$40k Budget, buy new gas or used diesel?

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

We bought a used 2016 Ram 3500 Laramie DRW CTD, Aisin to tow our about 13,000# 5er. It has enough bells and whistles to make daily driving very enjoyable and comfortable.

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

I was looking at a sales flyer from a local RAM store and the Tradesman one tons (SRW/gas) were about $50K or a tad less and the Laramie one tons were over $70K. What would you miss out on with a Tradesman vs the Laramie? That was quite a price delta!

Well our 2016 bought used in Dec 2018 with 27K miles had a window sticker of $69,005. The base 3500 crew cab 4X4 base price was $50,860.
The Laramie package includes a lot of B&W big are remote keyless entry, park sense front and rear and rear camera, Alpine stereo, power fold away tow mirrors, 10 way power drivers seat, and 6 way passenger seat. The other big adds to the were the 6.7 Cummins $8,995, the Aisin transmission $2,595, DRW $1,200.
We are very happy with this truck, we are now just over 51K miles.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

Well our 2016 bought used in Dec 2018 with 27K miles had a window sticker of $69,005. The base 3500 crew cab 4X4 base price was $50,860.
The Laramie package includes a lot of B&W big are remote keyless entry, park sense front and rear and rear camera, Alpine stereo, power fold away tow mirrors, 10 way power drivers seat, and 6 way passenger seat. The other big adds to the were the 6.7 Cummins $8,995, the Aisin transmission $2,595, DRW $1,200.
We are very happy with this truck, we are now just over 51K miles.

…….and heated/cooled leather seats, huge center dash monitor/control panel, adjustable pedals, memory seats/wheel etc., high powered headlights/drls, side detection monitors, etc.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by sourdough

…….and heated/cooled leather seats, huge center dash monitor/control panel, adjustable pedals, memory seats/wheel etc., high powered headlights/drls, side detection monitors, etc.

Only a 2016, no adjustable pedals, or side detection, most of the rest.

[wiredgeorge]

On the 2006 F350 XL - Not sure of seat material (2 sets of seat covers), plastic floor mat, manual tow mirrors, manual door locks (since put in some remote control door locks), crank up windows, AM/FM/CD (swapped out for Pioneer with big screen for rear view camera) but does have good A/C. About $3.5K in engine work & new front end and two news tires. Bought for $7K so I have a $10.5K investment and it does what I need it to. Already had the Andersen hitch. Oh yeah, and some fuzzy dice on the mirror!

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

On the 2006 F350 XL - Not sure of seat material (2 sets of seat covers), plastic floor mat, manual tow mirrors, manual door locks (since put in some remote control door locks), crank up windows, AM/FM/CD (swapped out for Pioneer with big screen for rear view camera) but does have good A/C. About $3.5K in engine work & new front end and two news tires. Bought for $7K so I have a $10.5K investment and it does what I need it to. Already had the Andersen hitch. Oh yeah, and some fuzzy dice on the mirror!

Well for us our 2016 Ram is our only vehicle. So for us to have creature comforts is expected.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

Well for us our 2016 Ram is our only vehicle. So for us to have creature comforts is expected.

I work on my property and my wife has her dream car; a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria (just turned 66K miles). She has had MANY Crown Vics in the past. She is now fully retired so isn't putting many miles on that car these days. The Crown Vic is ultra comfy and gets decent gas mileage (over 20 mpg if I recall correctly). If I go somewhere, I take my trike these days (2006 GL1800 Roadsmith conversion) but don't go much these days; hopefully we will get on top the Corona and things get back where we can enjoy breakfast rides and trips. Camper is a good alternative right now as we can go and still be kind of self-isolated.

[Jacko]

I was in that same boat last December. We wanted a 5th wheel and did not have a truck. I can remember my buddy telling me 20 years ago, buy your 2nd RV first, meaning you will buy one and then in a few months you will wish you bought a bigger one. So I bought my 2nd truck first and got a nice 3500 SRW diesel. This is my first ever truck and I'm amazed my the ride, its great, and the MPG is super, and it hauls my little 36 foot 5th wheel just dandy.

[chunker]

One consideration that hasn't been brought up is where are you going to travel. If you are staying in the flat a gas might work. If you are going into "them thar hills" a diesel is highly desired. Not just for the power but the exhaust braking.

I also advise going up to the 1T if the numbers are anywhere close to the edge of a 3/4T. The CC difference between a 1 and 3/4T give a nice comfort safety edge. Many 3/4T have very little practical CC and that usually get reduced with add-ons like bedliners, hitch, tool boxes, etc. Example my 2016 Ford Lariat F-250 crew, 4WD was just over 2000#. My 2017 Ram Laramie in the sig line is 4207#. Both diesel but the Ram is long bed otherwise similar appointments.

[Kebees42]

Originally Posted by rob_ps

I'm ready to pick up a new TV and with a budget of $40k, I have a choice of going new, 2020 Ram Tradesman Crew 2500 6.4, dealer selling at 39k, or going used. The used trucks I've been seeing at that price range are about 60k miles for a 6.7 CTD, about 5 years old.

My TT is currently at 8200lb loaded, and I'm not sure if I plan on upgrading in the future just yet, but if I do, it won't be much more than that, so I think.


Thoughts?

You might want to pay attention to the payload. The diesel truck is about 1000 lbs less than gas. I just bought a ram 2500 with 6.4 because of the payload.

[larryflew]

Ditto on going to used 1 ton D. Prefer GM myself but all the major brands have decent 1 ton D's going back quite aways. Love our GMC which is 2008 just before DEF.

[notanlines]

Keebes, Fords 6.7 weighs about 920 dry, depending on whose spec's you believe. The 7.3 weighs about 540 dry again depends who you believe. Any idea where your 1000 pound of payload figure came from?

[Kebees42]

Originally Posted by notanlines

Keebes, Fords 6.7 weighs about 920 dry, depending on whose spec's you believe. The 7.3 weighs about 540 dry again depends who you believe. Any idea where your 1000 pound of payload figure came from?

My info is from Ram truck payload and towing capacity. I will try posting a link and you go to a truck of choice and it will give payload and towing specs. It was an eye opener for me when I was in the market for a new truck. If I would bought a Cummins vs gas the fifth wheel I'm buying would been over payload.

https://www.ramtrucks.com/towing-guide.html

[Dkentaz65]

I just sold my 2015 Ford F-350 6.7L diesel for $42k having 84k miles on it. Bought a new dually for future RVing. You can find a decent diesel whether Dodge, Ford or Chevy at that price. I would not go gas at all. Even hauling a 10k+lb TT, you’ll love having a diesel! Take it from me who bought the V10 gas Ford Excursion vs diesel and regretted that decision back in 2005. Take care!

[Rwake901]

I went through this same thing a little over a year ago. It was a tough pill to swallow for me that for the same money I could buy a new 1 ton gas with full five years of warranty versus a 3 or 4 year old diesel with 50 or 60 thousand miles on it. I went gas and pull around 12500 to 13000 with it. I don’t regret buying gas it works for us. Like other people have said though get a 1 ton not 3/4. Good luck on your decision.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Rwake901

I went through this same thing a little over a year ago. It was a tough pill to swallow for me that for the same money I could buy a new 1 ton gas with full five years of warranty versus a 3 or 4 year old diesel with 50 or 60 thousand miles on it. I went gas and pull around 12500 to 13000 with it. I don’t regret buying gas it works for us. Like other people have said though get a 1 ton not 3/4. Good luck on your decision.

As anyone that reads my posts knows, I'm a gas truck guy and will try to stay that way unless DW informs me otherwise with her desire for a larger/heavier trailer. That said, I will say that I sometimes envy the ability of the diesels to fuel up vs what's available for a gas truck. Seems convenience larger rigs (semis generally) was a thought when the diesel lanes were built. Gas pumps are hit and miss and I've had to do some pretty wild gyrations to get in/out of places I pulled into.

[Trucker2565]

For my 2 cents.. I have a 34 ft 5th wheel keystone hideout. Its roughly #12000 loaded. I use to pull it with an 06 power wagon 5.7 hemi it was tough on that motor and 4 speed tranny. 2 years ago I upgraded to ram 2500 HD 6.4 L 6 speed auto. Pulls like a dream for me. I live in colorado so Eisenhower pass is 6% grade and I top the hill at 55 headed west. Mine is not a daily driver and I hear diesels like to work so a gas motor was much cheaper to maintain. Oil changes etc in my opinion I didnt want a diesel setting in my driveway 6 days a week. Steep hills better mileage with diesel.

[Uneasyrider]

I bought my Ram 3500 CC Long Bed Dually Tradesman with the Aisin transmission, bright appearance, Fifth wheel prep kit and running boards for 41,000 with 15,000 miles on it and one year old. Look harder.

[Campermike]

Originally Posted by Uneasyrider

I bought my Ram 3500 CC Long Bed Dually Tradesman with the Aisin transmission, bright appearance, Fifth wheel prep kit and running boards for 41,000 with 15,000 miles on it and one year old. Look harder.

How long ago? Prices rose for used trucks at least around here since last fall... Now I couldn't easily get a truck like mine for what I paid back then. And I mean I couldn't buy my 1 year older truck with 12k more miles for that price...

[J2couch2]

[QUOTE=rob_ps;402662]I'm ready to pick up a new TV and with a budget of $40k, I have a choice of going new, 2020 Ram Tradesman Crew 2500 6.4, dealer selling at 39k, or going used. The used trucks I've been seeing at that price range are about 60k miles for a 6.7 CTD, about 5 years old.

My TT is currently at 8200lb loaded, and I'm not sure if I plan on upgrading in the future just yet, but if I do, it won't be much more than that, so I think.


Thoughts?[/QUOTE

[J2couch2]

Go diesel. The power and fuel efficiency is no comparison. You will regret buying a gas truck.