Dodge Ram 1500's....good trucks?

[CUDA]

Come on Joe Dodge VANs suck and the only reason I drive a Dodge truck is the Cummins DIESEL, and I do like the looks . I also have a 03 Duramax and I'm glad all those repair bills were covered by GMC.

[Ted Stryker]

The newer Chevrolet are excellent on mileage... The 5.3 will pull anything that a 1/2 ton truck chassis can handle, with plenty of unloaded speed for a truck... You should get over 20 mpg very easily out on the road, probably real high teen's overall average with common sense.. For transportation and otherwise light duty ( - 7,000 towing ), I would be in a new Chevrolet... Oh yeah, great transmission also...

[Casey]

My F-150 Supercrew Lariat gets about 18/21-22

maybe at 55mph

[jtb]

I have a 94' 1500 2 wheel with a 318 and love it. 17-18 mpg i did notice that it has alot less ass than the 360 that my buddy had. I can't even spin the tires on mine.

[pwerwagn]

I would be in a new Chevrolet... Oh yeah, great transmission also...

Hmm, I beg to differ. We've had 2 03's and an 04 and we just got rid of the 04 monday due to tranny issues. Thats why all 3 were taken back, because of the tranny. Other than that, they ran decent for a 5.3, and got acceptable mileage.

In all honesty, all of the models have their good points. And they all have their bad points. Its generally a toss-up.

Like was mentioned before, if you like the truck, buy it.

Jeff<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

[Thomas H]

I've had three Dodge 1500s now (all 2 wheel drive) and they are great. One 318, one 360, and a new 4.7 liter. Averaging 125-150K miles before I trade them with the original transmissions. Oh, the new 4.7 gets 18+ MPG open road not towing. My opinion: Welcome to Dodge country!

[racer]

Had a for f150 that averaged 16 miles to gal. for the driving I do, had 115k miles when I sold it good except for 3 alternators. Now have a 1500 dodge with a Hemi 79k miles so far 1 set brakes no other problems it gets 15.2 for the same driving as the ford both are good in my opinion.

[The Big Al]

New Chevrolet trucks are winning the fuel Mileage hands down!!!

And Anything after 2000 is doing great with the small v8

Buy that Dodge, and you will learn how to shop for the cheapest gas around!

Because you will here a big sucking sound when towing!

That is were the difference lays! (in gas engines)

Dodge is the worst! hands down the worst!

I don't care what anyone says, they are the worst!
Out of the big American 3

The Nissan Titan is the WORST OF THE WORST!

Durability I think they all build a great truck.

Ford has torgue, Chevy has the speed.

I believe the Ford does best of all pulling.

Now, if it's a 4x4, then buy the one you like, they all do about the same.
FORD, Chevy, Dodge


But in Resale, fuel mileage it's GM!!!

I believe towing the Ford does best in mileage.

I have a 01 Silverado small v8, pulls My Bullet with absolute no problem.
I also have a F-150, 00 with 5.4, it does not know the boat is back there.
And does better on milage than the GM towing (only by 1-2 mpg)

Now, the Ford empty it's in the 17-18 range, never higher, GM is in the 19-21 range.

Now the Ford only drops to 14-15 hwy range pulling, the GM, 13-15 Hwy, both the same. The Ford pulls better.

These are facts and my father inlaw has the Dodge, he says it's a 14 mpg uphill, down hill, empty or towing. 5.8 v8 360

[1BadAction]

Al... cleaned my MAF 2 weeks ago and picked up 2mpg average and 4 on the highway 23 mpg at 65mph now with the 5.3 and 3.73 gears.

[BUSHWACKER]

Before my Dodge trannys go on my 85 & 89 RAMCHARGER's both 4wd with almost 200k on each.
85 pulled my 24' BB Superboat from Pa to fl & my 25' Wellcraft NOVA BB from Iowa to fl no problems, but they aren't broken in yet, so who knows, but I guess I'll take a beatin when I try to trade em in, I paid $1,200.00 for the 85 4 years ago

[jhwh]

debating fuel usage on big v8's is silly though, they are all gas hogs gotto love the sounds though

I have a 2004 2500QC hemi and I'm superhappy, could have gotten the diesel but I wanted a real US v8 since this is my first american car.

and, if you think your gas prices are outrageous, ours is 3X what you got, I will be converting the truck to run on LPG (propane) sometime next month as it costs about what you pay for regular gas, (considerd extremly cheap here)

[pwerwagn]

These are facts and my father inlaw has the Dodge, he says it's a 14 mpg uphill, down hill, empty or towing. 5.8 v8 360

for starters, its a 5.9 not a 5.8. And my wife has a 98, 4x4, quad cab short bed with the 5.9 360 auto with 3.55 gears and 265's and it gets 17-18 empty. stock everything, but tires. It does drop to about 12-14 when towing 75mph though.
facts is facts.

Now, the Ford empty it's in the 17-18 range, never higher, GM is in the 19-21 range.
Now the Ford only drops to 14-15 hwy range pulling, the GM, 13-15 Hwy, both the same. The Ford pulls better.

This is why I have a diesel!!! My 98 dodge cummins gets 22-23 empty, 17-18 towing around 5,000 lbs and the cabover camper, and 14-15mpg towing 16,000lbs. And just last week it made 371hp/903lbft on a dynojet 248 (rear wheels) with nothing more than a ground fuel plate and a turbo housing (and a clutch to hold the power, of course).

--Jeff

[The Big Al]

for starters, its a 5.9 not a 5.8. And my wife has a 98, 4x4, quad cab short bed with the 5.9 360 auto with 3.55 gears and 265's and it gets 17-18 empty. stock everything, but tires. It does drop to about 12-14 when towing 75mph though.
facts is facts.

And you think thats good ????? Worst of the 3


This is why I have a diesel!!! My 98 dodge cummins gets 22-23 empty, 17-18 towing around 5,000 lbs and the cabover camper, and 14-15mpg towing 16,000lbs. And just last week it made 371hp/903lbft on a dynojet 248 (rear wheels) with nothing more than a ground fuel plate and a turbo housing (and a clutch to hold the power, of course).

--Jeff

903 ft torque?????? BULL ****!!! Thats a tall tail!

[pwerwagn]

Wasnt trying to start an argument, but how do you figure its the lowest of the 3???? You said 17-18 empty for the ford, and I said. 17-18!!!
It does get 12-14 towing, but thats towing a 24' enclosed traler. I bet If we used it to tow the boat it would be 1 or 2mpg better.
I wasnt trying to start an argument, just saying that it does NOT get 14mpg empty....

Tall TALE (not tail..) huh?? Lemme scan the sheet next time im around a scanner.... but for a little teaser here is a chart of advertised tq/hp ratings with fuel plates not including the housing upgrade...mines a 98 manual, and I have a bigger plate (#100) than the largest they advertise (#10).

However, I do realize that chassis dynos are not totally accurate thats why I said it was on a chassis dyno. Especially considering the fact that they used the engine rpm and not the wheel speed to calc tq, which will throw it off because it wasnt in 4th (1:1).
I was just stating that it runs freekin good and still gets good mileage, especially when compared to a gasser.

[Riverratt]

for starters, its a 5.9 not a 5.8. And my wife has a 98, 4x4, quad cab short bed with the 5.9 360 auto with 3.55 gears and 265's and it gets 17-18 empty. stock everything, but tires. It does drop to about 12-14 when towing 75mph though.
facts is facts.

--Jeff

I would like to know your wifes secret on how to get that fuel mileage. I have a 99 quad cab short bed with the 360 and the best I can get is 12. If I tow my sleekcraft on the highway I get 10 and if I tow my pontoon boat I get 6 and that is on the interstate.