dodge info

[texasxj]

hey yall thinking about trading in my chevy for a newer dodge-02-05. my chevy has been good to me but looking for something newer and stronger.

What im "dreaming" about: 2500, cummins, 4x4, short bed vs long bed,4 door,auto etc

ive been chevy to the bone but always wanted a cummins and a straight axle!!

Just want some info/experience/hassles/problems/suggestions that anyone has had or have about dodges and cummins.

thanks

[BigRedFord04]

on the shortbed vs. longbed....my roommate has a longbed 2003, no tool box, and can fit 4 35"s in the bed w/ them all laying flat. Kieswetter has a 2004.5, w/ tool box and fit 5 36"s in the bed of his. personally, i like the look of the shortbeds better and wouldnt be able to justify a longbed for the purpose of hauling stuff....there have been few occassions when i could've used the extra length. as for what it does to wheel base...Dodge's have always had a really good turning radius and my roommate's truck at 160.5" wheel base turns better than my truck at 141.5"...the shortbed at 140.5" will be even better, so they're both pretty manueverable...its just the extra length between the tires you have to be careful of when turning sharp into parking spots, etc.

lots of people drool over the Cummins 600s but realistically, 500-550ft/lbs (whatver the `03s are) vs. 600....either one is more than enough to get the job done hauling pretty much whatever you wanna load it down with.

i would definately look for one w/ a 6-speed....screw the automatic.

and...even being a Ford guy...i'd take a Cummins over a Powerstroke, old or new...just something about the I-6 vs. V8 for overall pulling power...and the fact that Cummins is used in industrial equipment says something about durability.

Personally....i'd take one of these...`92 Ford w/ 12Valve Cummins

[aggieblazer07]

one of my friends put a cummins in his 94 F-350. It's awesome

[jwingfield2k]

Hey clayton. I know the dodges quad cab is smaller than my ford crew cab, but I heard dodge is coming out with a MegaCab, supposed to be bigger than any 4 door truck out there. I forget where you live, but I know if I had a dually, or a long bed, it would be a pain in the butt to park on campus, so Im glad I got a sb srw. I've heard that dodges have alot of problems with their auto trannies. dont have any first hand knowledge, just what ive heard. dont by a powerstroke unless you get a 7.3L engine, or a 2005+

[TxCruzr]

We've been looking at dodge trucks for a few months for a tow rig and even though they are supposed to no longer have problems with their auto tranny, I still wouldn't want one. Nearly everyone I know down here that has had a dodge with an auto and uses their truck hard has had problems. More than once. Matt Hodges at WTOR let me borrow his '04 dodge with a 6 speed for a couple of days and I was supprised. For a DD I always thought an auto was easyer but that trans has perfect gearing, real easy to drive. Granted I'm used to a 1959 sm420. If you go through with this, test drive a manual first, specially if its an older model.

[redcagepatrol]

I have 126,000 or so, still going strong...
If you're not going to pull much, get the auto, otherwise get the 6 speed. I like long beds myself - the extra room, especially when hooked to a gooseneck is appreciated

EDIT: if you can afford the new body style, you might as well get it.

[J Cooper]

if you want an auto isnt Kopeki still trying to sell his dodge?

also thought this sign i saw in east texas
fits in this thread

[texasxj]

john w.-dont even mention a ford-its hard enough switching from chevy to dodge:-))

as for auto or manual im not sure-im a bad stick driver-i think i would burn out a stick faster than an auto.***

im thinking about trying to find an 03 old body or maybe an 05. the 03-4 new bodies look like @ss.

im a couple of months away from even trying to get anything-got to get my pile somewhat tradable or sellable before anything!!

[agjohn02]

well, you see over heer in dees here parts they isnt many countee mayntayned roads. so we's can use offdaroad deesel fer our pickemup trucks. they just charge us a road tax fer it. it costs extry fer da red die.

[eight]

The new autos should be good. They've got a bigger clutch in the torque converter, higher pressures, and more clutches in the clutch packs. My truck's got about 150K miles and if it weren't for the extra power boxes, I'd never have had a problem. My dad let the torque converter slip for about 80 miles and killed it. But I really didn't like the auto when it was stock. Shifted too high and had too high of a stall in the torque converter. Now its got a lower stall converter and some valve body tuning and its OK. I'd look for a manual, but then its not that easy to find a used dodge in perfect condition with a manual, while every yuppie that needed to pull a jetski got an auto and never abused the truck. Mine looked new when I got it at 107K. The only engine related things I've replaced are the fuel pump, and the thermostat.

I like the long bed. With a short bed its still not gonna turn good, so you might as well have the room to have a tool box and haul a 4wheeler with the tailgate up, and you can keep alot more random jeep parts in a long bed. But then my dodge is the shortest truck I've ever owned. A dually is unnecessary and a ***** to drive in town and not fit through the drive in window at the bank, gets worse mileage, turns worse, parks terrible, and has 2 extra tires to buy, but they do tow alot of weight real nice down the highway.

The new quad cab / crew cabs have more room than one like mine, but not as much as a real crew cab. I think its more than enough room for the single college guy who will have some friends in the back of it occasionally. But 5 guys would not want to ride to work in it every day.

Oh and I'll sell mine, even got a replacement lined up, allways got a replacement lined up.

[texasxj]

well found a nice setup today. 01 dodge 1/2 ton 5.9 4x4. clean, ok miles. also has a 3/4 ton setup-rear add a leaf+coilover things for shocks-front heavier coils as far as i can tell. runs great and 4x4 works too!!

[aggielr]

I'd avoid that unless you have a healthy checkbook to pay for gas.

[texasxj]

are they that bad

[jerryg79]

are they that bad

we had a buddy in High School that had that same truck and the thing got like 13mpg on the freeway. Expect even worse if you are gonna tow with it as well as no power.

Landon knows more since he owned one.

I'd look into an older cummins or a hemi, at least they make more HP.

[aggielr]

You'd get 14 going downhill with a tail wind and not near the power for that kinda gas milage. I'd hold out for a diesel. I love mine. If you want a gas motor, I'd have to say stick w/ the Chevy, not Dodge.