Big 3 Tow Test...Cool Video!!

[Matt400]

12. It did have a spin on fuel filter = good.

Yes but if its like the 05 then changing it is more work IMO than the Cummins. Awkward location and you have to change out the water sensor in the bottom, can't refill it with a cleaner so you just press the button a bunch of times to bleed like the primer on a lawn mower.

 

[Bertram65]

Well I went and drove a new LBZ 3500 SRW crew cab L1 long box.



1. alot of gizmos to go wrong and expensive to fix.

2. The allison couldn't do anything my NV5600 could do except shift on it's own. Really wasn't that impressed with it.

3. The interior is cheaper looking.

4. Had to really push on the throttle to get it to move but I am comparing that to my 6 speed and modified auto in my 99. I really didn't see much difference in throttle response between stock to stock autos but I didn't floor the duramax either due to new engine and salesjerk in rear seat.

5. The dmax sat just as high as my truck. I was looking for it to be lower for towing purposes.

6. Engine was just as noisy as mine.

7. Road harsher than my truck except on the interstate cement at speeds.

8. Brakes were no better or worse than mine.

9. Took just as long cranking to fire as my truck.

10. The turbo intercooler hose routing was a night mare.

11. Fairly stuffy engine compartment.

12. It did have a spin on fuel filter = good.

13. It came with a transmission temp gauge = good.

14. I'll take the fold flat floor in my truck over chevys flip seat thingy any day.

15. There isn't anything more the chevy can offer me than my dodge already does and in some cases they have less to offer. I'll just keep what I have.



I done this test drive on the premiss that I would have driven home a new dmax if the test drive had proved favorable. I walked away from the dealership disappointed in the test drive and deal. I have lived long enough, listened to dealers bull, and owned more vehicles than you can shake a stick at. I know a good deal when I see one and what I have is just as good if not a little better. To top it all off mines paid for and has a 3/36 warranty plus a 7/70,000 warranty plus a 7/100,000 warranty all depends on how the miles any years fall.

On your #2 comment, the Allison can probably get to 60 with a load in about half the time with less drama than shifting a 6 speed, empty probably 50% quicker.

If you have a warrantee who cares how tight the engine compartment is? It looks like warrantee is important to you as you reference it in your last paragraph.



The Duramax is top dog by a good margin, why try and compare it to your truck and say yours is better or as good? Dealer's bull has nothing to do with it either, the GM won by a large margin in one of the best and fairest comparrisons done in recent years.

 

[Matt400]

Did they ever get rid of the tiny 24 gal tank the 05 short bed has?

 

[pwr2tow]

On your #2 comment, the Allison can probably get to 60 with a load in about half the time with less drama than shifting a 6 speed, empty probably 50% quicker.

If you have a warrantee who cares how tight the engine compartment is? It looks like warrantee is important to you as you reference it in your last paragraph.



The Duramax is top dog by a good margin, why try and compare it to your truck and say yours is better or as good? Dealer's bull has nothing to do with it either, the GM won by a large margin in one of the best and fairest comparrisons done in recent years.

If you would have read my previous posts I stated the dmax probably was faster. Who cares when you have a 6 speed, anything is faster, but with a 6 speed I can hold or shift when needed. The ally can do that too and if you read my post I said it couldn't to anything more than my 6 speed except shift on it's own but it can not if in manual mode.



Yep, warranty is very important to me. After 3 years with the dmax I'd be doing the warranty myself, but with my dodge I get extended warranty. Not that I would let any one fix my truck anyhow unless It was a hard part or expensive, I do all my own service work and then some.



Again if you would have read my previous posts I stated the dmax comparison was as fair as it could get. I agree with you, why challenge my post.



I compared my truck to the dmax because that is what I was interested in buying. After test driving one I still like my truck better. Would I have bought a dmax if the price was right, maybe, but only because I wanted a Srw, auto, I'am kind of tired of shifting gears expecially in traffic. The auto dodge offers is far from what the ally is, so that is the reason I was looking and comparing a dmax. Maybe I'll have to wait until dodge puts their new aisian transmission in a 3500 nonchasis cab before I trade or just keep what I have. The future will tell, money and time wise.

 

[pwr2tow]

Bertram65,



Your signature, we use to say: When in doubt, whip it out. :-laf

 

[pwr2tow]

Did they ever get rid of the tiny 24 gal tank the 05 short bed has?

I don't know, we never got that far. After driving the dmax I really wasn't that impressed with the truck engine or styling.

 

[pwr2tow]

Yes but if its like the 05 then changing it is more work IMO than the Cummins. Awkward location and you have to change out the water sensor in the bottom, can't refill it with a cleaner so you just press the button a bunch of times to bleed like the primer on a lawn mower.

The location was not too bad, just remove the air tubing. I would think you could fill the filter just like an oil filter before installing. Don't know for sure as I never looked at one that wasn't installed. Yah it still had the primer bulb.

 

[SnoKing]

I don't know, we never got that far. After driving the dmax I really wasn't that impressed with the truck engine or styling.

I believe the short boxes still have the 26 gal tanks. SNOKING

 

[tgrfan2]

The location was not too bad, just remove the air tubing. I would think you could fill the filter just like an oil filter before installing. Don't know for sure as I never looked at one that wasn't installed. Yah it still had the primer bulb.

The 06 D/A FF is tougher than the 04 was for sure. I ended up taking the battery out to get to it easier. Since it has to be replaced about twice as often that is a pain. Otherwise the 06 is much better than the 04 except in fuel economy and still having that car size fuel tank.

 

[tgrfan2]

I don't know, we never got that far. After driving the dmax I really wasn't that impressed with the truck engine or styling.

It is a nice smooth "ride around truck" IMO. The engine does not respond like the Cummins for sure and is plenty thirsty with fuel near $3. Until the A 1000 is beefed up the only advantage it has is the extra gearing V8 diesels are known to need. I guess if I wanted a daily driver diesel that I planned to trade each time the warranty ran out it would be be ..... well still my second choice!

 

[CUMMINZ]

Dodge

I seem to "dodge things" thrown by my wife pretty regular. :-{} It on seemed logical to drive a "Dodge"