Another "What to get" thread

[someday]

My buddy is looking for a new truck. He is slowly getting into some fire road truck camping and he doesn't want to keep taking his Escalade in the woods but would like to go further off the beaten path. He is thinking about 3/4 ton full size crew cab diesel. What are your thoughts on the big three? It will be his daily driver and he will probably eventually get either a flip pac or a pop up truck camper for it. I don't know much about 3/4 ton diesels. I have a DCSB Tacoma so I have limited knowledge on full size. I was under the impression that;

F-350 - ford ironed out their diesel issues starting with the 2011's?

Power wagon - best one on the market currently?

Chevy?

Any pro's/cons would be great. Thanks.

 

[Hawkz]

You can not get the Power Wagon with a diesel. The Power Wagon is probably the best off road truck available in a 3/4 ton from the factory. (It doesn't have the carry capacity of the regular 3/4. It's more of a heavy 1/2 ton or light 3/4 ton, but still has the 3/4 frame and brakes...) That being said, there are lots of aftermarket companies making parts for all of the big three. If you like Ford better then you can still make a very off road capable truck while keeping good street manners.

I prefer the Dodge for diesels, but everybody has their own opinions on which is best and why.

The Ford 6.0 and 6.4 were the diesels most choose to avoid. I've been reading about how to fix a lot of the problems with these engines, but if you want something you can drive mostly stock I would avoid these. The 7.3 is a beast and the new 6.7 looks good on paper. I'm not sure it's been out long enough to have many reviews.

I quit buying GM trucks about the same time they quit making the square bodies. =)

 

[Clutch]

Nothing wrong with GM diesels...(hear nary a peep from the owners with complaints).

The GM diesel was built with a partnership with Isuzu, who build some of the best diesels in the world. With all diesels, injectors and fuel pumps are expensive to replace when they go bad. And they go bad on all diesels. It is not a matter of "if" it is when.

GM's IFS is going to be a little harder to lift (read more expensive) if the time ever comes, over the SFA on the Dodge and Ford. But will ride a heck of a lot better.

I would say go test drive them all, and decide from there. Try a few gassers too. Chevy has a 6.2 gas motor option too. IIRC it is up around 400hp/tq. Don't get that $7000 up charge of the diesel either.

Does he absolutely need a diesel 3/4 ton truck? I would look at the half tons as well, the Tundra, F-150 maybe with the eco-boost, GM's have a Heavy Trailering package with the 6.2 gasser. In the old days that was called a Heavy Half. All have around a 10,000 lbs tow rating.

Some say the best truck would be one that rode like a Chevy, had a the Cummins out of the Dodge, and had Ford's interior...

One would argue that the Ford Raptor is the best off-road truck from the factory...:ylsmoke:

 

[someday]

Thanks, this is the kind of information I was looking for.

I didnt know that PW's don't come in a diesel. Can you get a Ram with diesel and lockers?

I thought the new fords were a decent platform for him.

GM, do they still have Duramax w/allison tranny?
He will be buying new.

 

[Clutch]

Don't know about the Dodge diesel and lockers...it can be added later. Look at Carli suspension for those. Build his own diesel "Power Wagon"

http://www.thecarlisuspension.com/ Have kits for Ford as well.

Yes, the GM's still have the Allie trans.

Testing here: http://www.dieselpowermag.com/features/1010dp_2011_ford_vs_ram_vs_gm_diesel_truck/viewall.html

 

[goodtimes]

I didnt know that PW's don't come in a diesel. Can you get a Ram with diesel and lockers?

No.

You may not be able to get aftermarket lockers for the Ram diesels either. I don't really keep up with it, so that may have changed - but if he wants lockers, be sure to look into it before dropping $$$ on that shiny new Ram.

 

[someday]

My buddy really isn't going to modify it except for cap, flip pac or pop-up slide-in, and probably some good all terrain's. I keep trying to push the PW on him because it suites all his needs out of the box, but he is hell bent on a diesel.

Goodtimes - thanks for the link. Great information.

Kermit - Raptor is definitely one of, if not the most capable.
- does he NEED a diesel? NO. Does he have a real hard on for one? YES. WHY? I have no idea.
- I mentioned Tundra but he shot it down immediately due to the diesel factor. I know a few people that have Tundra's (for work, not expedtion) and they love them. Definitely used hard.

 

[Clutch]

Kermit - Raptor is definitely one of, if not the most capable.
- does he NEED a diesel? NO. Does he have a real hard on for one? YES. WHY? I have no idea.
- I mentioned Tundra but he shot it down immediately due to the diesel factor. I know a few people that have Tundra's (for work, not expedtion) and they love them. Definitely used hard.

Power Wagon vs Raptor.

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2009/1...f150-svt-raptor-vs-dodge-ram-power-wagon.html


While the Raptor is "pretty good" off the showroom floor...it can be taken much much further.

SDHQ in the Phoenix area kinda goes nuts with them.

http://sdhqoffroad.com/


Hey, if he wants diesel he wants diesel...:ylsmoke:

Some say the Dodge chassis is just a shipping crate for the Cummins...:snorkel:

 

[someday]

Hey, if he wants diesel he wants diesel...:ylsmoke:

yeah, the more I think about it, the more I think, "damn, I wish my tacoma had a little torquey diesel option!"

thanks for all input so far.

Anybody with GM platforms out there? Would love to hear what you have to say.

 

[Clutch]

yeah, the more I think about it, the more I think, "damn, I wish my tacoma had a little torquey diesel option!"

Yeah the power is impressive, most of my dirt bike riding buddies have diesels for towing their toyhaulers....hawt damn, they are impressive. Makes my Tacoma seem anemic.

I don't tow heavy anymore...so need for a diesel for me.

 

[someday]

I don't tow heavy anymore...so need for a diesel for me.

I talked to him today about different options. He is mainly interested because of the increased gas mileage with diesels vs gassers.

 

[Clutch]

I talked to him today about different options. He is mainly interested because of the increased gas mileage with diesels vs gassers.

Typo: "I don't tow heavy anymore...so* need for a diesel for me." should be no*


Not worth upcharge if you aren't towing. Most are $7000 more over the gasser version, $7000 grand buys an awful lot of fuel.

He should really go test drive a Ford eco-boost, honest 17-20 mpg "if" you keep your foot out of it...BUT has plenty of power on tap. Not a Ford Eco, fan boy, it gets the better fuel economy out of the half tons, and has power to boost. A Chevy 6.2 Vortec Max will average 14-18 depending on driver, and as low as 10 mpg's. Tundra 13-16ish...might be the best built out of all of them.

Heck test drive all of them all and see what he likes best...plus would be a good idea to put down on paper cost of ownership comparisons. That is if money
is an object...if one is worried about fuel economy, I would assume it is.

In the end there is no "one" perfect vehicle, gotta buy what fills the needs and the desires.


Devil's Advocate, Eco-Boost Raptor...



Tundra



The GM



And for some reason...I just don't like Dodge...never really have, not sure why..

 

[Jimmeh]

I talked to him today about different options. He is mainly interested because of the increased gas mileage with diesels vs gassers.

My dad was hell bent on getting a diesel for that same reason, until I showed him the differences between maintenance costs for gas vs. diesel. Not to mention repair bills. He now says he's happy with his half ton gasser.

As a GM owner, I will attest to the longevity of the truck and the comfortable ride, but I don't like the costs of suspension parts, and for some reason mine has been eating front suspension stuff like crazy. If he plans on using it for more than a fairly mild trail, I would personally stay away from the GM's purely for that reason. And I know I will probably get yelled at for saying this, but after driving one for a couple of years now in a fleet of them, I would also stay far away from the Powerstroke diesel. The service truck I drive is a 99 F450 with the well loved 7.3 liter. 88,000 miles on it, and it drives like it has 10 times that. It is extremely gutless, and the automatic transmission seems to cycle over all the gears way too often for my tastes. It probably doesn't help that it has a 12 foot steel flatbed with a 5,000 pound carry capacity crane on it, and that it weighs in at a whopping 14,000 pounds, but with all the hype that it gets, I have been extremely unimpressed. Luckily, I don't have to drive it as often anymore.

If I had to choose between the big three, I would probably go with Dodge again. My old one seemed like it needed very little in the way of maintenance, drove fairly comfortably on and off road, and wasn't too bad to look at either. However, given the opportunity, I would love to find a new gen Tundra. My supervisor has one with the TRD package, and I love the stance of it and of course being a Toyota, it has a great fit and finish on the inside as well as the out. That 5.7 doesn't have a hard time getting out of it's own way either.

 

[Ejdinatale]

Thanks for all the input. I will go test drive a few and from what is being tossed around Im now considering a gasser. I basically wanted something for dirt road, Im not going to take it on anything crazy. I can tow my bronco around for the tough stuff. I wanted the option of putting a big popup camper or flip pac. I might even want to tow my bronco or eventually a boat. I was leaning to a Diesel because I have heard that they run forever. I plan on using the truck for my everyday vehicle until its payed off then keeping it for towing/camping. Im sure Ill have a few more questions down the road.

Thanks again

 

[Clutch]

Welcome.

Didn't know you were towing plus a camper, diesel for sure then. Gas mileage will be awful with a gasser, not to mention down on power.