new 2024 at great price or 2025

[Dr Mike]

Greetings.
Am blessed to have the following "problem"- should I buy a leftover 2024 3500 dually now at a great price or wait a month to see and buy a 2025? I understand the difference is largely the trans reliability question. Probably my last truck, will use with a truck camper on long cross country trips and some horse trailer hauling. Cash deal as I bought Cummins stock when I bought my 1990 Dodge Cummins.
Thanks for thinking about this.

 

[lpennock]

Personally wouldn't buy a first year engine or transmission. The 6.7 and the trans are both new for 2025.

 

[Ozymandias]

Very easy, if you can life for a couples years with the outdated 6 speed transmission then go for it. Nothing wrong by buying it.

 

[Dr Mike]

Thank you . The 2024 new leftover trucks that I am looking at have the Aisin trans, which is a 6-speed, which doesn't bother me at all. My 07.5 has a 68RE 6-speed which has been fine in terms of shifting under load. The 2024s also have the HO Cummins, which should be a step up from my 07.5, but maybe not as powerful as the 2025 version.
Incidentally, the dealers hate it when I refer to the 2024s as "leftovers".

 

[Cummins12V98]

I tow over 35k combined West Coast and sure don’t need more gears or power with my 15 AISIN.

 

[Diesel85]

I've been seeing some radical deals on the leftover 2023/2024 trucks.

 

[Ozymandias]

Thank you . The 2024 new leftover trucks that I am looking at have the Aisin trans, which is a 6-speed, which doesn't bother me at all. My 07.5 has a 68RE 6-speed which has been fine in terms of shifting under load. The 2024s also have the HO Cummins, which should be a step up from my 07.5, but maybe not as powerful as the 2025 version.
Incidentally, the dealers hate it when I refer to the 2024s as "leftovers".

The Aisin can be quite harsh in shifting and had some teething problems throughout the years.
Have a test drive at least before you buy if you can handle it, the 68RE was much more refined if it comes to shift quality.

 

[Topzide]

@Dr Mike, Buying the "leftover" 2024 wouldn't bother me a bit. If they have what you want on the lot, make a great deal and enjoy your new rig! As @Ozymandias has mentioned, the Asian has a bit of hard/harsh shift at times. If you don't find that an issue, which most of us don't find an issue, get it! Whichever one you choose to take home, enjoy the seat time while enjoying the great scenery that you plan to see.

I wouldn't want the first year of big changes "guinea pig"! Give the changes a year or two to shake out.

 

[Diesel85]

@Dr Mike, Buying the "leftover" 2024 wouldn't bother me a bit. If they have what you want on the lot, make a great deal and enjoy your new rig! As @Ozymandias has mentioned, the Asian has a bit of hard/harsh shift at times. If you don't find that an issue, which most of us don't find an issue, get it! Whichever one you choose to take home, enjoy the seat time while enjoying the great scenery that you plan to see.

I wouldn't want the first year of big changes "guinea pig"! Give the changes a year or two to shake out.

Same here. I still couldn't believe folks early on willy-nilly shelling out $90k on pretty much an unknown truck and then complaining they don't know why they can't get certain features/options, and of course the dealers were just as lost because they didn't have all the information themselves.

I live by the rule: Your money, your decision. My money, my decision.

Those "guinea pigs" are extremely useful for folks like us who give things time to shake out. Or in other words, we are learning on their "dime".

I love it when I have the inkling that something is going to turn out either good/bad, and folks spend their hard earned money then do pretty videos (which sometimes involves expensive camera gear), extensive write ups, etc. All for me to devour the information and make a decision for the bottom line cost of free.

 

[bcbender]

I tow 26k quite frequently with my AISIN.. No complaints what so ever, handles any grade / speed with ease. I for one have not ever had any of the shifting issues I've heard about, for me I prefer the 6spd over any of the 10spd(s) I've driven over the years.

 

[Cummins12V98]

The Aisin can be quite harsh in shifting and had some teething problems throughout the years.
Have a test drive at least before you buy if you can handle it, the 68RE was much more refined if it comes to shift quality.

I consider the shifting of my my AISIN more like a built trans and I like it that way. My 11 HO had the 68RFE and per Dave Smith Service Manager I ran the hell out of it when I bought it from them with 13 miles on the odo. I never had the issues some did and also I never had fuel dilution. It was a nice form shifting trans.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I tow 26k quite frequently with my AISIN.. No complaints what so ever, handles any grade / speed with ease. I for one have not ever had any of the shifting issues I've heard about, for me I prefer the 6spd over any of the 10spd(s) I've driven over the years.

I am sure the new 8 speed will prove to be good and reliable but like you I tow heavy much more than most and have no complaints.

 

[endoscott]

Honda probably thought the ZF would be good too, but no...Yeah, I know it's a different trans but it's the same company. I love the Aisin 6 speed personally on our 2014 RAM.

https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2024/honda-9-speed-transmission-lawsuit.shtml

 

[Turbo Terry]

Love my aisin and ho . First year stuff is a scary place. Go for the good 2024 prices

 

[Diesel85]

Love my aisin and ho . First year stuff is a scary place. Go for the good 2024 prices

On another forum we are talking about this, and folks are seeing HO AISIN Tradesmen 4x4 crew cab deals for $56k.. LOTS of truck for that money.

It is so tempting. Would be an upgrade if I went that direction and save me cash in the long run.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I am still happy with my 2013 HO (only 385 HP and 850 ft lb back then!). The best I can hope for out of a new truck is that it is as good as my 2013 has been.

 

[Ozymandias]

Honda probably thought the ZF would be good too, but no...Yeah, I know it's a different trans but it's the same company. I love the Aisin 6 speed personally on our 2014 RAM.

https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2024/honda-9-speed-transmission-lawsuit.shtml

The plaintiffs say the control modules control how the transmission interacts with the engine. Related software must be calibrated correctly for the 9-speed transmission to properly function.

The transmission lawsuit alleges Honda failed because the gear shifting isn't timed correctly.

Seems to be more a Honda problem then a ZF problem.
Because that 9 speed transmission runs in a myriad of vehicles and brands.

 

[endoscott]

Yeah, could be, will grant you that. But I will stick with my Aisin anyway. I don't really "need" a new truck probably ever at my age. This 2014 should go the duration.

 

[Shiner]

My thoughts as well. Like you, I feel this maybe my last HD truck. I only have 12,700 on the clock for this one. The 01 is at 250,000. So the 21 should outlive me.

 

[Jim W]

I myself would wait at least two years before buying a new Ram with the ZF transmission that is being offered.

Why?

To make sure all of the bugs are worked out of the transmission mated to the Cummins engine in the newer trucks.

I know this is several years back in history, but when I worked for Cat, the company offered for a very limited time the ZF transmission as an option for medium duty wheel loaders. This was supposal a heavy-duty transmission for earthmoving equipment. The European dealers were demanding this transmission for their customers as they thought the ZF was better than the CAT transmission in the wheel loaders. The transmission when offered in the medium duty wheel loaders for European sales, and then they promptly feel apart under the duty cycle.

Just saying they might be a very good transmission in light duty application such as automobiles and such, but will they last in a heavy-duty application like our trucks. Will they last for the 200,000 or 300,000 miles like the 68RFE, and AISIN transmission do?

Just my viewpoint on some new products being offered at a marketing request.