Most Unusual and Most Expensive vacation

[Gunny]

Wife and I had planned our first real vacation in several years. Planned this trip for six months. Went out and bought what we thought was a really nice '98 12valve QC 3500, auto, 4. 10s. Hooked it up to our 34ft Fifth Wheel with triple slides, trailer weight 10,148 lbs. First day of trip towed about 400 miles from Avenal, CA to Winnemuca, NV. Worst speed up and over Donner pass,35mph. A real strain for this truck. Noticed severe knocking in rear-end. Also a lot of grease on left rear outside dual. Dodge dealer says "broken axle". Fixed in one day, back on the road. Next day, about a 500 mile day, mileage is averaging about 8 mpg. Speed on the grades is just too bad to even talk about. Trip continued like this, bad mileage, never over 8. 5 mpg, in or out of overdrive didn't seem to help or make much difference. Finally made it to Rapid City, SD. Going up steep 8% grade about a mile long, transmission explodes. Now boys and girls when this happens it takes several tow trucks to get all this stuff parked and taken care of. Trailer finally in trailer park. Truck towed to Dodge dealer. Rental car in hand. Phewww.

Dawn's a new day. Go to dealership, Dodge Town, Rapid City SD to take care of and have fixed my poor old broken truck. Sittin in front of the dealership is this beautiful RED 2001 3500 6spd QC 4x4 and man it was pretty. Can't buy a new truck - just bought the one I got. Talked to salesman, makes me one of those deals that you just can't turn down. Drive away in pretty red truck. Can't really say enough good things about this dealership. They went out of their way to help us poor stranded Pilgrims.

Switched the fifth-wheel hitch, wiring harness, brake controller, all at their expense. Gave us a loaner car and reimbursed us for the rental car that we had gotten earlier. Good folks.

This new 2001. 5 HO 3500 6spd is a great truck. On the rest of our trip it never even strained. Went up those grades at a leisurely 65mph at about half throttle. Gas mileage while towing this heavy rig was never lower than 12. 5mpg and that's on a brand new truck. We did get as high as 14mpg. But man was it an expensive trip. Roland

 

[Pete Peterson]

Ain't nuttin better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There isn't anything better on the road than a red 1 ton 4X4 6 speed and thats a fact!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pete

 

[klenger]

That would be hard to turn down since the alternative would be awfull. Sounds like a great truck. It's only money and you can't take it with you, and no sense giving it to the kids.



Sounds kind of like my neighboors trip. She has a 24V 2500 and an older Terry 5th wheel camper. They had left Colorado, through Texas, went to Florida, and were on their way to Mexico passing thru Texas again. They were about 1/2 way thru a 2 - 3 month trip. They were expecting additional guests in Mexico, so they stopped into a Terry dealership and traded for a brand new Terry 31 foot double slide right on the spot. Moved their gear into the new trailer and were on their way. That's the way to do it... no research, no comparison shopping, etc. Just get in and go.

 

[Archive]

Re: Ain't nuttin better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by Pete Peterson

There isn't anything better on the road than a red 1 ton 4X4 6 speed and thats a fact!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pete

Couldn't agree with that statement any more than I do!

 

[chuck3]

I love the ending RO, brought a couple of tears to my eyes hehe. Happy to hear everthing worked out ok.

 

[Shovelhead]

Re: Ain't nuttin better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by Pete Peterson

There isn't anything better on the road than a red 1 ton 4X4 6 speed and thats a fact!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pete

Shouldn't that be a red 1 ton 6 X 6, 6 speed?

 

[Archive]

Forgot to add my signature so you can see why I agreed with the red dually thing!

 

[Puff]

Red is nice, but once you go black you never go back!



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I'm glad it all worked out for you RoSmith. Good luck with your new truck. If you love it as much as I love mine, you're doin fine.