Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Cummings /Power Stroke/ DuraMax

Man if i had a sister i would hook ya up. If i had a dodge i would give ya that also.

The big 7.3 was a heck of an engine, noisy yes but it did what it was supposed to do and gave good fuel mileage too. Some leaked now and then but that's the nature of the beast.

The Cummins 5.9 is very reliable and I have several friends who still have their 10 year old trucks with over 300,000 miles on them and no major repairs to speak of and that is fact.

The FORD 6.0 was a nightmare and that's all I got to say on that subject. The Ford 6.4 is much better but still not the engine that the 7.3 proved to be. It may have been louder but it did the job 10-fold. If they made the 7.3 again (Most likely Not!) I would buy a new one in a heart beat. Same goes for the 5.9 Cummins engine! The Dodge was just lacking in other departments like springs and payload, brakes etc. My buddy had to replace the springs on his new 1-ton dually in 2006 because they just didn't hold up after 2 factory sets. He went to after market heavier load springs and out of pocket costs.

I do like FORD trucks and after having a half dozen Chevy's that rusted out and many various repairs, other than the engine, also not great service from the dealers, I switched to FORD.

I am hoping FORDS new engine is even better than the 6.4 model. Who knows maybe they will get things on track once again. I sure hope so for FORDS sake!

The new Cummins 6.7 is a power house (truck is quick and smooth) but like others the fuel mileage is far below the older 5.9 ratings, granted some of it has to do with the new fuel no doubt but you pay for the so called "Blue Technology" to the tune of $1000 extra dollars or more at purchase time and that is a rip off. My old highschool buddy still has his older 5.9 Dodge with 288,000 miles on it but got a new 1-ton dually last year. It gets 15mpg on the highway empty! His old 5.9 got 21.5 mpg empty.

So much for the Industry looking out for the consumer at the gas or fuel pumps. I went to a gas engine after the 7.3's were phased out and certainly did not want a 6.0 Ford diesel. I now have a FORD SUPERDUTY extend cab 8ft bed, E-350 4 x 4 and Yes I went with the gas engine in the V-10, which is very quiet and gives me 15mpg on the highway empty. It is a 2006 with 40,000 miles on it, so I'll just sit back and wait on FORD to put out a better product and perhaps a couple years down the road, (when my 2006 gets tired) I'll bring home that FORD 450 diesel truck with twin screws in the rearend......don't know for sure maybe the gas prices will drop to .50cents a gallon and I won't mess with the diesel LOL

Gas is fine for flatlanders but when you start at 7200' and everything is up, it's gotta be diesel.
Ford can't seem to decide what engine to use, Chevies die,
(we call em' power-pokes and meltamaxes). Cummins rules here.

Mine at home & at Devil's Tower with pop-up popped. (2001, fully gauged, Rixon 19.5 wheels, custom aluminum front bumper, 3/8" steel rear, etc etc.)

We got 2010 Ram 3/4 and 1 tons in at the local dealership......I didn't even bother to look at the sticker cause I knew I'd probably leave with it. The quad cab is slightly bigger and the whole thing is pretty sharp looking.

I like my 99 Super Duty with the 7.3. It still gets 20+ on the highway after 236000 miles.

Just wait til you see what Ford and GMC are gonna charge for their new 2010 emission compliant diesels..... you'll think $1,000 is a steal. Have heard rumors Ford and GM's new diesel will be about a $8500-$9500 premium.

We have started to get in some of the 2010 Dodges. They really are refined now and people are liking them. We have already sold several.

Hemi

I've seen that truck around.

Hemi

That's one of the goofier posts I've seen.

Only a very few sub-11 second Fords, with a ton of nitrous. The list of DMaxes from 9's to 11's is very long, many of them daily drivers. And there are lots of sub 13 second daily driver Dmaxes.....a good tune and tranny work will do it. Quite a bit more to get there with a Dodge.

All these worthless opinions on which truck to get, for Pete's sake get a life.

I called GM and Ford in November of 2008, they both told me that I should get a Dodge, they are the best. You can't make it much clearer than that.




Now a Dodge takes it's place in the Garage, next to the GTO. I still have a hard time seeing to drive with a paper bag over my head.

You're doing the same thing, so get yourself a life too.

Advice from GM and Ford.....yeah right, that's a good load of bs.

And the battle between the 3 trucks still rages on! I too am looking for a diesel in the very near future and with having friends and family with all 3 I am going with the dodge. 04-06 because they still get around 20 mpg and can do what I need.

Just re-read this thread. Sounds like if you use a 5-micron fuel filter you'll have the best diesel truck available.

like most things they just don't make em the way they used to.

2000 F250 7.3 ltr, 250k miles, total repair costs less than five hundred, two water pumps thats it. Seems it and the other pre 03 7.3 likes a water pump bout every 100k or so.

IMO, the biggest mistake ford ever made was taking the 7.3 out of the superduty.

agreed

The Cummins is the ONLY "class two" diesel engine of the three.

Think on that!

Maybe I should start its own thread but both of my buddies have a diesel. One is a duramax and the other a cummins. They each say for offroad they suck. They are too heavy I guess. They start sliding too easy or slide on slick side grades sideways way too easy. They each said they have never been stuck more times than since they have gotten their diesels.

I am considering a 3/4 ton and am torn on diesel vs gas and wondering what say you about the offroad issue?

I have a 3/4 ton with a Cummins and I have had my hands full with it off road. Definite problems with the truck going sideways in slick conditions. Still have the stock tires, which are known to be slick. I look forward to trying some ATs or MT tires in the near future, but the overall weight and front to back weight distribution of a big diesel pickup are not optimal for off road use. I general you are looking at a ton more weight and more weight on the front axles with a 3/4 ton diesel compared to a half ton gasser. Most people that "meat up" and put bigger tires on their diesel rigs and air down do okay off road.

I've had no problem with my Cummins offroad , but I will say; ON the road in slick icy conditions it is one of the best vehicles I've ever been in.

I think the extra weight over the front axle keeps it tracking straight and true......

yeah i think the extra weight of the diesel engine along with the heavier suspension front and rear helps a lot. my boss has an f-250 7.3L and he put 235/85's on it just so it would hook up better on slick roads, he gets around most of the winter in 2wd where i in my 1/2 ton have to drive around in 4wd.