Opinion
BHolm said:
I've had two Chevys with the D-max / Allison combo. I do not own either of those trucks anymore. Too many problems, mostly stupid problems but dealer visits nonetheless. I had an '01 and an '03 that I recently traded for the '05 CTD. The '01 was also traded for a CTD, my '03 QC. I have had very good luck with the Dodge trucks so far, no problems on any of them.
If you think that anybody elses customer service is going to better... boy have I got news for you. I spent three days fighting with GM customer service just trying to get them to pay for a transmission flush and filter change on an Allison. I did the first one at 25k miles, the fluid was brunt black as coal. I got them to pay for a second flush 2000 miles later as the fluid was dark again. 7k miles later it is dark again and I want something done. They want to give me a piece of paper (ext warranty). What good is that when it fails on the road, flush it out, make it clean, or replace it. It was quite a battle. I traded for the Dodge and told them that nobody spending nearly $50k on a vehicle should have to go through that BS. I was also a loyal customer, five new trucks in ten years time, every one of them required a fight over something. Besides, you would hate how the GM trucks tow heavy loads. The shocks are way too soft, the tires are too small, the mirrors stink, you get the idea, nice cars, marginal trucks.
I second Lightman on the Ford diesel, no way no how will I be a guinea pig for them. They have now turned off the pilot injection making them the loudest diesel on the market, if that matters to you. I also seriously considered the V10 Ford, as I have had excellent luck with my '99 7. 3 truck. The larger 4-door cab is nice, the King Ranch package is sweet but again the Cummins stole my heart. I found the ride of the 3500 CTD to be smoother than the F350 as well, either one is a good bet but if you want the diesel the CTD is the only choice right now. GM is looking at a 20% failure rate on injectors on the D-max, the Allison isn't strong enough for the engine and the general quality of the truck just isn't there. What I do wish, is that Dodge could provide us with some of the options the other offer. Even my loaded Laramie is a stripper next to the LT Chev I traded, same story vs the top Ford. As a truck though, especially one you use for real work, the CTD has earned my vote three times over
Too bad you had problems, dealers can make or break situations like that. It is also possible to get a bad one, no matter who builds them, no matter what they cost.
I tend to agree with this statement. From a service perspective, I've had great luck with Ed Shults of Warren, PA. If I had to buy a truck again, I'd buy the dodge. Now my best friend bought his Dodge from the same dealership, and it still has the vibration in the rear end, and a bad paint job, but they've treated him very well through the entire ordeal, and I'm confident that there will be a resolution at some point.
I think that the human element in Customer Service will get in the way too often, and I would base my decision on a local dealer that you feel you can trust.
With that said, my brother works at the service department of the local chevy dealer, and in the first two weeks he was there, they replaced two Duramax engines, in trucks with less than 30k on them, and have CONSISTENTLY been changing injectors on the Duramax engines, probably 3 sets a month, and I live in a town of 30,000 people..... I don't like those odds.
A buddy of mine in Erie, PA purchased an 04 Powerstroke supercrew for work, and it's well... ... creepy to drive. I can safely say that Ford doesn't really have the drive by wire technology worked out yet. For example, when the light turns green, and you step on the go pedal... . it can be as long as three seconds before the truck starts to move, plus the thing sounds like a coffee can full of nuts and bolts, on a spin cycle in my wife's dryer.....
Long story short, try to get comfortable with a dealer in a forty to fifty mile radius from your house, and buy that brand, but I think if that dealer was a ford dealer, I'd take a three or four day test drive, no scratch that. Maybe you should drive all of the trucks for an equal amount of time. I do know that a 20 minute test drive isn't enough in any vehicle.
One last statement, as to the die hard cummin's buyer's, I don't think that the "600" has been in production long enough to stay that it's going to have the longevity of it's past counterparts. I've read on this forum of several engine replacements this year, and while I know that there are anomolies in all engines, the high egt issue seems to weigh heavily on the minds of those in the know on this forum. (I'm not in the know, just read a lot
)
I do like my truck, and for the first time in a long time, I still find myself looking over my shoulder at my truck on the way into work, or a store, after owning it for 8 months. There's just something about the truck's imposing size, and very strong disposition... ... ... (For the last 8 years, I've traded vehicles in as soon as they hit 100,000 miles... ... . I think when this truck hit's 100,000 miles, I'll get it showroom detailed, and again at 200,000, and again at 300,000... ... .
Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
They have some nice features, unfortunately on the whole the execution is poor. Been there, done that. 
