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Old 01-12-2019, 11:37 AM   #81
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Old 01-12-2019, 01:23 PM   #82
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.....My advice is never to get a 250/2500. Always get the 350/3500. If you are not rving I understand. But if you are a serious Rver, get a 3500.
Open for anyone, please define "Serious RVer" and the correlation to needing a 1 ton truck.

My point.....

My next door neighbor has a 2017 35' Grand Design Solitude and a 2017 3500 Ram Cummins that make for some beautiful lawn art. Paraphrasing his statements: "It's the greatest combo and we could travel the country and easily live in it"......but they don't. They have used their trailer a total of maybe 15 nights since February '17.

On my side of the fence, we purchased our travel trailer in June of '17 and towed it with an F150 ecoboost that we already had. Due to a growing family (2 to now 3 kids and they don't stop eating) and wanting a safer margin on payload, we got a F250 6.2L. Our trailer is a 24' bunkhouse with 2 slides that we use often. Since buying it, we've spent over 50 nights in it, not including the incidental driveway campouts that the kids like to do. Our commitment of RVing is 1 weekend a month Mar-Nov and (2) 1 week trips per year. So far, we've hit that mark and then some.

In the end, being a "Serous RVer" has nothing to do with the size of your truck, trailer...it's whether you actually use it or not.

My final thought is that I think it's common for people to purchase a bigger truck to compensate for loss of payload due to getting a diesel over a gas powered truck. My truck has a payload of 2766 and pulls a 7500 loaded trailer. It's a well matched combination. My brother's Ram 2500 with the Cummins engine has a payload of 1950. Towing my trailer, he would be much more likely to overload his truck; however, he would have power to spare maintaining 65mph going up a mountain pass. It's all a trade off.
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Old 01-12-2019, 01:36 PM   #83
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No wonder no one takes me serious. I drive a 2500. Geesh go figure.
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Old 01-12-2019, 01:37 PM   #84
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No wonder no one takes me serious. I drive a 2500. Geesh go figure.
I feel your pain. But ours together makes 2750 and we will be that much closer to 3500 [emoji2]
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Old 01-12-2019, 01:44 PM   #85
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Not sure where those $800 price differences come from...

When I bought my 2500HD...the price difference was over $5000...

I just don't buy it...
Depends how the truck is loaded up. I can build Chevy trucks all day long and get close to $800 difference in price between 2500 and 3500 with the options ordered these are not the low end trucks either usually LT or sometimes I'll do LTZ. One reason I never buy a truck off the lot to much extras I do not need. I buy what I want. Later RJD
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Old 01-12-2019, 01:55 PM   #86
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Base price CC LB 2500 $39895
Base price CC LB 3500 $41795
$1900 difference regardless of trim.
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Old 01-12-2019, 01:55 PM   #87
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Ram is announcing the new generation of heavy duty trucks (2500, 3500 etc) on Monday Jan 14.
Be sure to watch the streaming live from North American International Auto Show beginning at 9:30 am EST. New body style and are 2020. Later RJD
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Old 01-12-2019, 02:08 PM   #88
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Base price CC LB 2500 $39895
Base price CC LB 3500 $41795
$1900 difference regardless of trim.
Yep my bad forgot price changes last year I get 1700 but I'm building short beds Later RJD
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Old 01-12-2019, 04:01 PM   #89
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Originally Posted by goduc View Post
Base price CC LB 2500 $39895
Base price CC LB 3500 $41795
$1900 difference regardless of trim.
And if you add the tow package to the 2500, it drops the gap to around $800.

People who are buying a 3/4 ton that has been set up to tow will often have the tow package.

Good luck.
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Old 01-12-2019, 04:55 PM   #90
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As a new 3/4 Ton F250 owner that is equipped with the Lariat package and snow plow / camper prep package about the only thing I can add to this long ongoing conversation is that if this is going to be your primary daily driver, make sure you really absolutely and positively need a HD truck.
My reason in saying this is that the ride going from a nice and cushy 1/2 ton RAM with soft squishy coil springs all the way around to the big bad I can tow just about anything HD truck.... sucks ass.
I am fortunate that my HD truck is not my daily driver (still pounding the snot out of my 06 Tundra, which rides better than the 250) and all I am really going to use the HD truck for is towing and peaceful weekend drives on hopefully smooth roads so I can enjoy my ridiculous expensive toy that I wanted.
My 1500 RAM rode like a Cadillac compared to any manufacturer HD truck, and when my daily driver needs replacing I will be going back to another 1/2 ton RAM.
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Old 01-12-2019, 05:07 PM   #91
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Well, some folks posterior is more sensitive than others I suppose. And some brands and years just ride better than others. Also tire types can make a difference.

My 3/4 ton Chevy HD ride is not much different than my half ton. Both are daily driver short beds. Of course tires are adjusted accordingly when not towing. I've always thought Chevy rides better than the other two. But that's just me.
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Old 01-12-2019, 05:07 PM   #92
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I had an older 2500GMC with the 6.0, while it was a great truck in regards to reliability ( except once when it left us on the side of the road when the fuel pump crapped while towing our TT)

I was a little dissatisfied with it for two reasons:

1. It got maybe 9 miles to the gallon while towing....with the engine off...downhill...with a 60 mph tailwind. 12MPG when unhooked....terrible mileage

Seriously it had 3.73 gearing on a 4L80 4 speed transmission, it would be down to a half a tank of fuel in 120 miles when towing.

2. The uphill battles with the TT was no fun at all, lots of RPM's involved


Maybe some of my bias came from going from a diesel to a gasser....and now full circle

My .02 worth, IF I wasnt done with gassers I would look at the f-150 ecoboost if the tail wont be wagging the dog in your setup up, if it is take a look at the 6.2 hemi ram....heck it would be nice if you could hook up all the big three and try them out with your TT

2500 chevys 6.0 never came with 3.73 but only 4.10 and still do . Agree the mileage when not towing is bad best i can get is 14.75, towing about 9 which isn't bad
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Old 01-12-2019, 05:09 PM   #93
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3/4 ton advice

Quote:
Originally Posted by clarkbre View Post
Open for anyone, please define "Serious RVer" and the correlation to needing a 1 ton truck.

My point.....

My next door neighbor has a 2017 35' Grand Design Solitude and a 2017 3500 Ram Cummins that make for some beautiful lawn art. Paraphrasing his statements: "It's the greatest combo and we could travel the country and easily live in it"......but they don't. They have used their trailer a total of maybe 15 nights since February '17.

On my side of the fence, we purchased our travel trailer in June of '17 and towed it with an F150 ecoboost that we already had. Due to a growing family (2 to now 3 kids and they don't stop eating) and wanting a safer margin on payload, we got a F250 6.2L. Our trailer is a 24' bunkhouse with 2 slides that we use often. Since buying it, we've spent over 50 nights in it, not including the incidental driveway campouts that the kids like to do. Our commitment of RVing is 1 weekend a month Mar-Nov and (2) 1 week trips per year. So far, we've hit that mark and then.

This is where when you make statements in the internet you have to be very precise on wording. What I tried to say, not so eloquently, is that a serious Rv’er, is someone who is in the game for the long haul and I congratulate you for making that time with your family. I think when you buy a truck (I’ve made plenty of truck mistakes and some people would say I’ve made another one on my latest purchase) it’s hard to imagine you’d trade up for another truck to haul a heavier RV. But most folks do, over time.

And we all know there is not much difference physically between a 2500 and 3500 same options etc. Seems we’ve got bigger as gotten older and really at a time where we don’t have kids and friends camping with us as much.

But maybe in the end you are right, I trade RV usually on a 6-8 year cycle. Trucks I’ve traded or sold quicker than that,so if I need a different truck in 5 years, like a duelie, well I’ll probably get it and then start arguing one can put a Popup on a SRW unless you got a duelie (of course I’m not serious about that statement).

We have went up and down in usage in our lives, sometimes 50 nights plus and other times we were lucky to get 10 nights because of work or our sons’ school schedule.

I had a great 2008 Ram MegaCab 2500. I thought all this talk was ridiculous back then when all a 3500 had was an extra leaf spring. It may be a bit more complicated now but not much. But I still recommend if you are going new even though you don’t need it now get a 3500.

Not for the trailer you have now that doesn’t require it but for the next one that catches your whimsy. So don’t think I don’t know about that Ford 6.2 nice setup. I know there’s always been divide over these issues and I can see both sides point. Really I just wish when I had that MegaCab it would have been a 3500. I probably be driving it. Amazing Truck.

But it had a payload because of that MegaCab of like 1825 lbs in the 2500 and like 3000 in the 3500 configuration.
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Old 01-12-2019, 05:24 PM   #94
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Well, some folks posterior is more sensitive than others I suppose.
That's a much nicer way to say what I was thinking!

What has happened to us?
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Old 01-12-2019, 06:27 PM   #95
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Sorry if my comment offended the macho crowd, simply adding my opinion.
Please, by all means get back to the diesel >gas, 1-ton>3/4 debate it has been thrilling....
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Old 01-12-2019, 07:14 PM   #96
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As a new 3/4 Ton F250 owner that is equipped with the Lariat package and snow plow / camper prep package about the only thing I can add to this long ongoing conversation is that if this is going to be your primary daily driver, make sure you really absolutely and positively need a HD truck.
My reason in saying this is that the ride going from a nice and cushy 1/2 ton RAM with soft squishy coil springs all the way around to the big bad I can tow just about anything HD truck.... sucks ass.
I am fortunate that my HD truck is not my daily driver (still pounding the snot out of my 06 Tundra, which rides better than the 250) and all I am really going to use the HD truck for is towing and peaceful weekend drives on hopefully smooth roads so I can enjoy my ridiculous expensive toy that I wanted.
My 1500 RAM rode like a Cadillac compared to any manufacturer HD truck, and when my daily driver needs replacing I will be going back to another 1/2 ton RAM.
Just curious why you went with the Ford 3/4 ton instead of a Ram since you liked your 1/2 ton Ram . When I upgraded from 1/2 ton Ram Laramie to 3/4 ton Ram Laramie I drove all 3 brands of 3/4 tons . I felt the Ram had the best ride and best looking interior of the bunch . Plus the 8.4 inch Uconnect system was the best out there . I also paid $3k less for the Ram over comparable Ford Lariat and $1k over comparable Chevy.
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Old 01-12-2019, 07:25 PM   #97
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Just curious why you went with the Ford 3/4 ton instead of a Ram since you liked your 1/2 ton Ram . When I upgraded from 1/2 ton Ram Laramie to 3/4 ton Ram Laramie I drove all 3 brands of 3/4 tons . I felt the Ram had the best ride and best looking interior of the bunch . Plus the 8.4 inch Uconnect system was the best out there . I also paid $3k less for the Ram over comparable Ford Lariat and $1k over comparable Chevy.
I really wanted a RAM, but I also wanted an 8’ bed and no local dealers within 200 miles of me had anything I wanted.
With whatever the new version of the RAM HD will be that is being introduced Monday it will not be available until sometime this summer and with many dealers giving good deals (especially on trade in) I wanted to get something now.
Plus I really like the extended cab look on the Ford, I really wish RAM would bring this cab option back on the HD series but I don’t see that happening.

Don’t get me wrong, I like the F250, it has everything I was looking for and even a few things I didn’t even think I wanted until I got them in this truck!
It is just a big ride difference going from 1/2 ton trucks that I have driven since 93.
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Old 01-13-2019, 12:33 AM   #98
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I guess I'm just different. When I went out to buy a truck I prioritized things by importance. My list was:

1) - Payload
2) - Price

That's as far as the list got, Never occurred to me to factor in ride or fancy tech. Of course, the new truck is pretty much a one trick pony - it pulls the TT and that's all it does. Since my wife now does the driving, we go slow and easy and the gasser gets us right up the hills. We aren't afraid to pull over if we're holding folks up. For a $10K wallet hit and a 1K payload hit we do not need a diesel although we do look at the nice easy in and out for the big rigs with a bit of wistfulness. Since this is not the military everyone gets to march to their own drummer. As long as everyone is safe and having fun, then it is all good.
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Old 01-13-2019, 05:46 AM   #99
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Originally Posted by Thatdarncat View Post
I had an older 2500GMC with the 6.0, while it was a great truck in regards to reliability ( except once when it left us on the side of the road when the fuel pump crapped while towing our TT)

I was a little dissatisfied with it for two reasons:

1. It got maybe 9 miles to the gallon while towing....with the engine off...downhill...with a 60 mph tailwind. 12MPG when unhooked....terrible mileage

Seriously it had 3.73 gearing on a 4L80 4 speed transmission, it would be down to a half a tank of fuel in 120 miles when towing.

2. The uphill battles with the TT was no fun at all, lots of RPM's involved


Maybe some of my bias came from going from a diesel to a gasser....and now full circle

My .02 worth, IF I wasnt done with gassers I would look at the f-150 ecoboost if the tail wont be wagging the dog in your setup up, if it is take a look at the 6.2 hemi ram....heck it would be nice if you could hook up all the big three and try them out with your TT
The ratios on that old transmission required 2nd gear for pulling a load up hills but its hardly useful to make a relevant comparison to today's trucks...If memory serves the last time that transmission was used in a 2500 truck was 13 years ago...

If you disliked the ratios on that old truck you probably wouldn't like the transmission ratios on the Ram with the 6.4, as the much weaker on paper GM 6.0 (with the 6L90) will outperform that truck pulling grades.



Quote:
Originally Posted by MR.M View Post
2500 chevys 6.0 never came with 3.73 but only 4.10 and still do . Agree the mileage when not towing is bad best i can get is 14.75, towing about 9 which isn't bad
Actually the 6.0 was available with 3.73's for more years than not...I think the last year you could get either was 2014.
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Old 01-13-2019, 08:04 AM   #100
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The ratios on that old transmission required 2nd gear for pulling a load up hills but its hardly useful to make a relevant comparison to today's trucks...If memory serves the last time that transmission was used in a 2500 truck was 13 years ago...

If you disliked the ratios on that old truck you probably wouldn't like the transmission ratios on the Ram with the 6.4, as the much weaker on paper GM 6.0 (with the 6L90) will outperform that truck pulling grades.





Actually the 6.0 was available with 3.73's for more years than not...I think the last year you could get either was 2014.
I believe the 3.73 was only offered with the diesel not the gas 6.0 which has the 4.10
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