Test drove a Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Today

[Dargo]

What 1-ton SRW did you have squatting?

If I have 4 of the exact same tires that are on the SRW 1 ton tires sagging a bit with the loads I carry, I'd almost positively blow a rear tire on the interstate before I got very far. They would build up excessive heat and pop. Besides, I've gotten in areas where, believe it or not, some jerks have cut me off and I've had to make extreme evasive moves or extremely hard braking. Having 6 tires leaving marks on the pavement positively gives me more traction than only 4.

I have nothing against SRW 1 ton pickups but they flat out would not do the job for me. Why else would I spend the extra money for the dually setup, more money for tire changes and run with extra weight? It's sort of like a guy using a 1/2 ton who needs a 3/4 or 1 ton; I'd be in that situation with only 2 rear tires. SRW 1 ton pickups fit a nice niche market. I just don't happen to fit in that niche.

 

[Dmace]

One final, unrelated point. If any of you get chance it's a hoot (irony) to try and find the specific weight rating's on Dodge's OWN SITE. With GM and Ford you can find out the GVWR/GCWR/Curb/Payload of all configurations of their 3/4 and one-tons but Dodge seem to hide this information. Even in their 2010 launch articles there was only vague references to MAX ratings.

Dodge make a good truck, my brother's 06 3500SRW has taken us on plenty a great journey and filled in when my truck went down at work. But please Chrysler corp, some transparency would be welcome.

Go to RamTrucks.com
Click on the Body Builders Guide link in the top center of the page
Click on the links for the Year, Model, and Options you want
This will give you a page with all the GVWR, Base Weights, GAWR, Tow Capacities, etc...

All the data you want in order all on the same page (unlike the others). Can't get more transparent than that...

 

[clemsonfor]

I just don't tow enough to justify a second tow vehicle. I wouldn't want to sell off my truck and buy a used truck, especially if I didn't know the owner and the truck's history. I know that financially buying a new vehicle off the lot is a poor investment, but that's what I do and what the wife prefers. I know it may sound weird but I don't mind making payments every month as long as I don't have to fork out any money for expensive repair bills (I keep a vehicle as long as it is under warranty and/or buy extended warranties).

Im late in on this discussion but after bouncing through a couple pages this cought my eye. To each his own but this seems like a crazy and fiscally irresponsible attitude to me. If you have a business thats one thing but to own an 8 year old truck no warrenty and 125K there is nothing wrong with that and that means it is in no way not dependable. You are saying you would rather pay out $500-800 month on a payment vs paying even a $2000/year repair bill? You prlly wont have many if any $3000 repairs on even a 12 year old truck, How many of those $600 payments would it take to pay of a modest $1100 repair bill, not many. I just cannot buy a $30-40K new truck ever never, one i cant afford it and two its crazy to spend that kind of money on something that reduces in value. Im not rich but i make a living, my house is only 125K im not buying a truck every 5 years that approaches 1/3 of my homes value. I guess it takes guys like you buying them new so that i can buy them used.

On s side note i have looked at 10-12 year old Cummins doges. They are still 12K with 200K miles on them, this is crazy. A 9 year old 1/2 ton still is bringing almost 8K, i wont even pay that call me cheap, but i drive old and into the ground before i get rid of it, save the money and spend it on something i care about, which is not really my truck. I have 3 vehicles i drive, a saturn for economy a ranger for light loads and my 1/2 ton chevy for hauling. The ranger was bought for $800 or so 7 years ago. Roof was faded then and now the hood is to, had a scrach/dent from a gaurd rail or something on the passenger side, but i have driven that truck 130K miles in the last 5 years and it now have over 270K on it. I keep the fluids topped off and have oly put a new exhaust manifold on it totally redone the A/C and a new radiator, as well as maintence. I have done all these my self for minimal cost and the truck has never been in anothers shop for a day for any repairs. That is not to say that it has not been down a day for repairs though, but i have spares so i tend to put off 1 day jobs to 2 day jobs etc. But total downtime in 7 years for repairs would be about 6 days. Ok i just remembered 5 years ago i had put it in the shop for a busted bbrake line as i had no time to repair it and had a 1 hour commute one way each day, so i paid some friends to fix it cost $100 ( this was the back main line, they pulled one off a junk truck and pulled my bed off to replace it).

Sorry for the rant but i think this mentality has gotten our society in the shape we are currently in. Not saying you cannot afford your cars but im sure you have friends or neighbors that cant and they see you and want to have what you have cause we put so much status in the type of truck one has. Much money is wasted on vehicles here, yes thats a sector of the economy but what has it gottem them, bailouts, they have nothing to show, unless your an import or Ford guy.

 

[ovrszd]

Clemsonfor,

Although I agree with your opinions in regards to the cost of new trucks, I will add that there are a lot of posters on here that do work with their trucks that your trucks will not do.

I'm kinda new in the heavy pickup world. My first was an '04 Dodge Cummins with 50K miles that I paid $17,5K for. Loved that truck and it would easily do work that would cripple a 1/2 ton gasser. My second, which I still drive is a '00 Powerstroke Super Duty with 105K miles that I paid $12,8K for. It also easily outworks a lesser truck. That's why heavy trucks are built.

I can't justify the cost of a new truck either, and just like you, am glad there are people that can. I buy their used, and barely broke in trucks for a fraction of new cost. But I recognize that there are people out there that need heavy trucks that are dependable.

I live in rural America and daily I see heavy diesel pickups go by my house pulling loads that amaze me. A couple months ago I saw a Generation II Cummins Dodge go by pulling a gooseneck trailer with 16 big round hay bales on!!! Bales around here will average 1500lbs, if his trailer weighs 5000lbs he was pulling 29,000lbs.

My old Woody Jeep Grand Wagoneer is dependable just as your vehicles are but I wouldn't want to hitch a 29K lbs payload to the back of her....

 

[clemsonfor]

My experience with the dually I drove was it was no good in the mud. The tires loaded up in between them and due to the extra flotation it just did not get a good bite on the rear end.

I guess what the dealer stocks is what sells in a particular area. Just for example there are about 12 houses on my street. There is 1 Ford Dually, 4 Ford SRW 1 tons, 2 Dodge SRW 1 tons, 1 Dodge 3/4 ton, 1 Ford 3/4 ton, and the rest are 1/2 tons. As you can see the 3/4 tons are the odd man out. Twice as many 1 ton SRW trucks. I would say that is about the same ratio throughout my town.

All the dealers stock 1 ton SRW truck except for the GM dealer. He still only wants to sell 3/4 and duallys. He just does not understand what people really want. I had to drive all the way to Ft Wayne to get my GM 1 ton SRW I had in 05 and my neighbors GM 1 ton SRW truck came from Vincennes.

Chris

**** you must live in a neighboorhood of contractors and tractor guys with all those trucks.

 

[clemsonfor]

Clemsonfor,

Although I agree with your opinions in regards to the cost of new trucks, I will add that there are a lot of posters on here that do work with their trucks that your trucks will not do.

I'm kinda new in the heavy pickup world. My first was an '04 Dodge Cummins with 50K miles that I paid $17,5K for. Loved that truck and it would easily do work that would cripple a 1/2 ton gasser. My second, which I still drive is a '00 Powerstroke Super Duty with 105K miles that I paid $12,8K for. It also easily outworks a lesser truck. That's why heavy trucks are built.

I can't justify the cost of a new truck either, and just like you, am glad there are people that can. I buy their used, and barely broke in trucks for a fraction of new cost. But I recognize that there are people out there that need heavy trucks that are dependable.

I live in rural America and daily I see heavy diesel pickups go by my house pulling loads that amaze me. A couple months ago I saw a Generation II Cummins Dodge go by pulling a gooseneck trailer with 16 big round hay bales on!!! Bales around here will average 1500lbs, if his trailer weighs 5000lbs he was pulling 29,000lbs.

My old Woody Jeep Grand Wagoneer is dependable just as your vehicles are but I wouldn't want to hitch a 29K lbs payload to the back of her....

Yea i kind of got on a tangent. Like you said i will not be delivering even 5 roundbales with my 30 yr old 1/2 ton. I was trying to say those that work with their trucks it makes sense a yr yr old dully wont pull what these new ones will less trips means more money i understand. Or the Guy that does Bobcat work (just to pick something) he wants a truck to pull his machine all his tools and crew of 2-3 guys everyday without fail, hes out lots of $$ is that thing is down a day or two, he cant afford it.

Again this is not in response to you or the guy that i originally quoted, there are many guys who have a big truck cause its cool and manly. I dont need a 2500 cummins to look cool while driving or impress the girls im married and she likes my trucks. That said i would like a 2500 cause they look cool and i could just about drag race with my 5K worth or tractor and implements behind it, but a half ton will do the same thing so i prolly wont buy a new one. I would love to have one of the old 12v cummins. Not because of the deisel or coolness, but the ability to tow and haul (both my boats and trailer can easilly be hauled by a 1/2 ton). The mileage is what i want in the older deisels 17+mpg loaded where a 14 yr old gasser wont even get that empty.

I see way to may 3/4 trucks that have never had more than a 4 wheeler trailer hooked to them? When it stops out hops this tiny guy or fat guy trying to be cool in his white shoes and big shiny writing on his shirt or his "fancy" jeans and tight button up shirt straing under his beer belly(that he thinks is power) to stay closed, why?

 

[Diamondpilot]

**** you must live in a neighboorhood of contractors and tractor guys with all those trucks.

Well, not really. One is a contractor, I transport boats, one is a commercial mower/landscaper, one is a welder, one owns a large diesel shop along with his brother-n-law, a couple are farmers, one is a electrician that pulls a large 28' trailer daily, one owns a excavating business., ect. So yes, we all work with our trucks. There are also 4 5th wheel campers and 3 bumper pull campers (smallest 26') sitting in the drives out of the 12 homes. Only one guy on my road does not use his truck for work, he runs a retirement village.

I can not think of any of the trucks other than the one that does not have 10,000# plus behind it at least once a week.


Chris

 

[wmonroe]

Im late in on this discussion but after bouncing through a couple pages this cought my eye. To each his own but this seems like a crazy and fiscally irresponsible attitude to me. If you have a business thats one thing but to own an 8 year old truck no warrenty and 125K there is nothing wrong with that and that means it is in no way not dependable. You are saying you would rather pay out $500-800 month on a payment vs paying even a $2000/year repair bill? You prlly wont have many if any $3000 repairs on even a 12 year old truck, How many of those $600 payments would it take to pay of a modest $1100 repair bill, not many. I just cannot buy a $30-40K new truck ever never, one i cant afford it and two its crazy to spend that kind of money on something that reduces in value. Im not rich but i make a living, my house is only 125K im not buying a truck every 5 years that approaches 1/3 of my homes value. I guess it takes guys like you buying them new so that i can buy them used.

On s side note i have looked at 10-12 year old Cummins doges. They are still 12K with 200K miles on them, this is crazy. A 9 year old 1/2 ton still is bringing almost 8K, i wont even pay that call me cheap, but i drive old and into the ground before i get rid of it, save the money and spend it on something i care about, which is not really my truck. I have 3 vehicles i drive, a saturn for economy a ranger for light loads and my 1/2 ton chevy for hauling. The ranger was bought for $800 or so 7 years ago. Roof was faded then and now the hood is to, had a scrach/dent from a gaurd rail or something on the passenger side, but i have driven that truck 130K miles in the last 5 years and it now have over 270K on it. I keep the fluids topped off and have oly put a new exhaust manifold on it totally redone the A/C and a new radiator, as well as maintence. I have done all these my self for minimal cost and the truck has never been in anothers shop for a day for any repairs. That is not to say that it has not been down a day for repairs though, but i have spares so i tend to put off 1 day jobs to 2 day jobs etc. But total downtime in 7 years for repairs would be about 6 days. Ok i just remembered 5 years ago i had put it in the shop for a busted bbrake line as i had no time to repair it and had a 1 hour commute one way each day, so i paid some friends to fix it cost $100 ( this was the back main line, they pulled one off a junk truck and pulled my bed off to replace it).

Sorry for the rant but i think this mentality has gotten our society in the shape we are currently in. Not saying you cannot afford your cars but im sure you have friends or neighbors that cant and they see you and want to have what you have cause we put so much status in the type of truck one has. Much money is wasted on vehicles here, yes thats a sector of the economy but what has it gottem them, bailouts, they have nothing to show, unless your an import or Ford guy.

I have an 07 3/4 ton diesel that I bought new, will probably keep a couple more years and then trade it in on a new one again. I work hard for my money and put quite a bit away for retirement, and don't blow it on "stupid" things, but I enjoy my truck and enjoy driving it. If someone else feels they need a truck they can't afford, that is on them and not me. I think what put our society where it is, is people who have no self control and feel they are entitled to something.
Just want to say that i'm not flaming or slamming you, just putting my opinion out there.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have an 07 3/4 ton diesel that I bought new, will probably keep a couple more years and then trade it in on a new one again. I work hard for my money and put quite a bit away for retirement, and don't blow it on "stupid" things, but I enjoy my truck and enjoy driving it. If someone else feels they need a truck they can't afford, that is on them and not me. I think what put our society where it is, is people who have no self control and feel they are entitled to something.
Just want to say that i'm not flaming or slamming you, just putting my opinion out there.

I agree 100%. We do not take vacations although we do boat, we invest highly in the 401K and IRA, I do not drink much, eat out once a week or so, and do not gamble. I like to spend my money on equipment that I enjoy using, my trucks included.

The only reason I have not upgraded my 04 and 06 diesels is the new EPA crap. If not for that I would have been getting one about every 2-3 year or so.

Chris

 

[transferred]

I agree 100%. We do not take vacations although we do boat, we invest highly in the 401K and IRA, I do not drink much, eat out once a week or so, and do not gamble. I like to spend my money on equipment that I enjoy using, my trucks included.

The only reason I have not upgraded my 04 and 06 diesels is the new EPA crap. If not for that I would have been getting one about every 2-3 year or so.

Chris

Well said, if new top of the range autos make one happy and you have the means to buy them then that's what you should do. It's a fun habit, and between euro sedans and proper work trucks an expensive one too..