Dodge 1/2 Ton Diesel

mj

Well-known Member
The local dealer got 2 in & sold one 'off the truck' - I got to test drive the other one (loaded 'LIMITED' edition) - this truck had all kinds of 'bling' gadgets which were fascinating :roll: but not something I would need or want BUT the performance of the drivetrain and suspension is going to be a game-changer :!:
 
There new eight speed is nice, pair that with that new 3.0 eco
diesel or a hemi and the half ton truck pulls pretty well, air ride
is nice also.
 
They don't have a whole lot of options available right now because of supplier issues. They need to get it into a truck that you can buy for less than $50,000 though.
 
(quoted from post at 04:37:52 06/04/14) They don't have a whole lot of options available right now because of supplier issues. They need to get it into a truck that you can buy for less than $50,000 though.

I couldn't have said it better myself. As cool as they are, for that price why wouldn't you get a decently loaded 2500 diesel? And iirc , the mileage isn't really that good so for what someone would be doing with a 1500, why bother with the expensive diesel when you can get a comparable gas job a lot cheaper and probably cost about the same in fuel costs?
That's my opinion.
 
Yea but then you can't put a big smoke stack right up thru your bed and take up space and blow smoke everywhere which mainly drafts down right into the car behind one of these "Billy big riggers" LOL
 
For a fleet truck that sees a lot of highway miles, it could pencil out. It WILL get better mileage than a 3/4 ton Cummins.

Wait til oil changes come around. I guess you're looking at over $100 for the oil and filter. Read it takes 10.5 quarts of an expensive euro-spec oil and a fancy cartridge-type filter.
 
(quoted from post at 22:50:54 06/05/14) For a fleet truck that sees a lot of highway miles, it could pencil out. It WILL get better mileage than a 3/4 ton Cummins.

Wait til oil changes come around. I guess you're looking at over $100 for the oil and filter. Read it takes 10.5 quarts of an expensive euro-spec oil and a fancy cartridge-type filter.

To stay in warranty the dealer here says that it's right at $195.00 to change the oil and filter :shock: That right there is a game-changer :!: I wasn't planning on trading my 5.9 anyway so they can go pack sand on that one!
 
Found this post on another board I am on. Don't go crazy and start yelling at me I'm just passing what this individual posted

Thought I would tell a little since I have some expierence with one now. Dad was driving 1200 to 2000 miles a week here locally going to different jobs we are doing now and it will be like this for another year or so. He was driving his 2007 2500hd Chevy 4x4 6.0 gas with 300k miles getting 6 mpg pulling to 11mpg at best, that's about 650$ a week in gas. Last Saturday we bought a new ram 1500 crew cab 4x4 diesel. Got a little over 2000 miles on it now, average mix of in town and highway driving it's getting 30mpg, highway up to 34mpg and pulling 10000lbs 19mpg pulling 4000lbs 24mpg. All these figures are actual numbers of filling up and calculating miles and gallons, not going off the computer in the truck, although it seems to be within a half mpg. So with this truck we are going 3 times farther on a gallon of fuel and diesel is only 22 cents higher than gas here, also looks like the DEF is going to cost about 50$ every 12k miles so that's not an issue. Our savings is looking like about 1600$ a week or around 20000$ a year to have this truck, not to mention it's the best riding and nicest truck on the road right now, I don't care what brand you like they are not beating ram in any way on ride and interior anymore like they have in the past.
 
Gotta say, the only way a truck and trailer grossing 15,000+ gets 19 mpg is if it is being towed by another truck.
 
For that I can change the oil in both my first-gen and Amigo. 3 or 4 times. And grab a cheeseburger and beer on the way home from getting the oil and filters!
 
Does the Doge 1500 still come with the coil spring rear suspension? If yes, that takes me out of even giving it a look long before I arrive at the price tag.

Chevy used the coil springs on the 1/2 tons from 1967 to 1972. Dad had 1969 and it was not much of a truck due to that. Wondered all over the road. Dad did not like it at all in snow - said it always felt like the truck wanted to swap ends.

GMC used the leaf springs and most everybody liked them better. There was a reason Chevy introduced the "camper special" with leaf springs on the rear during that time for the crowd that wanted to put truck camper in the bed.

Course when 1973 rolled around Chevy abandoned the coil spring rear altogether and have to this day just like all truck maunf. Still not sure why Dodge decided to re-introduced 50 year old suspension technology a couple years ago?
 
Because they ride better. As opposed to leaf springs, technology from horse-and-buggy days.
The 3/4-tons are going to air-ride 5-link now too.
If leaf springs were superior we'd see them under road tractors instead of air ride.
Chevy's problem couldn't have been with weak coil springs and poor suspension geometry, could have it?
 
(quoted from post at 09:40:53 06/14/14) You can get a Ford Diesel for that, will never regret it.

That's not what a neighbor of mine would tell you, but then he's only had 4 of them including a 2013 8)
 
I regret driving them at work not alone owning one. 6.0 and 6.4 have more time in shop than on road and 6.7 has been there a few times also
 
I love how everyone poo-poo's the Dodge coil spring suspension, holding up the '67-'72 Chevy C10 as the shining example.

That was nearly 50 years ago fellas. In fact the design was probably on the drawing board exactly 50 years ago.

Nothing changes, right?
 
My neighbor just got one. Really is sharp looking. All the options. Drove it from Il. to Ohio and back going the speed limit. he said 26. Gets a solid 20 driving around the farm and to town. They have at least 4 Cummins Dodges. Said it beats all but the oldest for milage. New def trucks just get 16 or so. Our little dealer sold 4 right off.
 
Yeah, and that's brand new off the lot.

As the engine loosens up the fuel economy should improve. Probably after 15,000 miles or so.
 

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