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JoelC707
Premium Member
join:2002-07-09
Lanett, AL

JoelC707

Premium Member

Seeking opinions on a truck

I'm looking for a newer truck. I have the option of getting a local car lot go and find me a vehicle I want but I've also found a couple options already in stock at a somewhat nearby car lot.

Basic criteria:

2003+ (basically 10 years old or newer)
Half ton or larger
2wd preferred
Automatic
Power windows/locks
Towing package
Would like the "large" V8 if it's a gas burner or a diesel

I prefer Dodge but would also take a Ford or Chevy if it comes to it.

I do have a 16' car trailer that will get occasionally towed (pair of 5200 pound axles under it). There are also various other trailers including a bumper pull travel trailer and a fifth wheel travel trailer. The fifth wheel has a Chevy 2500 that goes along with it so while I'd like to be able to tow it if needed, the chances of that are probably slim to none and it's really the other travel trailer or car trailer that will be the biggest loads it sees.

With that in mind I believe I can get away with a half ton truck. I know it'd probably be close to if not overloaded for a half ton but I doubt either of the trailers will ever be fully loaded anyway. I'm thinking the half ton will be better on fuel but I know the diesel should get better when towing. Will the diesel (5.9L Cummins most likely) get better mileage than the 5.7 Hemi unloaded?

Here are the two vehicles I've been looking at that are potentially available to me without having to wait on the vehicle I want to roll through the auction.

2009 Ram 1500 Crew Cab 5.7L: »ezga.net/view/3843/WHI-2 ··· 20%20-GA
2006 Ram 3500 Quad Cab 5.9L: »ezga.net/view/3733/SIL-2 ··· 20%20-GA

They're basically identical in price. Carfax report is available on both (link at the bottom of the specs). Both of them have a reported accident but other than that they don't look like they're in bad shape. Both are one-owner vehicles and both were in the GA/FL area so no road salt issues like northern vehicles can have.

Any thoughts on those vehicles? I of course intend on thoroughly checking out whatever vehicle I pick.
mj3431
join:2003-04-21
STL, MO

mj3431

Member

One thing to note will be whether or not passenger comfort is important to you. The Cummins is a solid work horse platform but the interior on the 09 and newer trucks is leaps and bounds over the previous generation. A few things to note are the larger cab (crew) and rear heat/AC vents in the newer trucks along with more comfortable seats. Take it from someone that went from a 2006 1/2 ton Hemi to a '13 3500 Cummins Crew as I can attest to both generations of truck.

Fuel consumption will be lower on the diesel in that generation but at a cost of the higher price of the fuel so don't plan to save money. Maintenance is also higher on a diesel (fuel filters, 12 quart oil changes etc).

If you don't plan to tow often or heavy I don't think the Hemi is a bad way to go and loved mine, but went to a Cummins to tow over 10k. Again though there is simplicity in maintaining a gas over a diesel. Change the oil and keep gas in the tank and a newer gas vehicle will generally treat you pretty well. That being said I don't think I'll ever go back to gas and I don't know a single person that has gone to a diesel and then back.

If you do decide on diesel, you might look for a 2007.5 or newer when they went to the 6.7 with 6 speed automatic and added the exhaust brake. It's a whole different beast than the 5.9 with 4 speed.
JoelC707
Premium Member
join:2002-07-09
Lanett, AL

JoelC707

Premium Member

It'll be primarily a passenger vehicle honestly, just something for reliable transportation for me with towing being secondary.

I'd prefer the 6.7 too (I rode in a 2011 Crew Cab dually with the 6.7 and it was NICE) but those trucks seem to be too new to find in my price range.

Rough estimates on fuel consumption put it higher to fill the tank (higher cost of fuel and larger tank add to that any day) but the cost to travel is slightly lower. I think it's too close to really call one way or anther unless you count towing mileage.

I did have a 2007 Ram 2500 Reg cab 5.7L and it was nice for what it was but cab space was lacking (it WAS a reg cab so what can you expect). I did consider the 2006 mega cab (ironically built on the 2500 frame in the first couple of years) that they had for sale... key word had, he told me that truck didn't last long. I love the idea of reclining rear seats, passenger room should be leaps and bounds above anything else but I wasn't sure I wanted that heavy of a truck with a gas engine. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad though?

Thanks for the input
JoelC707

JoelC707 to mj3431

Premium Member

to mj3431
Oh, and what the hell is up with that funky ass key in the 2009+ trucks? Where did they get that design from? I suppose I've gotta go to a dealer to get copies as the metal key is only useful for the doors and tailgate apparently.
mj3431
join:2003-04-21
STL, MO

mj3431

Member

All of the Chrysler products use that style of key now (except for keyless-go vehicles). I actually don't think it is a bad design but they are bulkier than the older style. I prefer that over the GM style switchblade keys which always open up in my pocket though.

If you still want to go diesel the 5.9 seems like the best fit for you. Mileage is better on that generation truck and parts can be found almost anywhere if needed. One thing is for sure if you go with the Mega cab and a Hemi mileage will be abysmal but they are roomy trucks for sure and would get you rear heat/AC in the previous generation. But I think the HVAC system is undersized for that cab size in the older generation anyway.

All in all if I didn't have a reason to step up to the Cummins I'd probably still be driving my 2006 Hemi Quad Cab. It was a great truck overall and payment free... but now that I've got a new one I don't think I could go back to the older interior.

My $.02.
JoelC707
Premium Member
join:2002-07-09
Lanett, AL

JoelC707

Premium Member

That's what I was afraid of, mega cab + Hemi is a no-go. I've been leaning towards the 2009 anyway but I know that 2006 could tow damn near anything I put behind it. I do want to get a truck to tow with but I haven't honestly found what I like yet.

Do you know where I can find any info about that key type? Like what is it called, or something to dump into Google to locate info on? I thought the key on my 2007 was big but the key on that 2011 I rode in wasn't as bulky as the 2007 key. Though compared to the standard key they're all bulky as hell lol.
HarryH3
Premium Member
join:2005-02-21

HarryH3 to JoelC707

Premium Member

to JoelC707
Since you plan on some towing, skip the half-ton idea. Stepping up to the 3/4-ton gets you MUCH beefier axles, brakes and (on GM's at least) transmission for about the same price.

Most 1-tons are made to haul HEAVY loads and the ride suffers when running empty.

Do your homework and don't be in a rush. Diesels are beasts for towing, but the cost of entry, fuel costs and maintenance/repairs make them harder to justify.

neonhomer
Dearborn 5-2750
Premium Member
join:2004-01-27
Edgewater, FL

neonhomer to JoelC707

Premium Member

to JoelC707
I used to own a 2004 Chevy Silverado extended cab 1500 w/ the 5.3 V8. Had the towing package on it, was 2wd, power everything, and an automatic. I used to pull the occasional car trailer behind it with various vehicles on it, and it would do fine. Granted, I was in the the flatlands of Florida, and I installed a large by huge trans cooler, but it did great. Bought it with 32,000 miles on it, and sold it with just about 150,000 on it.

Only major problems I had is the previous owner pulled a trailer that was WAY to big for the truck, and cooked the 2nd gear clutches. Chevy rebuilt the trans under warranty, and it was good to go from there. Also, the knock sensors faile around 100k, and I didn't feel like pulling the intake to fix them (turned them off with a programmer).

Wish I still had that truck, but when you lose your job...... need i say more?
JoelC707
Premium Member
join:2002-07-09
Lanett, AL

JoelC707

Premium Member

said by neonhomer:

Wish I still had that truck, but when you lose your job...... need i say more?

That right there pretty much sums up why I no longer have the 2007 Ram 2500 I had. I didn't exactly lose my job but I went from full time at 40 hours a week to part time making maybe 10 a week.

I hear you (and HarryH3 See Profile) on not towing heavy loads with a half ton. My 16' car hauler has had an S300 Bobcat on it (pretty close to being too heavy for the trailer anyway) and it was towed by a 95 Ram 1500. The only reason it didn't drag the bumper on the ground was a set of Firestone air bags had been installed on it lol. That heavy trailer with all the jerking of starts and stops caused the pinion crush sleeve to crush even further. Yeah that wasn't fun.

Mainly I don't want to get the small V8, they're great on gas but suck for towing. That's why I want the Hemi V8 as it has decent HP/torque for heavy towing (at least the one in my 2007 2500 did). Sure it wasn't as good as a diesel but it was leaps and bounds better than my old 5.9L in the 1995 Ram.

On the "tow truck" front, I'm honestly a little undecided what direction I want to go with that. The 2500 pulled everything I wanted it to, as does the Chevy 2500 I have access to, but both of them are/were gas burners. I don't think I need a 3500 dually (or really the 3500 in general) as I'm not really towing anything THAT heavy (and if I were it needs to be gooseneck/fifth wheel and the dually would be best for the better stability).

That's why I was thinking a 2500 is best, it gives me a "best of both worlds" kind of middle ground. Decent towing but not too harsh of a ride when unloaded. The problem is I can't find many 2500's at all, at least not in my price range (trying to keep it to about 13K-14K or so) but I'm always looking.

Time wise, I'm not quite ready to do it just yet. I've got a few days at least because we're waiting on a tax return to do the down payment (which might be here anytime between today and the 11th). I don't want to settle on anything I'm going to be unhappy with which is why I've come seeking opinions. Sure no one here can tell me what I will and won't be happy with but you can help steer me in the right direction

MooJohn
join:2005-12-18
Milledgeville, GA

MooJohn to JoelC707

Member

to JoelC707
The Hemi will tow fine but it needs revs to do it, and that costs mpg. Come to think of it, the Hemi pretty much guzzles gas all the time

I also sold my 03 Ram 4x4 for financial reasons. It was just getting started @ 70k miles too. It had zero mechanical issues for the 5+ years I owned it and never lacked in the power department. I made several 700+ mile tows (only one car though) and it was easy. The pre-wired trailer brake install took literally seconds. My truck was a Laramie so all the options were present.

The 2500 is probably the best choice for how you want to use the truck. It's never bad to have more capability than you need. The Cummins will get better mpg than the Hemi. I do think the 2500 is just too much truck for the 5.7 Hemi to lug around. A bigger tow vehicle makes a more stable platform for towing too -- less "tail wagging the dog."

I'm surprised that the inclusion of the 6.4 Hemi into the new 2014 trucks hasn't made more press. That means the same engine could be put into the 1500 which would make one hell of a half ton -- take that, Denali!
JoelC707
Premium Member
join:2002-07-09
Lanett, AL

JoelC707

Premium Member

I noticed that too while searching for trucks. I was like "woah they finally put the big hemi where it needs to go" and then I realized I hadn't really heard much about it which seemed kinda strange. You'd think that info would be something they'd want to push since many people are sketchy about the diesels anyway (either just don't like them or they don't want to pay the higher fuel prices).

I'm really wondering if I should aim for two trucks honestly. One now for passenger comfort and reliable transport (more so than the 1992 Dakota in my other thread lol) with occasional towing and a different truck later on for heavy towing. I know it'd be better to have one truck that can do both but I'm honestly not (yet) seeing a 2500 that fits my criteria.

I'm searching auto trader, 100 miles from my location (which gets me into Atlanta's market), 2003+ and $15K tops. I've found 8 listings. The newest is a 2006 but the only one with a diesel that I can drive (still learning a manual) is a 2004: »www.autotrader.com/cars- ··· 67&Log=0. It's at the upper limit of my price range but might be doable. The rest listed are Hemi based or a stick shift. I'm also not too fond of the interior of that year truck, I like the dash of the 2006+ better honestly.

Looking into the 3500's, I see 7 within the same criteria. Most are dually but not all, and most are diesel. Aside from the one I already listed in the OP, the only 3500 that might fit the bill is this one: »www.autotrader.com/cars- ··· 95&Log=0 but I'm leery of the mileage on it. I know diesels can go many thousands of miles better than a gas burner but that's a lot. Or am I worrying over nothing there? I do like that one and I know it'd pull anything I want (and has the 6.7L), plus it's cheaper than all the others.

The only other 3500's that I haven't listed already are one that has 12 CEL codes listed (no thanks), and one from a private seller (can't do, need financing). Off to craigslist.
mj3431
join:2003-04-21
STL, MO

mj3431

Member

I don't think the mileage on the diesel is what you need to worry about. The mileage on the rest of the chassis is what would concern me most of the time.

I wouldn't even consider purchasing a truck with a few scratches and dents (like the front bumper on the 3500) because it means the owner didn't care enough about taking care of the vehicle to get it fixed, regardless of how it got that way.

Be patient and one will come along that fits you perfectly. Yes, the 2500 Hemi trucks are hard to come by but that only means that the people that own them like them enough to keep them, which typically says a lot about the vehicle.

Oh and the key style changed with the major redesign which was 09 on the 1/2 tons and '10 on the heavy duty models.
JoelC707
Premium Member
join:2002-07-09
Lanett, AL

JoelC707

Premium Member

Good point, just because the engine can take that kind of mileage doesn't mean the transmission or axles and related components can. I could be in for major repairs with that truck and I don't like that idea.

I do have bad news though, I talked with the car lot of the 2009 listed in the OP (or rather my fiance did as she is the one with the income to do this) and they want more down than we can afford and more per month than we can afford unless she can bring a co-signer. Her credit isn't that good but it isn't as bad as mine is and that place supposedly specialized in getting bad credit people financed. That one is probably out then.

I searched Craigslist and didn't see anything worth reporting. We've also been to JD Byrider and are basically approved for anything we want (we have a connection with the manager at the one in Opelika) but the downside is they don't have any inventory. The snow in Atlanta last week messed them up in getting new stock in. They have a quad cab Hemi truck (might be a 2500 even) but they said it has engine issues and they are expecting to have to do a whole rebuild on it and are considering just auctioning it off (not sure I'd want it knowing that).

I'm still looking but I'm thinking I may have to wait and see what comes along. This is a good time and bad time to buy a vehicle. It's tax time and people are using their refunds for down payments (we are) so that means a lot of car lots are getting vehicles in, but that also means we might not be able to find the ideal vehicle just yet as it may have been snatched up elsewhere.

I know it's still a half ton and it's engine isn't as beefy as the Hemi but can I get opinions on this one please: »www.opelikachryslerjeepd ··· 8c23.htm

linicx
Caveat Emptor
Premium Member
join:2002-12-03
United State

linicx

Premium Member

It is too bad I didn't know you when I sold my 5.7 fully loaded crew cab with 35,000 miles, 4 ports, two drink racks, locked tailgate, power seats, door windows, security, and mirrors, etc. I could pull 10000# up a 9 degree Texas hill no issue. Mountains, desert, city traffic mileage was a smooth ride around 22mpg on the highway. I could nurse 300 miles out of a tank if the tailgate was down, the wind was blowing kindly, and I wasn't towing.

I had a Ram, but not Hemi. The transmission failed at !!,000 and beginning to fail at 25,000. I traded it for the F-150, had it for 8 years and put 15k on it. I traded down for a 50,000 mile Jeep GC. I have worse mileage and a noise I can't pin down that is most likely in the transfer case or rear end. I should have kept the truck. It was one of the more dependable vehicles I ever owned. .

Stonehawk
Service with a smile
Premium Member
join:2001-05-17
Madison, WI

Stonehawk to JoelC707

Premium Member

to JoelC707
Another place to check for nice used trucks would be www.lenzauto.com

I have bought 2 vehicles there and they will deliver anywhere in the US. Great group of guys up there, and they generally have very high quality used trucks (400+).

Bought my 08 Dodge 1500 there in 08, with 21K miles, currently sitting at 110k, and I couldnt be happier with them.

Jerry
JoelC707
Premium Member
join:2002-07-09
Lanett, AL

JoelC707

Premium Member

Thanks for the link. I looked over their inventory and they certainly have a lot to offer. Unfortunately everything I saw was probably out of my price range.

That said, I did end up getting a vehicle. It's not 100% what I wanted but it serves my needs for now. Going on the assumption that I have other vehicles available that can tow, I decided to hold off on a moderately heavy tow capable vehicle until later (if at all, may just use my future 3/4 - 1 ton truck for all towing).

What I got was a 2006 Dodge Durango. It has good seating capacity (which was ideal) as well as decent cargo capacity (can't put a sheet of plywood in it but I can carry most things). Enclosed cargo capacity is nice because sometimes I haul things I don't want to get wet. Yeah, a cover/cap would solve that as well with a truck but this works too.

The only thing that would make this vehicle better would be if it had a V8 (ideally the hemi) and had the tow package on it. It's got the V6 and no tow package. The tow package I could handle myself (though it won't have the additional trans cooler so I wouldn't tow anything heavy with it anyway) and the V6 gets surprisingly good mileage (first tank was 19.19 MPG with a lot of highway driving, second tank is looking closer to 15 MPG with mostly city driving).
HarryH3
Premium Member
join:2005-02-21

HarryH3

Premium Member

Adding your own trans cooler is trivial. I add one to all my trucks and consider it $50 well spent. Just make sure to mount it properly. Those tie-wrap-through-the-radiator things can eventually vibrate enough to wear a hole in a radiator tube.
JoelC707
Premium Member
join:2002-07-09
Lanett, AL

JoelC707

Premium Member

No way in hell would I use tie wraps to mount something as vital as a trans cooler (or any other critical component) but thanks for the warning. I've got gobs of nuts and bolts, I'm sure I can find a more proper way to mount one. I didn't consider an aftermarket trans cooler. Given the V6 usually comes with the "weaker" transmission if I proceed with adding the tow package to it I'll almost certainly add the trans cooler then. Cheap insurance.