03 HO & 6 spd for Calif. ????

[Ed]

Hey 03 guys,



Does anyone have any inside information on when or if the HO will be available in Ca. I have a friend who is ready to buy an 03 3500 with the HO and 6 speed, but the dealer says all he can get is the regular Cummins with a 5 speed.



This is extremely frustrating as it has taken me several years to talk him out of a Ford, (he has always been a Ford guy), and now he will have to settle for the stock engine and a 5 speed or go to Ford diesel and 6 speed.



If Dodge wants to compete they need to make the HO and 6 speed available in Ca.



Ed

 

[David Muench]

2004. 5 when the Cummins will (likely) go EGR.



Sorry.

 

[dan_gilson]

I did a little checking: I jumped up to kbb.com and using my zip code it configured me a HO with a 6 speed just fine. There was nothing on the site about issues with HO/6 Speed in CA. I wonder if the dealer was fibbing to get you to buy stock on hand.

 

[dan_gilson]

Another suggestion would be to give South County Didge a call in Gilroy. Talk with ?Todd? the fleet Mgr. He sold me both my '96 and '98. He should be able to give you the skinny. They did alright by me on the price of the trucks.

 

[jryan11518]

HO in CA

Guys there will be no HO in 3500 for 03 in California. The dealers are just as sick about it as the rest of us are. They turned green when I told them we would not be able to do business. Your friend will just have to find another way if he wants one.



The problem you will have in CA. is that the dealers will not tell the consumers about the HO. (if they can not get it to sell in their mind it does not exist) When I asked about it they acted like it was no big deal. But they sure as he-- were not going to inform me they could not get the big daddy.

Some people will be upset when they find out 5-6 months to late.

John

 

[David Muench]

Yep. I'm sure they're also not mentioning that the California engine has even less horsepower than the 49 state standard engine.

 

[Cliffman]

No HO

If I had it to do all over again I wouldn't have chosen the ETH/HO. The Pump on the ETC is better among other things. The 6 speed is not near as easy to shift as the 5 speed, add the US Gear splitter and you're much better off than with the 6 speed. Just my opinion.

 

[Ed]

Thanks

Thanks for spending the time to research / respond to my question.



It amazes me that Dodge did not resolve this as Ca. is a BIG market area.



I guess my friend will just have to settle for an ETC or go out of state. Of course, the other possibility is that he will go back to Ford. My bet is that will be his response if he can't get what he wants. Too bad !!



Thanks again guys,



Ed