Hi there, I am new to this forum. I have been for some time toying with the idea of getting into a diesel truck. I have right now an 04 Tundra, but I tow a trailer from time to time and am getting bored with 30 mile an hour uphill driving. So my questions are many and some may beg for brand bashing but I am just trying to gather some unbiased info. So... I know there was some emissions changes with the 07 and above so what may be the pros and cons between the 06 and 08 truck? I want to get into the 2500 4x4 world here. What, if any, are the differences in MPG with the new emission system vs the old system? I have heard transmission woes, what may those be? Now here's where you all jump all over me, but I gotta ask...the GMC sierra 2500 would be another option...give it a second...easy...deep breath...I am not coming into this as a devoted dodge guy or chevy guy...if the truth be known I have an 83 vw vanagon with 350,000 miles on her so that is where my heart is! But anyway what may be the monday morning quaterback thoughts on the differences, pros and cons between the two makes?

Thanks, I know I will get some great feedback!

 

the break for the emmisions is 07.5 also the engine size is different, 6.7 for the 07.5+ w/emmisions and a 5.9 for the 07.5 and older, the 5.9 does way better than the 6.7 when it comes to mpg's, auto transmissions all have their problems no matter what make, all just kind of how they are treated, you probably wont find any positive info here on the isuzu (duramax), but my input on it... well, had one, and at 70k miles it had over $50,000 in warrenty work done to it, and lots of hours sitting on the side of the road, so im sure you can figure out my opinion on them

 

I just traded my 04 Chevy Z71 for an 07 3500 Dodge with the 6.7. My truck is an auto, 4x4, single cab flatbed. My boss has an 07 GMC 3500 Dmax 2 wheel drive auto and mine will blow his away. Its my first diesel and I'm impressed so far. Never thought I would buy a Dodge over a GM but like I said the difference is definitely easy to feel. Hope that helps.

 

just bought my 07 2500 2WD back in may. Drove cross country on military move with an empty, but HEAVY 14' enclosed trailer. Up in NC, VA, and TN, it was 8MPG in the mtns and hills. Once i got home to TX, it was up to 11-12MPG. I just bought my 34' triple axle car trailer today and pulled it home at around 50 miles (all 70mph hwy). now, i was getting 19 going to get the trailer (which is about right for highway no load and 15.5ish city on overhead display). also, i've done the calculations manually from time to time, and it's close enough for me to call it right, never more than 1mpg off... but on the way back the lowest i saw was 15.9 (in tx, and it's pretty flat here) granted the computer may have not been fully caught up with the fuel consumption, but... it pulled that trailer like it was nothing. i think the fuel milage problems with the 6.7 are due to the DPF (diesel particulate filter) in the exhaust, but is part of the emissions system and believe it will be mandated in 2010, but the engine brake thats on the 6.7L is AWESOME!!!! cant tell you how much it saves on brakes going down the hwy, interstate, and coming upon little towns and such (keeping in mind some towns/cities do not allow engine brakes usually posted with signs). But overall i LOVE this truck, will see how it pulls up north next week with the 34' when i drive back to VA and it gets fully loaded with the house and drag car... but since i've been in the racing world, i cant stand the ford, to me the ride is SUPER rough loaded and unloaded. chevy/GMC, no matter what, excelent ride all around... the dodge is right in the middle, no load, decent ride little rough, (my father hates it unloaded) but under tow, much smoother and he actually liked it.... but you cant beat the cummins inline 6 IMO, superior torque and power.

 

I researched the big 3 before I bought my 07 quad cab long bed 4x4 with the 5.9 Cummins and a auto trans. Ford was immediately eliminated from the choices once I found out about all the 6.0L problems. I like the Chevy over the Dodge in every area except when it came to the engine. I had asked allot of question about both, and the Cummins seemed to be a more reliable platform. Everybody was saying "medium duty engine". So I looked at pictures of cranks, rods, pistons, valve train, engine blocks, and the Cummins is far more rugged looking than what's inside a Dmax. I was impressed. It LOOKED like the Cummins could handle more abuse than a Dmax. But..... The 06,07 LBZ Dmax has proven to be a pretty rugged engine. I think most people would agree that stock for stock, the Cummins and the Dmax are probably equal in reliability. Now if you want to make 700hp with a stock bottom end, the Cummins is the obvious choice. The Dodge truck itself I was not all that impressed with, but I thought I could live with the things I didn't like. Now, 3 years later, I really don't like driving my truck at all.

When I bought my truck, I like the rear seating, but thought it was a little tight but I can live with it. Now, I hate putting people back there because there's no room. It's to tight for adults on a long trip. And now that my 8 month old is in a rear facing toddler seat. It barely fits. I have to take the head rest off my seat, and have it up all the way. Now i'm cramped. Chevy crew cab has more room. Mega cab was not a option because of the short bed.

Limited slip diff. Wow I thought, I got to have that option. It's a total joke of a diff. I would rather have save the couple hundred bucks for that option. Chevy has a real locker.

Auto transmission. Well i'm not going to say the 48re is a bad transmission. I think most of the people who have problems with them are adding to much power thru a stock trans, and burning it up. But I will say it has to be one of the most INEFFICIENT auto transmissions every put into production. The torque converter stalls out so high in the RPM range that you completely blow past the usable torque of the mighty Cummins engine. I didn't realize how much this was gong to bother me until I drove it for a year or so. Then put a few thousand pounds on a trailer, and it gets much worse. If I keep this truck, I will be putting is a new converter/valve body to fix this problem. I'm not saying a Allison is better or worse, but after I drove one. OMG it was nice.

The payload capacity of the 2500 seems way to low. I don't know why I wanted a 2500. 3500 is the only way to go. I bought a 'HEAVY DUTY' truck, so why did I buy the lightest duty version of a heavy duty truck? I understand that the 3500 just a overload spring on the rear, and you can put in airbags to get the payload up, but that doesn't change the weigh ratings on the vin tag if you get in an accident being overloaded. Chevy has more payload/towing with a comparable truck.

Dodge exterior paint, keep allot of wax on it or it will start peeling someday. I am a auto paint/body man. I'm saying this because I see it all the time. Chevy, not so much.

I would say the frames are stronger, more rigid on a Dodge. Fully boxed front to rear frame rails. As where Chevys are only boxed from the front to the back of the cab. And that's not bad. Saves weight and Chevy has proven it doesn't need to have the rear rails boxed in. All I know is Dodges are a major pain in the a$$ to straighten when hit hard.

Ball joints go out very fast on Dodges. Some in as little as 35000 miles. I don't know why? And saying it's a heavy vehicle is not a excuse. It's totally unacceptable to me. I know Chevy's have tie rod issues, but there is a easy fix for that. There is no easy fix for ball joints.

And I don't care what anybody says. The IFS front end on a Chevy is not as weak as people say. Yes, we have all seen sled pulls where the front end axles break, but MOST people don't use there trucks for that. The Dodge guys say the front end on Chevys are weak because of the IFS, and the Chevy guys say the Dodge front ends are weak because of the ball joints. I say ball joints are going out allot faster on a Dodge than a IFS front end on a Chevy.

I think Dodge does a couple things good, but Chevy does allot more things better. I got all wrapped up in having to have a Cummins, and now I really kick myself in the a$$ for not spending a couple grand more and getting the Dmax. Oh well, i'll probably just fix the transmission, and live with it.

One more thing. I towed a 10000lb toy hauler with my truck 400 miles one directions, then towed that trailer back with my father in laws 06 Dmax. The Chevy pulled that trailer much more effortlessly. I was very impressed. Both trucks are stock. But the Chevy puts out more HP/Torque than the Dodge. Cummins pulled good, the Dmax just pulled a little better. I'm not saying a Dodge is a bad truck. For most people it probably would work out for them fine. All the issues I have with my truck are my own fault by not researching enough and i'm not blamming Dodge for it.

 

And I don't care what anybody says. The IFS front end on a Chevy is not as weak as people say. ha ha ha LOL


I don't pull a sled I pull MY 6000 lb boat out of the water every weekend and home not the far One block... I'm not big on beating the crap out of the truck. When I needed new brake pads I bought GM pads from dealer... so If the IFS is ok Its really not my friend I broke driver side axle once and put a Front end in my 05 2500.. I cant even remember how many of the $90 seals that is for the front axle i've bought... OH and a when i needed a new Heater CORE at 39k HUmmm 39k...

Then lets work our way to the rear end I shattered the pinion and ring gear hummm probly cause from day that i bought the truck their wasn't any oil in the rear end FROM DAY ONE I bought the truck with 7 miles on it to.... think that the truck only lasted less then 1 year... It was a lemon and Chevy didn't do anything about the problems... I'm glad that I have decided that I will never buy another Chevy Again I bought a new vehicle every 4-5 years... If can't buy another dodge it will be a ford I will never ever buy another GM product... I used to be a die hard chevy man never bought anything else but Chevy...

 

Ya I agree. Your 1 guy who has had problems with his Chevy. And you probably know a few other guy's who have had problems to. And since this is a Dodge forum, there are probably 1000 other guy's who all know somebody who has had problems with their Chevy. Now go to a Chevy forum and it will be the complete oposite with everybody knowing somebody who has problems with a Dodge. Let's face it. When somebody come to a vehicle specific forum and ask questions like this guy did, he is never going to get a unbias answer. For every person who has had a front end problem with their Chevy, there are 1000's of people who have drivin 1000's of miles with no issues at all. And the same with Dodge's too. Some ball joints go out in 35000 miles, some might last for 100000+ miles. I know a few people with Chevy's some with well over 100000 miles and have had no problems at all with the front end, or any other part of the truck. But then there are guy's like you, who got a lemon. IT HAPPENS and it sucks for sure.

 

I AM "This Guy" and I did get some good info and it didn't seem as Biased as I was expecting, so thanks. I did know going into this what I could have gotten into. Also I do know that people who are satisfied generally do not chime in but the angry folks sure do!

So This is my next question...I have that Tundra Access Cab. The Rear seat is great for the dog or someone I don't really like. How do you people feel about the quad vs the mega?

Thanks again

 

I have a quad cab and I like it for the most part. I haven't had any adults complain that it is extremely tight back there. I've been back there myself, if its under and hour or 2 it's not too bad. (I'm 6' tall) If I was going across country, I'd definitely want a larger cab. (or be 6" shorter) The rear-facing car seats are an issue if you place them behind the drivers or passengers bucket seats. They fit ok when you put them in the middle of the rear seat. That's what we do when we tote around our friends with kids.

 

I had posted a few threads on here,also into the same situation.I was going to go with a quadcab 2500 because i found 1 i really liked"currently have the hemi MC"But after searching and searching and tossing and turning and all the same thoughts about cabs,well i will not settle for anything less then the 5.9l 2500 MC.I have about 4 dealers keeping their eyes open for me and i search about 2-3 times a day.Since i plan on having the next truck be the 1 for a very long time i am not settling for anything less than what i want.