Best fuel milage ???

jinman · Apr 28, 2005

( 20-22mpg is the best you'll ever see from a Cummins. )

I agree. With 285,000 miles on my '96 Dodge Cummins 3/4 ton with automatic, that's exactly my mileage. I've never been able to crack the 23 mpg barrier.

getut · Apr 28, 2005

Ya.. but the new Cummins are sacrificing everything to get huge torque numbers. The MPG on the 2003 on up is horrible.

I just bought a 1997 F250 extended cab short bed... First tank I got 22MPG. It would have been the same with an older Dodge.

Bob_Skurka · Apr 28, 2005

Dargo, what, no highway patrol in Indiana? That speed would find you a nice healthy speeding ticket and insurance rates that would make you think about even approaching the speed limit out West. 

_RaT_ I'm on the other end of the state. While I will not publically admit to breaking the speed limit laws of our fair state, and while I do not drive on the interstate highways for my daily commute, I do travel on a 4 lane divided state highway and find that SOME folks, might possible have average speeds in excess of 85mph, and that the folks who actually do the speed limits around here are generally wearing fedoras and barely able to see over the dashboards of their aging, but low mileage and immaculate land yachts as they drive to the local K of C hall for bingo.

_RaT_ · Apr 28, 2005

So you really don't have law enforcement of speeds on the highways? That will save on insurance rates if nothing else. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

PS. I publicly admit to breaking the speed limit almost everytime I drive. When I'm on I-5, I will do 75 mph in a 70, 70 in a 65, it just always seems to work out that way. We are givien warnings in the paper though when there is a zero tolerance day for speeders.

BigAl · Apr 28, 2005

Thanks for the information . My next door nieghbor just got a quote from Dave Smith in Idaho for a 1ton (single wheels) 2005 4x4 cummins 3500 Dodge with all the goodies . $32,800 without tax or license, which is a great price ! He then went down to Auburn , California and the local dodge dealer matched the price!!! It cost him a little over $35,700 out the door .
Big Al

Highbeam · Apr 28, 2005

If your current truck, paid for, get's the job done and gives you 11 mpg. Then you must think that the monthly payment of a 35k$ truck plus the higher insureance.will buy a lot of gas. If you're buying a new truck regardless theen....

The cummins is the mpg, longevity winner. The new models are alos the quietness winner. I am a chevy guy but the cummins just happens to be wrapped in a dodge. I recommend the dodge if you must buy new.

If your truck does the job, do the math and I think you'll be surprized. It hurts at the gas pump more than it hurts to make that big monthly payment for some reason.

Poppa · Apr 28, 2005

(
...The cummins is the mpg, longevity winner. The new models are alos the quietness winner....)

That is something that has crossed my mind. I have a '96 Ford F350 with the powerstroke and have blown all the speakers trying to hear the radio over the engine. The power of the thing has turned into a real love hate kind of thing. My father has a 2002 F250 with the powerstroke and it seems remarkably quieter. You can at least have a conversation and hear the lyrics of the songs.

So has anyone compared the three models for "Quietness"?

I'm not going to get rid of mine anytime soon seeing as how it is barely broken in with 98000 miles on it but I would be interested in how they compare with each other.

Mike

LarryRB · Apr 28, 2005

My 01 Cummins is pretty darned loud. I talked to a guy the other day in a brand new 6.0, 350 Ford, and it is remarkably quite. The new Dodge Cummins is pretty quite also (compared to mine), but, I think it is still a few decibles louder than that new Ford.

rrsquid · Apr 28, 2005

I have a '96 Dodge 3/4 Ton v-10. I love the power, smooth-ness and convenience of it. We get between 10 & 11 mpg whether we are empty or are towing. I looked into the diesel engine when we bought the truck and the fuel savings would't out weigh the up front cost before 150,000 miles. The V10 was a $450 option the diesel $4,500.

I wouldn't buy a because you think you are saving money at the pump unless you are drive more than 50K miles per year. Then you would probably have diesel anyway.

Diesel is usually more expensive than low octane gas in my area, but here's a quick analysis with fuel prices as $2.40/gallon.

10 mpg * 100,000 miles = $24,000
17mpg * 100,000 miles = $14,118

*Note: mpg will vary and so will fuel prices.

If you assume the diesel is $5,000 more up front, it would be ~50,000 miles before you break even. And, this is not taking into account other costs (buying a whole new vehicle, insurance, finance charges on loan, etc.)

--
Mark J.