Posted by Steve on Tuesday, May 01, 2001 at 11:11PM :
In Reply to: Diesel question posted by Gordon Maney on Monday, April 30, 2001 at 11:19PM :
Gordon,
Sorry, this is a long one!
I also looked at both trucks (Ford & Dodge) about a year ago. I wanted a 3/4 ton 4x4. The both trucks had 6 speeds. We drove them both several times at different dealers. The market on them, especially the new HO dodge made for some pretty arrogant dealers. We wanted a high end truck (SLT Plus, leather, CD, and all options. The best price we could get was around $36500.
I had a 93 ExCab Dually 4x4 Cummins at the time. I had it turned up at the pump at Ashland Diesel in PA (Home of the Prime Lock Filter Systems) and dyno'd at 235 rear wheel HP. It had 156 HP before they did any adjustments and timing. The truck was an automatic and had 3.50 gears I was getting about 16 MPG empty and 12 towing just about anything behind it. After the tune-up, I consistantly got 19 MPG empty and 17 towing. Also the speed would never drop below 70 with any load afterward. It had about 135000 niles with just a water pump change.
So anyway, we decided that over-all, in an extended cab, we liked the ride, handling and comfort of the Dodge over the Ford, and tried to deal. No way! They weren't budging, because there were only two dealers in the state that had the truck we wanted in the color and trim packages we wanted.
We tried for a week, and even put a deposit on one until we found out that the dealer was trying to pull a fast one on the options packages. Our final decision jumped right out at us in our local Auto Locator. I found a completely loaded, right color, '98 quad cab 24valve (except with automatic and 3.50 gears), with 24000 miles, last May, including a color-matched Leer cap, for $26000, and they gave us 4000 more for our trade than the new dealers wanted to. It is 11 months later. The truck now has 58000 miles on it. I have had no problems other than keeping tires and brakes on it (I destroy them in < 19000 miles). We tow a 6000# boat, I have an 11-1/2' slide in camper that weighs about 2800# and tow a 2-horse trailer behind that 4000#, and also tow vehicle/equipment trailers > 10000#, usually something every week. I get about 16 - 17 mpg empty, and 13 mpg towing. That $10000 for 2 years and 26000 miles (which is about 10% of the engine life was well worth it for me. I do miss the power and mileage from the 12 valve engine. A friend just installed a power chip and gained the mileage and drivabilty we had in our 12v truck, so as soon as I can catch the wife a a weak moment, I will have to get one ordered! I do love my truck, though.
Good luck with your decision, hope this helps.
As for Chevy's, don't get me started... After losing $11000 on a lemon truck '95 6.5 diesel, they will be waiting a long, long, long, long time to get anything else from me.
|
This board is powered by the Mr. Fong Device from Cyberarmy.com |