Looking to buy a Diesel and would like your opinion

[MT. CAT]

Love the video. I own 01 Dodge Cummins 5.9. Truck shakes and rattles your brains out during big hills but cruises nice, quite and smooth on the freeway. Cummins is proven power and reliability. 98-02 has ZERO EMISSION controls. I removed the muffler and resonator and now can see 20mpg. I bought my truck to work not because it has a nice smooth ride to get groceries or has the best looks. My buddies 2009 Ford cant even get 13mpg. Same truck, same trip towing loaded 18' toyhauler I got 15mpg he got 8. You would think 8 more years of technology would equal some fuel economy. Wont even speak of Chevy, the use an independent front suspension on a truck that weighs 3.5 tons empty no thank you. If the had a solid front axle I would consider them over Ford. Lastly look at all the motors that are run on industrial standby generators. There all CUMMINS for one simple reason RELIABILITY.

[joe hunter]

It's all about how you take care of them !! but I will say the Ford 6.0 was junk !! My bros 02 7.3 F350 was bought brand new has 240,000 something miles on it and has been in the Ford shop 1 time in 11 years and that was for a cam pos. sensor recall about 30 minutes work for free. We put greasable ball joints in it about 5 years ago, couple sets of glow plugs, 1 serpentine belt, new set of 4x4 lock out hubs , the factory 4x4 on the fly hubs.... if you don't use them all the time freeze up and an altenator . It gets 20 mpg empty .

 

With a diesel you have to change the fuel filter on a regular basis, air filter, oil and filter , drain the water from the filter, change the trans oil regularly.....Most people with cars NEVER change the fuel filter or the trans oil on their vehicle ....so it doesn't matter what you buy you just have to do the maintenance!!

 

If they put a Caterpillar motor in a pickup truck there wouldn't even be a close second to that motor !! We have a few Peterbilt's that have over a million miles on them all with reg. maint. and Rotella T oil.

[ZJARCHER]

I'm a hardcore Cummins guy. I've owned 4. 1 12v, 1 24v and two common rails. Sold the 12v with 338k harddd miles on it. Sold the 24v with 301k. Rolled the first common rail and building the 05 as we speak. I've got 117k miles on it, about 40k of those in the dirt (not your nice dirt road, AZ desert, forest, and baja miles) I've replaced the steering box 4 times and changed the fluids. Everything else has been aftermarket to make it go fast in rough the dirt. Powerstrokes are a joke, with the 7.3 an exception. And Duramaxs are junk imo. Failures left and right, injectors, turbos, sensors, etc. Plus I hate ifs issues like wheel bearings, tie rods, etc... That those trucks are known for. My buddy has a company work truck (07 cummins) with over 430k TOWINGo HEAVY miles, and yes, its an auto. The original auto. Take care of them and dont try to throw crazy power at them, and theyll take care of you.

 

Interiors-Ford has em all beat.

 

I get 19-23 mpg on 35s. The other two brands will get just over half that in a 4x4 with 35s. Even towing heavy, ill get 13-17. Again, the psd and duramax will get half that when loaded.

[reganranch]

ZJarcher your a member on CF too right? I'm active in the AZ section a lot my forum name is regandiesel on CF I'm the guy with the 96 F350 24V conversion. Do you ever go to any of the west or east valley meets?

[ZJARCHER]

Yessir sure am. I love your truck man! Things sweet! I haven't gone to one in a long time but a few of my buddies went to the last one, ill probably come out to a west valley meet or two soon!

[scoutm]

For the guys with the newer diesels...what's your take onthe Diesel Exhaust Fluid? How often to you have to fill it up? Where are you getting it and at what cost?

[cramerhunts]

For the guys with the newer diesels...what's your take onthe Diesel Exhaust Fluid? How often to you have to fill it up? Where are you getting it and at what cost?

 

Larry,

It doesn't bother me at all. I fill it up every other service.I pick it up at Napa or Auto Zone and it typically runs me around $15 for 2.5 gallons.