‘03 Duramax.
Injectors twice ... once at 114K-ish, covered by dealer for $500, and once at 170K done by yours truly for $1600 in (upgraded) parts and a long weekend-plus of labor.
Front end upgraded as stock parts wore out, Pittman, idler, tie rods, upper controls, bushings, ball joints ...
Approaching 220K now and runs like a raped ape ... no plans to buy new here at current prices and with current DEF/EGR crap.
All in all, great hunting truck that’s seen hard use and continues to roll. No regrets. Knowing what I know almost 18 years after I took delivery, would do it again, no question.
I’ve got an 03 as well. Motor and tranny have been flawless. The rest is a Chevy....need I say more? I keep it around because it’s more valuable as a backup than the coin I could get for it (I have a 2016 Duramax as well). I had the 7.3 Powerstroke in a 97 that stranded me way too many times with the glow plug module that went out periodically (I went through a bunch and even carried a spare until buying the 03 Duramax). Ford lost a customer for life for failing to address a known problem.
I’ve test driven the Rams periodically over the years but couldn’t wrap my head around purchasing a Dodge because even if the power train was flawless, the rest was still going to do the Dodge thing.
