Need Some Opinions......PLEASE

[Doughboy21kd]

Possibly looking at a new/old truck..... I am wanting a used one to have cheap payments and so that i can pay it off in just a couple years... .



I have had a 05, 06, 07. 5 with the 6. 7L... So i know how the 3rd gen trucks are... ... 5 years ago or so i had a 98 and with every 3rd gen i've had i've always wished i had my 98 24v back... . With that being said what do you think...



If you were in this position what would you do... . 2nd gen or 3rd gen??? If 2nd gen auto or manual? I know the old auto is a real piece of work but it would be upgraded some time or another to a built auto.



As far as useage the truck would be primarly used for daily driver and the occasional trailer tow and down the road maybe buy a travel trailer and do some camping on the weeked...



AS far as mods go i would probably try to keep it around a reasonable 450-500Hp.....



So with that all said, i don't think i missed anything... . WHat ya'll think?

 

[JGrefenstette]

for what youve described. if i was you... .



my personal favorite, would have to be either 01' or 02', more so the 02' tho. with a 6spd manual. im convinced that motor was the loudest Cummins ever put in the dodges, and theres somthing about that year that just seems more powerful... totaly opinion tho



by 02' the 24v had been around in the dodges long enough, most all the bugs were worked out. also i feel that if you have the budget, get the newest year available in the model you like. for example, im a 1st gen die hard, so i tryed to get a 93', which i was lucky enough to find. if i was to get a 2nd gen 12v id look for 97'-98'. but i love the 01'-02's for the fact that you can get them in 6spd.



just my $. 02

 

[rbattelle]

I echo Jimmy's comments, except I'd expand the search to include up-to 2005 trucks. Before they strapped on a catalyst.

So I'd search 2001-2005.

Nice thing about the 3rd gen trucks is you get the hydro-formed frame and an improved front end. Plus much bigger brakes.

Ryan

 

[Alan Reagan]

Of the three I've owned, the 01 with the six speed was the best. The 98 was underpowered and the 05 just hasn't been the truck that the 01 was.

 

[dclassens]

My favorite truck was my 01 Reg cab 5 speed manual trans. It was SUPER reliable. I used to put like 500 miles a week on it never had a problem. My vote, a 01 or 02 truck.



Dave



PS get the 4 wheel disc brakes.

 

[EKlem]

Given your usage, I would think that an early 3rd gen would be best. The 2nd gen 24V's are unbelievably loud which can get old on a daily driver. They also have all sorts of front end problems which can be fixed but take time and money to do so.

If you get a 2nd gen, I would seriously look at a 12V. They are unbelievably simple and easy to work on. They get great mileage and are quieter than a 24V. Unless someone has already done it, you can plan on replacing a lot of front end parts and your fuel lines. The biggest key in buying a 2nd gen is to avoid rust.

The way I see it, the 12V's are for the people who really like to get down and dirty with the truck and the common rails are the refined truck that you can still get incredible performance from. The 24V falls someone in between these but is less civilized than even the 12V.

 

[Cattletrkr]

There have been 4 CTD's in my family. '01, '02, '03, '04. 5.

The '01 was my first CTD. It had the 6 spd so it was an HO. Loudest truck of the bunch by far. Pretty good repair history as the only really major problem was due to my stupidity and not changing the t-case oil. Sold it at 138K in favor of a quiter-for-the-kid 3rd gen.

Dad's '02 was a QC LB 2500 SO with the 5spd. Nicest driver of the bunch... except the sloppy steering. We both loved the 5spd and 3. 55 combo. That truck also got the best empty mileage of the bunch with a high of just over 21mpg once. None of the other has bested 19mpg. Even with a flow thru 4" exhaust it was stock quiet in the cab. I'm guessing the SO is nowheres near as loud as the HO.

Dad's current truck, the '03 has it's issues but is pretty nice too. It is a QC 3500 DRW. It has a 48auto and 3. 73's. Also a very nice truck, but for whatever reason has a hard time hitting 17mpg.

That brings us to my '04. 5, the one in my sig. I like it, but it's quirky. Too much electronic crap for even the computer to monitor.

If I were to pick one of those as a daily driver, I'd go with the 5spd and 3. 55.

 

[Doughboy21kd]

I know in late 01 they switched over to all wheel disc brakes... Now if i was to go from looking at the late 01-02's to 2000 and older what would the differences be besides the brakes and a possible "53" block? Were there any other changes?

 

[Cattletrkr]

6spd
tow mirrors
full time front end like the 3rd gens--no disconnect

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Doughboy I had both a 2001 and a 2003 6-speed HO. They were both 2wd trucks but to compare the two I liked the '03 better. Here's the pros & cons between the two, the 2003:

Better brakes, much stronger cab (no flexing & creaking), smoother-shifting 6-speed, better LSD axle performance, much quieter & smoother engine, more responsive to power boxes, more room in the back seat.

What the 2001 had over the '03: Slightly longer bed, liked the steering better (the '03 can jerk the wheel back and forth on a rocky road, not the '01). Sheetmetal seemed thicker/stronger, better gear ratio (slightly better MPG) and lower wind resistance (cd of 2nd gen is . 422, 3rd Gen is . 48 I think). The '01 also seemed to have a little more sound insulation (engine was noisier but less road noise).

The main downside the 2003s have compared to the newer 3rd Gens is a little less refinement, Dodge has gradually improved the trucks each year especially for 2006 and 2007. 5

Vaughn

 

[MFalkinham]

I like both of my trucks, but they are really different tools for different jobs.

The '03 is my interstate family hauler and my towing machine with a Class-V hitch.

The '98 serves as my daily workhorse and gets me where I need to be safely and reliably. In the past year I've hit a deer and took out a mailbox with my '98 - the result was only $10 of headlight damage.

If I was forced to choose just one of my trucks to keep, I'd have to give the nod to my '98 as my favorite all-around practical, fun truck with the best potential reliability.

 

[JGrefenstette]

Michael, how much did that oil analysis cost?

 

[MFalkinham]

Michael, how much did that oil analysis cost?

If you're refering to the one I have posted in my Reader's Rigs, it was $22. 50 from Blackstone Labs. I didn't pay the extra $10 for the TBN test.

Blackstone Laboratories - Standard Analysis

 

[JGrefenstette]

yea thats the one. thanks, did you have to mail in a sealed container or somthing, or were they hear enough to drop it off?

 

[MFalkinham]

Jimmy, you have a PM... .

 

[JGrefenstette]

got it thanks, you got a reply.



sorry to steal your post DoughBoy21kd.

the post it still yours