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Post by jfspry58 on Feb 4, 2021 12:12:11 GMT -5
Yep! On the newer Dodges, they started putting coil springs under the rear of the 2500 to civilize the ride a little more but then again the spring pack is still the only difference. And it’s all done to stay under the magical 10k gvwr so they can be registered as a 3/4 ton. I think your idea to restore and upgrade your ‘02 has some merit. Even if you spend more than your truck is worth on paper, you have a truck capable of everything you want and need it to do and still have all the advantages that go with an older truck. If you buy a new one it will immediately be worth at least 10k less the minute you drive it off the lot so once again you’ve spent more than it’s worth. So other than warranty I really don’t see that much advantage unless the owner just wants a new one. Jay I spent about 15 minutes talking to a friend who runs a diesel shop near me. They do a =lot= of fleet service and his advice was to forget about GM (waaaaaa!) and Ford (whew!) and go with a RAM (seriously?). Initial cost is a lot less and, overall, they've seen far fewer issues with them. He does like the Duramax, but the =trucks=, since about 2008, just seem to have a lot of nagging smaller issues, mostly electrical. Lots of sensor issues, too. Fords better, but they see a few more engine issues with the PS. He said the biggest issue with doing a resto on my '02 is that I've still got an 18 y.o. truck, with parts getting more and more scarce. '06/'07 LBZ trucks are 14-15 years old and are so desirable, that prices on good, lower mileage trucks are as much, or more, than a '16/'17 with even lower mileage. A =lot= of the issues he sees are the niggling little stuff and he attributes it to all the "gadgets" and options as much as anything. A mutual friend, who has driven Denalis for years, is about ready to go back to a truck with automatic, A/C, vinyl seats and floormats. Crank windows if he could get them, too. :-) Me, in my mid-60's, I =need= my creature comforts and, if I want my wife to go along with me, =she= needs them even more. :-) So, now I'm flat-out considering ordering a brand new D'max from a local dealer as they seem to be =very= competitive on pricing...IF I talk to the right guy. We'll see. I might as well, as this'll likely be my last truck, so I might as well get what I want. Oh, yeah, the main reason I called my buddy was to ask about DEF/DPF issues, as I've read some horror stories about the systems failing, short warranties and very high repair bills. His comment was that they've never seen a system fail IF you stick to a strict maintenance schedule and use GOOD oils and additives. As I said, they do a lot of fleet service and he said they've got trucks with well over 300k miles on them, with no major issues, and it's due to the maintenance. Lyle Same here, if I want my wife to go along happily, a base model is not optional, and honestly, I don’t really want to do without my creature comforts either. But... good maintenance is and always has been key to longevity for any vehicle and I know the new ones are no exception. I’m also still a little concerned about DEF and DPF issues, neither of which I have to worry about on my old truck, but it seems the vast majority of new truck owners have very little trouble with their emissions systems IF they maintain them properly. Jay |
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luscombet8f
Weekender RV’er
My 1949 Luscombe T8-F & 251RLT
Posts: 68
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Post by luscombet8f on Feb 5, 2021 23:57:40 GMT -5
I can understand the DEF gripes... I have the 2016 2500 Duramax, the filler is under the hood and not the easiest to service... but I kinda feel like the whole DEF thing is not a problem for me... I carry some with most times and have never been in the limited or limp-home mode.. I do wish there was an economical avenue to get to 50+ GALLONS OF DIESEL...but I'm living OK with 36 gallon capacity, too :-) :-)
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Post by laknox on Feb 8, 2021 10:36:32 GMT -5
I can understand the DEF gripes... I have the 2016 2500 Duramax, the filler is under the hood and not the easiest to service... but I kinda feel like the whole DEF thing is not a problem for me... I carry some with most times and have never been in the limited or limp-home mode.. I do wish there was an economical avenue to get to 50+ GALLONS OF DIESEL...but I'm living OK with 36 gallon capacity, too :-) :-) I don't think it's the convenience/inconvenience factor, it's the fact that there are exactly zero aftermarket DEF systems available and, when they go out, it's usually about $4-7k to fix the problems. The one guy I spoke with claims it's junk oil that shops use that foul things up. We'll see... Lyle |
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