coming out of the closet

[rdanley]

will guys i have some good news and some bad news, first the bad i purchased a new 04. 5 chevy 3500 drw 4x4 lly cc a month ago and i finally got the balls to come clean. the good news is i am starting to really fall in love with this truck, now it was a rocky start at first i went from 24 v 5speed to the ally trans and that took some getting used to but i have been able to get over the learning curve and learn how to drive it . also i installed the edge juice with attitude last thursday and that thing woke smooth up just like my 24v did when i installed the edge pulse. the test will be next month when i do on vacation to see how the newbie handles the 16k fiver. i still have my trusty whole dodge and i wont let her go she will always be in my stable. another thing guys i have been hanging out over at the diesel page for 6. 2,6. 5 and duramax 6600 web page for a month now and i must say one thing TDR is the greatest web page by far the guys and gals here are the best, always willing to help, always willing to work togeather to solve the problems that come up. the 6. 2 page over thier needs to come over here and hang to see how things should be done. please dont hate me but the cummins still runs hard threw these veins. the wife and i did need the extra room that the chevy offers that was the main selling point besides the onstar and xm radio, and i can say the alli trans with tow haul and engine breaking feature really does kick some butt. thier i am out of the closet i feel alot better now what a relief. :-laf

 

[hotram03]

Jumping ship

I would have kept that to myself, 6bt to a v-8, GOODBYE

 

[edgrim]

Everyone is making a nice product now days but Dodge has the best product mix of them all with more to come.

Sorry to hear your needs didn't get answered at Dodge, maybe that will help get some things changed.

We should have had a crew-cab in the 2nd Gen Trucks (a true crew-cab not oddball 3rd Gen idea that is still to small)and just adding upgrades to the old 727 transmission for how many years now, is unbelieveable.

Dodge needs to wake up or more and more people will follow you.

 

[JL penner]

I totally agree! If Dodge doesn't come out with a true 4 door within the next 5 years (that's when I'll need a family size CTD) I'll be forced to go with the next best at that time. My girlfriend is a ferd fan and she gets me everytime I start to tell her about how much better my truck is than hers (she has a '02 F250 PSD). I start to brag about my truck and all she has to do is point out how big the back seat is in hers and she wins the debate.

Dodge needs to wake up and realize how easily they could corner the market for full size truck!

 

[JL penner]

BTW I'm a converted Chevy fan. The CTD is what brought me over to Dodge. That and the uglyfied the new Chevys. GMCs still look pretty sharp, but I don't like spaggetti under the hood. Whoever thought of a V8 Diesel should be buried with their idea

 

[DPKetchum]

Gonna have a Mass said for you Sunday. I DON"T want a TRUCK that big. Or all the gadgets like Onstar etc. Got my AM channel and cell phone. I'm happy. When I bought my 03 friends said DAMN its HUGE! If I want larger I'll go Midduty next time. Besides the G. M. trucks are downright ugly. Looked and looked under the hood and NO WAY.

 

[jsimpson]

My brother has had a 4x4 Duramax Diesel Crew cab since the first ones hit the showroom. I drove it across country to deliver it to him - it's a great truck. The transmission is head and shoulders better than the endlessly modified 60's era Torqueflite that is called a 48RE today. When I bought my latest CTD, I agonized quite a while before choosing the Dodge over the Chev. The Cummins and the styling swayed me, but the Allison almost pulled me over to the general's side. Had I looked for and found a better deal on a GMC with it's more acceptable styling, I'd prolly be driving a Duramax today. I'm not a brand-loyal person. When another brand offers me more value for my buck, I readily switch. Congrats on being a savvy buyer!

 

[DPKetchum]

According to repair surveys through 2003 I believe the Allison is top of the list of the list of the big three. The few folkes I know that own them have had all of them gone into. This was just discussed on another site in depth. Is savvy a perception?

 

[TCDiesel]

You are rite on most of those other forums. I have no problem paying the $35. 00 here. As far as the Duramax go"s or don"t it is a V-8 diesel with all the problems associated with it, History has shown that only 1 V-8 diesel somewhat measure up the 7. 3 powerstoke. all the rest have been defective. 5. 7,6. 2,6. 5 7. 2. The 6. 6 and the 6. 0, CR5. 9 ,the jury is still out, the inline history is much more successful. The chevy does ride softer.

 

[jsimpson]

Chevy rides better and has the most comfortable seats I've ever driven in!

As for trannies, the only Mopar transmission I never had trouble with was a 1958 Torqflite. My brother has never had a bit of trouble with his Amsoil-filled Allison. Broward County schools (second largest in US) uses the Allison 1000 in the school bus fleet and has negligible downtime.

 

[rdanley]

thanks folks i new tdr would still make me feel right at home. as for the chevy the last one i owned was a 94 6. 5l td and that lasted for 6 months before i drop it off at the dealer and walked across the street to the dodge house and bought my first dodge ram cummins truck. i will leave this new truck sitting were ever she may fall and go back to my cummins powered ram in a (heartbeat). i guess i will have to find other folks on tdr that have these d-maxs so i will have someone to discus problems with :-laf thanks again i love the TDR.

 

[DPKetchum]

My last comment on the subject is that NOMATTER were I go be it a horse show,cattle auction etc. The Ford and Chevy owners are ALWAYS looking when a goodlooking Dodge pulls in. I catch them on the road and at redlights looking. My next tag ought to say I CAUGHT YOU LOOKING!

 

[klenger]

It take a "real man" to admit comming out of the closet with this audience. Good luck and enjoy the new truck.

 

[jsimpson]

Can't argue withat, Ketchum!

 

[Cajun4x4]

DP Ketchum

That sticker idea is so much a good idea. I already have a sticker on there that says "will pull ford for free" and BIG BLUE. As for the Chevy, I came so close to buying one. What changed my mind was the price and the new Chevy look on the 1ton.

 

[y-knot]

Hey, I say good luck with the new truck, Chevy or not. I have owned all of big three and they all have their advantages and disadvantages. I ordered my Chevy and loved every minuet I had it, it never gave me a single problem and held it's value. When I sold it 6 years later, I got all but 900. 00 of what I paid new for it! You can not beat that. If I had a magic lantern and could design my own truck I would barrow a little from all manufacturers. First I would get a Cummins front Dodge and a 5-speed auto from Ford, stick it in a Frame from Ford and use the running gear from Dana, 60 in front and 80 in rear. For the cab, I would combine the Dodge with the Ford, I would like a true 4-door cab, but slightly smaller then the Present Fords crew cab. I would make it turn like the Dodge or New Fords, and Use the Electric lockers and winch bumpers from the Power Wagon. Inside It would be a mix of all three, Seats as comfortable as the Chev's and a new dash by combining the new Ford dash with the dodge . It would have the factory brake controller and differential switches in it , along with a factory cool down timer and a E-brake. The bed would be more Ford like, with the big sweeping fenders of the dually, and also run the 17" tires and wheels from the ford, with a 19. 5 " option. The turbo would be variable, and the gages would be available like the SR-10. So much for wishing

 

[WNowlan]

One point to add- I am always driving, so I don't care how big the back seat is!

There is only three of us and my yellow lab and she rides up front. In the Chevy Sub she had to ride in the rear captains chair. She looks more comfortable in the center seat of my Laramie!



I wish you luck with your new truck! My wife did lock her keys in the Sub and Onstar unlocked them.

 

[KBennett]

"Coming out of the closet"

So does this mean your new truck is pink? :-laf

As for the Chevy, I came so close to buying one. What changed my mind was the price and the new Chevy look on the 1ton.

Pretty similar here. I like my truck more than I thought I would but took a serious look at the Duramax platform.

The GM's definitely have a lot more creature comforts but low ground clearance. Didn't really care about the Allison.

Good luck with the new one!

 

[nickleinonen]

i am a chevy fan myself, and hope one day to have a cummins powered 98-99 k2500-3500 crewcab chevy with a short box srw... i love that body style [my first vehicle, a 97 tahoe was that same body]

 

[DPKetchum]

Had TWO good friends that WERE die hard Chevy guys. Wanted a NEW diesel. Test drove Dodge and Chevy,made their best deal and LOOKED under the hoods several times and bought Dodge with a grin. Several "THOUSANDS"(like 5k) less exspensive,less clutter under the hood,better looking and the Cummins rep sold them. They both say they never looked back. I looked at Chevy briefy,first it was ugly,sat too low,clutter under the hood and mainly I handled Isuzu for several years and they were considered the Studebakers of the Jap car world. Isuzu is NOT Nissan/Honda or Toyota. Now if the D/max had a joint venture diesel with Nissan I might have looked harder. But alum heads etc. turned me off BAD.