No 2003 for me, Unless...

[Wiredawg]

Well guys:



My wife told me last week I can have a crew cab duelly 4X4 in 2003 AND I get to keep my 2500 4X4. What a babe! Anyway, today, we went to our favorite 5-Star where they had a 2002 4X4 2500 QC sitting exactly side-by-side with a 2002 4X4 1500 4-door.



Guys, the cabs are exactly the same length. We sat in the rear seats of both trucks. What a disappointment. The 1500 had about 1/10th inch thicker cushion on the the seat back. Not much to brag about. Two adults in the back are in for a sore ride.



Maybe DC should give up on the new generation trucks rear seats folding up so they could have more cushion, or better yet, make the doggone cab about 2 feet longer!



DC: Listen close, I want a real crew-cab, 4500 4X4 with a really stout automatic, cup holders in the back, two grab-handles on the passenger side, the light ring around the ignition switch, really stout steering companents, and a stronger Cummins. You got about a year to make it happen!



Wiredawg!

 

[danandamy]

I'm with ya wiredawg but I gotta tell ya, all the reports I'm seeing and hearing aren't too promising. It's looking like it's gonna be, "Oh, we made the doors open the other way so now it's a real four door" HELLO! When people are griping about Dodge not offering a four door, they aren't complaining about the direction the doors open on the quadcab! How dense can you get?



4doordan

 

[Shovelhead]

Perhaps our gripes are losing something in the English to German translation. :-{} #@$%!



P. S. Ya just gotta love those new smilies

 

[Wiredawg]

Guys:



What do the Germans know about the American Truck market? Long wheel base, lots of room, big power! That's what America stands for.



DC needs to get some of us country boys together and tell 'em how to build a truck! How about built to the quality of their so called luxury cars? How about real rugged, hard core trucks of steel?



I know I'm ranting here, but damn, it wouldn't take rocket science to build tough truck for us hard working Joes. Oo.



Wiredawg

 

[azcummins]

Didn't someone put a post up a while ago that said the 2500+ models would be a real 4 door in 2003? Seems like I remember seeing that.



Dodge does need to get with it. Luckily I drive all the time so what do I care about the back seat?

 

[klenger]

Don't hold it in. Tell us how you really feel about it.

 

[Okie-Go]

I also do all the drivin especially in the truck. Will roll over 39,000 this week and wifey has never drove it. I talked to a guy today in a power choke that bought the Ford because of the 4 FULLSIZED doors.

 

[GFoley]

I just posted a thread in the General section seeking advise from former PSD owners. I too am considering a crew cab from the blue oval. If you are a former OSD owner please look for the thread and post there.



Glenn

 

[High Voltage]

Saw a 2003 (gas ) the other day,1 ton ,was covered up pretty good but not the doors, they sure looked bigger to me then the 1/2 ton, tryed to catch up but a 35 k line truck (cat powered) just couldn't do it. Have seen these trucks lots but this one had the doors uncovered. WE will see... .....

I keep a camera in the truck. not usually for trucks... .

 

[Neal Cassady]

Convert It

Wiredawg,



Buy a really nice 12 valve 3500 and have at least 2 full size doors added. You could add the 6 speed and still be way ahead. I think I am going to have to go this route in a few years.



Dave

 

[Wiredawg]

Legal GCVWs

Dave:



I've already found that my 2500 pulls my 5th wheel fine at a GCVW of 23,800lbs. No stability problems, no stopping problems (with trailer brakes), it basically pulls great. But, the more I tow being this far over the legal weight limit, the more I'm subject to big liability issues in the event of a wreck. My mistake was not doing my homework on what size trailer I can legally pull and the dealer who sold me the RV, basically told me my 2500 CAN pull this trailer, not whether it should or not. BTW, there's a big article on the towing/hauling weight ratings of our trucks in issue 35 of the TDR.



This all being said, I need a truck that will comfortably carry 4 adults, have a GCVW rating of around 25K lbs, and have brakes strong enough to bring the rig to a stop in the event of trailer brake failure. If Dodge doesn't come thru with a 4500 or 5500, I will not buy a Ford. I will go ahead and get a Freightliner FL-50 or 60 Sports Chassis.



Finally, I know we can make our trucks haul/tow more, but that still doesn't effect the all the legal weight ratings of the truck.



Wiredawg

 

[Neal Cassady]

Missed the 4500 Part

Wiredawg,



Sorry 'bout that, missed the 4500 part at the end of your post.



Hope DC steps up to the plate with a real nice 4500 to help you out. If not the FL series is the way to go.



Dave

 

[Wiredawg]

No problem Dave

Dave:



Thanks for the suggestion. I can't tell you how many times I've thought about doing exactly what you suggested (buying an older 3500 and modifying it to the max). in fact, I have another post going right now on the differences beween a 2500 and 3500 to see if I can further improve my 2500 'til we see what DC is gonna do.



The posts in the towing hauling section and the article on towing hauling ratings of our Rams in TDR issue 35 have really got me thinking about the liability issues.



Take care and hope to see ya soon,



Wiredawg

 

[MrFixit]

Crew Cab

I heard the reason Dodge did not make a true Crew cab is that Ford owns part of Cummins (or vice versa) and the deal was that Dodge got the cummins but was not able to offer a crew cab and Ford got the powerstroke. Has anyone heard this ????

 

[SS]

MrFixit,



You'll make some guys here mad with talk like that - IT IS NOT TRUE! Several years ago Brand F did own a small percentage of stock in Cummins, but they no longer do. Whatever decisions DC/Cummins make are of their own accord, not something dictated by Brand F. Hopefully you're not just trying to start a war. This might be the fastest method - even faster than "Amsoil is the best/worst product I've ever seen and anyone who uses it is an idiot/genius. "

 

[rob10858]

as i've posted before, our company uses all combinations of ford, gmc. chevy and dodge, right up to the 6500 series in the gmc's. forget what you've heard about comfort in the rumble seat of the true extended cab trucks. if you have four folks, riding in any of the above trucks, for an extended time, two of them are going to take a beating, and you know which two i'm talking about. none of these trucks are going to accomdate four people and their luggage, period. this ain't a caddy we are talking about here. the biggest convenience of four doors is exactly that, four doors. when i dont have to take my 3500 to a job, i'd rather just ride along in one of our "true" four door trucks. i learned that after a couple of 8 hour rides in the backseat of our "extended cab" trucks, none of them can seat four people comfortably. another thing that caught my eye in the last tdr issue was the longer the wheelbase, the less the towing capacity, so again, be careful what you wish for. the longer wheelbase means less towing cap, longer turnaround radius' more legal mumbo jumbo as far as gcvwr, etc. i guess what i'm saying here is let's be happy with what dodge is trying to accomplish, and those that switch to brand f or c might find that the gains of comfort, whether perceived or real, might not be worth the loss of a good reliable tow vehicle.

 

[MrFixit]

No wars here

Sorry Steve,

I have no intentions of starting any wars here. I was just stating something that my Dodge dealer told me when I asked why they did not have a crew cab. I have run into many others who have said the same thing. Dodge did have a Crew Cab in the late 70's or ealry 80's. I don't know why they stopped. I had a Brand F crew and I loved it the space. I wish Dodge would do the same.



Ramon

 

[SS]

My bad

Sorry MrFixit,



I was trying to add a bit of levity before somebody came in and bit your head off. Now rereading my post, it sounds like that's what I did. Maybe I should've added one of these or maybe this or even . Some guys get SOOO upset when you mention that Brand F owns Cummins . Anyway, Amsoil is the Best/Worst!



Steve

 

[MrFixit]

No Worries Here

I have seen some people getting upset on this site . It is hard to tell when one is going to start a controversy. Thanks for watching out for me. And I plan to try the amsoil someday when I get more miles on the truck.

 

[Dkevdog]

If my information serves me correctly the 2002 "4 door" does have approximately the same cab length. The difference is that the dash has been moved forward some as was the front seats, to make for the "added" room in back. I've sat in one and it was nice, but I still think it is a poor excuse for a crew cab. I'm sorry DC but if I could figure out a way to get a cummins in an F450 Super Doody... ... ..... I WOULD!



I have also heard a few rumors to the effect of a 4500 and 5500 truck with a larger real crew cab for 2005. Anybody else hear anything?? Only problem was I was told they will probably have Mercedes truck engines in them .



Kev