Chevy or GMC 2500HD

[DTangstrom]

I am looking for any honest opinions on the 2500HD that Chevy or GMC makes with or without the duramax. I have always loved my cummins and I don't think I'll ever beat the fuel economy, but I am starting to hate the Dodge end of this deal. I have grown tired of lift pumps, rear wheels seals, evaporator and heater cores, cracked dashes, steering wander, cab leaks, and transmission rebuilds. I am afraid to even say VP in fear of the truck hearing me. Even only getting 13-14mph so I am told, the gas job GM product is looking more and more tempting. I don't pull that heavy or that often and mostly drive highways to and from work or tool around town. I do still want to stay in the 3/4 ton range however. I don't know what to do and any advise would be great.

 

[AFoulk]

I was looking at chevy's myself before I got my 02 dodge. I've never had good experiences with chrysler products and my truck is no exception. I would have rather dropped a cummins into a ford superduty, but I didn't have that kinda time or money so I bit the bullet and got the dodge. I know lots of guys with chevys that love them. I buddy's dad has a 93 chevy 1500 with well over 200,000miles on it ( orig. eng. and transmission) and its still going strong, despite him beating the **** out of it every chance he gets Warning though, if you go with the 3/4 ton and a gas engine, your gas mileage is gonna be horrible. Guy at work has a 05 with the 6. 0 and he's only getting 10-11mpg.

 

[sheamc]

As far as the Chevy, I assume you must want more comfort than the Dodge and that solid axle provide. Completely understandable. I recently found a 00 or 01 chevy reg cab 2500 for 12grand. The truck had the original tires, only one scratch and less than 50,000 miles. It also had the 6. 0. My friend bought and absolutely loves it. Vehicle gets 13 around town but hasn't been on any meaningful highway trips so wouldn't know about that mileage. My dad has had three Dmax trucks, two 2500s and 1 3500. No real problems, just keeps upgrading. They ride great, get decent mileage even pulling 5er. I wouldn't look down at you for buying one. If my truck were a true daily driver, my opinion might change too.

Shea

 

[Texas Diesel]

Customer service is lost to seemingly all companies now days. They ONLY think in terms of quarter term profits.



Chevy has a worse reputation than Dodge for working with problem vehicles. Ford is no better UNLESS you are a multiFord vehicle customer.



Dont even ask me about Toy-Let, I know the reputation that the Japs have purchased but after two LEMON Toyotas I can tell you it's a fabrication.



Good luck!

 

[turbo lcc]

I traded my 01 cummins for an 05 GMC and love it. The ride is nice, and it tows like a champ.

 

[Grizzly]

I'm on my second Dodge/Cummins and have never had one problem with either one. Dodge with a Cummins is really a great truck, but just make sure it is made in Mexico. There is enough data to show that Dodge made in Mexico are better in every respect.

 

[JasonBrown]

I'm on my second Dodge/Cummins and have never had one problem with either one. Dodge with a Cummins is really a great truck, but just make sure it is made in Mexico. There is enough data to show that Dodge made in Mexico are better in every respect.

Kind of disturbing, none the less true.

 

[SnoKing]

Taco Truck! "Almost Free" SNOKING

 

[Bobalos]

Im a chevy kinda guy & all my buddies have had Chevy's. the last one I had was a 79, 3/4T, 2x4 with the 454 & a TH400. it was a GREAT truck. I sold it because I was getting out of racing (come to find out it was a temporary thing). that truck got 12 MPG regardless of if it was in town or freeway. it was right @ 8 or 9 MPG towing.



A buddy of mine has a 4 or 5 year old, 1 ton Dually 4x4 with the Duramax & he LOVES it. he has not put anything into it, other than a nice exhaust & he drives the snot out of it. I also used to work with a guy that had a couple year old 4x4, 3/4T Cheby with the same motor/transmission. he had not put anything into it other than gas & had 80K on it, when I left the company.



Were I to do it agian, I would stick go the Cheby, but not sure about the diesel.



Bob

 

[MLisle]

everyone's needs and wants are different, for me I felt the dodge w/ cummins best suited my needs. I think the DMAX w/allison is a good combination, and would do well for you.

 

[SnoKing]

Just stay away from the ones that have overheating issues. That is the 2004. 5-2005 LLY's. Do a search on Duramax overheating. And then there are injector issues also. And if you get the 6. 0 or 8. 1 gassers you get to listen to piston slap. Other than that they are good trucks, a little girlly-man, but good trucks. SNOKING

 

[BJMarshall]

I had an 01 and a 03 GMC. Both were Duramax/Allison trucks. Neither gave me any trouble. The 03 was slightly bombed with a pressure box and an exhaust. I put close to 80k on both of them before I got rid of them. The 03 had the pressure box on it from about 10k on. They rode good and got decent mileage when driven properly. My wife could always get around 19 where I could only manage about 17.

I don't have any experience with high mileage on these like I do the Cummins. The few that I have worked on had injector problems.

My uncle has had two 6. 0l Chevrolets and has put gobs of miles on them with little or no trouble. One of them went over 300k with the only maintenance being a water pump. Never even replaced spark plugs.

 

[Grizzly]

For all the good stories on Chevy's I have read here on this thread, I have read 3 times as many bad stories. I think the bad stories still out weigh the good stories. Same thing with Ferd. The good Dodge stories out weigh the bad Dodge stories. I'll stay with Dodge.

 

[SAndreasen]

my 01 sport rides every bit as nice and three times the power of my neighbors dura max and the the mpg my dodge get 11 to 14 pulling and 16 to 18 empty his duramax will get 16 to 17. i also like my interior way better than the chevy i dont see why everybody loves that so much ! i hate that big center console and there is more room for your feet in a chevy cobalt. my cousin also has a 6. 0 liter gas 2500 and that thing cant get 12 empty. the only thing i would change about either of my dodges is if they had a full four door and not one like the gm that you cant your feet past the dam door frame.

 

[Matt400]

In our area there seems to be an equal amount of Dodges & GM's, as a service point of view we see more of the GM for things like glow plugs and intake heater faults. The engine compartment is pretty cramped IMO compared to the Cummins. Both have had their share of ball joint trouble.



On 4x4's the Dodge is better suited to big lifts with the solid front axle while the GM has its limits there.

At stock level the GM rides better and has a nicer stereo but the touchy throttle I don't care for.

The GM's have a drain plug on the rear axle, kinda nice.



Having worked on both I would buy another Dodge over the GM unless it was a 1500 gasser then maybe the GM.

 

['strokeThis_'07]

After hearing all the hype about the GM trucks' "great ride" and how "great" the Allison transmission is and how the duramax "runs like a scalded ape" or whatever I went to the local GM dealer and testdrove a new GMC H3D with the Duramx/Allison combo. First impression, what kind of IDIOT would spend $60,000 on one of these!?! (and im not calling you an idiot for lookin at them, I just couldnt justify to myself a $60,000 junk heap)I can get 5 times the truck for less than half. So I drove it around for a bit, and I gotta say I wasnt impressed with anything on the truck; didnt like the interior wasnt even real comfortable. The Allison really didnt even impress me that much to be honest. The Duramax wasnt close to living up to the hype, my '07 Dodge stock-to-stock would walk all over it and felt a lot more powerful. The ride was a disappointment; to me either of my Dodges ride better. All-in-all, I want a truck that feels like a truck, not some dolled-up wanna-be. And having worked in body shops, I can atest to how cheap the GM trucks are and how they crumble and fall apart in a minor fender bender. Barring some drastic changes at Dodge, Im a lifer for Dodges...

 

[J Shocik]

I just bought an '04 Chevy 2500HD W/6. 0L motor. I'm getting about 12mpg. The issues that put me back into a gasser & GM are the cost vs. mpg's money saved. I figure with the cost of diesel fuel about the same as reg. gas, and the roughly 7mpg's better the diesel would get vs. the roughly $10K to $12K more for the diesel vs. gas truck, I would have to keep the diesel for over 260K mi. before I would start to recoup any $$ from buying the diesel. If I buy the gasser, & keep it for 100K mi, then I still save over $5K vs. the diesel, even though I'm buying more gas.



Go to the 3rd gen. threads & read some of the problems some members are having with D/C. in not covering major repairs & paint issues. I'm not about to spend $40K of my hard earned $$ on a Dodge to have the paint fall off in 5K mi. & have D/C tell me "Sorry, we're not responsible & not paying for it or repainting it. " I'm lucky to have a GM dealer near me who I've done business with in the last 5 yrs. with my wife's car & they haven't done me wrong... & they had their chances.

 

[SAndreasen]

After hearing all the hype about the GM trucks' "great ride" and how "great" the Allison transmission is and how the duramax "runs like a scalded ape" or whatever I went to the local GM dealer and testdrove a new GMC H3D with the Duramx/Allison combo. First impression, what kind of IDIOT would spend $60,000 on one of these!?! (and im not calling you an idiot for lookin at them, I just couldnt justify to myself a $60,000 junk heap)I can get 5 times the truck for less than half. So I drove it around for a bit, and I gotta say I wasnt impressed with anything on the truck; didnt like the interior wasnt even real comfortable. The Allison really didnt even impress me that much to be honest. The Duramax wasnt close to living up to the hype, my '07 Dodge stock-to-stock would walk all over it and felt a lot more powerful. The ride was a disappointment; to me either of my Dodges ride better. All-in-all, I want a truck that feels like a truck, not some dolled-up wanna-be. And having worked in body shops, I can atest to how cheap the GM trucks are and how they crumble and fall apart in a minor fender bender. Barring some drastic changes at Dodge, Im a lifer for Dodges...

i do not see the big deal either with everybody and there hd this hd that i can not see anything about the interior i would want in my truck and i really hate that **** ing center console that makes it feel like you are riding in a 1980 kenworth cabover . and the allisons alright but even in tow haul mode it still free wheels you after you drop down below about 15 mph anyway. maybe if i was to buy a gas half ton i may consider it . also have you looked at the size of the steering components drag links tie rod end etc. my four wheeler has bigger parts

 

[Grizzly]

I just bought an '04 Chevy 2500HD W/6. 0L motor. I'm getting about 12mpg. The issues that put me back into a gasser & GM are the cost vs. mpg's money saved. I figure with the cost of diesel fuel about the same as reg. gas, and the roughly 7mpg's better the diesel would get vs. the roughly $10K to $12K more for the diesel vs. gas truck, I would have to keep the diesel for over 260K mi. before I would start to recoup any $$ from buying the diesel. If I buy the gasser, & keep it for 100K mi, then I still save over $5K vs. the diesel, even though I'm buying more gas.

Go to the 3rd gen. threads & read some of the problems some members are having with D/C. in not covering major repairs & paint issues. I'm not about to spend $40K of my hard earned $$ on a Dodge to have the paint fall off in 5K mi. & have D/C tell me "Sorry, we're not responsible & not paying for it or repainting it. " I'm lucky to have a GM dealer near me who I've done business with in the last 5 yrs. with my wife's car & they haven't done me wrong... & they had their chances.

You are absolutely right, people like you are better off with a chevy because it doesn't matter what anyone says about Dodge, your mind is made up. So go get a chevy and be happy. Same thing about ford people, like my brother-in-law. He bought a 08 ford with the new 6. 4 PS. No matter how much I warned him about the 6. 4 PS, he bought it anyway. The only thing that bothered him was having to pay big time for the bumper to bumper extended warranty, which is only good for 5 years. The ford dealer wouldn't give him a nickel discount on it. I told him that ford wouldn't give him any discount on the extended warranty because they know that they will spend every dime of that warranty money and then some fixing it.

 

[Texas Diesel]

. also have you looked at the size of the steering components drag links tie rod end etc. my four wheeler has bigger parts

I remember reading on the Duramax forum about a guy that got blocked in a parking lot. He decided to go over the curb to get out and bent the tie rod :-laf



Anyone seriously considering a Duramax should compare tie rod diameters just like you suggested.