Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Newer diesel which one?

Yeah, but I farm. A new truck is new for about a week before it has it's first serious scratch. Three months later, the tailgate gets creased because a load shifts. A month after that the stupid front spoiler gets ripped off in a rut. After that, I quit babying it...

Ain't nobody wanting to buy MY 3 year old "near new" truck at "near new" prices.....

I don't ranch full time but my family does and I do run about 25 head of my own cattle. They run with my Dad's herd, all it takes is one cow to back into a fender or door to put a nice crease in it. I put a pencil to my used 99 Super Duty I purchased it for $15K 16 years ago, put 200K miles on the odometer and almost $10K in repairs both major and minor. That's 5 cents a mile to repair, or about $1,670 a year to own. I didn't include oil changes, license fees, or insurance in that costs, but for me that pencils better than any new pickup does.

I tried to find a $40K 2017 Tradesman diesel best I could do was $48,000 for a cab and chassis and $51,000 for a standard bed, before negotiations and incentives. The only 13 Tradesman trucks I found that was even close to $10K less than a new one all had less than 50K on the odometer. Any model year 13 Tradesman trucks 75K plus on the odometer were about half of a 17 base model Tradesman.

Another of my frustrations is the demise of manual trannies. I'll run my six-speed, 04 crew cab 350 until it literally dies. Had to put about $1,200 into the front end here at about 155 k. I need it mostly to get back and forth to the office.

Should try Dennis Dillon in Caldwell Idaho - they are known across the country for having best pricing on Ram Trucks.
I picked up my ram in December of 2016. 3500 CC SB 4X4 6.7, Has uconnect 5.0, auto 4x4, cold weather package, tow mirrows, ect. - Basically everything you can do to a tradesman without jumping to a SLT. I purchased for $41,200 before tax.

Since purchasing, I added a bed liner, running boards, and better tires and have a truck that should last me years and years to come. Oh BTW, that 6.7 cummins sure pulls the 7k travel trailer nice...lol

I'll bet it does!

I guess it depends on area of the country. In 2015, I traded in my 2013 Ford F250 6.7L Powerstroke King Ranch. It had every option except for the bed side steps. Paid $68K for it. The dealer gave me 40K. It had 18,000 miles on it, and not a mark on it. A guy drove from OK to buy it. I bet he's happy.

Call Dave Smith Motors for the out the door price. Their sticker price on their website is not the out the door price and you don't have to dicker to knock it down. Just pick the truck you're interested in, call them with the model number and they'll give you a price.

I have a 2017 Ram diesel and I really like the truck. The mirrors are to wide and there is a chrome trim ring around the center console that will reflect the sun right in my eyes. If that is what I am bitching about, the truck is really solid. I get good mileage (for the size), loads of power and it is really easy to drive. I would recommend one to anyone who asks.

Dennis Dillon gave me such a good deal on my truck, I flew to Idaho from Ohio and drove back. With flight, fuel and food, I saved 5k over local offers. Ask for Monique. She was excellent.

How do you define a 'newer' truck? If you want brand new, seems like the guys above have it covered.
Honestly, if you're only towing ~6K and plan on keeping the truck (which makes resale less of an issue) then buy one of the newer HDs with a gas engine and call it a day. I'm dead serious.
I've either owned, operated extensively through work, or been in charge of nearly all of the makes/models of diesel trucks. I don't claim to be an expert but 'know' a fair amount.
Gone are the days of simple diesel trucks that run ~300K miles without much expense. ALL of them have major electrical and emissions controls equipment that can get VERY expensive when the warranty runs out.
If you're capable and interested in doing your own work you can save a ton of money. If not, or if you don't have a solid bank account, my advice is to skip the diesel and go gas.
Nearly every model has issues and fixes. The key is to either have access to a shop that specializes in that engine, or to do your own research and invest in the tools necessary. Dealers are seldom the shop that specializes in the 'older' versions.
Research to death the make/model/year you're interested in so you know what to look for/expect. For example, the '03 and early '04 Fords with the 6.0 Powerstroke had issues. The later model also did, but to a lesser degree. The '05-'07 had a new front suspension and a host of other upgrades. All of them can get expensive very quickly if you don't know what you're looking at when you buy. It's not difficult to spend major cash on a bad 6.0 Powerstroke, or waaaaay more on a bad 6.4 Powerstoke, or $4K+ on a transmission for a Dodge + $1,500 on the front end (that's if it isn't one of the Cummins that has washed out the #6 cylinder...), or as mentioned above, expensive injectors for a Duramax (I also had to do a wiring harness and flywheel on the one I had). The 6.4 PSD and 6.7 PSD require the cab to be lifted to do any major (and some minor) work. The Ford 6.7 is shaping up to be a reliable engine, though the 2011s had some issues to watch out for.
Another thing to keep in mind is how the engine has been modified and/or tuned. Some folks like to tune the crap out of their diesels, but don't do the supporting upgrades. This can result in a lot of nasty, expensive surprises. Again, decide what you want and research it until you'r bleary-eyed and exhausted, then go shopping. I don't know that I'd buy any 'newer' diesel that has an OBDII port without (at a minimum) hooking it up to a monitor and watching the vitals relevant to that particular engine's health. Even better would be to take the prospective truck to a shop that specializes in that make/engine for a thorough inspection.
Having fun yet? Consider my previous comment about buying a gas rig.
Now consider your budget and threshold for financial pain, then go forth and shop. In my opinion, if you buy a diesel in the 2003+ range, have a slush fund account for upgrades and repairs. You may not need it, but...

I'll give you a quick example as I went through this about a year and half ago. After paying big bucks for a brand new 2013 Ram 3500 Cummins I was a happy camper. Until the problems started. A little over a year after purchase RAM bought it back from me, and I took delivery of a 2014. It seemed like a great truck, but I was disenchanted and decided to unload the payment while I could. Ultimately I needed another diesel but was absolutely set on paying cash. After ridiculous amounts of research, online shopping, and looking at dozens of trucks, I learned that people believe the mid 2000s models of Cummins and Duramax variants are made of gold, and that clean ones are tough to find. Many of the same year Powerstrokes were hammered or had been owned/tuned by young guys who were ignorant about them. I ultimately decided that I wanted a 2006 or 2007 F350 with the (gasp!) 6.0 Powerstroke. Partly because I could get a 6-speed manual. Also because I'm a fan of Ford's drivetrain. Also because I could get one for significantly less than a Cummins or Duramax. All markets are different, but I found a 2007 F350 Crew Cab 4X4 diesel with a 6-speed, unmolested but used, with 86K miles for about $8K less than a comparable Dodge of GM with 150K miles. I do my own work and can get a lot done for that $8K (assuming the Dodge or GM whouldn't have required anything, which is a pipe dream). Well over a year and about 11K miles later, and I don't think I've put a dime into it because I 'had' to. Sure, I've done upgrades and done preventative improvements. I suppose it could blow up tomorrow, just like any of them, but I monitor it and take care of it. It's the resident 'tow pig' and is nearly always hooked up to something, and I've been well pleased with it so far.

In short, if you don't need a diesel, don't buy one. If you can't buy one under warranty, have a decent sized savings account to take care of things. Do major homework and don't get in a hurry to buy. Have ANY of them inspected by a reputable shop. Understand the emissions laws in your area, as some newer diesels 'need' to be deleted to realize their true reliability/power/economy.

By newer I'd like to get a pickup at least a 08-12 model year. While the camper usage is the main reason I want a used crew cab diesel it isn't the only. I also pull other things like a 28' tandem dual flat bed with dovetail, 16' thru 24' stock trailers, as well as 18' car hauler. I don't pull everyday but I do often enough that I want a diesel, I'm considering a 1/2 ton only because I am keeping my old 7.3L. However, I'm not sure I want to go with a 1/2 ton at this time either.

From 10/10/15 to 10/10/16 I went without a paycheck, I fell off a ladder and did one hell of a number on my right leg. My wife didn't have a job until July 2016 that grossed about $2400 a month, about the time I could start driving myself to appointments and really didn't need her as much anymore for getting around. We survived that year paying our mortgage and other bills because we hadn't over extended ourselves. We made it off of savings alone with a little help from the church in the way of food staples and my dad provided us with a half of beef. I've been back working almost a full year and while I have a small amount saved for a down payment, I don't have enough for a new truck to where I'd feel comfortable with the monthly payment.

I'm not against a 6.0L but it has to be the right truck, I'm also willing to look at pickups with 100-150K on them but again it has to be the right truck. I'm looking for a mostly stock pickup and have told all the dealers this as well and absolutely no lifts. I do most the maintenance already on my own pickup, but I'm not investing in a bunch of money in specialized tools. If I could find a deal like my buddy I'd be really happy, he scored a 2012 Ford 6.7L 4X4 XL for $27K with 54K on the odometer but deals like those are few and far between.

Based on your statement above, I would avoid a diesel. Deep pockets are sometimes needed with a diesel.

www.powerstrokehelp.com

checkout his videos on youtube

Mike

Do Ford or Chevy diesels have an engine brake? Do the new Dodge 1/2 tons have it? I have one on my Dodge 2500 and love it. It's fantastic coming down a steep hill with curves, running heavy or light.

I believe all of the new HDs with a diesel have an engine brake. I don't know about the Ecodiesel. Some of the 'older' diesels with a VGT turbo can have an engine brake feature written into the ECM program. I have one on my 6.0 and it works surprisingly well; no hardware required.

My neighbor had an '04 Dodge with the 5.9 diesel. It didn't come stock with the engine brake but there's an aftermarket one they can add...for $1400. I think they made them stock in 'late '07 with the 6.7.

I just read on a diesel forum that the Dodge Ecodiesel 'sort of' has an engine brake but its much different from the 6.7. It works with the cruise control. When the cruise is on and you go down a hill, it will automatically shift down to prevent speeding up above the cruise setting. It's not a brake at all but just a computer setting.
It's a far cry from the exhaust brake on the 6.7. they said that if you mess with the exhaust on the ecodiesel trying to add a brake, you'll set off every engine code in the computer.

I've visited his web site while doing research. I've also visited others as well, and one thing I've come to realize is the EPA and CA really have screwed up the diesel industry. The more I learn the more I'm thinking anything built before 08 might be the way to go.

I have a 2006 Duramax that has been a great pickup! I don't farm or log but use the pickup! It pulls my trailer well, has plenty of power, and rides good! Bought in 08 for 22k. Had 27 thousand miles, I believe it's worth that much today! New isn't always the best deal! Mine is stock, I changed all oils in February, when it turned 100 k! I'll keep driving this one until it's worn out!

The older ones with less [bleep] to go wrong specifically emissions related (EGR, DEF , DPF, etc...) are still holding their value fairly well. I wouldn't buy a brand new diesel.