I am a Chevy lover to the core but since Dodge went with the best diesel engine money can buy I bought a Dodge. My uncle has 30 years of over the road trucking under his belt and in his opinion Cummins makes the best diesel available, he had his first back in 1979 (Cummins 400) and he still raves about that old dawg to this very day. I am on my second CTD, I sold my first (big mistake) but it spoiled me so bad that the 'Burban I bought felt like it was tied to a building when I tried to tow my 16'x8' enclosed trailer. After less than 500 miles towing with the Chevy I went hunting for another CTD and am SOOOOOO glad I found my '96 extended cab, 5 speed, fire breathing monster, it pulls that trailer like it's a little kids toy wagon!!!<br><br>John<br><br>

 

cumminsdude:

Welcome to the website!!

I don't know where your friend got his information from
but the Dodge Cummins Diesel Pickup Trucks DO NOT
fall apart like he told you!

I own a 96' Dodge CTD which I bought new in early
1996. The truck now has almost 193,000 miles on it
and I have had very few problems with it! I run my
truck very hard (just ask some of the members of this
website) but I take very good care of it! You can see
a picture of my engine compartment by clicking on the
&quot;12 Valve Engine and Drivetrain section&quot; and by selecting
the thread titled: &quot;Cummins Chrome Kit.&quot; Show that
to your friend and ask him if it looks like the truck is
&quot;falling apart.&quot; There is another truck's engine there
also which looks excellent.

The Dodge Cummins Engine is classified as a &quot;medium
duty diesel engine.&quot; The Ford PSD and the Chevy
Duramax are calssified as: &quot;light duty diesel engines.&quot;
The Dodge Cummins Inline six (6) cylinder Engines have
less failures per unit built than the Ford PSD or any of
the Chevy Diesels including the Duramax!

Maybe somebody can post the picture of the connecting
rods of the Cummins 5.9, the Ford 7.3, and the Chevy
6.6. That will make a believer out of you!!

Good luck &quot;cumminsdude!&quot;

--------
John_P

 

Go Cummins, it is hands down the best.<br>Remember, Cummins doesnt have to change engines or diplacements on a regular basis for Dodge (like Chevy and Ford do).<br>The B's design is now almost 20 years old and is still the best Diesel available in a pickup.<br><br><br>--Justin

 

I love my truck inside and out. If anyone thinks the trucks themselves don't hold up. Let me give you a ride back on my farm. I live in a fery hilly country kinda like WV or KY. I live near the river so it is normal for all my friends to go offroading every weekend. good power train and the inside is still going great at 130k.<br>DM01

 

I drove Dodges and Fords before I bought my 97 12 valve.<br><br>It only has 105k miles.<br>Gets 22 to 24 MPG on the HWY<br>I tow 7 to 8k lbs twice a month.<br>Change the oil ever 5K.<br>Fuel filter every year.<br>Starts no problem down to -10 not plugged in here in MN.<br>The first gen trucks don't have computers to control the engine so it is very easy to work on and up the power (bomb).<br><br>So you can't go wrong! Buy a CTD now...

 

The Cummins Dodge combo is hands down the tuffest truck on the market. I know several guys that pull loads that most people would use a 2 ton trucks to pull. These same fellas are terrible about doing maintenance on their trucks but yet the Dodge Cummins keeps rollin right down the road. 8)<br><br>I absolutely love my 99 and am sure glad the deal fell through when I went to buy the Furd PowerJoke in 98. <br><br>Good Luck on the new truck purshase. <br><br>DB

 

Hey CumminsDude:<br><br>Check out the following topic ... question to those that have over 100,000 on their ram

 

I for one, love the package that the Cummins is in !!<br> I have driven the chevy's and ford's and they all seem like watered down trucks to me. Blew tranny's in the chevy's and had a lot of nickle and dime screw ups that cost an arm and a leg in the ford's.<br><br> I have had dodges of many different years (including way back in my highschool years when I wasn't very easy on vehicles) and NONE of them have ever disappointed me. <br><br> Now I have the best motor available and couldn't ask for anything more (except a true, adult sized crew cab).<br><br>PISTOL

 

Well, everyone's saying the same thing, so I might as well throw in my two cents. This my first Cummins, but my second dodge. As soon as they came out in '94 I knew I had to have one. I bought a '98 1500 SB 4x4 brand new with 12 miles on it. My friends all warned me about the tranny and what a dog the 360 is. I guess it all boils down to maintenance because to say I am **** about it is the understatement of the year. Anyway, I put 90K on it (they were not easy miles) with no issues whatsoever... except the latch on sliding rear window which broke every two weeks or so. No tranny probs, 360 ran like a raped-ape and all I ever did was take care of it. It held up tremendously well.<br>SO when it was time for a new truck, I knew it had to be another Dodge (don;t get me wrong, Ford makes a fine truck, and Chevys, well, we won;t go there)... had to be 8' bed, quad-cab, wanted six gears to shift myself so that sold me on the HO 6-sp. Then I drove one and had major wood goin; on. <br>I gotta agree with everyone else... Do yourself a favor and get the Cummins/Dodge... you won;t be sorry.<br>-Dave

 

Thanks for all the input. Now I dont mean to be an idiot but whats &quot;HO&quot; mean? Also if I get a cold air intake will it give me better gas mileage and will effect the starting of it in the winter? Also what is an Exhaust brake? Sorry I am new to this but this is the only way to find out. How much will the CAI cost? Thanks

 

Oh yeah I just noticed this isnt in the Diesel section. I dont know if I did that or what but sorry!!!

 

&quot;H.O.&quot; Mean's HIGH OUTPUT 24V. ;D...I love mine!

 

Rod difference pic i mean remember that the Cummins is only a 5.9L I6 and the PSD is a Big Ole 7.3L V8 now look at the difference in these connecting rods!!!!! ;D

http://www.dodge-diesel.org/yabbse/g...0&amp;pid=1391

Click this link to view the pic you can also click the pic to enlarge! ;D

 

I remember posting that same question in 1997 when I wanted a 3/4 ton pickup.<br><br>My truck is just about to turn 200,000 miles. I've only had to replace a single lift pump. I just installed my first upgrades this weekend: DD3 injectors, and a manual boost controller. Tomorrow I am installing my homemade MAP sensor fooler (to avoid the boost cut at ~25 PSI). <br><br>The truck has never let me down - it even got me home with a failed lift pump. I like it more and more every day... if you can do basic maintenance yourself, you will realize extremely low cost of ownership with the dodge truck.<br><br>I'm not a huge DaimlerChrysler fan, I'd be driving an F350 if the Cumins was in there - but the truck is holding up for me just fine.<br><br>

 

I made the decision to purchase my '97 back in 2000 when my brother got his '00 24V... It only took one drive to make up my mind. I then spoke with my brother-in-law who pulled a heavy gooseneck often with his '96, which had over 250,000 miles, no problems, and was still on the original auto tranny. It took no more convincing.<br>My '97 has been used pretty hard, but has been taken care of. It doesn't ever shy away from rough terrain, and has always started in temps well below zero.<br>I think any modern diesel pickup will serve you well and would make you happy, but I think the Cummins is more than enough incentive to go Dodge.