bad6as

iTrader: (17)

I'm looking in to getting a deisel truck in the spring I like all 3 trucks, the f-250, ram 2500 and the 2500 hd.
Looking in the mid 2000 year range.

Towing aprox 9k lbs. Thoughts?

itsslow98

iTrader: (18)

IMO 2500hd>Ram>F250

You really should get a pre 2005, cause they really put a ton more emissions control on them after a certain year.

BTW Duramax diesel+Allison trans ftw.

josh2002-ws6

iTrader: (98)

What he said, I am looking to get a Duramax, somewhere around 2002 to 2004.

Mike Morris

iTrader: (55)

2006/early 2007 LBZ Dmax. Best truck period.

Early Dmaxs should be avoided(LB7)-bad injectors and an expensive fix(GM extended the recall due to this). LLY not bad(05) and LMM(08-10) basically an LBZ with an updated turbo and all the emmisions crap. 06 first year of the 6 speed Allison which is stronger than the previous year 5 speed.

Emissions came in 07 Diesels
Cummins need trans mods and converters when towed with an auto. Good motor-rest of the truck is trash.
Ps are unreliable-tons of recalls,egr and cooler trash,blown HG,turbo and trans is junk. 6.7 is unproven. Three different motors from 03-09 should tell you something. Ford got rid of the Navistar(6.0-03-07,6.4 08-09) due to warranty costs.

IDriveChevy

iTrader: (5)

I like fords. I know a few guys with fast f250's

bills98ta

iTrader: (14)

Just traded off my 06 Dodge, with 82k miles, that was on it's 3'rd transmission, for a Duramax !!! Didn't trust the Dodge any more...

Need_a_Camaro

iTrader: (27)

I have an 06 Duramax Dually, and love it. Only thing you gotta watch out for if you're gonna tow heavy is the torque converter. Mine is on it's way out with only 55k miles. I pull about 6-7 tons with my concession trailer. The truck has plenty of power to pull it, the converter just doesnt like it.

dschmittie1

iTrader: (64)

Get an 04.5 - 06 DMax. Stay away from the 04 and older just due to injector issues. 07 got all the emission crap.

98hardtopSS

agreed with 04-06 dmax but goodluck finding a good deal on one. i was looking for a low mileage one for months i just couldnt find what i wanted for under 30 grand. at that point i went all out with the new bodystyle denali 6.2 gas 403 hp. this truck is unbeleivable. i only tow a boat though so my towing needs are not as much as yours. its rated for 8500lbs...

BlackScreaminMachine

iTrader: (17)

Ford had some issues with mid year 2000 trucks, and some where very catastrophic and costly.

I am partial to GM but there are plenty of good Dodges out there as long as all the matience is done and the suspension has not been hammered.

A general thing to look out for is to avoid trucks that have been plowed with. In the long run if the upkeep has not been done, chances are you will be doing it soon.

Need_a_Camaro

iTrader: (27)

Yeah, mine is an LT2, and I paid 37k for the damn thing. Still makes me

1BDHWK

iTrader: (18)

Good info! If you are just looking for a basic towing truck, I would look at the 7.3L Ford's (made up to mid 2003 I think) or the 5.9L 12v Dodge's (made up to mid 1998). Both are on the cheaper side, price wise and very durable.

The newer diesels are just too damn expensive these days. And anything before the emissions were instituted will be better on MPG.

bad6as

iTrader: (17)

Some 05 dmax are like 20k here

Fireball

iTrader: (21)

if you get a dodge, find one with a manual tranny...

I tow my 14K trailer with my 03 ram 3500 with the NV5600 6-speed just fine

C5kid

iTrader: (12)

^^^ agreed. Use my bro's 05 3500 Ram a couple of times and thing is a tank, plus its fun to use the jake-brake

bad6as

iTrader: (17)

I would like an automatic. Want to be around 15k thoe

1BDHWK

iTrader: (18)

I agree with the guys above on the manual tranny with a Dodge. But since you want an auto, the autos actually do well as long as you don't tune the truck. The valve body on the Dodge autos have low line pressure and don't stand up to the added hp and torque of a tune. I've had a '97, '06, and now '07 Dodge diesel. All were autos and all were trouble free with lots of towing. I never tuned any of them either.

I'm not brand specific when it comes to trucks, but I have a love for the inline 6 Cummins.

CamaroSS621

iTrader: (16)

x2 I love my truck. 2004.5 LLY allison. loaded with everything from leather, nav, dvd, ect







tows 10K no problem even lifted and the 22s

JL ws-6

iTrader: (50)

All the issues people have had with Dodge trucks, I want to know what you're doing to them, or not doing.

I've got just a touch under 50K on mine now, NO problems to date.

6.7 with the 6 speed auto and exhaust brake.. you are going to have a hard time beating it. The new pcm program has eliminated 99% of the emmissions problems, and the truck runs great. I do wish it had the 4 mpg that the older 5.9 had, but this one has a solid tranny in it that is not going to give you a problem.


Last time I was at the dealer (yearly I have them go thru it, which is one reason I think I don't have any issues) I asked about what they have seen back... tech looked at me and said that he had only pulled the new 6 speed out twice since they came out with it on the 6.7 motor. He told me that the older 4 speed behind the 5.9 motor, he does one every other week....

His thoughts, were to put the 6 speed in a 5.9 truck... unfortunately the pcm will not work, and there's no way to rig that up.

A pre-06 truck, from any of the makes with no emmissions, and a manual trans will certainly be a good choice, if you can find one that's not hammered.

1BDHWK

iTrader: (18)

That's good to hear about the '07.5 and up 6.7's. I was actually looking at the exact version of mine but a '07.5. I just love the mpg from the 5.9's. I don't see my 4 spd auto going south any time soon, but I will probably have it gone through at about 100k just to feel better about long distance traveling. I was also pretty familiar with the 5.9's when I was looking to get another one, so that made the decision even easier.

As long as the truck has not been modded to hell and jacked up with a big lift, just about all of the brands are pretty durable.