I am in the market for a 4WD four door pickup with a diesel engine and an automatic transmission. I will occasionally haul a 24' trailer which may weigh up to 9000 pounds in hilly Arkansas and Oklahoma but most of the time it will be used for general pickup use on normal roads. Occasionally it will be used in muddy fields on my farm. I don't think a 1500 will suit me so I am thinking a 2500 or 3500 is going to be required. Since there is a sizeable price difference in the two, I am looking for suggestions in that regard. Also I would like your opinion concerning which engine/trans combination I should look for and should I buy new or used. I am retired so the vehicle will not be driven daily to work. I expect I will put less than 10,000 miles a year on it and probably more like 5000. This will be my first diesel. Thank you.

My suggestion:
Go to the dealer ask them for a SRW Laramie longhorn megacab, with a cummins an automatic and 4x4
Pick your favorite color
Sign on the dotted line
Enjoy your new truck

for a 9,000lb. trailer you should be able to get by with a 2500 with the cummins, probably an slt model...nothin fancy but not the most basic either, cab size will depend on how many people are with you

You left out the part about selling your first born to pay for it. Great truck, insane price to tow 9K lbs.

If it were me, I'd be taking a look around for some 2010 and up used 2500 crew cabs. Let someone else take the massive depreciation hit.

Go get a 2nd Gen Cummins with manual transmission and you're done.

Except that he specifically said he wanted a 4 door with an automatic

CUMMINS 2500 all the way, just take a big fat wallet with you if you buy a new one.

Thanks for the suggestions. As this will probably be the last truck I ever buy I am leaning toward a new 2013 2500 6.7L with manual transmission and 4WD or a very low mileage 2011/12.

Tis true.

Just thinking on all the money he'd save to not get a 4dr crapomatic....

Spoken like someone who has not driven a modern automatic. If he really wanted to save money he could buy a geo metro - and that wouldn't meet his requirements either