trefling

07 5.9 1st quarter before 6.7 egr

drp23

What r the cons on the 06, because I haven't experienced them yet? What should I look out for? I've had 9 cummins so far and this one gets the best mileage and just feels good, not that any of them where bad, If you take care of them they will take care of you. Never been stranded in any of my trucks.

HOD-ISB

Hands down 06 or 07. They were the last improvements in the 5.9 and the interior. Especially the mega cab intro. The cat shouldn't be a consideration (Unless you have emissions testing of course) cause it's way easier to remove the cat than to change the entire 3.5" exhaust and improve the turbo on the 03 & 04. The only advantage of an 03 & 04 is a better cam (cleaner oil) and tighter piston bowl. I really love my 06 and if your gonna tow really heavy it would be top pick (g56) but my vote would have to go for the 07 because of the better gear ratios of the g56.

In reality however, I think we are splitting hairs cause all the third gens (5.9s)are great trucks.

n2moto

I'm not sure all of this is 100% correct so somebody will fix it if it's not.

It doesn't matter what year it is the stock front end is junk from the get go (4x4) and should be totaly redesigned, or much stronger componets used. The 3rd was beefed up to stop the DW but we know it didn't. It's an improvement over the 2nd gens but still sucks. In 08 they made some parts bigger up front to stop the steering problems it's too soon to tell.

The 04.5 has the bigger HP than the earlier years, but does have a cat. It lends itself to adding a tuner better than the older models. I think it's the same setup untill the 6.7 The 04.5 has a metal intercooler the 05 has plastic tanks, I think they went back to metal in the end of 05 or maybe 06.

The 06 had some wiring changes which if you hook up a trailer and have a bit of a wiring difference/problem on the 06 it can waste some computer item and not just blow a fuse. Or so I've read.

The NV5600 while strong could be hard to get parts for, and the clutch doesn't hold up well if you ask me. The NV5600 does shift for crap. The clutch is weak. Some of the 03's came with the auto 47re trans and then you get into HP models and it could be a 48re. Neither will hold up well especially if you add power.

The final drive ratio sucks INHO. If you have a g56 the rear is geared too low for unloaded driving. It should be taller, mileage suffers and the splits are tight with the 6 spd that it would be nice to pull longer in each gear. If you're hauling heavy it doesn't matter if you get the 4.10's, except there's no option with a g56.

Don't sit in a Ford or Chev becase if you do you'll hate your interior, on any year.

05 trucks get a better fuel lift pump than the earlier years, but if you add power you'll be changing it and the older setups were easier to change.

The HVAC system leaves alot to be desired. There's lots of threads on here about the blend door failure and how poor the 3rd gens are at cooling in high heat. The second gens had better AC.

Too much interior noise in all of them.

The factory Jake brake isn't as good as the aftermarket models out there.

All these problems can be fixed if you have a big enough shovel and pile of cash to shovel to the aftermarket world and the dealer. Or if the truck is your hobby and you'd rather work on it than drive yourself to do other things in life.

I don't know if which year is best is the way to put it. It might be better to ask which year is the least bad.

Raspy

I agree that Dodges have their weakneses and quirks. I also must say that I have loved Dodges since I was a kid when we had an old Power Wagon. At that point I was totally sold. Eventualy, after having a number of Dodges, and a couple of early Hemi Imperials thrown in for good measure, the Cummins came out and I had to have one. It was a 1st gen and I loved it too, but I was always working on something other than the engine.

Now I've had a 3rd gen for six years. In spite of the relatively small problems, I have never had any vehicle that I enjoy as much, have driven as far, and has been able to do what my 3rd gen does. If I lost it, I would immediately go get another one. If that happened I would take a serious look at a 6.7 or an '06 with a G56. Standard cab, of course.

I never have to worry about smog checks because it never had a cat in the first place. And as far as the front end is concerned, I fixed it better than new for a few hundred bucks and a weekend. The stainless exhaust was another few hundred bucks, and a couple of hours, for a nice improvement once in the life of the truck. And no matter what year you get you'll need a Smarty anyway. I just changed my oil again at 180,000 miles and after 10,000 miles since the last change, it was slightly brown and down less than a quart. Amazing.

Meanwhile I am wishing I could install a 68RFE in mine.

So, I don't have any desire to go "sit" in a a new Ford or Chevy. I've been in them and, for some reason, I don't now hate mine.

HOD-ISB

Amen brother ! Dodge has always been a more work oriented truck. If you want a grocery getter with emphasis on comfort and amenities get a chevy. I'm a big chevy/dodge man and always have been. I wanted the best diesel rig I could get so I got the dodge. There is a reason they put a v8 in the chevy/ford and dodge has an I6. All the 3rd gens with the 5.9 are great work oriented trucks and if you delete the emissions stuff the 6.7 is awesome as well.

CrazyFloyd

03 because I put it through alot and it takes it. Even in extreme climates. The dash beginning to crack does a little. Never had that problem before in my other trucks that were not dodges.