took it for a drive today to help GFs daughter and future son in law with their house. Took tools, zero turn mower and supplies in a motorcycle trailer. SOLO last night, I managed to get trucks computer "Trip average MPG" to read 26.4 MPG! Towing the bike trailer today, I got 16.9 on the computer readout. Even IF it is generous, it has to be a hell of a lot better than my old gasser GMC! I'm nearing the 1/2 century age in a few years, I don't get in a hurry and believe I am pretty close to those numbers (within 2-4 MPG).

RETRACTION; Apparantly I do get in a hurry! So much power I'm trying it out every now and again. Doesn't feel like I'm driving nearly as fast as the speedo says, but I'm passing everyone!

Well, I'm a little disappointed. 2 fill ups and I'm not getting near what that darn computer says! LOL! You told me so. 14 MPG Hotrodding and getting used to it. MAN that thing has POWER! 2nd tank hand calculated - with trip doing up to 80 mph for 20 minutes I still managed 16+ MPG!

Now, if I can manage to keep my foot out of it, I may reach that 20+MPG for real! I'm sure I'm getting it sometimes, but I keep killing my average with the go faster pedal!

That overhead is also known as the guess-o-meter, I believe.

LOL, took me 2 years or so to not get a huge grin and smack that pedal down......[coffee]

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