Bought the wrong truck

[DPelletier]

Ok, I admit it. I bought the wrong truck. I am thinking that I need more power and would like to start upgrading. I also bought a slide-in instead of the travel trailer I used to have and now I think I should have bought an ETH with the six speed in a one ton dually. The six speed doesn't need upgrading for the power increases that I'm looking for and I'm not too worried about putting in a HD clutch but the idea of ripping out a perfectly working auto and spending several thousand dollars upgrading it doesn't appeal to me (truck only has 25,000 mi. ) also would like the dual rears for the camper and having the dana 80 over the 70 would be nice. Then I throw in the thought that if I start upgrading the power much, I would be better off with the HX35 over the HY35 and I come to the conclusion, I bought the wrong truck!!

As my wife would disembowel me if I told her I needed to buy a new truck again (only had this one for 20 months), I am thinking of trading it on a used 2001 3500 ETH DEE. Depending on options, condition and mileage, the upcharge shouldn't be too bad. Anyone wanna trade? or have any thoughts to end my madness?

Dave

 

[BV]

Have your thought of a transmission swap with JLinder who wants an the auto instead of 6sp ?

 

[BFC]

If it was me, given the choice of swaping truck or the transmission. I swapt, trade in or buy a new truck. transmission conversion can be and have been done but the potential for nightmare and headaches are too high, IMHO.



Glenn

 

[Ron Bissett]

The Big foot is heavy as you know by now , cheapest thing to do is go for a 3500 six speed with 4. 10 or 3. 73 for that load . In the mean time keep the weight down by not carring any extra stuff as we all do . LOL Ron in Louisville KY

 

[Fireman]

Dave,



I was where you are a year ago, and I started figguring how much transmission and engine upgrades were going to cost ($4-5K US) that's when I decided to sell the '01 and put the upgrade money with it. Resale on the '01s is still pretty good but in another year or two it won't be. Anyway that is the twisted logic that worked for me.



Fireman

 

[klenger]

Bought the wrong truck

I sure hate to see those words on this forum. I traded a 6 month old 5 speed SWB for the one I have now. Cost me about $5k to do it. Some of that is depreciation, some because the new one was more expensive. Lost my job within weeks after trading (post 9-11), so it's kind of hurt me financially, but I like the truck a lot better. I do think it makes more sense to trade than to spend thousands changing out the transmission.



Good luck

 

[pwr2tow]

Although I do agree with your guys logic on tradeing trucks (I thought of doing the same thing) There wasn't a dealer around that would trade me for less than $8,000 on a one year old truck (except the one that had hail damage) and most wanted $11,000 and higher a year after that. The logic I used was I'am going to trade in a perfectly good truck (except lift pump) that isn't even broke in yet (with 30,000 miles) and will go 300,000+ miles before rebuild which would be approxiamately 20 years from now and I will have to give a dealer another $11,000 of my hard earned money just to have a new truck that might be a lemon when my truck runs great except for a power issue.



I made the choice to upgrade based on I would have a stronger truck with about $5,000 upgrades in my signature. The new truck would still need upgrades to get the power for towing I have now.



Besides The wife tows and trailers about half the time I do and said If I get a manual that I would be stuck doing all the chores:{ Some times she scares me, but I love her anyhow .



Just a side note on breaking in the truck: At 48,000 miles I noticed the truck started getting quieter. This thing use to be so loud that even cummins owners use to say to me I must have the truck hopped up because it makes so much noise. Well now at a little over 50,000 miles the truck runs smooth, the last tank of fuel netted just about 20 MPG, and runs quieter than it has in any of it's history, all with temps below freezeing (the lower the temps the louder it would get) and on 50% blend of fuel to boot.



EDIT::: Spell check



Ron

 

[Pit Bull]

I traded a 2000 3500QC 4x4 auto with around 55K miles on it for the Brand new truck in my signature for $2700 difference. I really like the ETH/DEE. The deals are out there if you look hard. Have the dealer do a search for 2002 3500 ETH/DEE's and have him appraise your truck. Good luck

 

[pwr2tow]

PitBull,

I've seen you post this before, for the life of me I can not figure out how you could trade in a 2 year old truck for $2,700 to boot EDIT:: on a brand new 2002 H. O. There has to be more to your story than just a simple trade-in deal, could you take a moment and share it with us?



Ron

 

[Pit Bull]

Ron I could not believe it myself and I am still grinning



My 2000 was a 3500QC 4x4 ETC auto loaded with everything but leather with around 55K miles on it. The tires were in great shape. I did buy 2 new tires for it during the year I owned the truck but other than maintance that is all I did with it. This spring It was in a hale storm and my insurance company gave me a check for $2800 for the damage. I did not have it fixed. My new truck listed for $36000, I paid $28,500 for the new truck (invoice minus $3,000). They gave me $23,000 for my hail damaged 2000 and I still had the $2800 in the bank. If you take the $28,500 and subtract $23,000 for the trade that gives you $5,500 difference, now take away the $2,800 that the insurance company gave me for the hail damage and that means I paid $2700 difference out of my pocket for the new 2002 3500RC 4x4 ETH/DEE. Plus it is the truck, down to even the color, that I wanted when I first started looking at CTD's. Hey the good guys win some of the time. +1 for custome -1 for dealer :-laf



PS I paid $25,000 for the 2000 a little over a year ago. It had around 35,XXX miles on it when I bought it. So I drove it for over a year and made $800 on the 2000 trading it into another dealer. You don't see that happen to often.

 

[pwr2tow]

You restored my confidence!!! I Knew there had to be more to the story



Ron

 

[jbone]

Hey, how about selling your truck yourself--try a couple of adds, won't cost much--ask $1,000 off retail... guys on here are always telling friends about good trucks!! Then when you call some of these whole-sale dealers listed in Trailer Life or such magazines and get price on truck you want, then go see local stealer..... Thats what we should all do, but most of us want that certain truck on the stealers lot, and he knows it... ... . R, J. B.

 

[DPelletier]

Thanks for the replies guys;



BV - Hats off to those that have the time and energy to do the transmission swap, but I don't. There is also a chance that something would not be done perfectly. I also think that from an economic point of view, it may not be easy to sell a truck with the wrong transmission (I know I wouldn't buy it!). Besides, even with a transmission swap, I still have single rear wheels, a dana 70 and an HY35.



Ron - my particular model isn't that heavy compared to some of the other Bigfoot models (2200 lbs wet). In fact unless I fill it with water and gear, the overloads don't even touch. That being said, dual rear wheels would definitely give me more stability cornering on windy mountain roads.



It is not any one thing that brings me to this conclusion. If it was just the dualies or the transmission or the rear end or the turbo, I would keep the truck and change the offending part.



I found a 2001 3500 slt 4x4 sport (always wanted a sport) ETH DEE at a local dealer w. 70,000 miles. I may take a look at it and see what the dealer wants for difference. Being as how mine has 30,000 mi. , it shouldn't take much $.

The only thing that really bugs me is that I baby my truck, oil changes etc. every 3,600 mi. Buying a used one that I have no idea about is the only big drawback that I can see.

Dave

 

[Pit Bull]

You should be able to trade even. Good luck, let us know how you make out



Get the previous owners number and call and find out how they treated it. I bought a 95 LC with around 40K miles on it and I now have over 120K on it. They had the oil changed a jiffy lube every 7K "or so" thats it. When I checked the valve adjustment at 100K the engine looked brand new. I used Mobil 1 in it but as long as you check it over 70K on one of these trucks is nothing, probably a lot of highway miles.

 

[HavinFun]

You want what I have.



It took only 1 ride in my brothers C#### 1 ton dually with the same camper to convince me to sell my 97 2500. The 6spd has 500 rpm splits, ETH doesn't need more power, but you will It is a lot of money, but get what you want. I haul two different campers, one is 9 1/2, mine is 11 1/2, with the 9 1/2 I can still haul 3 horses within my comfort level.



It is kinda fun to pass the brother with a much heavier load, and his trailer so he can go empty



Bottom line, get the dually