Buying First Diesel

Hey everyone, I am looking into buying my first diesel truck. I have been researching all three of the full size trucks and was wondering what truck is best? It does not matter what company makes the truck or so forth, I am simply looking for the best truck out there. What truck is the fastest, has the best mpg, best towing, most reliable, easiest to modify with performance part, and so on. The truck would be used for light towing, off-roading, speed, and daily driving. Basically what is the perfect diesel truck to buy and build for under 30,000. Thank you  

For 30 grand, you're looking for something in the '03 through '06 year range.

Since you're new to diesel lets use your criteria .......

Fastest Truck
There are trucks out there that will run high 10's in the quarter mile, so it really depends on what you do to the truck.

Best MPG
This depends on gearing and year model.  Chevy's are geared for road use (3.54 rears) unlike the Dodge's and Ford's which come setup more for towing (3.73 rears) on a regular basis.  All 3 trucks should come in the high teens or low 20's when it comes to MPG.

Best Towing
This will be Ford and Dodge.  Chevy doesn't gear their trucks for towing so they come in a very distant third.  The exception to this would be a Chevy that someone else or the factory setup for towing when it was purchased new as an option.

Most Reliable
The Cummins in the Dodge is rated for almost half a million miles before needing a rebuild, while Ford is around 350,000 - 400,000 and Chevy is around 350,000.  Most PowerStrokes in the 2003 - 2005 years had lots of problems with injectors so for your first diesel I'd pass on them.

Easiest To Mod
Here you can go with any of the trucks, but the Dodge/Cummins combo seems to be able to do this the easiest.

Your best bet would be to get behind the wheel of each of these and test drive one so you can get the feel of the insides and what it's like to drive.  This way you can check for blind spots and see how it handles at speed.





Kris  
2006 Dodge Ram 2500 QC 5.9L - No Mods Yet
2008 Dodge Ram 3500 QC 6.7L - Titan Fuel Tank Owner

the duramax is one of the best for towing and they also last for way longer than the powerstroke. The allison transmission will last forever and help u tow more with 6 gears instead of 5 like the torqshift. and if you buy a powerstroke in 03-06 you will get the 6.0 which is one of the most promlematic engines. If i were u i would go with the duramax.

The dodges are also good with the cummins engine. but if you buy one go with the 5.9 they are a lot better. they don't have the emissions crap that they have on the 6.7, but if you get the dpf delete kit it will almost be as good as the 5.9

Anyways good luck  

Thank you both for the information. I have heard many rumors good and bad about all three truck companies. So far I seem to be leaning towards and 03-06 cummins due to the reliable engine and power. If I do get a truck like this what are some of the first performance upgrades I should get for it? This can include, programmers, injectors, intakes, exhausts, and so forth. What will be the best bang for my buck and really show a difference. Again I would like to thank you for the information. It is very much appreciated.  

If you do get a Dodge make sure you get a 6 speed and not an automatic  
"If you can't get it a cummin, try strokin it."

Yeah I am currently looking at an 05 long bed with 6 speed.  

Only 4 posts on the forum so I'll go easy on you ..... better yet, no I won't because it looks like you're off your meds and need a good dose of reality.

Keep in mind the ONLY year models we're talking about are the 2003 through 2006.  The others don't apply as it looks like DTB1 wants a good used truck.  I can't blame him since right now it would be a good time to get a fantastic deal on a diesel pickup.



From Digity17 .....
U are full of crap! the duramax is one of the best for towing and they also last for way longer than the powerstroke.


Every Duramax that hasn't had the optional gear ratio done to it will run 3.54's as this is standard equipment.  Most owners won't buy this options because it's an additional expense, takes it longer to get from the factory, and kills the fuel economy and resale value because future owners will know you needed it to tow stuff.  With 3.54 rears this means the truck won't tow the same amount that trucks with 3.73's will tow, just like 3.73's won't tow what 4.11's can tow.  Since Dodge and Ford come standard with 3.73's and Chevy comes standard with 3.54's, its obvious which will tow more, and tow it better.  If you don't believe me, simply contact your local dealers about the standard equipment options and tow ratings for the year models we're discussing.

Now, for engine life the Duramax is better than the PowerStoke for the years that we're discussing.  It might be a shorter time between rebuilds but at least the engine runs.  Just for reference, for Chevy it's 280,000 to 350,000 miles while the Ford claims 350,000 - 380,000 miles, and the Cummins takes the cake with it nearing 500,000 miles.



From Digity17 .....
The allison transmission will last forever and help u tow more with 6 gears instead of 5 like the torqshift. and if you buy a powerstroke in 03-06 you will get the 6.0 which is one of the most promlematic engines. If i were u i would go with the duramax.


This is the biggest misconception I've seen.  Having an extra gear in the Allison doesn't mean it will tow more than the TorqShift tranny.  Towing is based (in part) on your gear ratio in the rear end (see my explanation above).  On the Ford and Dodge, the gear ratio is good for both towing and regular highway use but the gear ratio in the Chevy kills the towing ability.  Chevy's ratio is made more for highway use instead of towing, and therefore the benefit is increased mileage.  The extra gear on the Allison is used to help compensate for the 3.54 gear ratio.




From Digity17 .....
The dodges are also good with the cummins engine. but if you buy one go with the 5.9 they are a lot better. they don't have the emissions crap that they have on the 6.7, but if you get the dpf delete kit it will almost be as good as the 5.9


Did the models for '03 through the '06 have a 6.7 Cummins?  The only diesel option for Dodge during this year range is the 5.9 Cummins so this means you're
1.) misinformed,
2.) you totally have no clue, or
3.) you never really read the post on what DTB1 is looking for.

Maybe you need to slow down and really read the original post with an open mind ....



Kris  
2006 Dodge Ram 2500 QC 5.9L - No Mods Yet
2008 Dodge Ram 3500 QC 6.7L - Titan Fuel Tank Owner

i tow for a living i have ran thru 6 dodges and had to lease a duramax for 6 months. the duramax was tough for the 6 months that i had it but it didnt get the mileage never saw above 13 without a trailer and never above 10 with an empty trailer. my dodges have never gotten less then 14 without a trailer all have been 4x4drw. and always get 10.5 with the 40 ft gooseneck and no less then 5mpg with a huge load and headwind. the ctd is by far the best diesel out there that fits a wide quriteria of needs for someone  
I burn more diesel and run more miles in a week the most of you people do in a month. ctds that have been used 97 3500, 98.5 3500, 98.5 3500,01 3500, 03 3500. those that are being used 06 3500, 07 3500. and yea these trucks earn their living

So then an 05 2500 6 speed long bed would be in the right year range with the best engine correct? Are there any common problems I should look out for when getting a used Dodge? Anything that would really jump out and say dont buy me?  

Could you post some details on the truck like it's mileage, if it's had all the maintenance done to it (30k, 60k, 90k, etc.), its general condition and how much weight you're going to tow?  Also, are you going to use the Class IV hitch or use a fifth wheel?



Kris  
2006 Dodge Ram 2500 QC 5.9L - No Mods Yet
2008 Dodge Ram 3500 QC 6.7L - Titan Fuel Tank Owner

If you're doing light towing the the gearing shouldn't matter, 4:10 or 4:56 are great for towing but if it's light then you'll be fine with 3:73, many people (like my grandfather) tow campers with their duramax with a 3:73, the Ford 6.0 is a terrible engine. Stay away from a 6.7 cummins. Basically you'll be fine with a duramax or cummins. The argument will never end with cummins vs duramax. Duramax parts are more expensive but you are getting your moneys worth. Cummins are cheaper and commonly easy to work on.  My grandfather's 07.5 duramax tows a camper, boat, and horse trailer with no poblem, its geared 3:73, they're not small but not huge. As for mpg he gets 17-18 in the city and 22 on the hwy. Towing on the highway he gets 12-13. If you really wan't something with a lot of power get a 1994-98 cummins 12 valve. Before this debate continues I will say the transmission sucks for 94-01.  

The truck has had all current maintenance done. This is what the guy wrote about the truck and I am planning on checking it out this weekend

2500 dodge ram 4x4 diesel long bed, 63000 mi, black cloth interior, 6 spd, chip, gauges, intake, exhaust, 4in lift, poly bushing kit, custom headach rack and aluminum toolbox, 18in rock stars, 70% tred 35in kuhmo mts

From the pictures it looks like it hasn't been buried in mud or anything but still want to make sure it wont die on me 30 miles down the road or in 150,000 miles. I plan on towing light stuff like a single horse trailer and a couple bikes or a small boat. And I don't mind paying the money to re-gear the truck. I have some hook ups and re-geared an older chevy 1500 with 4.88 (more for offroading and crawling purposes but not terrible MPG)  

Dodge Ram Cummins Diesel is the one you want.
I get 20 MPG all day long. 26 MPG on the hiway.
4x4, Auto ,3.54 gears.#8 TST fuel plate. 4" exhaust, no cat.
265-75-16 E tires running 80 PSI.

94-98.5   12V Cummins is a MEDIUM DUTY ENGINE.

ford and chevy are light duty engines.  

the only thing is if it is chiped the injectors mite give you a problem later on. i pull over 26k with my stock truck with 3:73's and never had any problems. i would have to call bs on the 07.5 dmax getting that due to the fact the one i had that was a 7.5 never got over 14 empty. change the fuel filter at about every 10k and it will be ok  
I burn more diesel and run more miles in a week the most of you people do in a month. ctds that have been used 97 3500, 98.5 3500, 98.5 3500,01 3500, 03 3500. those that are being used 06 3500, 07 3500. and yea these trucks earn their living

id have to go with the duramax, mainly because its a chevy.

ive got an 05 2500 myself just ticked 423k miles.

cummins is a decent diesel in all but look what it comes in... a big peice of DODGE crap. most people will tell you that dodges have always been undependable peices of junk... and thats because they are. My Tranny shop see's about 3 to 1 dodges vs chevys and fords. With the chevy your gonna get a good looking truck, dependability, and the most power with 365 hp 660 lbs of torque stock. dont let the dodge fans try to tell you that their torque band is better because its lower rpms.... the chevy can get 2k higher rpms than the dodge.

you also get an Allison six speed with the chevy... ford and dodge dont offer that.
and for the idiot thats talkin about the gears.... who doesnt get the towin package for the 4.11's