Not trying to start a war. A friend of mine has a 2003 cummins with triple dog, exhaust, intake and sun coast tranny. He has been having so much trouble with his truck lately, we think its tranny related and chip related. Now his dash is starting to crack and his tranny isn't shifting right. He's upset needless to say after $3,500 for a tranny last year and new lift pump and still not running right.

He's looking for some help from me about what he should get. Of course I said a 7.3 He didn't think so , he's wanting a Duramax or a 05+ Cummins.

Does anyone have any input on what I should tell him look at, whats the better diesel???

Edit: To make it worse he still owes 16k on his Dodge!!

 

That's like asking "which would you like, a dark brown turd or a light brown turd?" The Chevy will ride nicer than the Derge, the Cummins is the better motor IMO. The Chevy has a retarded front end setup and for that reason I won't ever own one.
Can't say which I would choose... prolly the one I could get the best deal on.

 

what are his reasons he does not like ford, just curious.

 

what about a multi collored Turd?
that made me laugh.

there all good trucks in there own way. just depends on where you want to invest. my 7.3 has cost me some money, but what truck hasn't. the guy is already salted on the dodge so I bet he gets a Duracrap if he can get out of the dodge.

 

you should just repeatedly tell him to get a 7.3...maybe it will eventually get through his head.

 

Ford has the best of both worlds... A great motor, and truck that can handle it. If he's that picky tell him to go buy a ford truck throw a 5.9 in it and have a shop through an Allison 6 speed behind it!

 

Untill he's owned a Ford Super Duty he's never had a truck. I would tell him to buy a new Ford, bottom line thats it.

 

He's just not a Ford fan I guess, really don't know why. Guess cause mines slower than his...lol

 

I dont know which way i would go but prolly the duramax in an auto or the dodge in a manual.. newer chevs= a bit high tech for me but so was mine till i started researching. i really dont know what i would do given the chance again... dodge doesnt seem that bad. i think i will ride out all three forums and just do lots of research before i buy another but then again i know how to work on these 7.3s now, might wanna stick to what i know and just deal with the crap.

i know we are in a ford forum but lets face it, there MIGHT be a better truck out there than ours... maybe not i dont know. Be nice to get some ideas from guys who have knowledge of all three.. i know ive seen the most miles on fords n dodges but i havnt seen too many chevs so.. id tell him to learn his dodge and just fix the damn thing there is somthing wrong and if it was built it can me REbuilt..EDIT: there might be a better truck around the same price and roughly the same years as this forum i mean.

 

I don't think so. Dodges ride like hell, the drivetrain isn't as solid as a Ford, and the interior isn't as nice. The Chevy has a foo-foo front end and super cheap interior. The Allison in the Chevy isn't all its cracked up to be. The only thing the Dodge has going for it is the motor. Even Dodge guys will tell you that!
Fords have a solid chassis, a solid engine, and a decent transmission. Ever notice that Fords have higher resale values than Dodge or Chevy? Think there's a reason for that???

 

I would dispute the higher resale value of the fords. I think duramax chevy's hold higher value than a comparable ford. They are typically driven by farmers that don't run the **** outta them. Your ego for your vehicle is telling you that the resale is higher.

I would go with a dodge manual. I would not have a non 7.3 ford. They make junk. 6.4? I don't trust it..

Let the war begin....

 

I got mine cuz it was the cheapest of the three. at least to what i was exposed to... after i researched many options cuz i wanted a chev. i know dodges front ends suck but its maintenace that is out in the open, jack it up and start wrenchin.
i havnt had enough time with all three trucks to say really.. im sure there are ups and downs of all three, just depends on what you like working on.
ford-transmission and lots of little things
dodge-front end drive train and i dont know what else
chev-weak link front end IFS and i dont know what else

And of course what years are we talking here? brand new trucks are hard to say they are all very good vehicles off the show room floor but who knows about 100k plus? 200k plus? i know i will hit 300k in mine by the end of the year and hope to hit 500 before i have to change the motor out or do bearings and another trans..

Would be nice to have a GOOD write up coming from an unbiased source telling about all the problems ups downs and w/e.

I really like my truck i think its a beast but its sitting in the drive way right now... BROKE. lol which can happen to any of them but i got a truck that wasnt maintained very good when i got it.. once i get trans in it it should be near bullet proof i hope.. From what i know i like fords but a 2000 cummins 6 spd.. would be nice. i like inline 6 power, easy to mod too

so much criteria and variables..

 

Ever notice that most every farmer, rancher, logger, or anyone else who actually works a truck hard uses a Ford or a Dodge? Have you also noticed that most Chevys are owned by guys who live in town and think trucks are cool, rarely tow if at all, and rarely leave the pavement? Ever wonder why that is?
We are all entitled to our own opinions here... mine is that Ford makes the best vehicle out there for the money hands down. You couldn't pay me to take an equivalent Chevy or Dodge in its place. After owning a couple Chevys and a couple Fords, I can honestly say that the Ford is an all-around better truck. I've never given Dodge the time of day because I didn't want to make myself suffer like that. So forgive me if I have an ego for my truck (or more specifically Ford trucks) because I've yet to have one let me down, ever.

 

Wanna trade?

every truck will let you down when you run them 200k plus and run them HARD like many of us do. im just curious as to what the big three have over each other after the warrenty.. meaning which one would i buy that will require the lesser work done to it as i dont buy new. Surely each brand of truck has a click of problems i just dont know them for sure im just trying to be unbiased here. if some one is giving me crap about my ford i usually tell them they can walk, cuz mine is actually out doing the work. and i have Many good things to say bout it of course but its got its ups and downs.
Good:7.3L (big CI), solid axles,not too bad to work on,engine lasts a good while,i like the styling, interior looks okay
Bad: weak trans, some things could have been better from factory it seems, but most are cheaply fixed.(hutch,CCV,trans valve bodies) i guess i cant say too much bad..although ive put tons of time/labor into this
i would like to see a detailed list like this as im sure im missing lots and would also like to see dodges/chevs list

 

I agree with you on that. On the farm I work on we have 5 Fords (L8000, 2 F750's, an 01 7.3, and an 08 6.4) and the 2 pickups have the crap run out of them and they keep coming back for more. There are surprisingly few issues w/ the 6.4(besides fuel mileage). Most of the people that come buy hay from us have 150's or Superduties and there are a few chevys. I couldn't imagine driving a Chevy like we do the Fords.