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I am looking into buying a used diesel truck in the next couple months and have started my research. i am very new to the diesel stuff, so please help me out here...

My needs:
towing car hauler (30' enclosed) and bike trailer (24' enclosed)
good gas mileage (towing and not towing)
crew cab or ext cab
short box
auto
will only install programmer or chip, otherwise will remain stock.

based on the needs above, what truck would you guys suggest? i am partial to the d-max b/c i love the chevy look and interior. What model yr should i look at? Any yr i should stay away from? Typical issues? My budget is about 15K so with that, i know the miles are going to be over 100K. i am fine with that, i just want the drivetrain and motor to be stout. the body and other crap i don't care too much about.

What about the Ford 7.3L turbo? good things i hear, but ugly as sin...

Dodge, never a fan of the interior but the exterior is ok. the cummins i hear is fantastic as well. it may be bias b/c i only hear that from Dodge owners.

Im looking to get a general consensus on what you guys think b/c i am sure there are varied models out there.

thanks all!
Aj

IMXCITD

i think you are on the right track w/the duramax and allison tranny. You shouldn't have any problem finding a clean '01-06. Not sure on pricing for a duramax.

Last Place

The Cummins is an awesome engine wrapped in a turd.

Powerstroke engines are mediocre at best.

The Duramax/Allison combo is the way to go. You can get a Duramax truck for under $15k with high miles.

fatboytc88

stay away from fords . in 2007 1/2 the emissions regulations changed for diesels. dodge came out with the 6.7 cummings engine and has had numerous problems and poor mileage . the duramax also has poorer mileage with the 2007 1/2 and newer engines. 2006 and early 2007 duramax with the allision 6 speed is a good choice. also a dodge with the 5.9 24 valve engine is excellent. check the dodge and gm diesel truck forums for more info.

svoshop

I own a 2010 F250 6.4 Diesel. And have owned a 2008 F250 with the same motor.

I own a transmission shop, and get to drive quite a few diesels ( as they are a little hard on transmissions. )

Based on your budget, I am not sure you will be able to slide into a duramax. If you can, it will be an earlier model, which is good. In 2007 ( as stated above ) the emissions got very strict on diesels. Robbing them of alot of power, and making the fuel mileage suck at best. Being that you are looking at earlier ones, you should get good mileage.

The Dodge has a great motor, and a horrid transmission. The Chevy has a good motor and a great transmission. The Ford 7.3 is a good motor, that is a little underpowered. The 4R100 Transmission is not as bad as everyone thinks. Some upgrades will give you a nice trans. Stay far away from the Ford 6.0. Some will disagree and say it is ok, but most will agree that it had too many issues.

Also, look at the history of the truck. Look for signs that the boost has been turned up too long, or possibly beat on. It is very easy to beat on a diesel. My F250 runs high 13's in the 1/4 on a 275 hp tune. It is hard not to run it like that all the time. You must keep an eye on EGT's etc.

If it were me. And my budget was 15k. I would most likely look for a good 2003 F350 with a 7.3... However, I like Ford trucks. The suspension will most likely prove to be better on a heavy load also.

Good luck.

Mike

EVIL_C5

i dont think you will find a newer duramax for ~15K, and the older ones have quirks here and there. my 06 lly has been flawless. I have a ppe programmer and turbo back exhaust and a transgo jr shift kit and it pulls my 24 foot enclosed with no problems at all.

my buddy has a 05.5 lly and he had some issues with it at first but seems to be ok now. has about 120K miles on it now and he pulls a 32 foot 5th wheel camper with no issues.

danziger

I really, REALLY love the Duramax/Allison combo, but what you are looking for and budget-wise...I'd go with the cleanest, lowest-mileage Ford 7.3 you can find.

badass1g

loved my 02 dmax.

tomsws6

iv heard a lot of issues witht he 7.3 fords. you can find alot of duramax for 15k. it may not have 20k miles on it but they can be found. i had an 03 and an 04 3500 and i had a 53ft take 3 and id put 3 ford expiditions on it and didnt even know they were there. the main issue with pre 04 i think was the fuel injectors. some went bad but i believe GM did a recal on them. if you want ford id go with the 6.0 or the newer 6.5 but there more expensive. dodges are pretty cheap to and the cummins is a great motor and will give you the best gas miliage but the duramax is the better combo and the trans is the best out there. also if your looking for mpg maybe look into the 2500's. i know alot of 2500 duramax owners getting low 20's on the hyw but im not sure how heavy of a load your going to be pulling. btw just saw a 3500 duramax on E bay for 10k. body ok but a few bumps and needs brakes.

texvette2

Had a 08 King Ranch F250. Best looking of all the big diesel trucks. but the mileage is
poor due to the new restriction on exhaust. Had no trouble with the truck just didn't
have any need for a truck that big and traded it in. Friends all have Fords with no
Problem. The interior beats Gm by far

tomsws6

will give ya that. the SD fords have the largest interior up front and rear.

YTC

I drove the hell out of my 96 Ram 3500 with the 12 Valve Cummins. Loved it but it rode like hell with no weight in it.
Have an 2002 Ford F250 with the 7.3 Powerstroke and it is a beast.
My other truck is a 2000 F-350 with the 7.3 with the Edge programmer and it is set on level 2 out of three. My fuel mileage is better than the non programmed 7.3. These are both work trucks that get drove over 500 miles a week, plus I have a few gas trucks with the Triton V-10. I do not touch them,but they are quiet.
I like the Powerstroke more and more with each passing year. My 2000 has 235,000 on it, and the 02 has about 200,000 on it. The Cummins had 546,000 on it when a teenage driver *** ended me at 65mph and tore the side of it up and I sold it. Went through three transmissions on it though.
I know several guys who are buying the new Duramax powered Chevys, but they are pricey. I heard alot of bad things with the earlier Duramax but have had no personal dealings with them, and I am a diesel tech so I take what people say with a grain of salt if I have no first hand experience.
Fact, the 6.0 will not hold up to extreme hauling and the EGR system kills that engine. I can not count how many trucks I have installed the EGR bypass on with the 6.0. There were alot of problems with it that have been the root cause for Ford and Navistar to part ways with warranty claims.
I know there are several people who have had no problems out of their 6.0, but I do a ton of work for guys who haul Thoroughbred Race Horses and everyone who has the 6.0 has had problems, they get rid of them quickly.
Good luck in your search, if you keep the maintenance up on them they will last forever. Really there is no such thing as a high mileage diesel,the rest of the truck and the its components will wear out quicker than a well maintained engine.

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thank you all for the VERY informative reads! i really appreciate it!!!

my search continues onwards now as i have almost sold my benz soo it may be even within a month or so.

i def do want a 2500 d-max, no question about it. now its just, what yr, model, should i be looking for. i work for a dealer part time so i have the resources to buy one at auction. thats why i mentioned, i can get a decent one for 15 or under... trucks aren't selling right now which is why i have the upper hand and want to act soon...

thank again all!
Aj

JustinStrife

I'd love to replace my Z71 with a Quad-cab shortbed 2500 Duramax.

belmor

Don't buy anything newer than 06', the 07' emissions have KILLED the mileage on all 3 brands of engine.
If you have to have a Duramax get an 06' as they have more power and the newer trans. alot of the duramax's are having issues with injectors-our 3500 we use to pull a car hauler has been in the shop about 6 times in the last 2 months

Cummins is the best engine IMO, 7.3 Ford after that
DO NOT get a 6.0 Ford, they blow head gaskets constantly

~B~