Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Yet Another Truck Thread

Kevin,
You really need to look in the midland/odessa area. That's where there are 100s of trucks. Many dealers sell volume and not big profit. Son bought a base model, 2018 F 250 diesel for 48,000 at the end of July.
This is brand new, not used. Know you want up graded interior, but your going to have to start somewhere.
Not a bad interior either. Just doesn't have all the pretty chrome and $ 3,000 radios. etc.
Best of luck.

Wtxj: Thanks Gordon. That's a very good idea. I will be driving through Midland on the way back to El Paso in the next few days, so I will look online tomorrow and see if I can find a few to view/test drive when I'm in Midland. And you're correct, the Lone Star interior on the 2012 I test drove here in Big D was not bad at all and chrome is not high on the priority list.

If I'm in FW around mid day, I'll give you a shout and maybe we can grab some BBQ at the Railhead.

I was in Oklahoma today and I found a great 2012 6.7 High Output Cummins Laramie with 40K miles at a Dodge dealer. Non-deleted, gunmetal gray w/ black leather interior, new tires, brush guard, 5th wheel hitch. Price is a bit high (~8K above Blue Book value) but the salesman is going to see what he can do for me. We shall see. I will look online to see what's available in Midland tomorrow. I will probably be in Midland on Friday.

The great thing about the 2012s is that they are pre-emission crap.

Enjoy your shopping. That one up north sound like the one you are looking for. 40K miles, motor just getting broke in.

Gordon, I hate shopping, but it is indeed an excellent truck. It all depends on if he can price the truck more realistically. And the High Output Cummins is a pretty rare find.

High Noon,

Do some research, the 2012 is not the better model ram diesel, you want a 2013 or newer for less emissions problems and better fuel economy.

AlaskaCub: Thanks for the heads-up.

I understand your frustration, a buddy of mines F-250 was pummeled by hail and totaled here earlier this year. He was vehicle less for months trying to find a replacement used diesel truck in decent condition in the price range he wanted to spend. Finally bit the bullet and spent a little more to get something he was happy with. Used prices are crazy high

AlaskaCub: It is indeed frustrating, especially since I found the perfect truck for an almost fair price - a 2014, fully deleted and tuned Laramie with ~ 65K miles that sold 2 days before I saw it. What make it worse is that I cannot seem to find another that checks all the boxes like that one did.

if deleted , the 2012 are just fine.....and they are somewhat easier and cheaper to delete than the models that run DEF


if left in stock form , the 2014 and up seem to be the better choice

In 2013 Ram went to a 3-link front end design on the 3500. The 2500s were changed in 2014. Not a huge deal, but something to be aware of on that 2012.

sdgunslinger & SockPuppet: Good info. Thanks.

Check this out:

2013 2500

I called this AM and left a message that I would be traveling through the area today. He never called back. Must be a misprint, a salvage title or a severe wreck. The price and the mileage is too good to be true. There were a few others in the Midland/Odessa area, but I couldn't get a'hold of anyone and the Dodge dealer in the area got universally panned by customers - by all accounts a horrible dealer, so I didn't even bother to stop there. The search continues.

Damn.

I wouldn't drive that truck if someone gave it to me...

That's a scam

I can get a new well optioned 6.7 Tradesmen for 45k. They offered $25k for my 2013 3500 with a 5.7 gas with 40k on it which is probably low. The cheapest 2013+ diesel I've seen with under 100k was 38k. Anything super cheap is a scam. Unless you pull big loads and need a diesel, a gas will be cheaper to own per mile. If I hadn't bought a big toy hauler to make my wife happy I'd keep my gas engine.

Yep. I figured something was up with that ad.

Why is a diesel more expensive to operate? Obviously fuel is a bit more expensive, but other than normal maintenance, and the increased price on the front end (cost of the vehicle) why would it be more expensive to operate?

Oil changes are more expensive, and the two fuel filters add to that.

Diesel is higher too.

$9,000 higher purchase price, 10% higher fuel price, and don't even start if you have to repair a newer diesel. Go price a set of injectors. I can slap a rebuilt 5.7 hemi in a truck for $4k. Unless you run a truck at least 100k loaded miles in it's life the gas is a bunch cheaper. Where the diesel wins is towing in both mpg and power. My 5.7 was ok with a 4k LB slide in camper and 2200 LB trailer, now I have a 12' high 9k-10k toy hauler it's really working to keep up with traffic. I paid $34k new, and diesel would have run $43k-$44k. My fuel mpg average is probably 15% lower in mpg than a diesel, but my fuel cost is 10% less. That 5% in fuel savings takes a long time to pay off the $9k diesel price tag.

Stormin_Norman: I understand your points. Yep, a set of injectors is expensive. I’ve owned a diesel before and my folks had 2 diesel vehicles and we never had any injector problems. In reality what are the odds that the injectors will need replacement? How many miles would I expect to get out of a set of Cummins injectors? I know if they’re maintained properly, a Cummins can last 500K+ miles.

A fellow I know just purchased a ’15 RAM 1500 Sport with the 5.7. It’s definitely a nice truck. He paid $35K. I should be able to eventually find a 2014 2500 6.7 w/ ~ 75K miles for a bit under $40K as I’ve found a few recently, but they sold.

My primary vehicle requires 8.5 quarts of oil. I use Royal Purple, so it’s not cheap, nor are the maintenance costs. I also use premium grade fuel, so the jump to diesel is only marginally more expensive. I can’t imagine a 2014 RAM Cummins would cost much more to maintain, in fact, it’s probably considerably cheaper than the maintenance/restoration costs I’ve been shelling out this past few years, that is, unless there’s an injection or other engine issue, as you stated. But I’m banking on the legendary durability of the Cummins. Perhaps that’s naïve, I don’t know. What say you?

Should I end up with a 6.7 Cummins, I plan on keeping it well over 100K miles. Although I probably won’t do a heck of a lot of towing, I will do some. I will haul a fair amount of equipment in the bed and use it for lots of long road trips. Around town, I won’t use it much for trips less than 20 miles or so.

I’ve still got some time to decide. The 2 jobs I just successfully interviewed for (the same company, different locations) pay about 2/3s less than the competitive going rate, so they’re a no-go. I’m through taking jobs for low-pay with promises of promotion and salary increase, only to work my tail off and have them renege.

I think it must be that your in Texas because there’s plenty of used 2500’s with a diesel in your price range here in Denver.

https://www.autonation.com/cars/3C6UR5FL0DG544755

https://www.autonation.com/cars/3C6UR5DL3EG199855