Help me decide, 3 trucks I need to pick 1 from.

[JimR]

Don’t buy the Ram, not because it’s a bad truck but because it won’t have the payload to pull your truck.

Will you be happy with the XL trim level. They are nice trucks but pretty bare bones compared to even an XLT. I’d be happy with one but my wife wouldn’t. I’ll agree with you the 2014 might be a good buy, I wouldn’t be afraid of a truck sitting on the lot for a couple of years.

That Ram will easily pull that trailer. It has a diesel in it and is at least a 2500 series truck. My neighbor had a Ford diesel in a 2500. He traded it in for a new gas job after dumping $7k into it and being told it might be back in again for the same problem.

 

[newbury]

I am also retired and only drive my diesel 2018 2500 6.7 Ram about 8000 a year. The thing I learned the hard way is the DEF fluid in all the newer vehicles solidifies clogging everything up. I was quoted $7000 to repair mine. Problem is if I fix it, it will just keep happening. You would be better off rebuilding the engine in your 2002. I was told I needed to drive at least 45K to 50K miles a year to keep it from happening.

I've read of DEF freezing but not just solidifying if the vehicle is not driven if let sit in above freezing temps.

Innovative truck manufacturers solved the freezing problem by running a coolant system through the DEF tank. This works as long as the truck is running. This type of DEF heating solution only works when the engine is running. After parking a truck overnight in cold weather, DEF could freeze up entirely. It could also take as much as thirty minutes to several hours of idling to thaw.

 

[fosterchild420]

I've read of DEF freezing but not just solidifying if the vehicle is not driven if let sit in above freezing temps.

It is not so much solidifying as it crystalizes from contact with the air. It does freeze and requires heaters in the tanks in cold weather.

 

[veedub]

I am with the keep the old girl camp. My 1996 F-250 with 7.3 will be at 300,000 miles at the next oil change. It’s simple enough to work on parts are easy to get without any lead time and there are tons of aftermarket accessories and upgrades if that’s your thing. I figure I could drop a new engine and transmission in it and rebuild the entire suspension and still be at less than half of the cost of a new truck. You live south of the salt belt so I imagine rust isn’t an issue. That’s the killer up here. The 7.3 just keeps on chugging but keeping the rust at bay is a constant battle.

Who cares about what KBB says vs what you are putting into it? Unless you plan to sell it KBB doesn’t factor in. If the truck is worth 12k and you drop 10k into it and it’s still only worth 15k some would say you’re upside down. But if you drop $60k on a new truck that a year from now is worth $50k how is that any better?

Keep the old girl and buy yourself something nice with the savings. Even if you did break down one of these trips a headache of a day and a very expensive tow still won’t cost you $50,000…

 

[ACfixer]

There's no way I would pay that for a Ford with XL trim level. That's one step away from a an entry level work truck, in fact that might be the XL level. I personally pay the same for a Lariat with 50-60,000 miles on it which is nothing for a diesel.

Fords do have some issues, it might see the shop from time to time. But that might be the case with all of them I don't know.

 

[Hay Dude]

I am also retired and only drive my diesel 2018 2500 6.7 Ram about 8000 a year. The thing I learned the hard way is the DEF fluid in all the newer vehicles solidifies clogging everything up. I was quoted $7000 to repair mine. Problem is if I fix it, it will just keep happening. You would be better off rebuilding the engine in your 2002. I was told I needed to drive at least 45K to 50K miles a year to keep it from happening.

Well that’s false because I drive my Ram 12K per year for 5 years and I haven’t had any such issues whatsoever.

 

[Hay Dude]

It is not so much solidifying as it crystalizes from contact with the air. It does freeze and requires heaters in the tanks in cold weather.

We had 2 days of 10-12 degree weather here last winter. I was also told that when the temps get that low, you should keep the DEF level under 1/2 full. I didn’t realize my DEF tank was 3/4 full. I was worried it would freeze. It never did.

In my 20+ years of being on the internet, I have read more BS rumors that never amounted to anything.

 

[walnutman]

Not sure what the warranty situation on Ford is today, but in 2020, when I bought my Ram, Ram had full 5yr powertrain warranty on ALL driveline components. Ford only had 5yr engine warranty on powerstroke engine. Rest of drivetrain was 3/36. That was a huge difference in the confidence Ram had on their powertrain compared to Ford.

That may have changed.

300,000 miles on a 2 year old Ram means there’s no warranty left.

"Ram trucks offer a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty on their 2026 model year and newer vehicles. This warranty covers the engine, transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, differentials, and axles. It applies to the original owner of retail purchases or leases, excluding fleet purchases. Ram also offers a Basic Limited Warranty, covering most components for 3 years/36,000 miles, and a 5-year/unlimited mileage Rust-Through Warranty."

 

[Dunno]

Try to find a good pre-‘18 Dodge with the Cummins and you can tune it unless VA (I suspect) has smog inspection. Fords today are laden with problems. They have the highest amount of issues, and I know this because I belong to two Ford truck web communities. A pre-‘18 Dodge can be tuned for 20+ mpg on the highway. I get that in my dually 3500 CC when I try. The sweet spot for the Cummins is 1900-2000 rpm, which is upper 70’s and where the best unladen fuel economy is. The trucks are so nice on the inside (Laramie) you’ll make it your daily driver. At one time my brother and I owned 13 Fords, so I’m not disloyal, just pragmatic.

 

[walnutman]

I don't profess this to be the norm but my neighbor bought a brand new GMC 2500HD Duramax last year. On a trip from Texas to Florida the trans went at 720 miles. Then later on the A/C went out.Then something went wrong in the front pulley system and made a disaster with the belt and pulleys. He traded it in and got another of the same thinking it was a bad build truck. So far so good. I told him he should have lemon lawed it.