Test Drove a 2004 Powerstroke

[cwarner]

If you guys that bought Ford would have waited long enough you probably would have a Cummins motor in them !



Don't really know if this is true or not but a friend of mine works in the dyno labs at Ford and the rumour around there is they might be switching to Cummins.



I really hope this become reality because a friend bought a new 6. 0 and pretty much tells us Cummins guys that we have junk. Hey his truck has only been to the dealer twice in less than 6 months.

 

[jarsong]

Originally posted by Intelman34

... and I must say it was by far the nicest truck I've driven.



I recently found out that i qualify for the Ford X plan at work and it sparked my interest in a new Powerstroke.



I stopped by a dealer tonight and they had one configured exactly how I had online. Silver 4x4 Supercab with the FX4 package and cloth seats.



I took it out for a drive and I must say, the 6. 0L and Torqshift is a PERFECT combo. Great power everywhere and very smooth. The low end was not even close to what my truck is putting down... but it still has quite a bit of grunt.



All in all, I think the Dodge will be going up for sale. The Cummins is a pulling motor. I have never pulled anything. The Powerstroke seems to fit my needs as a country caddy a bit more. Don't get me wrong... I absolutely LOVE my Dodge, but the Ford just fits my needs better. Heck, I just renewed my TDR membership for another year. I hope I can stick around



If anyone is looking for a very low mileage and well taken care of 1999, let me know.

So your a gamblim man eh? I see plenty of Engine trouble on the 04's so I wouldn't call it case closed yet at any stretch. The low end power issue isn't going to go away though. The motor bore and stroke, as well as CID make it act more like a gasser to get the work done. Having said that I could see how one could like the real crew cab.

If Ford was your only choice, one would be way better off getting an 01 or 02 with the 7. 3L. THere is no questioning the fact that the 7. 3L has earned it's wings and "One of the best", of second best.



The Dodge with turn circles around the Ford and if you get the latest 04 HO has more power, and certanly has the Off Idle grunt we are used to. Also a PROVEN platform that one can't, at least with a straight face, put down. Your money.

jarsong

 

[JoshPeters]

I good friend of mine has an 04 PSD. He likes the truck, but my old 96 with about $1000 in engine mods keeps up just fine. Whoops him towing the exact same trailer same load... same time. Oh ya... Mine has 241,000 miles on it. His has been into the shop 4 times since he got it for various running complaints/issues. One morning he found a puddle of Diesel under it. An injector stuck open... . truck was parked nose down... . filled the crank case with fuel. He is religous with oil changes. So I don't belive that was an issue. I'd be VERY careful buying a PSD. 7. 3's were ok... 6. 0's aren't.



Like the rest have said... it's your cash... do as you wish. We'll see you back on the CTD bandwaggon again soon!



Josh

 

[bgilbert]

Who cares if you don't pull anything? I don't and I enjoy using the Dodge Cummins as a daily driver. Thats all I hear from family members, 'ah I couldn't ever work that truck, ya gotta work a diesel. ' Like its not gonna run or last if you don't have 20k in tow everyday... If more cab room is want you want, how bout you test drive some new DC 04's. Bill

 

[jarsong]

I keep hearing all these stories about who is whipping who... . Last time I looked the speed limit was 55-60mph and there aren't many drag strips on the roads... . Have you ever really went camping with friends and left saying, hey I'll beat you there, on your marks, get set , GO! Probably not. My truck, before I chipped it, could pull Stevens pass in overdrive at 60MPH at 16K GVCW. DO you need to go up it 70MPH? Well for less than $500 and 15 minutes I can now. But I don't need to.

SO what it really comes down to is making it there at all and right now your best option to even make it there is the 1)Cummins 2)Duramax/7. 3L PS or 3)The lowley 6. 0L, and more specificy, but not limited to the 2003 model years. 2003 values are going to suffer I'm afraid.



Now once in a while I do get to play with another truck or car on the road but this had NOTHING to do with my decision to order my Ram. It had everything to do with 1)Cost per mile, meaning how dang long is this thing going to last with minimal investment to keep it going. I bought this truck laughting at the warranty and honestly I could have cared less if it even had one and if I could have save more money on the truck by omitting it, I would have. Could anyone with a 6. 0L even conceive of such a thing? Not on your life.

jarsong

 

[SMorneau]

I don't think I would rely on a warranty all that much. 100k isn't enough.



I wish Dodge would address the need for a real crew cab truck.

 

[Hohn]

You know, it used to be that people "put up with" the Dodge part to get the Cummins part.



The new Dodges though leave little to be desired (OK maybe a better auto transmission). Now the Dodge part is almost on par with the Cummins part!



I have driven an '04 6. 0 PSD with decked to the hilt. It was nice enough, but I expected a lot more. There's no power below 2K rpm.



The Torq-Shift seems to be a great transmission-- I really liked it. But if I had to have the best auto transmission, I'd have risked a D-max.



The main reason I would NEVER recommend a Ford to a friend (nor drive one myself) has very little to do with the trucks the company makes. After seeing how Ford has treated it's customers as unpaid R&D specialists, I will feel no love for Ford any time soon. Ford needs to get the message loud and clear that they need to EARN their sales. Too may sheeple line up one after the other and willingly accept whatever crap Ford poops out the pipeline. Since so many people are loyal/dumb enough to settle for the junk, Ford will continue to take for granted all the millions in sales that come from less-informed customers.



Leaf spring front ends exist for only one reason-- THEY'RE CHEAP! So is Ford- thus the cozy relationship. It's covered-wagon technology.



Granted, it seems like ALL of the "big 3" have gotten big enough to where they don't care much about the little guy. But since Dodge is the smallest, they have the most incentive to do you right and build a good truck. And they do (mostly).



Since Chrysler was bought out by Daimler-Benz, the quality has gone up. I was a mopar guy before that, but I understood the being a Mopar guy usually meant you took better engines and trannies in return for a worse body and everything else. Even in the "glory days" of Mopar greatness, the quality was known to be less than you'd want. Sometimes it was flat out awful.



No more. Now I can drive a Dodge and feel no shame. I know that point-by-point, my truck can hold it's own in all areas, and postively EXCEL in those areas that are most important to me.



Justin

 

[Neeldsnuthouse]

Hey Intellman34, kinda off subject but you don't by chance work for Mueller Pipeline or any of the sister companies do ya. If so PM me cause I feel your pain.





Thanks Neeldsnuthouse