Looking at a new Dodge, help me decide!!! (Power Wagon vs Cummins)

[87GMCJimmy]

Soooo... I want a new truck. I want a Dodge as I hate the IFS in the Chevy and GMC and I think the Super Duty is just odd looking nowadays. I want a manual transmission but, looks like the wife says automatic of no truck for me so...
2012 Ram 2500 Power Wagon ST (Hemi) OR 2012 Ram 3500 ST (Cummins)
Essentially identical trucks, both are ST but with a fair bit of nice options, both are auto, both are crew cabs, heck I can even get both in the same color!

Advantage Power Wagon:
Lockers F/R
swaybar disco
winch
looks like it has a bit of a factory lift
skidplates
4.56 gears
automatic transmission may survive better??? (seems like Cummins eat their autos a LOT!!!)
$2k cheaper (to buy some 37" tires!!!)
Wife is more likely to approve (she doesn't think the Cummins is worth the $$$)

Advantage Cummins:
It has a Cummins (Duh!!! LOL!) the best sounding engine EVER, IMO! (350hp, 800lbft!)

Disadvantage Power Wagon:
Hemi has 383hp but only 400lbft

Disadvantage Cummins:
doesn't have all the cool toys the Power Wagon has
seems VERY transmission hungry

IF I could swing the wife to a manual trans (this is my truck but, we both pay half so, she has some say!) the winner would obviously be a Cummins since the Power Wagon is auto only.

I realize that I could add aftermarket stuff to the Cummins to make it have all the toys the Power Wagon comes with BUT, that would be a long time coming. (I can't sink $6k+ in mods into the truck immediately after purchasing!!!) I'd likely have to wait until the truck is paid off to do any real modifying so, the ready-to-run aspect of the Power Wagon is alluring.

I went and test drove auto equipped Power Wagon and Cummins trucks back to back and I gotta say on the street, the Cummins wins hands down. It's a little slow to build boost but, once it does, it's a rocket!!! The Hemi comes on stronger initially but, it just can't match the Cummins once that turbo spools! The sounds of the Cummins win too, pure sexiness! (I freakin love diesels!) But, in terms of off highway, obviously the Power Wagon gets the nod big time in stock form and may still even if the Cummins were modified. (Cummins is VERY nose heavy)

Towing and payload the Cummins wins but, the Power Wagon should do what I need. (1,880lb payload capacity, 10,800lb towing capacity, IIRC) The Cummins would just do all hauling/towing with greater ease.

So, I am completely unable to pick, lemme know what y'all think, help me out! Thanks!!!

 

[87GMCJimmy]

Pics are always nice so, here's the Power Wagon ST I test drove today (I'd never seen one before today, I'd always seen the Power Wagons with tons of graphics and two tone paint, the ST only has the tailgate graphic and that's it, much more subtle. (I prefer this more subtle look) I find myself kinda wishing it had a chrome grille though, in person the base model black grille on a black truck just looks like somebody wanted to color match the grille and could't quite get it right):

 

[RangeBrover]

How often do you tow or haul a decent amount of stuff? If it's just going to be a daily driver with limited towing or hauling action I'd go Power Wagon.

 

[crismateski]

it depends on your use, do you need the lockers and sway bar for the type of driving you do? I wanted the cummins, but knew I would never get the funds to do the aftermarket work to get it to do what I wanted on the trail so I got the power wagon, and I love it. Personally I would buy a used 3rd gen wagon over a new 4th gen though

 

[ExpoMike]

If you are towing heavy or running at close to GVW, Cummins all the way, otherwise the PW which will likely work better offroad with all the cool goodies.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Whichever truck you choose, choose any color besides black, hot in the sun and show every scratch. I speak from experience. And the Cummins will likely have better resale.

 

[Inline6]

Also consider how long you plan on owning the rig. The cummins should have a longer engine life.

I would also consider a 5.9 cummins before all the emissions stuff. Could save you some coin for other upgrades.

My vote cummins.

 

[RU55ELL]

I still wouldn't shy away from the Hemi's engine life. A lot of our field service trucks have them and have seen many go up and over 300k with no issues other than your normal maintenance.

 

[Prybry]

Power Wagon shines off road... Cummins is better for towing and hwy miles

There are cross links in the Power wagon frame which make it different from the stock 2500 RAM... not available after market.
They make the PW hell for stout in off road applications. I can support this claim by running the last 15000 miles in my PW hauling a 1000 lb camper through the backwoods of northern MN and not having any issues.

The Cummins will buy you better mileage and on road manners... but my wife could not live with the noise or smell.

Tough call either way...

Prybry

 

[crismateski]

I still wouldn't shy away from the Hemi's engine life. A lot of our field service trucks have them and have seen many go up and over 300k with no issues other than your normal maintenance.

I had a 2004 2500 with the Hemi, I bought it new and traded it in with 185k miles. All I had done was oil changes and air cleaners. Never did any other mechanical work, and it still ran like new. I now have a 2006 Power Wagon with the Hemi, I bought it with 74k miles and it now has 125k miles. I have not done anything to it since I have had it and it does not appear that the original owner had done any work.

It may not be the cummins, but it is a pretty durable motor

 

[bftank]

i voted buy several tons of bacon. i don't care for the electronics in either of these. crew cabs are nice. wish dodge had started building these with the cummins in them a lot sooner. power wagon mpg is a deal killer, and commonrail injection imo is also a deal killer.

 

[Rot Box]

power wagon mpg is a deal killer, and commonrail injection imo is also a deal killer.

This ^. To be honest I don't know what I would choose if I had to. Both have a major setback for me aside from cost. I could probably swallow the common rail pill if there wasn't all the emissions equipment to go along with it. As for the PW I have a friend with a newer one and the fuel mileage (8mpg) would take all the fun out of it for me.

I would not worry about loosing the transmission behind the Cummins those days are in the past imo. Leave the engine mods alone and keep the fluid clean and you should have no problems. As for the PW selectable lockers and the winch are so nice to have. Put ARB's and a Warn 16.5 on the Cummins and it would likely be my choice.


Keep us posted with whatever you choose. Btw that black one is good lookin' :Wow1::drool:

 

[leelikesbikes]

PW

about 9 months ago i sold my 97 12v 5spd and my well built TJ (lockers, ome suspension, winch, blah blah blah) and bought a standard cab 4wd 5spd hemi dodge, i put carli suspension, 12k winch, 4.56's and lockers f/r and still had money left over from the sale of the other 2. The hemi is super fun to drive on the dirt, the only time i miss the jeep is when the going gets really tight, but it sure is alot easier to haul my dirtbikes, dogs and camping gear for a weekend trip in the dodge. The hemi tows pretty well and i get about 14mpg unloaded, but my truck is a manual and alot lighter than a quad cab PW. i miss the fuel economy of my 12v but diesel is about 70 cents a gallon more in the winter where i live, so it really wasnt that much cheaper to operate. if you are planning on doing any serious offroad or deep snow the cummins is a heavy turd. i like to haul my snowbike as far into the mtns as i can and in the spring wind up busting drifts and driving quite a bit of deep snow to get through the patchy stuff so i dont have to ride gravel on the snowbike. overall im super happy with the hemi and it does a nice job of burning off my 37's on the pavement:sombrero: the pics will explain what im talkin about

 

[bftank]

snow bikes look like tons of fun!

 

[Buliwyf]

If you ain't towing, or traveling a zillion miles everytime you hop in your truck. Get the gas Powerwagon.

I avoid diesels now unless I need a dually or F450/F550 type truck that's so heavy all the time that a diesel works hard like it's supposed to. I'd rather pay extra for fuel mileage than extra for repairs.