Betrayed by Dodge/Cummins

[Sticks]

I'll print and pin this next to the rumor of the '05's having the Mercedes 400 hp diesel.

 

[Dean Upson]

Originally posted by Casey Balvert

I took delivery of my truck in September of 2002 and have absolutely no regrets. Best vehicle I have ever owned.



Again, DC is dangling the more horses and twist carrots to entice people to buy into more stringent emmissions systems. Time will tell what else the buyers of the "new and improved" trucks get for their money. And some of that may not be what they bargained for. I hope I am wrong. We will know soon.



If I had the choice of the "old" HO and the "new and improved" version I think I would opt for the devil I know. In another month or so I might change my mind, but for some reason I doubt it. FWIW



Casey

I nearly always agree with Casey and do on this subject as well. I love my '03 and would not "trade even". It is interesting to note that just a few days ago everyone was dreading the hated 04. 5 and now folks are feeling "betrayed" and left behind in obselence. Give me a break .

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

Howdy Pit Bull:



Whew!!! Shouldn't have poked your head out of your hole on that one, eh? Or ay for our northern friends.



I raised similar concerns in a post "Mad as Jello, and I'm not going to take it any more. "



However, I was POd because I had been patiently waiting for the promised press release about the "600" on 12/10. What came out was fluff and nothing substantive for consumers to make an informed purchasing decision. (except the 04. 5 folks can pull big mine trucks, whoa!) Furthermore, I consider the continued "secrecy" two weeks out from production with folks placing orders to be a crock. Fortunately, estute TDR members pointed out Dc was merely protecting themselves from the competition because surely the competition was bound to shut down their assembly lines, redesign, retool, and fire up production to match D/C.



I considered the hp/tq increase to be insignificant. Heck, I was happy with the power, and power band of my "puny" 98 12v. What was a major factor for me was the FUD over the impending EGR/CAT, which was a major purchasing decision factor for me as far as timing of my purchase. There were other major considerations for my upgrade.



In addition, being the greedy covetous boy that wants all the marbles, the new exhaust mainfold, turbo, 5" exhaust, and "exhaust brake ready" baubles were a sirens call to discontent. On this I'm thankful to the TDR folks who wrote about how content they were with their 03s/04s. Others, as in this thread, pointed out the futility of chasing advancing technology. Some sagaciously compared computers and cell phones to purchasing a $30K to $40Krig



I'm thankful to have a place where I can express, i. e. vent, my concerns and frustrations and get feedback - really! All in all, the responses, the good, bad, and the nasty, have helped put things in perspective. Therefore - who me worry? Thanks bros.



Consider yourself lucky, I've yet to see "whine" in the replies. :{ What you apparently don't realize is how fortunate you are that DC will accept your dollars. You have been so arrogantly presumptous to assume you are entitled to question Dc.



Repeat after me: Ja Vo, Herr Diamler/c, I see nuting, I know nuting, I ask nuting.



Remember, Ve has our vays, imbecile!!! Do not question das Dc slap! slap!

 

[lawdog1]

Ya Know ve German's are not all flovers and cupcakes, ve will not tolerate ya insolence TDR! It vould be best if ya kept ya schinzel holes shut!... . Veeerrry Innntteresting.

 

[diesel DOG]

What date for the upgrades would have made you happy? The day before you ordered a new truck? Not being mean I know how you feel we all want the lastest and greatest weather cameras or computers or cars. If you always wait for the latest and greatest you never have anything. No matter what we have here that rolls picture some poor soul walking in a desert some where on this earth. I'd like a new one too but my 01 I got for 32 some odd dollars with a sticker of 41+ and 100,000 mile warranty which will be mine in 12 months is great too. It's great we all want better it keeps us working and excited. I don't know if it would be fun to have everything you want right away if I was a billionare. I'd sure try it Then I'd buy us all new trucks.

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

shuffle... shuffle... shuffle



Shuffle... Shuffle... . Shuffle



Oh yeh, man, just had a flashback of my previous rebellious episode. Its all seems kinda hazy now, since my forum lobotomy I really don't seem to care much anymore... sigh.



The worst part was the crowd massed at my virtual front door. The flaming torches, waving signs, and shouting slogans about "Don't you dare question DC", "The marketplace will take care of the likes of you", and demanding "obeisance to DC, Dc, Dd, DD"



I soon figured out these sycophant's were insiders whose loyalty had been purchase by threats of being transferred to Kenai, Arkansas to sell AMC products. More specifically, Pacers to offroading bubbas who had threated to fly aircraft into sagebrush storage silos in Wamsutter, Wyoming, because they weren't allowed to visit Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Parks and build open latrines. Now wait a minute, I'm getting threads confused... hmmm... all seems to run together. Oh well, be happy



However, for you, ol' Pit Bull, it ain't going to be so easy. You have dare to express doubts about DC... BZZZT BZZZZT... ow ow, okay, Okay. . THE GREAT DC. . might have ulterior motives like spreading FUD about EGR/CAT in order to clear the lots in preparation for the hollowed 2004. 5s. For you we have the special treatment.



Thats it, hold him down boys while Herr Schrempp, gets that other nut. That'll ought to that pup on the porch!!:{ Thats a good boy.

 

[y-knot]

Thats what is so nice about forums like this, you can vent and get it off your chest. And there are enough people here to see it from many different perspectives. There is usually always a few that see it as you do. A few more then that, that think your nuts. And a whole bunch that are in between.

 

[jlasich]

While I can't understand why any '03 or '04 owner would be upset about the Cummins 600, I can understand how 6. 0l PSD owners would feel when they see their $40,000 truck sitting in the shop more than their own homes. IT'S BUSINESS, PEOPLE. Put yourselves in DC's shoes. You own a business, you have a lot of stock on the shelves, are you really going to tell your customers not to buy it because there's something else coming out that is better. I don't think so. 20 hp and 45 tq isn't that much and the fact remains that we still don't know anything about the engine (i. e. EGR, CAT, turbo). Plus they most likely won't have any rebates and dealers, especially those in the communist states, are going to want a pretty penny for them. I think I'm going to wait for the rebates to go up on the pre-04. 5 and buy a "puny" 305hp/555tq Cummins then, unless I can't find one to my liking.

 

[Matt400]

Originally posted by Pit Bull

Now that you know that Dodge/Cummins is coming out with a 325HP/600Tq. new engine in just a few months, how many 03 owners feel betrayed by Dodge/Cummins keeping this information under wraps until now?

I feel just the opposite. The new 600 will help to establish the 3rd. generation trucks as the great ones. Oh sure I wish I had one of those over mine but then I would just feel the same when the next ones come out and believe me just like everything else there will always be a better model.



I think it will help my resale because not every used buyer is looking for the badest of the bad... if they were they would be buying new. For me I plan a resale around 2020 and by that time it will be long out of warranty.

The way I have maintained it along with its looks will be its strong points by that time.



DC is moving 30,000 trucks a month and its hard to establish a cut-off. There are 03's and early 04's out on the lots that Dealers will have to move still. Its not even 04 yet and I think its great no more orders are being taken for the early 04's. Order one today and get the 04. 5 600.



A bigger disappointment for me would have been not reading the window stickers when I bought cuz there were 47RE and 48RE equipped trucks on the same lot!

I took a much larger bath when I bought an 02 1500 rated to tow 6150 only to find it just couldn't cut having 6000 behind it.

I almost blew it again and came scary close to a 4. 10 Hemi... . remember- That thing got a Hemi? After buying my CTD I still can't understand all the hype in presenting that engine as a tow rig over the CTD. The Hemi IMO belongs in a 2wd street truck not in a dually car hauler.

 

[Dean Upson]

Re: Re: Betrayed by Dodge/Cummins

Originally posted by Matt400

After buying my CTD I still can't understand all the hype in presenting that engine as a tow rig over the CTD. The Hemi IMO belongs in a 2wd street truck not in a dually car hauler.

You are right about the HEMI. I think that the only reason that it is being presented as a hauler is that D/C is marketing it to it's largest group of buyers. Many folks can't understand the appeal of a diesel or have stereotyped them as being smelly and noisy.



Dean

 

[MCummings]

Originally posted by SLinse

My 1 month old truck obslolete.

Guess how I felt with my two nearly 6 year old trucks?

Darn. Dodge is just about halfway to catch up to me with the 600.



I think 600Ft/Lbs with warrenty would be great, but everybody knows 600Ft/Lbs just isn't pushing that little 6 cylinder. Once we get into the 200Ft/Lbs per cylinder,, then parts start getting pushed a little bit. Whenever Dodge comes out with a 200Ft/Lbs per cylinder Cummins, I'll sell my trucks, and get me one of those.



Merrick

 

[gsbrockman]

I only feel betrayed at fill-up time when I'm topping off my tank, especially now that winter is here. Could fill up my '00 in hardly nothing flat, and now it takes 8-10 minutes to put in that last 4 to 5. 5 gallons in my '03.

Greg

 

[Matt400]

Originally posted by gsbrockman

it takes 8-10 minutes to put in that last 4 to 5. 5 gallons in my '03.

So Greg, what is up with that? I have the same truck and mine fills ok?

 

[dmurdock]

I realize that some people may feel betrayed, I don't. I have exactly what I want. . a cummins, common rail, and no emissions. I would like the exhaust brake capability but I wouldn't trade that for emissions. This truck without an e-brake still stops better than my '01 WITH an e-brake and since I live in Texas (relatively flat) I'm perfectly happy.



ps. . the '05's will have more power than the '04's, the 06's more than the '05's, etc... If your that caught up in the power thing then you might as well ride the bus, it will never end (until we're all driving electric cars. . then it will be who has more watts )

 

[Matt400]

Originally posted by dmurdock

it will never end (until we're all driving electric cars. . then it will be who has more watts )

Can hardly wait for my Edge watt box so I can stack it with my on board torque maxx generators! Oo.

 

[Pit Bull]

The important thing is to be happy with your ride. I thought that the new "600" wouldn't have anymore emissions than the 03's? Sounds like there is a lot we don't know? Which is part of the problem. You would think that as DC improved these trucks they would address issues like having a drain plug in the diff's, just one example.

 

[jgallentine]

It is interesting to note that just a few days ago everyone was dreading the hated 04. 5 and now folks are feeling "betrayed" and left behind in obselence. Give me a break

I remember not too long ago everyone was dreading the reduced decibel levels of the "new 03". These same folks went on to say how the sky was falling because it just isn't a real diesel without all that noise. I haven't heard any of those complaints since ..... hm?..... the 03s actually hit the dealership lots and TDR member's driveways.



Guess that's just how things go..... change is hard for people.

 

[Matt400]

Originally posted by jgallentine

I remember not too long ago everyone was dreading the reduced decibel levels of the "new 03". These same folks went on to say how the sky was falling because it just isn't a real diesel without all that noise.

Thats funny cuz the noise reduction was a selling point for me. I have been towing with gas big blocks for many years with great success. The noise reduction I believe will help the CTD sales.

 

[klenger]

It's because of the reduced noise levels that I decided to order Sirius Radio. I will actually be able to hear it.

 

[Dean Upson]

I was never bothered by the noise until I got my '03. I love the quiet ride. Being able to hear the radio and have a conversation without shouting is a big plus, especially if you are on an extended trip. The only problem is that I can hear "There is a gift shop on the right" now. .



Dean