The time is drawing very near for me to get another truck. I will still keep my (oil & diesel leaking rusty) '97 (since I'd be lucky to get $1,000 for it), but I have been wanting a Chassis/Cab and particulary a 5500 4-door.

But, since I'm not a millionaire and the cost to own a diesel (and especailly the new 6.7) is very high, I am looking at a 4-door 3500 ST chassis cab with a 6 speed manual and Hemi.

With maintenance cost for a gasser being less than a diesel and gas being some $.60+ to $.70+ cheaper than diesel (and most likely remain that way for the future), and saving the $6,100+ by not buying a diesel, I can outfit the truck with a nice dump body and underbody boxes and still walk a way with some $$$ in my pocket.

My question to anyont out there is (1) If you have a HD Ram with a Hemi, how do you like it? (2) How has the engine held up (75,000 - 150,000 miles range)? (3) Does it pull a medium load OK (e.g. 5000-7500 lb range)? (4) What is your average MPG with the Hemi. (5) I assume the 6-speed manual has a PTO provision, am I correct? (6) Can you get a Hemi with a 4.10 rear end (Dodge's build website apears to say you can not get a 4.10 in a Gasser)?

It is terrible that the government and oil companies have conspired to drive the price of diesel so incredibally high and put outragous (and unjustified) emitions controls on diesel to make their benifits over gasser almost null and void ... but that is the way it is and I no longer can justify purchasing a diesel vehical and will have to deal with the short comings of a gasser.

 

My 4.7, 3.54 rear, automatic Ram pulls 7k well enough, and the Hemi has WAY more power. I put 80k in towing miles on it in the space of about 10 months too, and I haven't had a single mechanical problem (just about up to 150k miles now). The mileage isn't so great, and the hemi is a bigger engine making a lot more power so it'd be worse. On the other hand you'll have to spend a whooole lot of money on gas before you get up to the point where you could've bought a diesel with that money.

In my opinion, a new truck with a diesel isn't worth it unless you're going to be putting an enormous amount of miles on... for example, with my Ram I would've saved like $7,000 in fuel over that period with a diesel, although now that diesel is so expensive, that figure would actually be far lower.

 

With a new gasser 3500 C&C I would not be pulling to much any more. I would get rid of my dump trailer and carry in the dump body what I use to put in the trailer. The only other thing I pull now is my small backhoe which isn't much weight.

Since I now only drive my truck about 15 - 17K miles a year, the milage loss compared to the diesel is not that much of a problem.

Here is my biggest concern: is the Hemi a good engine? Minimal problems? Very low down time? Minimal "flashes"? Do you have to use mid-grade or premium fuel or can I use regular unleaded?

 

Don't sell your 97 short, leaking, rusty, etc. there is a market and that market is heading up in $$, not down.

But keep it anyway, sooner or later you will regret selling the old 12V and have to buy another.

 

Don't worry, I won't be selling my old truck, the thing the rust is eating the truck up badly and the body will loose its integrety in the next few years if nothing is done.

If I have a new truck then whenever I have spare coin, I can work on my old truck little by little.

Then there is the new roof I need to put on the house ....... BIG $$$

 

Gas is $.25/gal less than diesel around here at the most. The past couple weeks have only seen $.15 difference. Gas isn't going to get any cheaper just like fuel.

 

Seems like you've already talked yourself into it. If you really needed a diesel, you wouldn't be thinking about getting a gas, so get the gasser. When I picked up our 3500 cab and chassis diesel in Jan 2007, the dealership had one C&C with a hemi on the lot. It was still there in Aug. I'd bet you could get a good deal on one unless the rarity of them influences the price.

 

You can run regular, I did in mine.... But if I was working it hard I'd use mid grade as they suggest.

Mine did great up to 65K miles when I sold it.... Was in a 1500 but pulled plenty of trailers.

They say you need to change the plugs every 30K miles....

I don't see why you couldn't get 4.10 gears in a c&c 3500? You could get 4.10's in a 1500 .


But if I had to buy a gasser I'd get a 6.0 chevy or V10 Ford. I've pulled a trailer in a borrowed 2500HD (03 model) and the power range was much more broad and even.

 

Uggg. You guys are killing me.
A gasser is not what I really want, its just eh extra $7000 (I see a $995 clean air charge BS on the stickers of the diesels), is a tough nut to swallow and an extra $150/month on the loan for 48 months.

Towing is not my major concern, it is payload. 2+ yrds of stone/sand/dirt and 4+ yrds of mulch is the big concern. Towing will now be in the 4500 - 6000 lb range for me. Is the 3500 with a dump able to handle that much payload?

 

I didn't have a 3500 C&C with a Hemi, but I did have a 2500 Hemi for a little bit. It was an auto w/3.73's. I pulled a 6500lb travel trailer w/ atv in the bed. It had no problems moving this load around the mountains of Idaho, but the mileage was not the best, usually around 9-10 towing. I hated how the 5spd auto shifted, especially while pulling. I would still have it, but couldnt justify having 2 2500's around. ( ok the wife wouldnt let me ). Got rid of it at 45k on the odometer. Not any problems with it. Based on my experience with the Hemi, I bet the 6 speed manual would be a better option for towing/hauling applications, at least for me.

 

I say go for the gasser. Diesel is a luxury in your case if you're not hauling a big trailer especially since you are only doing so few miles driving a year. If you're stuck on Dodge get a Dodge. But if it were me I'd look at getting a 6.0 chevy, much better worker than the Hemi. I've pulled with both and the chevy has power almost off idle all the way up to 4K rpms it seemed... While with the Hemi you had to get the revs up a little more it seemed and it groaned a little right off idle, in my 1500 regular cab short bed 3.92 gear you could definately feel my heavy open car hauler and mustang I'm guessing in the area of 5,000-6,000lbs.

Or if that doesn't do it for you the V10 Ford supposidly pulls very well. Or if you can find a left over 07 chevy classic with an 8.1 or 6.0 they probably are super cheap. Price them out on Edmunds.com

Don't know about availability of C&C in Ford or Chevy.

I don't think he has the choice of the 5 speed auto in the 3500. My 5 speed auto wasn't slipping yet at 65K miles but did eat fluid.... Had to add some ever month or two but the truck was worked extremely hard pulling trailers it probably shouldn't have been pulling really... I'd say at least 5-10K miles pulling 6,000 lbs+ and if my gas bill was getting high I wouldn't put the transmission in 'Tow/Haul' because it ate gas that way. I'd get between 11-14 pulling my car that way according to the overhead which usually stayed on 17 unloaded.

 

I went to an 06 ford with the 3 valve 6.8 v-10. Got 12-14 mpg on the highway, 8-10 loaded. HAs tons of power. Only problem.....the gassers dont hold their value for NOTHING when you go to sell. I sold it right under a year after buying it new and LOST 7 grand on it. only put 11000 miles on it and it was in new condition. The comparable diesel truck would have only lost 2-3000.

I too was thinking the same thing as you...I had previously had 3 ford 7.3's and waS NOT GOING to buy a 6.0 or 6.4 ford. I saw the light and bought my 07. Its payed for and i love it.

if you plan to keep the truck and run it into the ground...consider a gasser....IF you think you will sell it in the next 5-7 years or so....Consider finding a low mile 06-07 5.9...you might even be able to find a new 5.9 2007 on a lot somewhere.

Just my two cents

 

Have you tried to find a good low mileage used 06 or 07 with a 5.9 in it. I know you think the extra $$ for the diesel is hard to handle, but if I was to trade in my 06 right now I would get back $4950 of the $5500 it cost me for the diesel engine. A diesel engine in any truck will have a better resale value then a gas engine truck will. One other thing to think about is that the diesel will handle what ever you throw at it and not say uncle, its too heavy lighten the load.

My $0.02