2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Why haven't you traded for 3rd gen?

[geusterman]

Besides the dollars is there any reason you 2nd genners have not bought a new 3rd gen? As the EGR date looms ahead I am trying to talk myself into a 3G because of the 4 doors (easier to shoot gophers out of ) , QUIET in town, one-ton SRW capacity and escaping the VP44 and track bar.



My 2002 HO has Kelderman air ride (would have to let that go--does not fit 3G, EZ (would sell), Rancho's w/air (have to leave), Rickson's (could transfer), steering box stabilizer (leave it). Gear Vendor could be transferred. I am thinking the FASS that Piers has would cure the VP44 problem. Luke's link cures the steering.



I just don't want to step into new problems that are yet to turn up. But all my study on the 3G looks pretty good minus some weird ticking sounds... .



What do you think of this decision here? Everybody happy with their 2nd gens? thanx, geusterman

 

[KCJackson]

I'll be getting an '05. The EGR doesn't bother me, and I can save another year's worth of $$ for the down payment.

 

[LSMITH]

Dodge ignored us and refuses to make a real crew cab. For those of us that NEED the room waiting until the 6L ford is ironed out makes more sense than a 3rd gen Dodge.

 

[Sticks]

I did not like the looks to start with but it is growing on me. The cam IMO is the same tiny a$$ back seat that the doors just open the other way.



95% of the bugs are worked out by the time of the 02's so I will stick with it.

 

[dresslered]

I'm an older vehicle kind of person (i. e. pre-1967) so the older the better. However, my daily driver had to be modern for safety and payload. I started watching the Cummins Ram when the 2nd generation body style wa introduced in 1994. Every year it seemed to get better and better. As they added more, they also took off more. For me, the 2001 had the most without the upcoming sacrifices. As far as price goes, I think that the 3rd generations are actually going for less than when I bought mine. Also, as far as a one-ton SRW, I think that a dually is the true 1-ton for safety and stability (otherwise what's the difference between the 3/4-ton other than increased weight fees). Just an opinion, but I would not trade up (in model year).



P. S. Four real doors would be cool though.

 

[Deezul1]

Dont like the looks, too quiet, too many valves and puters.

 

[speedracer]

If money weren't an issue, I would consider it. I'd go test drive one and see how I like it. But money IS an issue, and besides I like my truck quite a bit. I like the suicide extended cab doors(I don't see the point of regular doors without a full size back seat) and I like being able to hear my engine. However, if I were getting a new truck, I think I'd get 4wd this time.

 

[hammersley]

Bought the one I want

My buddy has an 03, and I drove it. Sorry guys I like the vision - looking out the front - better from my 01. I don't want smart injectors - and to heck with a sissy quiet diesel. (sorry guys). I also don't like the way engine is hid under the hood, and I don't like the looks as much. I plan on putting a zillion miles om my rig (now I have 147,000) and I couldn't reach a million if I trade. BTW - I just put on a FASS system - great - ends the daunted Cummins Combo Repair (VP44 & Lift Pump).

 

[rweis]

They have jerked the cummins around too much after 02.



Smart injectors?, right.



The only reason I bought the dodge was the cummins. If I were going to rebuy I would look at something different with a true cummins. If they would instead take the cummins and offer different hp levels for different $$ levels then you could buy what you want and we would not have to bomb them.



When they start doing the EGR stuff, look where it took the gassers.



Just a nice straight diesel, put into some kind of a frame with sheet metal on it.



The name brand of the sheetmetal means nothing to me. The name brand of the engine and drive train and rear axle is where the meat and potatoes are.



Bob Weis

 

[Duluth Diesel]

I am nothing short of thrilled with my '02. I like everything about the truck- looks, performance, quality, interior look and feel. I know a guy who saw my '02, wanted an '02, but had to settle for an '03 and still wishes he could have found a new '02.

Like the Dana axles, dunno about the American Axle products. Like the sound, especially with the turbo silencer yanked.

The 3rd gens don't look good to me. My little sis has an '03 3/4 ton Hemi (tried to get her in a Cummins, believe me) and I think it looks OK, but I wouldn't want to own it. Shutting her tailgate produces a very tin-like hollow clang whereas mine sounds like a real gate when it shuts.

The 3rd gen interiors stink. Too flat, too far away from you, hard as heck to mound a CB and Scanner to. DC got cheap with the materials, I think.



I do like some 3rd gen things. 12 volt power in the console, bigger regular cab than mine, white-face guages.



I bought an '02 'cause I saw what was coming in '03 and didn't want that. I believe that 2002 was the last year of the "good ones. "



They all have had their issues. I have to deal with lift pump and injector pump failures.



But if I had to choose between a 2003 Dodge/Cummins and a Ford/Powerchoke, I would not even consider the Ford. HPCR or not, the Cummins is still the best out there, IMO.

 

[jeepit]

I have to say that I like the looks of the old body style much better. The sound of this six when under load is awesome. 4 doors? All they did was make the front door smaller and the back door bigger imho. I'll keep what I have. Six in-a-row, built to tow!

 

[Mike Ellis]

I will probably buy a 2002 at some point, have been lusting after the ETH/DEE for some time now. I like the 3rd gens OK, wish they had been a full crew cab though.



I doubt I will ever sell my '97, it has been nice having a reliable truck with no payment for the last few years. I specifically bought the 12V to get the mechanical pump and minimize electronics, someday it might be a valuable feature having a diesel that can run so many alternate fuels without engine or pump damage.



At some point will probably put in a 6-speed, still have BOMBing work to do as well. But truthfully in stock form, the truck has done a great job for me. Hauls my camper effortlessly, pulls a BIG horsetrailer full of horses with no fuss, gets good mileage and is very comfortable to drive.

 

[Rman]

3rd gens are ugly, I like dana axles, and the "crew cab" thing is a joke. If that were the reason i would have bought a chevy and looked into a cummins swap... only if money were no object.



Those are my reasons i rushed out in august last year and hunted down my 02 before the 03's were released. I'm happy with it and plan on keeping it for a long time. My brother's 2000 has 172k on it and shows no sign of giving up. Though after 120k on his edge pulse they let him upgrade to a comp for 50 bucks, pretty good deal i thought. (his pulse failed)

 

[MGordon]

Don't like the looks.



It dosen't sound right.



Don't like the white gauges.



Would have to start all over with accessories and bomb's - over $3,500. 00 on top of the new truck price increase.



I bought this truck with the intention of keeping it a long time and I just can't justify taking another big depreciation hit.

 

[duaneparks]

I haven't traded (and probably won't) due to money, looks, and preference.



I truly prefer the styling of the 2nd Gens, I don't owe a whole lot on the one I have, and I simply have not done everything I want to do to/with it yet either.



Besides, this is the truck I always wanted.



Plus, my kids want it for when they start driving



Duane

 

[RustyJC]

Because I like my current truck. I made a conscious choice to order the last year of a mature design rather than the first year of a new design - I've been down that guinea pig road too many times.



Besides, with the mods shown below, it will pull our 13,500 lb 36' 5th wheel RV faster than I care to drive (like 75 MPH passing semis on the uphills of I-40 between Jackson and Nashville, TN. ) When the DD2's go in this weekend, that should be just right!



Oh, and reliability? My 2002 has never been back to the dealer for anything (25 months and 15000 miles since taking delivery).



Rusty

 

[y-knot]

Ok I was looking to maybe go with a new truck, we (my wife, kid, and me) looked at the ford and dodge. They both had there plus's and minus's. The ford now is not a good time, nice truck, but just to meany issues. The dodge, we looked at several drove several, and while it is a nice truck, it realy didn't thrill me much. I remember when I test drove a dodge, before we ordered our present truck, I had goose bumps, and couldn't wait to get one. Not so with the 03-04 dodge. I was disapionted with the rear doors, and seating area, just not big enough. The interior looked barren, and cheap, not nearly as nice as the previous model. Went I started it up, I missed the DIESEL sound, and no turbo wirel. It drove nice, and was very comfortable. It did seem to be alittle less bumpy. The auto was nothing new, it shifted like previous years, and although they did modify it, it still has the same old torque converter. So basicly the same troublems. Never had a problem with the "TRANSMISSION" IT WAS ALWAYS WITH THE TC. The power of the new truck was good, but nothing great, I and probaly most others are running higher HP ratings then it. The fit and finish was bad, they cheaped out on alot of areas, and paint quallity was very poor. While the new dodge looked newer, the ford was much nicer in quality, and function. I hope in the not to distant future dodge comes out with a 4500-5500 model, and some of the quqlity concerns are addressed. For me, the issue was not money, we were ready to buy, but I just never fell the new truck was worth it. I will wait, and see what happens after cummins has to start intsalling the EGR versions. I hope they have a bettter go of it then ford had. My son liked the 97' we have now better then the new dodge, he said he had no more room in the new one, and like his seat better in the old dodge. I think dodge needs to look at what ford offers, larger rear seating, captains chairs (very comfortable), dual alternators(very usefull), ect.

 

[rashwor]

My reasons.

1) Current ride not paid off until June 2004 (not a real issue).

2) Does any job (towing) that needs to be done easily with the EZ.

3) 147,000+ miles and only one major issue (replaced VP44 at 138,000).

4) No "need" for 4 doors now (this is changing, got the word yesterday).

5) Thought of EGR does not bother me. They can be unplugged and worked around if they truly cause problems... may take a little effort. I have to believe that Cummins will get it right when it is released. The EGRs on gassers rarely cause problems now... took a while. There were rumors that the Cummins HPCR would be unreliable and nothing but problems (can you say Dmax / Ford? Not for me. ). Hasn't happened.

6) No paint problems except those expected with a older high mileage truck.



Just for the record, I can also list this many reasons to trade. It is a choice. I will eventually take the plunge.

 

[BPINE]

Originally posted by LSMITH

Dodge ignored us and refuses to make a real crew cab. For those of us that NEED the room waiting until the 6L ford is ironed out makes more sense than a 3rd gen Dodge.

Bingo same here other than I am not buying a 6. 0 Ford no matter what they iron out. My neigbors would never let me live it down. :-{}

 

[WadePatton]

ditto

Pretty much what everybody has said, but I'll repeat my version for the heck of it.



I don't WANT one. Because:

The interior is too mini-van like. The 2g dash/controls etc was near perfect--why did they screw it up? White gauges-just dumb designer-had-to-change-something-to-sell-a-car-crap.



The cab? I like a quad, not the goofy doors. The rear doors on a Dakota are bigger and look better.



The engine? Yep, they're making good power, but it's still a new design. Are there going to be "53" blocks? Is water going to ruin the entire fuel system-like some now claim? Quiet is not needed or wanted by me.



The money? I don't have the cash in the bank to do the trade if I wanted to. Credit is out of the question--not financially sound to finance depreciating assets.



My truck is FANTASTIC. And I'm not through BOMBing it yet. I'm just getting it tuned up and dialed in. My truck looks better, has better interior (plus Rob Thomas console), Doesn't drone/rattle/or leak--and NEVER, EVER needs to go back to the DC store.



I still have to install: bypass oil system, big turbo, cold air system, sound insulation, bedliner, 2-way radios, etc.



I've had this truck 15 months and am still thrilled with it.



When I buy another Cummins Pickup, it will most likely be a 12v/7100/ 4x4.



If I HAD to replace my truck today, there would be a 01, 01. 5, or 02 taking its place.