First pull with the Classic !!!!!!!!! - Montana Owners Club

Delaine and Lindy · 05-31-2007, 01:29 PM

Hi all, just to let everone know we just pulled our Cambridge for the first time with the 2007 Classic 3500 DRW, well I have had several Duramax/Allison combo's and will have to admit the Classic is Awesome. Excellent power and the Allison 6 speed as you all know is superb. Towing the Cambridge, its heavy is nothing for the 360 horses, and love the 6th gear in the Allison. Should really add life to the already great Duramax. Very low RPMS comparied to the Kodiak 4500. But the Kodiak had a 5.13 rear gear and the Classic has a 3.73. Don't know about the fuel mileage, but I know it will get better than 10 mpg when towing. I haven't check it but I feel its getting better than 10 now and it only has 750 miles so for. Getting the windows tinted up front tomorrow got the HHR done
today. Really glad we got the 07 Classic. GBY....

BirdingRVer · 05-31-2007, 02:09 PM

I love my 2007 Classic 3500 DRW Duramax/Allison! All kinds of power and pulls great.

I am sure that my 3075RL is lighter than your Cambridge; with 7000 miles on the engine and about 3000 miles of towing I still only get 10 MPG.

richfaa · 05-31-2007, 03:14 PM

You know..we are doing within 2MPG of the new Diesel's with our V-10 Ford . We get 8 to 10MPG on a regular bases..Why am I looking to buy a 6.4 diesel??? Just went out and looked at the trip PC and after 200 miles of rolling hills in Southern Ohio last week it reads 8.4MPG???

sreigle · 05-31-2007, 03:41 PM

Rich, 2 mpg within 8 to 10 is 20% to 25% better mileage from the diesel. Nothing to sneeze at.

Delaine and Lindy · 05-31-2007, 04:27 PM

richfaa, great mileage for a V-10. I don't think you will get that good with the F-450 with the 4.88rear gear, it will run very high RPM's so there goes your mileage. I quit keeping mileage since 2005 and did check the Kodiak on our return trip from Arizona was really surprised to get 10 mpg at 68 mph. I kinda feel if you have to worry about mileage you should buy something smaller. But if your going to pull a 5er your going to pay. GBY....

Mac · 05-31-2007, 04:34 PM

The D/A combo is a great thing indeed. Not only is the power great going UP hill the Allison is wonderful going down, which my wife likes even more. We just got 10.2 pulling up to 11,000 and I got 15.6 coming back down. I could barely get 15.6 in my old gasser empty. I'm thrilled, beyond words!

mac

Montana Sky · 05-31-2007, 06:33 PM

Lindy,
I knew you would love that new truck! Knowing how heavy the Cambridge is, I am glad to hear the "classic" came through with flying colors. I have always had my sports cars windows tinted. I did the truck the first week I bought it, sure glad I did. Plus, it looks great too!

Mac,
Love the new picture. One sharp looking truck!!!

richfaa · 06-02-2007, 08:51 AM

Not knocking the diesel as we will no doubt be buying one this summer. IMO MPG alone is not the reason you buy a diesel.Not long ago the MPG difference gas/diesel was a big difference..not so any more.

Delaine and Lindy · 06-02-2007, 09:14 AM

richfaa, Your are correct, I didn't buy the Diesel for fuel mileage, however its impossible to tow the Cambridge with Delaine's ride, the Chevy HHR gets superb gas mileage. Just wish I could tow it behind the Cambridge, however we will probably take it on short trips 1,000 miles or less. Its the only small car I have ever owned but I Love that little car. Also a big plus, it was a womans design. Life is good.... GBY...

Ozzie · 06-02-2007, 10:28 AM

Your last rig sounded nice and now have another...I hope you like it as much.

richfaa · 06-02-2007, 03:29 PM

It is actually a bit amusing the way we worry about MPG. Here we are truck and camper in the 10/11 ton range and we nit pick about 2 MPG pulling that load.We are all getting horrible fuel mileage..now my little ole Honda civic gets 30/33MPG..that is good fuel milage but it could not pull its way out of a paper bag. If I had to worry about 2MPG more or less I would be selling the truck and camper and take up Golf.We can carry golf clubs around in the Civic a lot cheaper than we pull the 3400 around with the F-350 gasser. I have never had a diesel of my very own and I just want one....Just do..Like I always wanted a 280Z..and I got one.

sreigle · 06-02-2007, 04:04 PM

Rich, you're right, but... 2mpg out of 30mpg is 7% more fuel to buy. 2mpg out of 10mpg is 20% more fuel to buy. At 20,000 miles per year of towing, at $2.759/gallon, 10 mpg costs $5,518. At 8mpg, it costs $6,898. The difference is $1380 per year, or $115/month. Sorry, but that gets the attention of this tight old geezer.

I don't mind spending money for something I enjoy. But I like it even better if I can get the same enjoyment and spend less doing it!

Mac · 06-02-2007, 05:24 PM

Rich,

It really is more than that, it's the whole set up. I just drove 450 miles and pulled two passes, Wolf Creek is 10,800 or so but more than that it's a 10 mile 7% grade each way, up and down. I got 11.6 MPG pulling that one stretch but more importantly we felt safe, not because of the power going up, which you have, more importantly the drive down. That was always my wife's biggest worry and to rely on a couple taps on the brake and the Allison doing the rest it was absolutely amazing. I'll never pull with a gasser again and I've been camping for 30 years.

mac

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