1/2 ton ram diesel????

[Lloyd Smale]

anyone have any experience with them. I love my new ram (first ram) Its great in every catagory but at 18-19 mpg its a good 3-4 behind a v8 chev. There talking close to 30. I know it wont have th snort a hemi has but ive got my car if i want to go fast. Just dont want one if its a total slug or isnt a good motor. Anyone know how theyve been holding up? Sure dont need a 3/4 ton truck or for that matter a 70k truck. But near 10mpg better is making sense to me.

[Ranger99]

Modern diesels don't hold
any interest for me with all
the emissions crap that's been
piled on them
Customer-pay repairs are crazy
expensive. Preventative maintenance
is way out of line too

[Lloyd Smale]

Modern diesels don't hold
any interest for me with all
the emissions crap that's been
piled on them
Customer-pay repairs are crazy
expensive. Preventative maintenance
is way out of line too

ive got a son in law that is the lead mechanic at a big truck repair facility or believe me i wouldnt even consider it. Ive always been the one that argued the other side. Never saw the advantage to a diesel but when comparing 17 mpg and 28 and not only that but if those new green deal idiots get there way gas will go through the roof and the country still needs diesel for trucking so i could see the goverement stepping in to keep that reasonalbe. Might be the smart play right now. If the gas thing happens first the prices of diesel pickups will go through the roof.

[oldandslow]

First off how much of a premium in price does that diesel engine command? Then take into account the higher cost of diesel plus the fluid additive that most require. I used to drive a duramax to pull a 30' fifth wheel trailer. I believe the break even point in fuel savings in ordinary driving between it and a gas version  was somewhere close to 300,000 miles. If not for the power I wouldn't have even considered a diesel. My son-in-law drives a GMC for work and his son drives one as his personal vehicle. Both say the get 24 or a little better on the highway and neither are slowpoke drivers. It might be simpler and more economical to consider another brand of truck than a Dodge.

[Dee]

My bil has the best 2021 GMC half ton diesel they make. It doesn't pull as good as my 5.7 Hemi and he ain't happy.
His sil bought the first one, and he traded it 3 months later for a 3/4 ton Ram with all the whistles and a big Cummins. Both say the GMC diesel their putting in the half ton are too light in the britches for towing.
As far as fuel mileage goes, by the time you pay the difference in price for a half ton diesel, and the big difference in diesel vs gas at the pump, your actually losing money.
My 2 wheel drive 5.7 is averaging about 20mpg if I keep my foot out of it.

[oldandslow]

I suppose I should have pointed out that the GMC trucks I was referring to were gasoline. There might have been some confusion that I didn't intend.

[Dee]

No confusion here. The GMC half ton diesel is the only thing I have any info on.

[Lloyd Smale]

its 3k over the hemi so not excessively priced in my opinion. The 6.4 hemi in the 3/4 ton is the same premium. Not near what the cummins cost in the 3/4.Like is said if we were talking the differnce in a chev v8 getting 22 and this deisel getting 28 i probably wouldnt even consider it but 28 would be 11 mpg better compared to my hemi and that differnce would open up even farther every time i hook a trailer or load the bed. I really like this ram truck. Its more truck in every category compared to the silverados i had  before it. Only down side is it EATS gas. Then like i said earlier. Who knows where gas prices are going when those liberal hippys want gas powered cars made extinct. Raising prices would be the easiest way to force us to abandon  them. But if they raise diesel along with it it would destroy the economy. I could see 3 dollar an hour diesel and gas twice as expensive. Those liberals could do it by taxing the hell out of gas to pay for there other hippy programs and be cheered by half the country as long as they leave diesel alone so food prices dont skyrocket. Maybe its a bit of the "sky is falling" by me. I dont know. But like with guns and ammo i just beat myself up to much if i get caught with my pants down. To me a man that is dumb enough to get caught sleeping is as bad as the man handing out the sleeping pill. 

First off how much of a premium in price does that diesel engine command? Then take into account the higher cost of diesel plus the fluid additive that most require. I used to drive a duramax to pull a 30' fifth wheel trailer. I believe the break even point in fuel savings in ordinary driving between it and a gas version  was somewhere close to 300,000 miles. If not for the power I wouldn't have even considered a diesel. My son-in-law drives a GMC for work and his son drives one as his personal vehicle. Both say the get 24 or a little better on the highway and neither are slowpoke drivers. It might be simpler and more economical to consider another brand of truck than a Dodge.

[Lloyd Smale]

that i would miss. The hemi puts out the same torque and a 100 more hp so it sure not going to be near as snappy especially when your not towing or hauling. A guy has to keep in mind your not buying a big brute one ton diesel truck that will haul a D8 to the work site. You still only have a 1/2 ton truck that should be used for a smaller boat or camper. It sure wouldnt replace a power stroke, cummins or duramax. But even at 285 hp which is 4 and 6 cyl territory today my 03 sliverado had a 5.3 that had the same hp and i never thought it was underpowered when i wasnt towing something. If i got even 20 i wouldnt even be starting this thread but I have to really consentrate on my driving to average 18. MIght get that on a freeway with the cruise set at 65 but when i go to my average screen on the display randomly to check its usually between 16-17. Thats mixed town and 2 lane road with the wife and i both driving (her more then me as i usually drive the jeep) One thing i did notice is it doesnt drop off as drasticaly as my chevs did when towing. My 17 sliverado was a 5.3 with 343 gears. This one a 5.7 hemi with 391s. Empty it was 22mpg vs 17. Pulling my small trailer with my polaris razor on it drug the chev down to 11-12 and the dodge seems to only drop of about 4mpg to 13 Most likely the biggest difference that helps the dodge in that is the lower gears. Id say it hurts my empty mpg in the ram but my neighbor has the exact same truck but without the off road package. (2 in lift, slightly more aggressive tires, electric locker and 391 gears) his has 320 something gears an and even has that E assist thats suppose to give you better mpg. Other then that there identical right down to the color and he averages one mpg better then me. He made me chuckle the other day though. We were talking this same debate when hes said what are you bitching about. My son in law has a mid size standard cab 6 cyl toyota and only gets 17 with that. I guess the real deal breaker will come from the rumor the hemi is going away. Talk right now is a turbo 4 and a turbo 6 in the ram. If they dont offer a real v8 the decision is a no brainer to me.

My bil has the best 2021 GMC half ton diesel they make. It doesn't pull as good as my 5.7 Hemi and he ain't happy.
His sil bought the first one, and he traded it 3 months later for a 3/4 ton Ram with all the whistles and a big Cummins. Both say the GMC diesel their putting in the half ton are too light in the britches for towing.
As far as fuel mileage goes, by the time you pay the difference in price for a half ton diesel, and the big difference in diesel vs gas at the pump, your actually losing money.
My 2 wheel drive 5.7 is averaging about 20mpg if I keep my foot out of it.

[neckisred]

First off how much of a premium in price does that diesel engine command? Then take into account the higher cost of diesel plus the fluid additive that most require. I used to drive a duramax to pull a 30' fifth wheel trailer. I believe the break even point in fuel savings in ordinary driving between it and a gas version  was somewhere close to 300,000 miles. If not for the power I wouldn't have even considered a diesel. My son-in-law drives a GMC for work and his son drives one as his personal vehicle. Both say the get 24 or a little better on the highway and neither are slowpoke drivers. It might be simpler and more economical to consider another brand of truck than a Dodge.

I have to agree with oldandslow. Only advantage I see is having a diesel mechanic in the family.

[Lloyd Smale]

ya the smart money might be put on a new silverado with a 5.3. Ive owned them most of my life and have nothing but good to say about them. but there restyling leaves me cold. Wont own a ford so thats out the door. Wont own an import either and they dont get any better fuel economy then my ram anyway. Still am nervous about what the socialists are going to do with gas prices to push there nut case green agenda though. Thats the BIG part of the equation. Heck even diesel additive isnt a problem. The son in law gets it in 55 gallon drums and it would be free.

[Drilling Man]

  Being a diesel mechanic is no advantage these days......  NOW to work on a diesel, you have to be an electrical engineer too!

  DM

[Lloyd Smale]

to be any mechanic today about takes an electronics degree. He runs the biggest diesel and truck repair shop within 200 miles of here. They work on them all and have a shop that looks more like a laboratory then a fillin station. Even look at the qualified people there that work on diesels and there electronics every day and compare it to the Ford Garage that might get one or two diesels a month in and the mechanics spend most of there time on gas motors. Heck next there going to need a maytag man on staff for the electrics.

  Being a diesel mechanic is no advantage these days......  NOW to work on a diesel, you have to be an electrical engineer too!

  DM

[Graybeard]

Wont own an import either

But Lloyd, that's what you are driving now. Dodge is owned by Daimler Benz a foreign firm. It is made of parts some made here, some out of country.

My Toyota is made right here in the US and like yours is owned by a foreign company. I bet there is even as many US made parts in it as in your Dodge.

So what's the difference?

[Lloyd Smale]

doesnt much matter bill. There to expensive when comparing similarly equipped and capable trucks and are gas hogs just like my ram. Plus the japanese crippled my grandpa and killed one my uncles. Chev ford and dodge didnt do that. Add to that ram has been fullsized 1/2 ton truck of the year for 3 years running. Just took over second place in sales from chev. LIke ive said before Sure seems to be a few others that agree with me. If ram f150 or silverado sales fell to toyotas best year they be discontinued. I really dont care what someone else drives. Hell my own father drive a flipping suburu outback. So does my sister and my niece and her husband drive full sized toyotas and he loves them. Just not my cup of tea.

[Ranger99]

I can remember back when the light
truck diesels were a relatively new
thing in the 80's
Then as now there were people trying
to use them for things they weren't really
suitable for. There's many that would
be better served with a larger truck and
not over work the little one ton truck
they bought to use as a big rig.
A girlfriend's brother had one that
he couldn't keep a drivetrain in.
I told him one time that he'd do better
to ask for a bulk discount on clutches
and u joints. Of course, he always
drove it like he was in a kenworth and
speed shifted like ol' rubber duck
or snowman

[oldandslow]

Come to the oilfield to see abused and over used trucks. I decided long ago that loading a truck or trailer for that matter, means putting everything you can stack on it without falling off no matter the weight. Weight doesn't count, just physical size.It  is common practice to pull great big backhoes with one ton trucks. It's flat country and the roads have few sharp curves so most get away with it but the norm is to trade trucks before the warranty runs out. There is no way I would ever consider buying a used oilfield truck, especially anything over a half ton, because of the use most are put to. Want to find out how tough a piece of equipment is? Just put it to work in the oilfield and it won't take long to get an answer.

[Lloyd Smale]

id bet most of them are fords and chevs too.

[Drilling Man]

  The 8L is long gone, but they do have a 6.6 diesel and a 6.6 gas...

  DM

[Fixit]

My

[Lloyd Smale]

brother in law has a 3/4 ton dodge with a 392. They put out 500flbs of torque which is more then some of the first couple generations of diesels did. He said it does a fair job of pulling. But the biggest thing he tows is a 5th wheel and his tractor. That said he only wishes he got the 17mpg i get. he says on the road empty with a light foot he MIGHT get 14. I love that motor. I have one in my challenger and its a torque monster. An ss camaro might edge it out in the quarter but around town that hemi is a torque monster and the chev 5.3 has little on the bottom end. I could put that car in 3 and take off from a stop sign without stalling and leave it in 3 anywhere in town. In first you can let the clutch out slowly and not even give it gas and it wont stall. It would make a fantastic motor for a 1/2 ton. I shake my head that chrysler put it in the wrangler but not the 1/2 ton truck. but im sure they know not many of those 75k wranglers well sell and if they put it in there truck (that doesnt really need any sales boost today) it would screw up there corporate fuel mileage number.

 Now im sitting here a hypocrite. Talking wanting more mpg but will tell you that if dodge put that 6.4 in there 1/2 ton rebel id be at the dealership tomorrow. Id about bet the major increase in torque over the 5.7 hemi (that is no slouch) might close the mpg to very close to what the 5.7 gets. Truthfully in that case i wouldnt care. That truck would be a weapon. Just like the 6.0 1/2 ton chevs are. Your talking 0-60 times better then 90 precent of the muscle cars of the 60s and 70s and back then wed dream of getting 15 mpg.

 My 454 chevelle rarely broke 10!! My 79 chev 4x4 with a 180hp 350 got 14. We really dont have alot to wine about these days. We are living in the golden age of muscle cars and trucks. Who would of dreamed of a club cab 4x4 with ac loaded to the gills that did 0-60 in 6 seconds, road like a car and got 22 mpg!!!! Go buy a 5.3 silverado or a ecoboost 150  and its yours. For an example in the real world, not in the embellished memory's of some, a 389 gto or a 396 ss chevelle or a 351 mach 1 were lucky to do 0-60 even a tick under 7 seconds actually closer to 7.5.  Hot rod mag tested my ls6 chevelle back in the day. I still have the magazine. Now they were arguably by some the quickest out of the show room car you could by. Dont know about that but there in the solid top 5. They did 0-60 in 5.8 seconds and were amazed and said they had never beat it with any car except the ac 427 cobra. Now knock it to maybe 5.5 would a good set of modern tires. My 392 challenger will do it in 4.7 and my ram in 6.0. A 6 cyl camaro or challenger will do 0-60 in 6 seconds and whip about any muscle car anyone here owned back then. Yup we are lucky to be alive today. Sad that some lost there lust for cars. You dont know what your missing.

[Fixit]

I'm going to wade in here with a preface..... I'm not a proponent of going electric! With that said, a young man I know bought a Volkswagen electric, and took My son in law and me out in it, let each of us drive it, and, I have to say, it was insane, in a good way! I won't be running out to get one, but at 0 to 60 in 3.6 seconds, it's an insanely fast car. Not practical if you plan to drive any real distance, but fun! Who would have ever thought it?

[teamnelson]

Glad I wandered in here, I've been staring hard at the Ram 1500 ecodiesel 4x4 ... the more I read the less shiny it gets though. 29MPG sure catches the eye.

I need a double cab 4x4 that can haul a cab over camper (4 season) while towing an open snowmachine/atv trailer, or the occasional boat. Not heavy, and really not all that often, as it'll mostly be highway driven ... once we get out of our unplowed road. I initially thought that ecodiesel would be just the ticket, but not so sure. I think now I'm gonna look at reliable gas motors on the small end - does Ford still make a 240 inline 6?

[Ranger99]

240 morphed into the 300
No inline 6's for many years now

Nobody ever thinks about it
Check maintenance and repair costs
versus any milage savings
Expensive customer pay repairs and
maintenance expenses negates any
fuel savings

[teamnelson]

Talking to mechanics, seems like there was a sweet spot in the 90s and early 2000s WRT reliability. Fuel efficiency sure has improved, but the $ saved at the pump may be nickels compared to the dollars spent on maintenance and repairs.