help my dads talking about buying a duramax

[djbobo]

Do they need the 4wd? the 2wds are lower & more comparable to the Chevy in height & ride. The grab handle placement on the new Dodges do make it easy to slide into the seat without lifting your hip to much.

Does your mom drive? If not why not the easy drive 6 speed like yours?

If it's got to be 4x4 ,lowest ride possible and an auto - Chevy just might be the answer for your dad.

I think that the type of people that buy the Dodge with the Cummins are the people that do what I do when looking at anything engine powered. we might say " That's a nice mower " but open the hood 1st to see if it's powered by a commercial duty long lasting motor. If it's not - it doesn't matter how good looking the rest of the mower might be--just not going to consider it & move on. The residentual grade Briggs might have the same rated hp as the Kohler or Kawisaki but we the typical Cummins buyer,look beyond the factory ratings & do our own research on the offerings. The Dodge is one of the biggest "no brainers" out there for me.

dj

 

[doldenburg]

ok here is what i think. chevy has the weaker front end, no question about that. if you dont go to truck pulls with it, it should not be a problem. most people never use these trucks to there full potential. they are all 3 very good and hi-dollar trucks. i went to dodge from ford in 1993 for the cummins and have not looked back. recently sold the 93 to my son but own a 98-01 and 04. 5. the cummins is by far the superior engine period. it will most likely be running when the rest of the truck is dead tho most of us wont own them that long. now,the chevy IS a JAP ENGINE. MADE BY ISOOZO, dont come back telling me its built here, i dont care, if you have a choise, buy AMERICAN. a lot of people dont care but should ,your job may depend on it someday. dont tell me about others useing non american parts-that you dont have a choise. other than that its your choise where you spend your cash. if we all had the same brand who would we pick on?

 

[mattymac]

My very good friend just lemoned his truck (01 6. 0 gas GMC) had 5 4wd units go out (thats what the message center was calling it) and concidering he never put it in 4wd this was a big problem, along with countless other problems so it was bought back now he has a durajap now and with about 1500 mi. on it the allison is going out and some front end problems. Thats just one mans opinion, Ive never owned one of these things, (easy to see why).

 

[JKnutson]

just remember doldenburg, the 3/4 t r made in good old sallito,mexico. i should say assembled in mex. at least that great powerplant is made on american soil... . yeah u can try to buy just usa made stuff, but try to go into wal-mart and do that. . even the great "american harley-davidson" is built w/ many overseas parts. . did u hear that you harley riders. .

 

[DISPATCH]

my dad owned my ctd before he owned the d-max he loved the ctd. the d-max had injector problems twice before 80,000 and had cracked leaf springs twice. and he never pulled more than 3500 lbs

 

[LaxCummins]

Ummm...

MADE BY ISOOZO, dont come back telling me its built here

Last time I checked, my Ram was built in Mexico. US parts, mind you...



'Course GM used to own 49% of Isuzu, now down to something like 12%.



Fanning the flames...



Oo.

 

[JRMora]

I can't resist putting my 2¢ worth in, too.



When I bought my latest truck I looked at all three big trucks (F/C/D). I have owned both cummins and pwerstrokes, so I wanted to look at the Duramax, as well. The interior of the Chevy appealed to me (the exterior did not!), but I don't like the long console that was in all the Chevy's on the lot - I like the split bench/buckets in the Dodge. The other problem was finding a 6 speed. No chevy lot (or GMC for that matter) had or normally carried the D-Max 6 speeds. Five speed autos are OK, but for towing, give me as many ratios as I can have. The only way I could get a manual was to order it. The last (and biggest) turnoff was the price. At the time, I couldn't get one for less than $8,000 more than my Dodge (and I paid too much for my Dodge). Nobody wanted to deal much below sticker. I saw quite a few GMC's going out the door at $54,000!



Whatever your dad's decision it sounds like he will have gotten a lot of input.



Good luck.



Juan

 

[XcumminsX]

BOTTOM LINE IS... . DURAMAX WILL NOT LAST AS LONG AS A CUMMINS... . DONE!!!!!!!! STOP WASTING YOUR FINGERS TYPING

 

[Steve M]

"even the great "american harley-davidson" is built w/ many overseas parts. . did u hear that you harley riders. . "



Am I suposed to not like my Harley anymore now that I know you know the "gasp! BIG SECRET"!!!?



Give it a rest guys. If the man's dad wants a D-max, I wish him the best of luck with it. Two of my co-workers have them, two have Ford 6. 0's and three of us have German owned, Mexican built Dodges. We're all happy with the exception of the two Fords giving their '03 problems. One of the Chevy owners traded his beloved Tundra for the Chevy because after the "in vogue" wore off, he realized he missed his full sized heavy duty room for six Bose stereo equipped plush for comfort and rugged for work truck. And it is just that!



We live in a global economy. That's what Bush wants and is pushing for. The majority of members here are Bush fans. So what's the problem?

 

[ErniePink]

My $. 02 worth. The Chevy is a great ride and the Allison auto is all the rage. However, at $13k more than I traded my '96 CTD 3500 4x4 in for my current ride, I couldn't see it. If/when I do it again, I'll give GM a try; but 1) unless price gets closer to Dodge and 2) I HAVE to give up shifting and 3) pulling my heavy 5th wheel, I don't see any way GM will earn my business.



I like my truck and also the fact that global sourcing has given me the benefit to own it at a conservative price.



Please be advised: No animals were harmed in developing the above so don't sic your doggies on me.

 

[doldenburg]

I also own a harley davidson and polaris victory. atvs-polaris. yes, they do have overseas parts, again no choise on that. also mexico IS part of north america. if you have the choice buy american!

 

[doldenburg]

also the allison is not the same transmision they built there reputation on.