4500/5500 Update!

[AKaiser]

My local Dodge dealer, Hendrickson Enterprise, Boonville, IN (just 15 miles E of Evansville, SW Indiana) told me years ago that he could sell medium duty Dodges with Diesel engines like hotcakes. David doesn't keep a large inventory of anything, but he does a lot of repeat customer factory order and "I'll find what you need out there" kind of business. Both my current 1500 and my previous 92 Dakota were used trucks he sold new to 1st owner, I being the second.



Not sure how good the timing on getting back into MD trucks is right now. Who knows.

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

TWilkening,



Ford used to build airplane engines at the least. But that was when Ol' Henry was in large and in charge.



Godspeed,

Trent

 

[Smokin_Monster]

while i cant speek for the new 6. 7 I know that our new sterling with an 8. 3 just went back to the dealer with 1200 miles on it for a new motor. Pourus casting in the block. It was actually leaking oil out of the block. Can anyone say 53 block all over again.

That is one of the things the Sterling I was driving went in for at about 4,000 miles.

 

[MacMc]

Thank God Ford doesn't build airplanes

The Ford Tri-Motor was one of the first successful commercial planes in this country. Less than 200 were built in the 20s and 30s and I've seen one in the air as recently as 15-20 years ago. Of course, they had P&W engines, not Powerstrokes!

 

[klenger]

I flew in one once. I did some minor avionics maintenance on a Tri-Motor when they were in Grand Rapids for an airshow and they gave me a free ride as a thank you.

 

[JBlock]

I saw one in Gilroy California at the car air musem there, the siding suprised my as it look like a coragated building.

 

[MacMc]

... the siding suprised my as it look like a coragated building.

Hence the common nick-name "The Tin Goose. "

 

[Coalsmoke]

Mac, good to see you here finally Life will be good when that new truck of yours gets all patched up.





Does anyone have any more substantial evidence on these reports of the new 4500. Anyone care to take a photo of this dealer connect thing with them listed?

 

[MacMc]

Mac, good to see you here finally Life will be good when that new truck of yours gets all patched up.

Been here a while now, ever since you first told me about this place. Read my latest thread in the 2nd Gen 12V forum; that's where I've usually been. Just picked up my truck this evening from the KDP repair.



Thanks again for referring me to this wonderful resource!

 

[ARedmon]

Sterling is what used to be Ford. When DC bought Ford's medium and heavy truck operations years ago, they renamed the trucks "Sterling. " Ford's current medium and heavy trucks are actually built by International and simply badged as Fords. The new Sterling division of DC was placed under Freightliner on the org chart and supposedly Freightliner has made many improvements to the trucks and to their manufacturing facilities since buying them from Ford. Ford had really allowed their medium and heavy trucks to become outdated and of poor quality. The newer DC owned Sterlings are supposed to be much better and have recently won some of the J. D. Power surveys for quality. Most people don't know it, but DaimlerChrysler is the world's largest producer of commercial medium and heavy duty trucks. That's why I've been surprised at how long it has taken them to start producing Dodge branded heavy trucks again. I do believe they are on the way, though.

 

[KDoerr]

Good Day all. So is there going to be a 4500 or a 5500? Is there will be I will keep the 02 and wait a bit longer if not I will get the 3500. But all I know is that I NEED A NEW DECK TRUCK SOON !!!!

Keith

 

[n7gxz]

Hence the common nick-name "The Tin Goose. "

And don't forget that Ford built all or most of the B-24 of WWII. That is were the Rouge River complex came from.



Kevin

 

[Coalsmoke]

Good Day all. So is there going to be a 4500 or a 5500? Is there will be I will keep the 02 and wait a bit longer if not I will get the 3500. But all I know is that I NEED A NEW DECK TRUCK SOON !!!!

Keith

who knows, it seems that the originator of this info sort of stopped posting about it. I'll probably hold off until summer, if there isn't a 4500 out by then I'll be taking a cheque over to the Ford dealership

 

[MCummings]

I'm just passing along what I know. I haven't heard anything new, and everybody else seems to be spot on with their comments anyway. Myself, I'm looking at getting a 2500, so it's only news for me, nothing to bite my lip over.



Merrick

 

[Coalsmoke]

I'm just passing along what I know. I haven't heard anything new, and everybody else seems to be spot on with their comments anyway. Myself, I'm looking at getting a 2500, so it's only news for me, nothing to bite my lip over.



Merrick

Merrick, sorry, didn't mean to implicate you, I meant the original poster on the other forum. I had been watching to see if there was any more substantiated news but it looks like maybe it was just a blip on the "new truck radar".

 

[MCummings]

Hey, it's ok. I'm a little "forum edgy" myself lately.





Merrick

 

[KDoerr]

well all I need to say is where is my 4500 or my 5500. when the spring comes I WANT MY 5500 cab and chass. or I'm have to go to ford. Man that sucks to say!!! :{

 

[Jong]

It's coming...

I'm in sales at a Dodge dealership and just talked to a DC commercial truck field rep at a training seminar for the new cab and chassis, and he said the new 4500-5500 trucks will be coming out this coming summer as early '08 models to finish out the class 4 market. They will be available up to 120" CA chassis, with multiple cab configurations. All I have to say is ITS ABOUT TIME!!! We have ahd people asking for these for way too long, especially with unsatisfied Ford F450-550 owners equipped with Powerstrokes looking for something built for the long haul. Another interesting factoid is that DC is the biggest truck manufacturer in the world, with seven different makes. Freightliner, Western Star, Sterling, Mercedes, Fuso, Dodge, and Thomas buses. They also own Detroit Diesel now.

 

[MCummings]

They also own Detroit Diesel now.

I think that happened with the DaimlerChrysler merge?



Merrick

 

[KCJackson]

Daimler Benz was a part owner of Detroit Diesel with Roger Penske after he bought it from GM. After the Chrysler merger (1998), DC negotiated the purchase of DD from Penske (2000).