Hey guys, been a while since I've been here. Sold my last diesel rig to pay off debt. Debt is gone. I will say I am loving being debt free, and NEVER going to take a car/truck payment again, so I am saving.

My current Rig is a
2003 Silverado 1500 HD (its a 2500 everything except body, and 3 ft of frame) 74,747 Miles on the 6.0L Vortec, Air bags, 80L Tranny is flawless. Truck is in great shape, and I am going to run it for as LONG as I can...but I know myself I get bored.

About me, I do construction, and am expanding but nothing crazy yet. I know that this is a bad reason to buy a specific vehicle but I miss driving a manual trans, so that leaves me either a toyota tacoma, or dodge diesel, two very different beasts.

So i was thinking option 1

Buy a tacoma, 4 door with manual, and its a great little truck. Can't load it but can pull a small trailer, and if things keep growing I can get a 3/4T Van for work with the trailer. And have a small 15mpg tacoma for running around. The taco will last a Very long time, has cheap ownership costs, and is then a personal car and the vans/trailers or box truck is for work.

or buy a Ram 2500. I have had cummins before and love them. Problem is the ownership costs are MUCH higher. And when anything breaks they are SUPER expensive. Fuel is a buck a gallon more, but than i could just own one truck, and will easily work for me for 200K and don't have to switch trucks all the time.

I know this is going to be bias, but what do you guys think of your trucks? MPG? reliablilty

any info insight or thoughts would be great.

thanks in advance.

 

I know I sure as hell wouldn't own a damn taco. I've heard they don't get as good as claimed mileage at least the new ones. If you go that route and get a work van its double everything. Insur.,fuel,maint., break downs,tires, etc.

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That's what I am thinking. I had a tacoma before. They aren't bad but they aren't "trucks" they work great for homeowner runs to home depot for some soil once a month...but an every day work truck they take a beating. I sold mine when I loaded 2500 lbs in the back (i know that's 3 times what it can hold but didn't want to make 3 trips) and i turned my Leaf springs into big frowns...went back to a 1 ton. But as a daily driver they are great, cheap to fix, cheap to work on, and last a long time....where as a 3/4 Ram...EVERYTHING is expensive.

I also would rather not have another van/truck for work. Aside from the doubled maintence, i would have to use my entire driveway to store them. And I do GC work and Spec building. I am only working when I am building a house, so for 6 months a year they 'work' truck will just sit. I'd be much better off with a 7x14 trailer that housed all my tools to do anything and everything and just drag it to the work site everyday, and then I don't need to have two trucks.

I also don't even need a diesel. Any 1/2 ton will pull that trailer, and certainly any 3/4T with a gasser, but I WANT TO GO BACK TO STICK....and the diesel will hold its value much much longer.

I also don't like the tacoma inside, it is SMALL....i like the interior room of full size for fam and workers...but just don't like that cost.

It sucks cause a 1/2T or 3/4T gasser would do the job, but wanting a manual is skewing me.....and a 6.7 Ram 3500 crew cab short bed with a 6 speed seems like a great daily driver...a friend has one and I love it...may be over kill but

 

No offense but you kinda sound like my dad. Only get/have what you NEED and nothing more. I say live a little and get what you want. Sure, the Ram costs more in every aspect, but like you said, will last longer and have a higher resale value. Plus it'll get slightly better mpg pulling a trailer than any gasser would. Not to mention, it has the features you want and that will make you happy. I've tried to explain this having one do-all vehicle thing to my dad a few times but he just won't have it. I've tried to convince him to get a Dmax(just what I think would be a good truck for him) and sell his minivan and older truck off so he's only paying insurance, registration, maintenance, etc on one rig. But unfortunately, he looks at the cost of ownership on a diesel and won't have anything to do with owning one even though it would benefit him so well. Personally, I'd love to swear off gasoline forever, and I'm confident the day I can do that will come. I say get yourself the Ram.


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Haha, I don't take offense to that, as you get older you realize needs/wants are very different. And it's appealing having to spend the LEAST amount of money for what will work to get the job done. The negatives to that is more work/headaches. When I bought my tacoma i was like "ill make it work" and it got annoying always needing a trailer. I did like the truck, worked great till It didn't. The costs would still be cheaper buying a taco and having a van or box truck....because i can buy one dirt cheap. But Then I have a bunch of trucks here and have to maintain them all and it ends up being a head ache.

I would love to have just one truck. And I do like the RAM, and sure new they are 15K more than taco, but will sell for more when I decide to change. Diesel is more expensive, and the maintence costs are more, but they are about equal to maintaining two other trucks.

For me personally, having just one truck and a trailer is better. I don't do regualar construction. I am not bidding jobs and out in the field everyday. I build a house and sell it. I do a lot of the work with personal crew, so with a trailer it will house all my tools and then when I'm not building It just sits in the yard.

I know it's dumb to base a truck purchase on driving manual, but I do like it and makes me happy. And I just priced the RAM, and I don't need it loaded. Actually prefer the base base model. Tradesman with the power options and I'm happy.

I also don't want to run into the problem of needing more truck and only having the taco, that sucks. True most of my materials are delivered on site, but its still great being able to hail/move what i need to.

AHH CHOICES

 

I know if u want the best bang for ur Buck go ahead and get into a 2012 Dodge diesel. They are having good deals till end of April. I just bought a 2012 Dodge 3500 crew cab dually 4x4 St package new off the lot. Got a unbelievable price hollar at me if ur serious about one ill get u fixed up

 

I am on my 5th cummins truck since 99 and in that time I have had 1 taco since 2001. I love the taco for cruising around or hunting or just daily driving. however, it is not a true work truck obviously. I use it to play. in a work truck I expect a lot of real capability. I tow a lot, really heavy, and in really hot weather. the Cummins trucks have been great for real work and yep I just traded the 07 5.9 dually for a new 2012 dually. I am super impressed with it. however, if I did not have to have a cummins powered truck for what I do, I would stick to a gasser 1/2 ton. your assessment that the repair costs are less is right on. I cannot tell you how many checks for $2500 I have written for ram repairs. a lot. the fuel costs are also significant. Love my Cummins but mostly because I need it. hope this helps.

 

I wouldnt trade my daily driver from a diesel to a gasser, especially if u pull ANYTHING at all... But i love diesel so im hooked!

 

I've been in your shoes. I started out with a 99 superduty had it for about 6-8 months traded to a 2003 f150 super crew fx4 with 35s,then couldn't stand the gasser and traded for a 99 Cummins,then sold it and bought my 04 and am very happy. I don't need it. I have a jeep and trailer I rarely get to use but I like the power,towing mpg, and reliability of the diesel. And its cheaper for me to fill up a truck once every two weeks instead of every week for 80 bucks.

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