2004 Dmax outdone by an "infearior old" Dodge

[Got Smoke?]

Inferior? Yeah bud... . your brand new truck can't keep up hauling less weight than what looked like a later model (99, 00?) Dodge? I really see which is inferior.



I had to close the vid after 5 mins..... I couldn't take any more of his idiotic "superior vehicle" comments. I'm brand loyal as any of you guys, but when someone is that idiotic I walk away.

 

[Yo Hoot]

What those guys are saying is true, the dodge part of the truck is a piece of crap, I have had more problems with the body on my dodge than I have ever had with any other vehicle. The only parts that havent had problems are the parts not made by dodge, the axles, the engine..... um well thats about it. Oh wait the transmission blew up twice (auto). I am discusted with the quality dodge puts into the body and frame on these trucks and I will be ridding my self of my dodge in favor of a ford that I am going to swap a 12 valve into with a 5 speed.

They have come a long way since 1995.



It just cracks me up how often people compare old models to new models. So many of the Dmax people have no idea how much Dodge has changed. Many don't know it's common rail with the same Bosch system. Many don't know it has AAM axles... same as on GM trucks. They share same brand transfer cases. They are arguably on the same level of engine quietness. Cummins and D/C did something right when they integrated the injection system because it has far less problems than the Dmax has. Dodge has the automatic fixed up pretty much and now has a new design 6-speed auto. (Wish I had one) cause 4 gears just ain't enough.



The best part though is still the Cummins.



So far my experience with my 2004 has be very good. Nothing body/chassis has broken except for the recline handle on my seat. I broke it jumping out of the truck, my wallet caught on it on the way down, snapping it off. This April I will have had it for three years and it will have over 50,000 miles on it. Still has all the original parts except shocks and tires and exhaust on it. Contrary to popular belief, no parts have fallen off. Haven't seen a dealership in two years.

 

[GFritsch]

What those guys are saying is true, the dodge part of the truck is a piece of crap, I have had more problems with the body on my dodge than I have ever had with any other vehicle. The only parts that havent had problems are the parts not made by dodge, the axles, the engine..... um well thats about it. Oh wait the transmission blew up twice (auto). I am discusted with the quality dodge puts into the body and frame on these trucks and I will be ridding my self of my dodge in favor of a ford that I am going to swap a 12 valve into with a 5 speed.

Couldn't disagree more. My 94 went over 200k with no problems other than a starter at 150k, Tires, brakes and normal scheduled maintainance. That truck with 200ka had less rattles, squeaks vibrations etc. than my 2002 Ford company PS with 60k which has been into the shop numerous times for many problems (most not engine/transmission related). Our company has now gone away from purchasing Fords due to the cost of ownership and the poor reliability.



I sure miss that 94 and wish I kept it rather than trading it in. Could have 2 awesome trucks instead of one.

 

[Yo Hoot]

Ya gotta love it :-laf



FORD Quality is Job #1

 

[Ncostello]

I understand that they claim these trucks can haul XX amount... however they also post EPA fuel mileage numbers on window stickers as well. I've never seen my Subaru get anywhere near the number that was posted on the sticker... so can I sue as well?

Not really. EPA mileages are estimates as determined in a laboratory. Load carrying capacity and towing capacity are published design specifications which a vehicle should be capable of... not to exceed.

 

[DiTrani]

Couldn't disagree more. My 94 went over 200k with no problems other than a starter at 150k, Tires, brakes and normal scheduled maintainance.

Yeah, I bought my truck believing all the talk about the truck falling apart around the engine, but mine's been aging better than the Honda minivan we bought around the same time, and I live in salt country. Other than the (admittedly very expensive) VP and LP failures, everything has been near flawless.

 

[ezcurra]

The best part is that the driver of the "obviously inferior dodge truck" is not aware that some guy is trying to race him :-laf

 

[pipeguy]

I am glad I was not the only one that thought of the wind drag from a backwards cube van.



Pushing a lot of air there ... .

 

[WaltHess]

I live down here in southern NV and commute 75 miles each way to work. On the I-15 I have seen lots of disguised new cars being tested in the summer heat. I recently had a chance to talk to one of the Dodge Truck testers. They have to put 350 miles a day on the trucks while towing a trailer that has big weights on it ,as well as a windscreen that is quite tall to test the towing capabilities. Wish I had more time to talk with him there on the side of the road, but I had to get to work.

 

[DZink24]

A related question

Dmax has enough protection in the system to not allow you to hurt it. That's why he couldn't keep up. It defuels automatically when the engine gets too hot but not hot enough to damage it..... theoretically.

Do our Cummins have a similar design in them, as to shut down and not allow the motor to go over 2000 RPM, in the event of a failure of the coolant system?

 

[SHobbs]

Did I see it right? He was running 3k on tach, transmission was at nearly 300* and it looked like the 4wd was engaged. Maybe wrong but there was a light by I believe 2lo or 2hi. If the 4wd was engaged I wonder why it was. Never owned a 4X4 so I am not sure of the reasoning as to why it would be used on a bone dry road, if it was. Looks like the Dodge in that video had more weight behind him to boot to.

 

[crobertson1]

I think all the "crappy old Dodge" comments were sarcastic in nature. They seemed to me like they were thrown in there to emphasize his "superior" truck's weaknesses. Those comments were for the benefit of the lawyers. I thought the video was excellent at demonstrating what he was trying to get accross-that being his truck won't do what it's supposed to be able to do. The "crappy old Dodge" was out performing his "state of the art" D-max with all the bells and whistles. The bells and whistles sounding off almost the entire time .

 

[GFritsch]

I am glad I was not the only one that thought of the wind drag from a backwards cube van.



Pushing a lot of air there ... .

You could swap loads between the two trucks and the result would be the same. Actually the Chevy would have even more trouble keeping up with the Dodge having less weight and rolling resistance.

 

[WAckerman]

Not really. EPA mileages are estimates as determined in a laboratory. Load carrying capacity and towing capacity are published design specifications which a vehicle should be capable of... not to exceed.

I know, I was just using it as an example to be a smart *****... I'm sorry if I caused any confusion. But thank you for clarifiying.

 

[RSarvie]

That guy had a sweet electronics monitoring system on his lap top. I just don't like having a gwady lap top laying around the cab myself.



Playing the devils advocate here, and I didn't see any gauges on the Dodge, but, who's to say he's not running a "sleeper" set-up with gauges in the dash and a few tricks up his sleeve? We've all watched a "superior" type truck in our rear view at one time or another and nonchalantly "toyed" with him. Admit it, it's fun!



Still though would have expected more out of the D-Max. Looking at his instruments and hearing all the bells and whistles is painful, however, entertaining as well.

 

[JCrockett]

That is just hilarious! I love my 2 Cummins!

 

[Ncostello]

Ahhhh... its probably just a stuck thermostat and the local Chevy dealer is replacing all kinds of sensors and re-flashing the computer. Probably pull the heads off next. Thermostats can still mess up. I've seen them completely break in half in brand new CAT engines for no apparent reason.



Meanwhile... I've seen some Duramax's pull some bigger loads with little sweat. Something is obviously wrong... bad wrong. To bad they can't fix it.

 

[Big P]

Who is to say that the Dodge was stock though?

 

[mr.wilson]

Now I'm not a rocket scientist or anything but did anyone else notice the way he had the U-haul was loaded on that GN trailer, with the ***** end facing the direction he was headed. If I were a "thinking" man I might be inclined to turn that around for the aerodynamics of the U-haul to work with him instead of against him. The back end of the box truck had to act like a huge parachute. The weight may have forced his hand but I don't think so. Not that I am taking up for the Dmax, cause I like to dust a Dmax like most. Just throwing in my 2c.

 

[wcaldwell]

I thought he was abusing his D'max - when the bells are ringing and the instrument panel is telling him it has started to overheat and then he keeps on pushing it as hard as he can until it fully overheats and goes into 'limp' mode, that's abuse and the legal case should have been dropped immediately.



Additionally, when he first saw he couldn't pass that "old" Dodge (I didn't realize my 98 was old), why didn't he move back to the right hand lane instead of staying in the left lane?



Wayne