Somebody talk me out of it

One reason Dodge owners go with another Dodge is Ford nor GM will give you anything on a trade. I think it was Truck Trends that just did a test between all three. They give the Ford the top spot because it could tow up a hill at 70 mph while the Dodge and GM could only hit 60 mph. But they said to go with the GMC if you are looking for a great all around truck.

My sister in-law just drove my 03 Silverado and claimed it drove better then their Blazer and Park Avenue. Peter photography

Go fo rthe dodge they are buillt better and have a more reliable engine. How long has cummins been around? what about duramax ? I vote the cummins time tested.

isn't the HO cummins a brand new engine?

Hi!

Duramax is a GM/Isuzu design, and Duramax is not Isuzu's first Diesel engine. I don't know how long they've been making them, but I know that Isuzu did provide a Diesel engine for some Chevettes...not exactly yesterday. Some of those are still on the road and seemingly there weren't many made.

I also know that the 6.2L in my '84 GMC runs strong and steady with no problem, even as the body falls off that truck! It has roughly 219,000 miles on the clock....not something a whole lot of vehicles ever live to see.

I have nothing against a Dodge other than that overly exaggerated goofy-as-all front end. I've gotten somewhat used to the 2003 Chevrolet front and *could* just even say it looks alright. But I can't say that about the Dodge. It looks dumb...like a whale going down the road.

I vote the GM/Duramax. Time and personal experience tested, even though it wasn't a Duramax.

William

Duramax is the NAME of the engine. Isuzu builds it. All 3 diesels are built by companies that have been building engines for big-rigs and other heavy equipment for years.

My father bought a Cummins. Just happened to have a free Dodge 2500 thrown in :) It's been a great truck. Only repair it's had is starter brushes and it's over 100,000 now. I've also heard good things about the new Duramax. Personally, the Cummins has one heck of a track record, and now they come with Allison Transmissions. I don't care much for Dodge wiring, but the Cummins/Allison is one nice combo.

I'm not sure mentioning Chevette helps your point. Especially considering that your next point:

Could be made of Huppmobiles too.

I'd bet any of the three could live that long and longer, well maintained. Drivetrain-wise, at least. (I had a Ford of that era rot its tin under me, and am experiencing a contemporaneous Chevrolet cab do the same. I suppose I ought do the hinge pins soon, else I'll also be doing rockers. Or I could just crank the cab bolts down to re-align the door...)

I think the Dodge is a bit over the top and that the Fords are close behind them in that style. I haven't seen a new-ish GM to recall for comparison though. For whale you want a Pacer though, don't you? Or a '68 225. The Buick has saving graces that the AMC doesn't, not least among them power, and power.

It looks to me like your experience is with a different family of engine. I've got some minor experience with a gas job Isuzu (GM 350, AAMOF) and the Isuzu bits seem well put together and also well designed. My diesel experience is with IH and MF agricultural equipment, and Wabbits. There is something to be said for a good six, you know?

If I wasn't plowing snow, and keeping the truck nice? I'd get the Dodge.

If I was buying fleet, or plowing, I don't know which I'd buy. They all make good and bad trucks. Hell, I'll buy the blue one! :)

Of course local $tealer selection should play a role here- If one's local Dodge dealer sucks, one probably oughtn't buy a Dodge, and for obvious reasons.

My two cents, adjusted for inflation, and worth to you and the original poster every bit y'all paid for it.

Dodge does not utilize the Allison tranny with the Cummins. They use the Chrysler produced 47RE auto on std. Cummins models and the 48RE auto on the HO models

AW.