Fuel milage

[EGroeneveld]

Well, tell us . . . if arguing about the merits of a gasoline powered truck is "dumb" why did you introduce it?



This is a Dodge-Cummins website. We appreciate the truck and the engine here. Are you trying to persuade us we should sell our trucks and buy some pos gas 1/2 ton? I doubt many here are interested in your argument.

I am done... . I made my point and some of you cann't see it I guess. I was anwering the OP question about a Hemi powered truck.

 

[DiamondDiver]

A friend of mine has an 04 crew cab Hemi with 45K on it for sale and he can't even get $10k for it. This truck is super clean and loaded. In this market he'll be lucky to get 7-8K for it. I just sold an 05 cummins 3500 dually standard cab ST for $14K with 105K miles. The resale value issue is a real consideration.

 

[kkelley]

Have him sell it in MT... .
Around here, an 89 Dodge 3/4t sells for about 3k

 

[Bob4x4]

I'm not going to get into an arguement over it and frankly don't care.

My point is this. Many people live life perfectly happy with 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton gas powered trucks. Todays diesel trucks with all the smog stuff really don't get that great of mileage. You either need the diesel for towing and/or hauling or you don't. If you don't need the diesel for towing and hauling then you can be just fine and happy with a hemi powered 1500 or 2500. You can throw numbers around all you want but I really don't think the diesel mileage will ever pay for its self anymore. Even with the higher value ten years down the road. I know many people who have had issues with Ford 6. 0 and 7. 3 diesels, with GM diesels and yes even with the Dodge Cummins Trucks. I expect and see todays gas powered motors going 250K miles+ without issues. You have one turbo or injector issue and you've lost.

To me argueing about gas verse diesel is dumb. Get the diesel if you need it. Get it if you want it. Get a big 3500 dually for your little canoe if you want. You'd be hard pressed to justify with all the numbers over 300,000 miles if your just running on the hwy and never really tow or haul much. The diesel option costing more, the diesel fuel costing more, oil changes and fuel filters costing more just makes it harder... .

I will agree that if you do not tow or haul heavy a hemi would be fine and cost less but the gassers do not go 250k without issues on my planet

 

[PBJ2500CTD]

A couple of points not brought up in this thread:
A Hemi will scream at the top of its RPM range when pulling a serious hill; the Cummins purrs up the hill at a more quiet, significantly lower RPM.
And, if the hill is way up in the clouds, the normally aspirated Hemi gasps for O2 and can barely pull its own weight, let alone a trailer; while the good ol' Cummins gets a breathing assist from a turbocharger, and again, purrs up the the hill with minimal protest.

My experience of towing between the Hemi and Cummins had the Cummins get ~5 mpg better than the Hemi on the flats, and at least 3 mpg better on the tough 9,000+ foot passes - the Cummins would run circles around the Hemi at altitude.

 

[jgillott]

I have a gas 1/2 ton (4. 7L V8 and 3. 92 gears) for my current truck for work. All around, I like it very much. But, I am hard pressed to get much over 14 mpg in anything other than empty highway driving. Then it is in the 18-19 mpg range. < 10 mpg towing anything more than a small utility trailer.

If I could only have one truck, I would never be happy with just a gasser in my situation. But as a work truck that you care nothing about or as a second vehicle, they aren't bad. I'll probably keep this 2010 until the warranty is up and then dump it for another one just like it.

 

[Bob4x4]

I have a gas 1/2 ton (4. 7L V8 and 3. 92 gears) for my current truck for work. All around, I like it very much. But, I am hard pressed to get much over 14 mpg in anything other than empty highway driving. Then it is in the 18-19 mpg range. < 10 mpg towing anything more than a small utility trailer.

If I could only have one truck, I would never be happy with just a gasser in my situation. But as a work truck that you care nothing about or as a second vehicle, they aren't bad. I'll probably keep this 2010 until the warranty is up and then dump it for another one just like it.

The 2013 3. 6 I drove the other day,not the mpg pkg could actually hit 30 mpg on the evic cruising at 70mph. Uphill I am sure it would drop like a rock-no cajones

 

[AEdelheit]

The 2013 3. 6 I drove the other day,not the mpg pkg could actually hit 30 mpg on the evic cruising at 70mph. Uphill I am sure it would drop like a rock-no cajones

On our 2012 GC 3. 6 AWD we get 19. 5 intown and 23 highway... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... when she drives it.

 

[jgillott]

The 2013 3. 6 I drove the other day,not the mpg pkg could actually hit 30 mpg on the evic cruising at 70mph. Uphill I am sure it would drop like a rock-no cajones

I'm interested in driving a Ram with the 3. 6L to see how it feels. Not too many have shown up on the lots here yet.

My brother-in-law just brought home a 2013 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon with the 3. 6L and it runs very well. I believe that he is seeing over 20 mpg driving it to work even with the agressive tires and 3. 73 gears.

 

[Bob4x4]

With the 8spd auto it isn't too bad I am just spoiled by diesel torque-call me jaded

 

[jgillott]

With the 8spd auto it isn't too bad I am just spoiled by diesel torque-call me jaded

I understand where you are coming from. I pulled a ~6K equipment trailer a couple hundred miles with the 1/2 ton the other day. I wanted to get out and run ahead a couple of times.

 

[rrl989]

I'm guessing that a 13' Hemi won't be a happy replacement for my 12V CTD, maybe they will soon put the 6. 4 Hemi in the HDs?

 

[jgillott]

I'm guessing that a 13' Hemi won't be a happy replacement for my 12V CTD, maybe they will soon put the 6. 4 Hemi in the HDs?

No, I don't think it will be, especially lugging around that AF camper. I will admit that the new gas engines are worlds above what we were buying 25 years ago, but you will probably never be happy going away from a diesel.

Realistically, I will be very interested to see what the 2013 with the DEF will do for the fuel mileage/oil change interval issues that we have been talking about. I was talking to a Ford owner at the gas station Friday afternoon with a 2012 6. 7L F350. There were no wild clames of amazing fuel mileage, but he did say that he was getting 2-3 mpg better than with the 6. 4L it replaced. If the 2013 Ram does the same thing with the DEF, I think we all will be very pleased. I am going have to replace our '04. 5 at some point , but I really want to see what this new system does for a year or two.

 

[HBarlow]

I too am hopeful that the new DEF trucks will produce fuel economy advantages but wouldn't buy a first year either. The truth is I probably won't ever buy one regardless how much fuel mileage gain they provide. The one I have will last me for a very long time parked in the barn. I can't get enthused about RVing trips any longer with $4/gallon diesel fuel.

 

[DiamondDiver]

I guess Harvey has gone right to the crux of the matter. It's not so much the MPG we get as the cost of fuel that is causing so much distress. I will still go RVing and boating, but I will be much more selective about my trips and be much more aware of my driving habits than I have been.

 

[Cissco]

I test drove a 2012 2500 4x4 5. 7 for 2 days. It drove and pulled very well. The problem was 13mpg hwy,10mpg in town,and (5. 5mpg towing). I got a 2011 2500 4x4 diesel with 22,000 miles for 36,000$. So farit gets 13mpg in town,15-17mpg hwy,and ? towing. my old 2006 5. 9 got 13mpg in town, 16-17mpg hwy,and 11. 5 towing. Hope this helps.

 

[Bob4x4]

The new hemi hds get the cylinder shut down like the older 1500s should help some but if or when the 392 happens Oo.

 

[Cissco]

I test drove a 2012 2500 4x4 5. 7 for 2 days. It drove and pulled very well. The problem was 13mpg hwy,10mpg in town,and (5. 5mpg towing). I got a 2011 2500 4x4 diesel with 22,000 miles for 36,000$. So farit gets 13mpg in town,15-17mpg hwy,and ? towing. my old 2006 5. 9 got 13mpg in town, 16-17mpg hwy,and 11. 5 towing. Hope this helps.

 

[Cissco]

sorry for 2nd post

 

[Petercanucker]

sorry for 2nd post

What about the difference between 3. 73 and the 4. 10 rear ends fuel wise on the Cummins 6. 7.