We went and did it - Got a new TRUCK - Montana Owners Club

Jeff Heiser · 03-29-2005, 04:18 AM

Well as some of you know we tow with and daily drive a 1999 Chevy CK 3500 dually gasser. It is a great TV and we have really enjoyed it BUT...since December we have averaged $725 a month in fuel costs for the truck alone not including our other vehicles. I did some math and decided it was time for the beast to retire.

We picked up our new truck last night. It’s a 2005 2500 Dodge Quad Cab long bed and here's the best part it has a Cummins Turbo Diesel engine. We passed the place (Auto Mall) on I-95 in Florida headed north just past Daytona and decided to stop to see what was new in the Dodge truck lineup. A test drive and some paper work and we had a new tow vehicle. Since November of last year, we have been stopping to test drive all the major brands with trucks big enough to tow a BIG trailer. The test drive last night was what sold me. I was very surprised but pleasantly pleased at how much torque and power the truck has. The tow rating for pull behind trailer is 14,500 which is plenty for our 327RKS. I hated leaving Chevy but they didn’t want to deal and the dodge just felt better. And, as I posted in one of the threads: the deal has to be right, you have to like the way the truck feels and looks; and it needs to be able to handle your need. The one we found last night fit all the criteria.

So I have joined the ranks of the diesel truck owners and have shed my extra set of rear wheels. I will let you know in a few months if my wife and I made the right choice.

Jeff Heiser
Merritt Island Florida

stiles watson · 03-29-2005, 04:30 AM

Congratulations!! I'll bet you will be happy with the change.

kwbosch · 03-29-2005, 05:24 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Jeff Heiser

We picked up our new truck last night. It’s a 2005 2500 Dodge Quad Cab long bed and here's the best part it has a Cummins Turbo Diesel engine.
So I have joined the ranks of the diesel truck owners and have shed my extra set of rear wheels. I will let you know in a few months if my wife and I made the right choice.

Jeff Heiser
Merritt Island Florida

Jeff, Congrats!

I have an '04 2500 CTD and this is my first diesel. I was apprehensive about it at first but now I can't imagine why.
It's also my daily driver.
My previous truck was an '02 Dodge 1500, that got at best around 14.5 mpg.
My 2500 CTD gets 22MPG on the highway and 16-17 around town.
So far I get ~14mpg towing my Montana 3400.
Follow the Cummins recommendations on break-in and regular maintenance and they say it should last a million miles.

Ken

Glenn and Lorraine · 03-29-2005, 08:21 AM

Congrats Jeff. Some days you just gotta do what you just gotta do. Maybe someday this Chevy man will make the switch.

Montana_265 · 03-29-2005, 08:56 AM

Yeah, Jeff!
We tow with the 2003 Dodge Diesel 3/4 T.... Hubby loves it. We only pull a 28 ft. fifth wheel at this time, but we are getting 10-11 towing and 20 interstate without tow and 14-15 around town. I am anxious to see what milage we get towing our new 32 ft. when it comes in.... What color did you get... ours is white and we named it the Big D... former white one was named Moby... We also go the 8 ft. bed and quad cab...

2007dura · 03-29-2005, 10:53 AM

Congrats on the new ride. Real nice trucks. Did you get the auto. or the 6 speed? And remember, once you go diesel, you will never go back.

Montana_1424 · 03-29-2005, 11:44 AM

As you can see from my signature, I have a similar truck ( 1 ton)
The dodge pulls my rig great. Great power, great ride, and once that baby hits about 15K, great mileage too.

Good luck with the new rig.

Montana Sky · 03-29-2005, 01:04 PM

Jeff,
Congrats on the new truck. You will sure enjoy the mileage and power of the diesel. Glenn say it isn't so... I guess I am just a Chevy man and do not see myself changing anytime soon. Again, enjoy the new TV Jeff.

Chester · 03-29-2005, 01:21 PM

Congrats on the new truck. I've had 3 Dodge Cummins truck over the past years and have loved every one of them.

Jeff Heiser · 03-30-2005, 03:00 AM

Thanks for all the great comments. To answer a few questions: 1. The truck is two tone Black with a Silver lower panel; 2. We got it with the HD auto tranny; 3. As of this mornings ride into work with now over 297 miles on the truck it was showing an average of 23.5 mpg. If it gets better than that I will be a very happy man.

2002dura, I think you are right. As of this morning, unless something drastically changes, I will not be going back to gas on future TV's.

SissyPh, as for a name, none yet. The old truck was called BEAST. My daughter (a college student) thinks I should call it Super Fly (because I wear Ray Ban sunglasses and she thinks I look like this actor they call Super Fly…Oh never mind I already provided too much information). My wife thinks we should call it Betsy and she was out voted. My youngest son thinks we should call it Big B after him (he’s a big 6’2” football player whose name is Brian so hence the Big B). He was out voted. So for now, no name for the new addition. It took us over a year to come up with a name for our property (10 A Ranch) and we are still not sure if we like it.

As for switching from Chevy well what can I say? I love Chevy. I use to race a Chevy (many years ago). But, like Glenn said so eloquently, “Some days you just gotta do what you just gotta do.”

Thanks again everyone.

Jeff and April Heiser
Merritt Island Florida

Ishler · 03-30-2005, 01:33 PM

Jeff
I know you're going to love it!. We got ours 3 weeks ago and are getting ready for the first trip of the season, to Bristol Tn. We traded our trusty 96 3/4T Dodge V10. I was a little apprehensive but after 3 weeks I really love that CTD and automatic!

Jeff Heiser · 03-31-2005, 06:09 AM

Mike,
You will have to let me know what type of mileage you get towing. I know you will get a whole lot better than the V10 or my old 454.

Jeff Heiser
Merritt Island Florida

Native Tex · 03-31-2005, 01:18 PM

Jeff congrats on your new vehicle. We did the same a month or so back. We were very delighted to see the big differences in the new vehicles, regardless of brand, when it comes to towing the 5ers. Good luck and happy RVing.

sreigle · 04-09-2005, 05:04 AM

Congratulations, Jeff! I think you'll like the diesel. I sure do.

Ishler · 04-10-2005, 04:10 PM

Jeff
We just got back tonight. The worst mpg was at the beginning of the trip. Due west on the New York thruway into a 30mph headwind maintaining 65-70 got 9.2 mpg second tank was while heading south through Pennsylvania gave 12.3mpg. next tank through WVA and to Bristol Tn was 11.5. Return trip through VA, PA and NY was about 11.5 -12. Oh and a trip to Ashville NC and back to Bristol Tn was 18.9mpg (~100miles no trailer)
MY truck is a 4wd with the 3.74 ratio.
Most interesting observation was that north of the Mason-Dixon line diesel was more than gas, south it was less than gas.

Jeff Heiser · 04-12-2005, 08:24 AM

Mike,
Thanks for the great info. Today, on the way into work I was getting 26.7 mpg. I never went over 55 and it is a 24 mile one way trip. So far I am very pleased with the new truck but not with fuel prices. Yesterday, we paid $73 to fill up. Now that's just CRAZY!

Jeff Heiser
Merritt Island Florida

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