My wife and I bought a 28' 7,500lb 5th wheel recently and now we have to buy a vehicle to tow it 2-3 times a year for camping trips. 1,000 miles or less. Because the truck will be a third vehicle used for towing the trailer or boat and used maybe 3-4,000 miles a year I'm not looking to spend a lot of cash. Were down to two trucks and I'm looking for a little advise before we buy. Were looking at a 98 Dodge 2500 4X4 extended cab long bed. 5.9L 120K miles Automatic Tranny and appears to be in very nice shape. $6,500.00 or a 2000 Chevy 2500 4X4 extented cab long bed. 6.0L 88K miles automatic tranny and also appears to be in very nice shape. $10,000.00. I've taken both vehicles to my mechanic and a rust proofing garage and both are in fairly good shape for being 10+yrs old. I'd like to know what people think about wich way they'd go and why? We live in the NE US in the snow belt, it will also be used to drive the kids to school by my wife in bad weather. Both vehicles had after market rust proofing and I plan on having it redone.

 

skim threw this post:
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...-problems.html

 

If I was gonna use it just for towing I would go with the Chevy. I dont like chevy at all but the 6.0 is rated at 300hp and 360ftlbs of tourque. And I've drove a 2004 sierra with the 6.0 in it before and it throws you back in the seat. Its my friends parents and they use it for pulling there 5th whell trailer. The 5.9l is rated at 245hp and 335ftlbs. of torque. I also would be scared getting a dodge for towing with there bad history of tranny problems

 

Dad hauls their 35' 5th tandem'd with a 4 place quad trailer up the Big Horns outside of Sheridan, WY 4-8 times a year in his Chevy 2500. It's got the duramax in it, I don't know if that's the 6.0 or not. You'd think it was empty as fast as he blows up the mountain. Granted he's modded it a little, bully dog Unit and performance exhaust. (don't tell anyone, but I'm hoping I'll get that truck when he can no longer drive it. )

I'd like to get a small tow behind but I don't even trust the 5 speed I'm running in my 1500. Unless I can find a feather light.

Oh yeah...go with the Chevy if your gonna be towing.

 

I'm actualy shocked to see all these pro chevy responses on a dodge forum..... I'd go with the 6.0 over the 5.9 myself as well btw....I love my dodge dont get me wrong but the issues mentioned above are real...the 2500 tranny is a bit more heavy duty than the 1500 tranny and if well taken care of they hold up well....just not as well as a chevy tranny generally does it seems...
plus I bet the 6.0 has better mpg to boot..its newer as well with 30k less miles... at 120k the dodge usually needs a tranny rebuild job soon...

 

my old man just bought a 2004 GMC 6.0 2500HD 4x4.......from a 96 dodge 5.2 2wd. he towed his 32' camper (with the dodge) about 5K a year,hauled snowmobiles about 3K, etc. and it was his DD. did it for 7 years. bought it with 21K, and he sold it to my best friend with 118K. Only problems he had was shackles, waterpump, and ball joints. he put a 3 in. add a leaf in the rear, new driveshaft or towing. but it does have a blown plenum....bad....and it still goes great....no deathflash....no tranny issues. well taken care of.



So it all depends on the history, and yes with a dodge you will dump some money into it, but IMO they are worth it.

 

chevy man!!!!!!! i wouldnt buy another dodge in my life unless it had a cummins in it

 

Yeah, I'd buy the Chevy, because one it is a 3/4 ton and the 6.0 will handle that 5th wheel much better than the Dodge. Now, if you have your eves set on a Dodge, I'd look for a 2001 or 2002 with the 5.9 Cummins HO.

 

i used to work part time in a diesel shop saying that, i do know the dodge chassis and axles (besides the factory limited slip) is pretty much bullet proof, but if you dont work the 4x4 hard in the chevy its a very reliable truck, if you start pulling in 4x4 or off roading alot, which it sounds like you wont, you will break the cv joints, the 6.0 will get better mpgs too, and parts are alot cheaper, they were for my old 92 atleast

 

a dodge with the pleneum fix a a trans rebuilt the right way will be a good choice..the 6.0 will get better mpg's in the long run both taken well care of they would both be a decent choice it comes down to what you think or preffer