Truck debate.
 

Well I am having some debates. I am buying a 24' enclosed trailer to tow and store the vette and all my racing equipment. I currently have a 2003 Dodge ram 1500 quad cab with 109,000 miles. It has a 8300 lbm tow rating. It is enough, but just barely. Also I just had to replace the transmission valve body $1.2K.

1) 3-1 year old 2500s are for sale now at $ $25-35K depending on diesel and 4wd. I can get $8k for my truck if I sell it $6.5K on a trade in.

2) I can order a Edlebrock intake, headers, cold air intake, and cat back for $1K from summit and install it to help it deal with the weight of the car and trailer.

The other question for the truck guys is diesel? 15-25% increase in fuel efficiency is offset by the increased cost of the truck and the higher cost of the fuel. So cost wise if not advantageous. Is the extra torque that useful? Would you do it again? I will not be modifying or racing the truck. It will be my daily driver and tow rig.

Please chime in unless you a fucking idiot or have never towed anything or owned a truck before.:pot_stir:

Carlos,

I have owned a truck my entire driving career and while I have not towed really heavy loads I have done a little towing. I have the small V8 in my F-150 and have moved a few times and definitely felt the trailer behind me. Since you seem to race a decent amount and I would recommend the diesel. No, I have never owned one, but the strain of towing at the limit of what your truck can do is not something I would not do on a consistent basis. Think about the strain on the engine and trans. Why not maybe spend a little more money and get something that is more designed to tow heavier loads? The diesel will last forever before a rebuild is in order and with your 1500 how long will that engine and trans hold up to the towing? I am from the school of... "I would rather have to much than not enough" and while your truck might have enough the bigger truck would have a much better capacity to tow for you.

Why not look at something that is a few years older and help reduce the truck cost? I had been recently looking at a diesel and the 2000 to 2003 (7.3L) F-250s are in the teens with mileage below 200K. I am sure that Dodge and Chevy have the same price range for trucks that old as well. Just a though.

When God said, "let there be diesel trucks" he was referring specifically to you towing a race trailer. The wave of torque that comes on right off throttle cannot be over estimated. My parents have a Dodge with the Cummins and large horse trailer loaded with horses was probably something like your trailer setup (maybe a bit more). Prior to the diesel it was pulled, barely, by a Dodge with the 360. The diesel pulled it like it wasn't there hardly. Additionally the construction of the diesel engines is more of an industrial use nature. There isn't a reason in the world you couldn't push 500,000 miles on a well maintained diesel, though I don't know much about the Ford setup. I'd go diesel for sure, maintain it, and probably drive it for the next 30 years, at which point its total value is pretty high.

If you have the money and are going to get a new to you truck anyway. Get a diesel no question it is worth every penny of the 6-9k extra your going to pay. That being said if your not going to get the new truck and want to stick with the old one tow away buddy. I obviously am bias to diesels but for good reason they are great motors like Vettezuki said a maintained diesel will last you many years/miles.

Okay the big three thats totally up to you Dodge 6 cyl Cummins great truck, Arguably the best diesel motor of them all king cab offers the most room in the rear seats. The Ford 8 cyl Power stroke is good for off road but also offers the worst ride quality (kinda like a roller skate) for a DD my last choice and the trans is among the worst IMHO. The Chevy 8 cyl Duramax my choice for the best ride, best trans (Allison) and I just happen to be a Chevy guy. Oh and it dose great off road yes I use my truck. Oh yeah I almost forgot about towing I tow my parents 32 foot travel trailer like it doesn't even exist.

Best of luck to you whatever your choice.
:drink:
Chuck

I have to agree with everyone else about getting a diesel. I've towed with both gas and diesel. When I tow the Chevelle on our 18ft open trailer I really feel it. For steep grades I have to drop it down into 2nd and can only do 50. My dad has a 2009 3500 with the Duramax and he tows his 26ft enclosed trailer like it's not even there. If you are interested in a new Chevy, talk to Throttle Crazy. He got my dad a really good deal on his.

My friend has an 06 or 07 Silverado 2500. And I love that Diesel motor. You can tell instantly from the torque that it's a world apart from a gas motor.

Here's the thing about Diesel, when we had that gas crisis about a year ago and it was hovering around $5, part of the reason it got so expensive was that a lot of oil refineries in the U.S. started making diesel instead of gas, to supply the big rigs. So now, the cost of Diesel will not fluxuate like the cost of gas.

We've towed my jet skiis with the Diesel and you can't even feel them. My friend even overloaded a trailer once with brick and dirt till the point were the tires blew, couldn't feel the weight of that either. Diesels were made to tow. If you buy a 2500 you won't need headers, etc. It's good to go out of the box.


P.S. I saw a trailered C6 on the way to SF last weekend. It was siiick. It was flared out with a big C6R wing. If you upgrade your rims you need to flare it out at the same time. :judge: Especially now that it sounds like this thing has become a race car.

Thanks for the input. I think you guys are right. My old trailer was a 16ft open steel carson car carrier and my truck did a ok job with it, but not stellar. It would drop down to second the steep inclines up to Bakersfield and Phoenix. The new trailer is going to be SO much bigger and heavier that I worry. Anyways I am in the market for a newer or brand new 2500 4x4 turbo diesel. Preferably one on the east cost. Ron can your brother get me a deal on a truck in Connecticut?

The corvette will be done this week. It not a race car yet, but I've been wondering how much longer I can keep running it until it will need a cage:(. It's one of those things where I can come in 2cd or 3rd all day, but will not be winning until I drop serious weight.

I don't think he could. He works for Crest Chevrolet in San Bernardino so if he can do anything it would be through them. Shoot him a PM and I'll talk to him about it. They might have one in their pre-owned lot.

I thought you were coming back to Cali? If you just need help getting the Vette back here, I can fly out and drive it back for you. I'm helpful like that. :)

I am going back to Cali. I am currently in Connecticut. I sold my trailer and plan on trailering the vette back in June. I found a awesome 2008 F-250 King ranch with 18K for $40K. It has a beautiful interior and has the HO diesel with 4x4. I would trade in my truck and drop like $4K and finance the rest.