Dont test drive an 04 before you buy an 04.5!

[PJ]

I test drove a 04. 5 today! Not only did the dealer in Chico calif want $5k over sticker, they think they are soooo rare! I parked my 04 in the service dept across the street when I wandered across to check out the 04. 5... . The salesman thought he has a sucker! We jumped on the freeway and wow, not a good wow by any means! It was a wow, where did all the get up and go go???? This truck was a SLUG! It felt like it had less power than my 98 12v! Imglad I bought when I did! Hopefully, there are still a few 04's out there for you guys that don't live in KOLOFORNIA. I guess the 04. 5 will get the avg. joe in Calif excited, but not if he or she had already driven a 04 305 hp without all the extra smog stuff. I myself would hate to own a diesel that I could use the tail pipe for "life support" if needed! I think the 04. 5 needs another 50 hp or moe to compare to the 04!

Just my 2 cents worth. I knew there was a real reasone why they don't make the 305hp any more. It kicks butt over the 325/600!!!



Sorry guys if you missed the boat on the 04



I would be writing Arnold Kennedy a letter and telling him to lay off on the diesel emissions and spend more time on those San Francisco weddings! he he he Oo. Oo. Oo. Oo. Oo.

 

[EXSTROKER]

Ya what he said

I just got my 600 . . was told it was a HO did not know till

I got it home... but i think my 235 with a box was faster

OH well I like to spend bunches of money to go slow

 

[PJ]

I forgot to add the fact that my 04 HO 305 hp got 21 mpg between Medford Oregon and Chico Calif on I-5 with an avg speed of 75 - 80 mph! Im totally impressed. I just hit 3000 on the odometer. It can only get better once I get it broken in. I think I could sell this thing to the salesman in Calif once I hit the 7500 magic mile. He wants MY truck! He also couldnt beleive the deal I got in Oregon. They couldnt even come close to my deal. $33k out the door. That was $8k under the sticker.

Yes, Life is good!

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Intersting experience PBJohnson. I have seen posts by guys with the 600 and they seem to feel they have great power. Remember a green Cummins right off the lot is going to seem flat compared to one with a few thousand miles on it (at least mine perked up quite noticeably by 2000-3000 miles).



But I agree with ya I'm happy to have my 305hp 2003, wouldn't really want the cat and electronic-wastgate equipped 600 model although I think they will prove to be a terrific unit.



Vaughn

 

[MBigelow]

PBJohnson,



All this is confusing me, how can more HP and torque = less power?



Went to Town & Country Dodge in Wilsonville today and they only had one 2004. 5 1 ton on the whole lot.



They're expecting more and I'd like to buy from them if they can match the 4k below invoice that the rest of you have been getting.



They service our other Dodge vehicles and I'd like to continue with them if possible.



How does the "Friends and Family" price break work. My Brother retired from Dodge in the R & D department.



He said it's something like 3 more % after the best price.



Won't know more until he gets back from China.



I've learned a lot from you guys!



Long time lurker, first time poster!



Mel

 

[SOLER]

Originally posted by MBigelow

PBJohnson,



All this is confusing me, how can more HP and torque = less power?



Mel

The 305 vs 325 #'s are all flywheel power. They don't take into account what is "lost in translation. " Lost in translating the rotaion of the crank into rotating the wheels. It's possible that the cat and some other things contribute to less power actually making it to the wheels.



Of course, a dyno testing both trucks under same circumstances will answer this question the best. Also, it's true about a brand new rig vice one with a few clicks on the clock. It takes some time for the widgets and gadgets inside to loosen up a bit.



SOLER

 

[fencebuilders]

Poor Cali boys......

Us poor Cali boys with the S. O. 235 have it rough. Or did have it rough. My truck flat out scoots with my newest mod. The dyno sheets for the same truck show a H. P. /TQ addition of 118/211 for a total of 310/544 and there aint no doubt in the s. o. p. meter,not to mention low e. g. t. s and no codes. Made me a happy man. So there is hope for the S. O. I think i can live with this truck now Mark.

 

[Wferenz]

PBJohnson2



Reference your comment on the '7500 magic mile'. I have heard this many times but do not know anybody that actually registered a non-conforming CA engine in the state. Do you, or anybody else, know that this was done? If 'yes', exactly how? I mean a legal registration, not a work around like keeping it registered in another state and driving it in CA.



Thanks

 

[Lorenz]

7500 magic mile?

 

[JKibby]

Originally posted by Wferenz

PBJohnson2



Reference your comment on the '7500 magic mile'. I have heard this many times but do not know anybody that actually registered a non-conforming CA engine in the state. Do you, or anybody else, know that this was done? If 'yes', exactly how? I mean a legal registration, not a work around like keeping it registered in another state and driving it in CA.



Thanks

Wferenze



Use the search forums under registering an HO/6 spd in CA and you will find several threads on this topic.



Jim

 

[flimmy]

Originally posted by MBigelow

How does the "Friends and Family" price break work. My Brother retired from Dodge in the R & D department.



He said it's something like 3 more % after the best price.

MBigelow , if it's like the Fleet discount that I got you get the discount off dealer cost , not best price unless the best price is below dealer cost. I know I had to call DC before going to the dealer and get a # . Then got to any dealer I wanted , tell them I get the fleet price and give them the # I got from DC. There was none of the salesman running to the manager stuff. Just the strait cost and tax & tags and I was on my way.

 

[wyosteve]

Interesting thread. I reached just the opposite conclusion. I've been working on buying a 3rd gen for a while and have driven 4 03's and 2 04's. I left them feeling that they had no guts compared to my 01 HO w/ EZ. This morning I drove a 4. 5 and placed my order. Clearly seemed to me to have much more guts than the 03's and 04's. I'd call it about the same as my 01. She should be here in about 6-8 wks.

 

[FParlee]

Hey guys,



Just my 2 cents.



I picked up my new 325/600 on 2/2 and drove straight to Florida. Returned yesterday, (2/20) with 2950 miles. I can say that the truck has more pull now that when I picked it up. With the cruise control on 70 - 75, and a 14K 5th wheel, it would drop out of overdrive on and rise in the road. On the way back, same conditions it didn't kick down anywhere near that much. But, the down side is that the mileage sucked. 8 w/ trailer, 12 w/o.



The other comparison is the F250 7. 3 I traded in for the CTD. It was a 99' with multiple Banks Engineering mods. The new CTD kicks its butt for getting to speed and absolute top speed with the trailer.



And it sure is quiet!



Fred

 

[Jeremiah]

Originally posted by Vaughn MacKenzie

Intersting experience PBJohnson. I have seen posts by guys with the 600 and they seem to feel they have great power. Remember a green Cummins right off the lot is going to seem flat compared to one with a few thousand miles on it (at least mine perked up quite noticeably by 2000-3000 miles).



But I agree with ya I'm happy to have my 305hp 2003, wouldn't really want the cat and electronic-wastgate equipped 600 model although I think they will prove to be a terrific unit.



Vaughn

The 04. 5 has 20 more horses and 5 more lb-ft of torque, but I defy anyone to tell me he can feel the difference after they're both broken in! All those extra ponies do is nudge the truck far enough ahead of GM and Ford to let DC crow about it on TV.

 

[PJ]

My truck has screamed since new. I have an avgof 21 mpg on the highway at 70-80 since my first tank. i have 3000 miles, NOT BROKE IN YET BY ANY MEANS, and Im still in the 21mpg range with my worst city only driving being 16mpg. My power off the line is a tire smoker. My passing speed at freeway speed is like a slingshot. As for a comment about the 4" tailpipe. . Hmmm, i just went out and measured mine to find it also being 4inch. Maybe because it was one of the last 305 hp made. I guess mine got the best of the best, EXCEPT the paint! As for the magic 7500 mile term, that is how much you need on a NON CALIF CERT truck to legally register it in the fine state of Arnold Kolofornia. I bought my 98 12v back in 98 when I lived in Calif but I bought it in Idaho at Dave Smith. I just didnt register it here for a year. I did the nasty and registered it in another state and in my wifes name. . Duh... Bingo. You get pulled over, which I never did, and when they look at the reg and YOUR name isnt on the title, the Calif Dupty Dogs cant do SQUAT! Dont ya just love that sort of info! Just make sure that the wife dosnt drive the truck. Anyway, I know that the power and the mpg will go up when I put some REAL miles on my rig. . Happy Trails!

 

[MBigelow]

Does anyone know of a site that has a side by side unbiased comparison for 1/4 mile and pulling power for the 04 vs the 2004. 5's?



Pulling power is why I'd want the truck, I'd hate to wait to get one as gutless as PBJohnson describes. May be best to get a 2004?



Mel

 

[MBigelow]

Flimmy,



Did you get a better price with the "Friends and Family discount" than some of those that are getting $4k below invoice?



I'm not sure which in the better way to go.



Thank you

Mel

 

[KD7GYJ]

I just got back from test driving an '04 3500 SRW ETH/DEE and WOW, it was really a nice vehicle to drive.



They received a "600" ETH/DEE yesterday and the salesman pulled it out and gave me the keys and said, try it out. Went for a drive around town, it never got to operating temperature, but it was a dog. The excelleration was smooth, quiet, but it lacked the get up and go.



Does the new electronically controlled waste gate have to be in operating temperature before it works. It was like it wouldn't open up because it was cold outside. The temperature was about 32 degrees. The truck just didn't have the get up and go that the '04 had.



Does anyone that lives in the cold north have any experience with their new '04. 5? Does the turbo spool quicker when it reaches operating temperature? Does the engine come alive, or is it just hibernating.



Thanks,



Blair

 

[thames1948]

Soooo what I am getting from PBjohnson2 is all us that live in Cali should run out and find a used HO from another state instead of a new legal 600 so we won't get the big disapointment of cummins latest ? Well here we have it folks, the guru of road testers has spoken for all the now and soon to be 600 owners and with all that seat time in the 600 how could he be wrong?:--)

 

[dawall]

Originally posted by MBigelow

PBJohnson,



All this is confusing me, how can more HP and torque = less power?



Went to Town & Country Dodge in Wilsonville today and they only had one 2004. 5 1 ton on the whole lot.



They're expecting more and I'd like to buy from them if they can match the 4k below invoice that the rest of you have been getting.



They service our other Dodge vehicles and I'd like to continue with them if possible.



How does the "Friends and Family" price break work. My Brother retired from Dodge in the R & D department.



He said it's something like 3 more % after the best price.



Won't know more until he gets back from China.



I've learned a lot from you guys!



Long time lurker, first time poster!



Mel

From what I understand F&F is 1% below invoice. I could have gotten F&F but they gave me 2% under invoice as it was.



As far as other posts on 04/04. 5 differences I think most anything you read with regard to judgement calls..... Well, you should have your skeptisism knob turned up to about 11.



Dan