I have owned them both. If you are not towing over 10k lbs 2+ times/month at distances greater than 100 miles it would be hard to justify the CTD. I was towing backhoes around with the cummins(>20K lbs), but no longer do that. They are both great motors and I have no complaints about either. My '04 Cummins had 150k when i sold it and the tranny was going. With the right gears in my '09 hemi it does a great job with loads up to 10K like my 5th wheel. I have a friend who has hauled several loads of 7 horses from AZ to MT with his '03 hemi 4.10 gears. He has never had any issues with it pulling that 10K lb load either. Sure the Cummins was built for work and it will take it, however it is a hefty price difference from the Hemi. Fuel cost difference is another problem too.

 

I actually went shopping for a new CTD in '04 when I bought my Hemi. Three different dealers and the best I could do was $17,000 more for the CTD than the Hemi I ended up buying and the 2500 CTD was a SLT and my Hemi was a Laramie!

No way I was spending $17,000 more on a truck that only stickered for $9000 more, so I got the 1500. All three dealers had that BS second sticker on it with $2000 added for "adjusted market value" on the CTDs, combined with rebates on the 1500s that the 2500s didn't have and the amount the dealer was willing to take off a 1500 that they wouldn't budge on a 2500 made that $9000 truck actually cost $17,000 more.

Hell, I bought the new Hemi and a little over a year later bought a mint Grand Cherokee to use as a daily driver and still had $6000 less in both of them than I would have had to spend for just the CTD. Had I NEEDED a diesel it would have been one thing, but I only WANTED one, so I couldn't justify it.

Now, with the economy so bad, they are willing to cut deals on diesels that they weren't willing to do in the spring of '04...

 

Well I'm not towing heavy loads a lot out of this truck. It will prob never see a 5th wheel or goose neck trailer as long as I have it. Its just my truck keeps breaking down on me and needs about 3k which I'm not about to go dumping into the truck. The diesel is more of a want than a 100% I must have this motor. Ever since I was little I always wanted that diesel. I love my dads diesel when he had his years back.

The extended cab on the new truck would be nice as well, would be nice not to have the dog on my lap while im trying to drive with 1 other person in the truck. Yea sure diesel cost are about 3.60 a gallon where gas is about 3.25 a gallon but I will get better than 8 everyday driving it.

Its still up in the air... I'm about to go test drive one I have been fighting with my self over.

 

Problem I've seen around here is that all the 5.9 CTDs are high mileage or in pretty poor shape already. I've even seen a couple '07s out there with 130k miles on them (not terrible for a diesel, but that means everything else in the truck (tranny, front end, etc.) is gonna need to be replaced soon. And even those '07s had really f*cked up beds. It's like diesel owners have a taboo when it comes to bed liners.

I don't really trust the 6.7 yet. I know too many people who are at the dealership when they pop an emissions CEL and the truck goes into limp mode. I don't think anybody (Furd, GM or Dodge) has the emissions down with diesel engines yet.

If you can happen to find a 5.9 with relatively low mileage and in real good shape for the right money, jump on it. But I wouldn't turn away from a killer deal on a Hemi either. It will pull up to around 9000 lbs. without much of an issue (except the gas it burns to do it) and maintenance costs are much lower than a diesel.

 

I hear you on the high miles some of the guys want 20k on a stock truck with 120k on the ticker. I was loooking at the 3rd gen cummins and they are event worse. For some reason truck up here cost a lot more than they really should.

The truck I'm going to look at fits well with in my price range thats why I'm looking at it. Under 20k is my range. 4 doors would be nice but its gotta be a short bed with plowing.

 

I see that you mentioned plowing. You certainly need to get a 2500 in that case. I personally find it hard to justify buying a CTD if you aren't either towing heavy loads or useing the truck commercially. So I think that you woild be happy with the Hemi in a 2500.

 

the hemi is a great motor 80000 miles not a thing has gone wrong i love my truck ill keep buying hemis they are ver reliable

 

Well I test drove the truck today seemed good gonna go back next weekend with a diesel friend who went to school for it and see what he says.

 

I'm not sure how being jacked qualifies your friend as an engine expert...

 

He's not he just went to school for it and knows more than I do about diesel motors so its not gonna hurt to have someone who knows there with me.