New tow vehicle...6.4 hemi or Diesel?

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RockinRobin

RockinRobin

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Need to upgrade my truck. Looking at RAM 2500. Is it worth $8000-$9000 more for diesel?
Hi octane pump gas and diesel are almost the same price around here. Will be towing around 12,000 lbs. Tracks are 1-3 hours away from me, so fairly long tows.
Your thoughts....
 
Diesel. 12k is heavy. Just don’t use it for a daily driver and put 250k on it and it can be your tow rig for decades.
 
My neighbor has a 2500 with 6,4 Hemi and loves it for pulling big camper. He had an older Powerstroke until he bought his first Ram. I don't think he qwll go back
 
The diesel. Much more torque that pulls things easy.
I’d go for an older model myself that doesn’t require the add juice to operate. When you’re out of it, it goes into limp mode.
 
I tow with a 2015 5.7 Hemi regular cab 4x4 up to 11,400 lbs and it is adequate, but some of the mountains it is slower than I want. Be aware the 6.4 is recommended to tow with Premium while the 5.7 is 89 octane. They don't put the 5.7 in the 2500 or higher anymore, and all the new ones have the 8-speed, but mileage is not good. My truck gets 7-8 mpg towing the heavy weight, and 12-13 with an open trailer. My buddy has a 2021 regular cab 4x4 with the 6.4, and he gets about the same mileage towing 7-8K lbs. This is real world, so I think you would be happier with a Cummins. BTW, I have 278K miles on my truck with minimal issues except my A/C died while it has been unGodly hot out...
 
I picked up a '90 one ton last August, Cummins with a 5 -speed.

LOVE IT.

But one way or the other, do not tow in overdrive unless you plan on replacing your transmission.

I drove it from PA to VA to get this '70, mileage on the way home loaded was 14.5

mpg.
1970 - 1980 trucks.jpg
 
Diesel all day long with that much weight. It won't even know it's behind it.
 
The fuel savings alone will pay for the diesel upgrade. not to mention the power.
3500 would be better suited for towing 12000 lbs.
 
Alaskan_TA said:
I picked up a '90 one ton last August, Cummins with a 5 -speed.

LOVE IT.

But one way or the other, do not tow in overdrive unless you plan on replacing your transmission.

I drove it from PA to VA to get this '70, mileage on the way home loaded was 14.5

mpg.View attachment 1715750976
Click to expand...

And that was 14.5 in 1:1 and not OD, right? That's incredible.
 
I have a 2003 2500 with the 5.7. It has served me well and still does a fine job. But the heaviest thing I tow is an a body or my little 28 horsepower tractor. I thought about upgrading and last year rented a 2500 with the Cummins to tow my car to Carlisle to check it out. Nice truck, did a great job. Almost too much truck for one little a body. And the def is a pain in the ***. 12000 lb? Towing all the time? Probably the diesel.
 
So I have a 2001 3500, I love it, but it's 20+ years old.
If I get another truck I might get the V8.
They have so much power than before.
And I am not a frequent tow person so the diesel might not be needed.
Over the 20 years I have had my truck the Cummins has worked out.
And I towed a 24 foot enclosed from VA to Texas with a Colt and a Lancer Station Wagon.
17 MPG.
So you have to look at all the details and what works for you.
I do know this, I won't have any trouble selling my used Cummins truck when I get rid of it!

IMG_8240.JPG
 
Bought a 2016 Dodge 2500 Diesel 2 years ago.....It does not even know the 24 ft enclosed trailer is behind it....

I have 3 pretty good grades to get over to get from Las Vegas to Bakersfield....set the cruise at 70ish....and steer
 
What size trailer will you be towing and will it be 5th wheel or bumper tow?
 
I have a 2016 1500 Laramie with an Eco Diesel, the first two and a half years I owned it I swore by this truck. It would get 27/28 mpg and 18/19 towing my car trailer no matter what weight vehicle was on it. Then Fiat got caught in the emissions scandal, had to get the truck reprogrammed by Chrysler now the last 2 1/2 years it gets 20 mpg and 11/12 mpg towing. Now it passes emissions which is funny because it kicks codes with the trailer on the back for to much fuel and turbo boost to high then goes into limp mode and will not go over 30 mph till I erase the codes. That's dangerous on the highway and the dealer says they can't do anything about it because of government regulations. I have lost my shirt on this truck, when I bought it I was in the green in value now I am so far in the red on this truck I can't even afford to get out from under it. One more year and I will probably have to buy a 3to4 year old 5.7 Hemi truck just to get out from under. Never again with the maintenance of a diesel and this experience will I own another diesel, a specially with the tightening emission standards on the new diesels.
 
Here is my recommendations
Diesel only
5.9 will get the best mileage hands down
6.7 makes a lot more power.
If you go the 5.9 route. DO NOT BUY A 2003 1/2 TO 2007!!!!!!!!!!
And here is my statement! I REPLACED MORE ENGINES IN THAT YEAR TIME FRAME THEN I DID ALL THE DIESELS BEFORE AND AFTER THAT TIME COMBINED.
Not saying you can't get 250,000 out of them years, but you better not chip it, And you had better have bought it new, and your maintenance must be superior.:soapbox: Rant OFF
With all that said i would still buy a 2004-07 Dodge before any year Ford of Chiv Diesel.(But i may be a little prejudiced:p)
 
My 2 cents says Cummins for sure! Regarding 2500 or not you simply MUST do the math, unless the truck you are considering buying a the absolute base model I don’t think you can even think about pulling a 12K trailer and be in spec. Payload or RAWR is going to be exceeded almost for sure. Many well tell you they don’t mind being over design specs “it pulls just fine”. My question is always, does it stop just fine in an a emergency? I personally am pulling my 12K fifth wheel with 2019 Ram 3500 longbed precisely for that reason. Good luck!
 
I have a 6.4 in a 3500 ram, it pulls everything fine, but it is a thirsty pig, 10 mpg empty or loaded.
It sucks so much fuel it is only used for towing, no daily driving this truck.
 
Cummins all the way. I have owned Cummins trucks 1995, and my newest is a 2012, the last years before the diiff additive. I will never sell it. The comfort and safety knowing you can pull 20,000 plus, and have tow/Haul along with the engine brake. In the Mountains with 12,000 the truck laughs at the 7% Inclines,and declines.

In 2016 I travelled to western Colorado to pick up a79 Cordoba, and had to run through Wyoming, with 8000 plus altitude. There was a stretch running 80+ when a fancy BMW super duper SUV tried to pass me. I didn't care, but the higher we went, the slower he got. I finally lost patience with him, So I accelerated, pulled in front of him to pass the slower semi. I blew him off and kept trucking. I finally stopped somewhere along where the wind was so strong you could go airborne. That guy stopped and pulled in behind me, and asked: what in the hell,is in that truck?I believe around (rawlins)
He said nobody has ever been able to pull that super duper BMW in the Mountains, let alone pulling 10,000 Pounds!

I said just a 5.7 Cummins, the engine was was bored so i went faster!
 
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