I'm in the market for a new truck and here are my choices:

Dodge Ram 1500 Megacab, 4wd, Hemi

or

Dodge Ram 2500 Megacab, 4wd, Cummins

I plan on lifting it 4" and it will be a daily driver (40 miles round trip, mostly highway). I just moved to Virginia Beach this past spring and one of the reasons I'm getting it is because my road floods bad during the heavy rains. I'm not going to be towing anything extreme, but because I'm lifting it and throwing larger tires I'm thinking I'll get better gas mileage with the diesel than the Hemi. I am in VA so I don't expect to have any problems with cold starts and I have a BP that sells diesel just down the road from me.

I currently own a 2003 F-150 King Ranch, and though I love the truck, I've been stuck in my neighborhood twice due to heavy rains. I want something that will get me out if I have an emergency.

Any and all comments good/bad are most welcomed.

Thanks!

 

I'd go with the Cummins if ya got the $$.. I agree with the VA part because I was stationed there for 3 years.

 

Money is not an option as far as the cost of the vehicle.

What I do consider is economy, manitenance costs, and dependability.

After I put on a 4"/4.5" lift, I'm sure the diesel will keep on pluggin like it were stock. But how much of a difference will there be between that and if I lifted the Hemi?

I used to have a Silverado 4wd with a 4" lift and 35" tires. I blew 3 trannys on it just from driving. The 700R4 is the reason why I will NEVER own a Chevy again.

Ok, maintenance costs...from what I've read, the Cummins will require more maintenance, but will run like a champ for a looooong time. But how much maintenance is needed for it?

Thanks!

 

Lets see no spark plugs & wires to buy, 7500+ mile oil changes, Better MPG, tows anything you want. Nothing beats the sound & smell of a Cummins going down the road.

The best thing of owning a CTD is you can fill a smart a@@ persons car with a big black cloud of smoke[sm=gears.gif][sm=badbadbad.gif]

 

How long do glow plugs last? I'll admit, CTD have a very distinct sound, and I can only imagine what they sound like with an aftermarket exhaust kit.

Though from what I've been reading, it seems like the Hemi and CTD's gas mileage are roughly the same...18mpg? But my question still, is what would be the difference after I install a 4" lift? Anyone seen the results, good or bad?

 

My 2 sense worth -- sorry for the pun.

My last Ram was a 2500 Hemi QC LB 4x4 and the best mileage I could get was 14+, and that was on the road, 65mph towing nothing and no hills. My current is 2500 Cummins QC LB 4x4, and I really enjoy the mileage - 18 average. As for the cold, if it gets down below 10, I can plug it in whereas the Hemi would start in -10 degree weather without being plugged in. The Hemi was a great truck with lots of horsepower, the Cummins is a great truck with lots of torque and almost the same hp. I would go with the Cummins for the torque, as it sounds like that will work better in your case. Good luck.

 

The Cummins engine is more advanced so it does not use worthless Glow Plugs like a PSD or Duramax. The CTD has a grid heater so you don't have to worry about a glow plug melting and or tip breaking off requireing you to spend $$$ to remove the head to get it out or the damage it could cause.

As for the lift do you plan on putting on big tires or just a 4 inch lift? if you do both then yes you will lose some fuel mileage.

Also why not come over to the Dodge Cummins Diesel Fourm for a lot more Information on the CTD. The link is at the top of the main Dodge Ram page just below the 3rd Gen link.

FYI, A CTD has Fuel mileage, the Hemi has gas mileage.

 

MTRam,
One of the things I've been reading is how CTD drivers are getting avg 18mpg. I just filled up my F150 and calculated it at 15.7...luckily gas prices are going down.

DBLR,
Thanks for letting me know about the glow plugs. As far as the lift goes, I plan on putting 4.5" and throwing on 33" tires. Nothing extreme, just enough to fill the wheel well and get me some added height. I'll keep the tires as narrow as I can because I'll be doing mostly highway driving, with occasional off-road.

It looks like I'm sold on the CTD...Thanks!

 

The Diesel warming system to improve viscosity, also makes it not too bad in the winter, compared to many other diesels. I think between a Hemi and a Cummins there's really no comparison, a Cummins is really a beautiful machine. No contest here.

 

I totally agree with you about the Cummins...it is a gorgeous machine. I've been reading on the forums to get a feel about how owners are enjoying their rides. One thing I've read about the diesel is the exhaust brake. It seems like a "must have". Or is it a must have for automatics?

The thing I'm not too crazy about with the new Hemis is the MSD. It seems like the motor isn't like it used to be, which is typical...to get better gas mileage, you usually sacrifice performance. Is the new Hemi hard to modify due to the new system?

Is it easy to put mods on a the Cummins?

I saw an article on Speed TV where the guys used a Programmer on a diesel. I was pretty impressed with the results.