What tow vehicle

halcat · Aug 4, 2015

I just traded my 14 ford power stroke for a 15 power stroke. Loved the 14. The 15 will kill any stock truck on the market. Has the flattest torque going plus is has the long legs of a v8 . The 15 does not have a wast gate which takes away a lot of the sensors that are on a wast gated engine. There supposed to be a lot simpler to maintain. we will see. I only have 30 k miles as of now. This will be my last truck. I cannot believe the power! Empty mileage about 17 pulling my 24' big block boat at 80 mph gets an honest 14. I am satisfied. Over and out.

sledneck · Aug 5, 2015

bbone said:
I am not saying miles dont matter nor am I trying to turn this into a "my truck has 400,000 miles on it...but we are talking a used diesel that tows a toy...30k will buy plenty..one should expect a few miles...less than a 100,000 on a used truck that is 10 years old is pretty common.

I should have added that I have been looking at newer 2011 and newer trucks.

matth_85 · Aug 5, 2015

sledneck said:
I should have added that I have been looking at newer 2011 and newer trucks.

With that said, you are honestly surprised you can't buy one for under 30K? Most any new diesel truck stickers for 60K +....

And in saying that, that is why even older trucks are still holding such a high value.

I would look to a Chevrolet if it were me. I sold diesel trucks, a TON of them, for several years and always saw the best luck with the Chevrolets. My tow rig is a 07.5 Chevy with 123K on it. Have had no issues thus far and unless I hit the lotto at some point, that will be my tow rig forever. I don't plan on replacing the truck.

Mattman347 · Aug 5, 2015

Buy a cheap 7.3L that looks nice and give me a call for more power with reliability.

kmcminn · Aug 5, 2015

Mattman347 said:
Buy a cheap 7.3L that looks nice and give me a call for more power with reliability.

Cheap 7.3 that looks nice. Good luck.

poolman · Aug 5, 2015

kmcminn said:
Cheap 7.3 that looks nice. Good luck.

I found a 7.3 with 63k on it a year ago for $7000 in Texas, it was a van I guess that's why it was so cheap, I've but 50k on it since, zero issues. I wish I could find 5 more just like it.

bbone · Aug 5, 2015

kmcminn said:
Cheap 7.3 that looks nice. Good luck.

Define cheap:
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/ctd/5145422784.html

or

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/ctd/5143338992.html

or

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/5152004978.html

Jacksonwolf39 · Aug 5, 2015

bbone said:
Define cheap:
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/ctd/5145422784.html

or

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/ctd/5143338992.html

or

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/5152004978.html

[/quote

260k miles for 15500?! Hahaha people are crazy as hell. IDC if its a diesel. Yea motors last awhile with the right maintenance and taking care of. But still everything else on the truck has that many miles and no telling how many dirty asses have been in it haha

MihlfeldL2005 · Aug 6, 2015

Re:

Well I'll update this a bit. I've started to narrow it down a little. Based upon my budget, some conversations I've had, and research that I've done. I'm leaning towards a 2004.5-2008 Chevy/GMC with a 6.6L Duramax. Something with the late LLY, LBZ, or LMM engine with an aftermarket exhaust system.

Hoping to find something that already has a gooseneck hitch in the bed, tonneau cover would be a bonus, airbags a plus!

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tallnate · Aug 7, 2015

Re:

MihlfeldL2005 said:
Well I'll update this a bit. I've started to narrow it down a little. Based upon my budget, some conversations I've had, and research that I've done. I'm leaning towards a 2004.5-2008 Chevy/GMC with a 6.6L Duramax. Something with the late LLY, LBZ, or LMM engine with an aftermarket exhaust system.

Hoping to find something that already has a gooseneck hitch in the bed, tonneau cover would be a bonus, airbags a plus!

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I'd advise getting the LBZ or LMM (with dpf delete) if I were you based on the new revisions added to the 06 and up duramax trucks. Stock power was bumped up to 360hp and 650tq in 06, new 30% larger cooling systems, new style 7 hole injectors, fuel pressure was bumped up to 26,000psi, and the Allison gained a 6th gear with the manual shift option. I bought my lbz in 08 and it's been the best most reliable truck I've ever owned. I still enjoy driving it every day.

WTH · Aug 8, 2015

To me these threads are kind of like what hair color on women is your favorite(most have their preference). I don't think there is any brand that is necessarily bad. My suggestion would be to try and drive as many as you can and pick out the brand the you like the best and then ask what year range you should look at maybe? Search dealer web sites for used trucks and go drive them. Then search eBay and Craigslist for the best deals.

MihlfeldL2005 · Aug 8, 2015

Re: Re: What tow vehicle

WTH said:
To me these threads are kind of like what hair color on women is your favorite(most have their preference). I don't think there is any brand that is necessarily bad. My suggestion would be to try and drive as many as you can and pick out the brand the you like the best and then ask what year range you should look at maybe? Search dealer web sites for used trucks and go drive them. Then search eBay and Craigslist for the best deals.

Appreciate the advice, little hesitant to buy something off of eBay due to the fact that I can't inspect it. I'm going to take a look at a 2008 GMC Sierra SLT 2500HD Duramax with the Z71 package that's completely stock with 80K miles. They're asking $28K for it at the dealership. I like the fact that it's stock because I know that I don't have to worry about whether or not someone has abused the transmission with to high of a tune. I know it'll cost a little more in the long run to do the things I want to it (goose neck hitch, airbags in the rear, under coating, dpf delete, and a programmer) but being able to start with a clean platform doesn't sound like a bad idea.

Obviously $28K is asking price to. Can always go down from there.

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TheViking · Aug 10, 2015

OSB 7.3 take the leftover money and make some improvements.

sleepsontoilet · Aug 10, 2015

Obviously more than what you stated your price range was, but I'll share my only diesel experience. Last year I bought a brand new 2014 Dodge 3500 2wd Tradesmen dually for $38,995. At first I was very happy bc of all the good I'd heard about the cummins. I bought it solely bc I couldn't find any other dealer close to that price. All other brands were at least 10k more, or used and 100k miles. In the 13 months I owned it, it randomly would not start 10 different times. The radio that controls half the trucks functions would go in and out. The truck had a dead pedal and would have a few second delay if you stood in it. I also had 4 different CELs all of which the dealer(multiple) told me it would be a few months before they could run them and tell me what was wrong with the truck. So I would have to go to Autozone and run the codes, then back to the dealer to get on a waiting list to be fixed. At 40k miles I traded it in with bad cats and a leaking pinion seal.

If they wouldn't fix it new, I couldn't risk out of warranty issues, so I picked up a 2015 Ford F350 CCLB dually with the bigger turbo and upgraded trans for 40k. It rides better, pulls better, turns better, stops better, is quieter, and looks better imo.

nhl_bullitt · Aug 10, 2015

sleepsontoilet said:
Obviously more than what you stated your price range was, but I'll share my only diesel experience. Last year I bought a brand new 2014 Dodge 3500 2wd Tradesmen dually for $38,995. At first I was very happy bc of all the good I'd heard about the cummins. I bought it solely bc I couldn't find any other dealer close to that price. All other brands were at least 10k more, or used and 100k miles. In the 13 months I owned it, it randomly would not start 10 different times. The radio that controls half the trucks functions would go in and out. The truck had a dead pedal and would have a few second delay if you stood in it. I also had 4 different CELs all of which the dealer(multiple) told me it would be a few months before they could run them and tell me what was wrong with the truck. So I would have to go to Autozone and run the codes, then back to the dealer to get on a waiting list to be fixed. At 40k miles I traded it in with bad cats and a leaking pinion seal.

If they wouldn't fix it new, I couldn't risk out of warranty issues, so I picked up a 2015 Ford F350 CCLB dually with the bigger turbo and upgraded trans for 40k. It rides better, pulls better, turns better, stops better, is quieter, and looks better imo.

Wow, that is terrible and embarrassing as hell for Dodge.
I pull with a high mileage v10 so that is irrelevant to this thread. ...But I will say what trucks we use at my work. Landscape company and trucks are basically permanently attached to trailers that carry heavy loads.

Multiple 6.0 powerstrokes. Massive nightmares that you need to add $6,000 to the cost of what you paid for it initially. A shame considering they make big power and have nice transmissions.

An 03 7.3 that seems to be pretty reliable, but does not quite have the power.

A brand new GM 6.0 gasser. Obviously nothing wrong because we just bought it.

The grand finale...... Bought a brand new 6.7 powerstroke dually in August 2011. The thing is a BEAST and pulls heavy loads it's whole life. I don't think we have had anything wrong with it at all. Maybe one minor thing that the dealer took care of us on. This poor truck does not have an easy life but it has not cared so far. I badly want one for personal use. I'm really wondering how the 6.7s are reacting at the 200k mark, considering the issues the 6.0 and 6.4 trucks have.

86tank · Aug 10, 2015

Re:

The experience I have is from work but we have two 2012 Ford 6.7s and a 2012 3500 Duramax. They all have a little over 100k miles and none of the three have given any major problems at all. One of the Fords is a 450 and it's pulled a 17000 pound test plant several times from Alabama to Missouri and Ohio. It's also pulled our bosses boat from Orange beach to west Palm beach. It was supposed to weigh 26000 pounds. I like the Duramax better myself just because to me it rides better and does better on fuel. But from our experiences I don't think you could go wrong with either one.

Drew Pate
Cordova Al

MihlfeldL2005 · Aug 10, 2015

sleepsontoilet said:
Obviously more than what you stated your price range was, but I'll share my only diesel experience. Last year I bought a brand new 2014 Dodge 3500 2wd Tradesmen dually for $38,995. At first I was very happy bc of all the good I'd heard about the cummins. I bought it solely bc I couldn't find any other dealer close to that price. All other brands were at least 10k more, or used and 100k miles. In the 13 months I owned it, it randomly would not start 10 different times. The radio that controls half the trucks functions would go in and out. The truck had a dead pedal and would have a few second delay if you stood in it. I also had 4 different CELs all of which the dealer(multiple) told me it would be a few months before they could run them and tell me what was wrong with the truck. So I would have to go to Autozone and run the codes, then back to the dealer to get on a waiting list to be fixed. At 40k miles I traded it in with bad cats and a leaking pinion seal.

If they wouldn't fix it new, I couldn't risk out of warranty issues, so I picked up a 2015 Ford F350 CCLB dually with the bigger turbo and upgraded trans for 40k. It rides better, pulls better, turns better, stops better, is quieter, and looks better imo.

I actually looked into a Dodge 2500 4x4 Diesel work truck package and it came out to about $45K. Was super surprised by that, was expecting in the high thirties or something but nothing like that. I've been looking around a lot to see if this truck that I'm going to look at is worth it and so far I can't find anything that's even close to comparable in price or mileage. Most of the trucks I've found either have higher mileage or are just in general worse shape for the year. FYI It's a 2008 GMC Sierra 2500HD Duramax SLT w/ Z71 offroad package and 80K miles. They're asking $28K and I don't think that's too bad of a price. I'm going to see what I can do to get them down a little but as I'm in sales myself I don't want to play the games that some people have played with me.

I've also been looking at a few other trucks, but it's amazing how bad some dealerships are at follow up. Apparently customer service only apply's to people inside the dealership?

MihlfeldL2005 · Aug 12, 2015

Re:

Anyone have any good leads on used 2500 series trucks in the northern Alabama/Tennessee area. Or suggestions on where I should be looking for a nice rust free truck?

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SHELBS44 · Aug 12, 2015

I got a 04.5 dually I'm bout to put up needs a little bit of work. Rear tires rear bumper and power steering pulley pump new. Gonna put it up for 13.5 obo. 201343 on odometer but no blow by injectors have less than 30k trans built but don't knew what's done Not trying to hijack just bout to put it up. Only downside is its in 37s but get good mileage out of it needs a smarty again to get full fuel mileage and potential. Strong truck towed all
Over with it even to super lift with full 4 day load of parts fuel wood trailer with rig spare tires tent ect and got 17mpg running 75 :****: if interested pm me. Great truck just don't have time to do that to it and wife's going to school next month and gotta pay 3g's for it. Hate to sell it to be honest