Dodge vs. Chevy (diesels) - Montana Owners Club

Bill R H · 06-09-2007, 12:26 AM

Hi Everyone,
I'm still trying to find the best tow truck for a 3400RL. I decided to go with a dually. Does anyone have any thoughts on a Chevy LTZ 4x4 C/C vs. Dodge Laramie H-package 4x4 Mega cab. The bed on the mega cab is 6ft. 4in. long inside. Is that enough room for everything I would want to carry. Fuel tank, fifth wheel, tool box. All info. would be welcome.
Thanks Bill

mgdg · 06-09-2007, 01:52 AM

Bill with the new 6.7L and 6 speed tranny a good slide hitch how can you go wrong with the Dodge. The only thing I like about the Chevy is the Allison tranny(sweet) Of course I am bias as I worked for Chrysler for 33 yrs. I will be ordering my new Dodge 3500 Diesel 4x4 6.7L 6 speed tranny Mega cab but single axel in November. I usually carry 4 rubbermaid containers with wood inside and bike tires in the back, I take off the front tires because I have a front hitch. A tool box and sometimes a generator. I think the box is 6`3" on the Dodge. Whatever you decide as long as its a Diesel you`ll be happy as far as I`m concern.

Delaine and Lindy · 06-09-2007, 03:30 AM

Bill your going to get many opinions. And most will be very biased, and I'm baised also. However it is my humble opinion that all three, Ford, Dodge and GM will make a good tow Truck and all have good HP. That being said, I really believe the Duramax/Allison has the best resale and of course the Allison is the best Transmission in the world. I believe they just sold their 50 millionth Transmission in the last few days. The Duramax is a proven Diesel engine, its not a new engine as some say or think. I have owned Chrysler products. The muscle era, Roandrunners and the GTX's and of course the real HEMI (426 cubes). The drive trains were awesome, but the resale of the Chrysler products just couldn't be traded for the GM products but you can trade a GM truck for a Dodge very easy. The Cummins is a proven engine also and it would be the only Diesel I would have instead of a Duramax. The above is my opinion only.

Your should drive all of the big 3 and make your on choice. Either one will make a great TV. Keep in mind who makes the most Powerful Truck engine on earth of the big 3, the answer is easy it is the Duramax!!!!!!! The GM trucks will have a better ride than the Dodge or the Ford. Drive them all and you will know who has the best ride. I have owned 5 Duramax/Allisons, and haven't had any issues at all. I just got a new 2007 Chevy Classis 3500, I just didn't want to deal with the new emissions that were forced on GM, more Liberal tree huggers??? What can I say.... Good Luck on your Choice... GBY.................

Cat320 · 06-09-2007, 08:20 AM

Naturally, we are all prejudiced for our truck. My logic is that Ford and Dodge both have new unproven engines (and Ford's track record for new engines is not good). The D/A combination is proven to be a reliable work horse and now it comes with a 100k warranty. Bottom line is they will all pull fine (dually is a good move), you have to decide which one YOU like best.

Montana Sky · 06-09-2007, 09:12 AM

The biggest difference between the two trucks you described is the bed length. The DRW GM only comes in a long bed, while the Dodge DRW Mega cab is a short bed. Personally I like GM, but that is just my bias. Happy shopping...

BigAl52 · 06-10-2007, 02:58 AM

I'm not necessarly a big Dodge fan but I am a big cummins fan. The cummins in the Dodge has as good a reputation as the allison trans. does in the GM. I bought my truck used and they had the same year chevy sitting on the lot. They wanted 4 thousand dollars more for the chevy. I thought for that much difference I could drive a Dodge. Al

Bob Pasternak · 06-10-2007, 07:47 AM

Bill R H: I'd not put too much stock in the statement that "Cummins is a new engine". It's the same engine they've used for years. Cummins uses a 'wet-sleeve' design. All they did was put a 2mm bigger hole in the sleeve and added a couple mm to the stroke on the crank. 40 or 50% of the parts on a 6.7 are interchangeable with the 5.9.

Mac · 06-10-2007, 10:58 AM

OK, I've tried to stay away from this topic but I couldn't. I've owned both, both gassers, and my 99 Chevy Vortec was five times the 98 Dodge was. Simply put, I'd never own another Dodge, diesel, gas or other. Now I know it's my personal opinion but it was asked and that's what I answered. I went through two sets of brakes and two transmissions in the Dodge in less than a year and 15,000 miles.

Now, I'm comparing apples and oranges but I would never switch from our D/A combo and I know my wife wouldn't allow me to.

mac

Hemlockusa · 06-10-2007, 11:40 AM

WHAT EVER YOU DO GET A """'WHITE ONE"""" IT GOES WITH EVERYTHING....

see you in BRANSON MAY 2008

safe Travels John

Hemlockusa · 06-10-2007, 04:42 PM

Bill - I will throw one other bit of information in regards to what MAC said. I had a really bad experience. My first date (many years ago) Borrowed the neighbors car to impress the lady. Well I never made it to the date... SO I SURE WOULD NOT INDORSE A GREMLIN.. (tongue in cheek) as before Get a pretty WHITE ONE, no matter what and you'll be happy. BRANSON IS GOING TO BE GREAT IN """"2008"""" SIGN UP NOW

vickir · 06-10-2007, 05:17 PM

From sreigle using vickir's login..

I agree with Bob Pasternak. I researched the new trucks relentlessly. The Dodge 6.7 is simply a bored and stroked 5.9 plus a new turbo and the new emissions crap they all now have. From what I've ready, The new Duramax carries over 60% from last year and thus is actually more "new" than the Dodge, even though it's not really "new" either.

I really liked my Fords and would have bought the new 2008 Ford if the engine were not so new. My Fords towed this Montana (as well as our previous two Montanas) extremely well. I really liked the way the Fords held speed up the hill but I have to say this 6.7 is even better. We've only towed 640 miles with it in the past few days but that includes some pretty steep grades on Pennsylvania's US highways. This 6.7L Cummins brings to mind a freight train on steroids.

Steve

2007dura · 06-10-2007, 05:59 PM

I would suggest before you buy, you might want to check out some of the different forums for trucks. As all of the engines are new, and there is just starting to be some interesting info coming in on the new pollution "crap" from people using the trucks, and not just the "testing" manufactures have done. All trucks have more than one forum for their trucks.

Another option is there are some 2007's left with the pre-emmision standards, but they are getting hard to find.

Fordzilla · 06-11-2007, 01:43 AM

Well, I will toss in my 2 cents in even though it's obvious what I would pick. I like the cummins motor that's in the dodge, but the real short box in the mega cab doesn't fit a fifth wheel hitch, firewood, toolbox, fire ring, and all the other stuff we tote with us when we travel. Consider it like building a garage, one can never have too much room. If it was me I would opt for a long box as we carry a lot of extras with when we travel that ride in the box.

richfaa · 06-11-2007, 01:56 AM

I to would love to have that Cummings diesel but we NEED the crew/Mega cab and the long box and it looks like we can not get that combo in a Dodge truck..very disappointing but we purchase what we need..not what we would like. Right now looks like another Ford is in our future.

DarMar · 06-11-2007, 04:12 AM

Our previous tv was a chevy duramax/allison and now we have the dodge cummins/mega cab. They are both very good trucks and will pull your rig fine. We prefer the Mega cab over the chevy, the cummins over the duramax but would love to have the allison teamed with the cummins. We preferred the old style proven cummins and went with what I call the 2007 classic but if you went with the new cummins you could get their new 6 speed tranny which might bring you closer to the performance of the allison. "In my opion" the cummins will out pull the duramax at high highway speeds 65/75 mph or higher but is a little sluggish out of the gate. Steve R. with his new cummins & 6 speed now indicates the new cummins is the most powerfull out of the gate. You will be real happy with the dually. Remember this is just my opinion! Hope this helps.

randye · 06-11-2007, 11:33 AM

Bill I just bought the 07 Dodge big horn 3500 Ram,I only have 72 miles on it, so I can't say how it will perform. I did however use a 1995 3500 the years of 1999 to 2004 and the 5.9L was a very good engine, I had 6,000 lbs fixed weight on top of it, a Pump pulling boom a 185 cfm compressor, utility bins loaned. The truck would pull the hills here in the southern oregon area, better than all the other service trucks I came up against. I was always ahead of them pulling the hills. I am still setting up to tow, it will take a while to get all the equipment installed, but I sure I'll be happy with the towhaul and the exhust brake, I still not sure how to use the slit shift with the automatic. Happy Towing Randye

happy campers · 06-11-2007, 12:48 PM

Well, here's my 2 cents. Our Duramax/Allison is a solid performer, and effortlessly tows our trailer, but they all will do the job. Test drive them all; it's your money you're spending. I would opt for a full size box, as I have seen a shortbox truck with a slider take out a back window. And I would seriously consider a 1 ton SRW instead of a dually if it's going to be a daily driver. Now if I could get a Cummins with an Allison, I wouldn't care whose logo was on the truck!

Cat320 · 06-11-2007, 02:35 PM

To me it is very interesting to read each person's logic and reasoning for buying the particular truck he purchased. I bought the D/A for two reasons (not necessarily in this order)...the D/A is a good combination and my BIL is a GM contractor, so we get an employee price. If he was a Ford/Dodge contractor odds are I'd be in a Ford/Dodge. FWIW, when your engine is bored, stroked and has a new turbo...it's a new engine. Look at the Dodge web site or talk to the sales team...they tout it as a new engine. No doubt Cummins makes one of the finest diesels on the road, but the jury is still out on the 6.7 until it proves itself.

c5racer · 06-11-2007, 02:38 PM

You can get the Cummins with an Allison in a Ford medium duty truck.
http://www.commtruck.ford.com/ctw/default.asp

rickety · 06-11-2007, 02:41 PM

I don't do drag racing with my truck. So, if it's a little slower from the light, who cares!

If it pulls my Monty and gets me there, (wherever there is), great. If it doesn't then I'll find one that will.
All the talk about speeds above 65-75 doesn't get it. If you tow that fast, then maybe you need to rethink towing speeds. The trucks ane the trailers that we pull with them can't stop on a dime.
I'll just poke along at 5 below the speed limit which will put me at about 60mph most of the time and make sure I've got plenty of room between me and the idiot in the Rice burner with the loud cans in front of me that is being driven by a stainless steel pierced brain dead and tattoed body.

I did jsut buy a 2007 Chev classice 300 4X4 long bed LTT# trim padkage, crew cab and love it. It does do 65 at just shy of 1500 rpm in 6th.
Just my opinion, and not meant to insult anyone.

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