Dodge 1/2 ton thoughts.

[JohnX]

I know its been said, but i'd lean towards a GM. Just a better truck in my opinion. Easier to work on in my experience, generally cheaper to own. I wouldn't bother with the 6.0 though, for your needs the 5.3 will do the job all day long and get a bit better mileage doing it.

 

[Vanimal]

i'm with John, even my 4.8l siverado had plenty of power and got 21mpg highway.

 

[Johnnie Walker]

I know its been said, but i'd lean towards a GM. Just a better truck in my opinion. Easier to work on in my experience, generally cheaper to own. I wouldn't bother with the 6.0 though, for your needs the 5.3 will do the job all day long and get a bit better mileage doing it.

Depending on year you can get the 6.0 in a 1500. Same mileage as 5.3. And only reason 6.0 gets slightly worse mileage in a 2500 is due to weight.

I would totally take a 6.0 to swap in my Cherokee vs a 5.3

i'm with John, even my 4.8l siverado had plenty of power and got 21mpg highway.

 

[xjjeeper19]

Depending on year you can get the 6.0 in a 1500. Same mileage as 5.3. And only reason 6.0 gets slightly worse mileage in a 2500 is due to weight.

I would totally take a 6.0 to swap in my Cherokee vs a 5.3

That was the 1500hd. You were able to get the 8-lug 2500 axles, and brakes, but retain the lighter 1500 frame. I was looking all over for those before I bought my 2500hd. I seem to get around 15-17 highway, and got just below 15 towing my trailer up to the kern river. I think they make a newer model called the "max" and it is a 6.0L 1500 with a slightly larger rear axle, but stays 6-lug.

 

[in4aride]

im running a 98 w/ 5.2 auto on stock gears and 35's. It isn't best at pulling the jeep but it does the job. And I spend all of my time above 6k feet, and usually above 7500'.
I have been using it for side jobs running conduit. It holds all the tools and pulls the trailer around the job site and up the freeway no problem. Cant comment on MPG as my truck idles a lot due to single digit temps. 150k, 4wd, and a great truck I think.

 

[Johnnie Walker]

That was the 1500hd. You were able to get the 8-lug 2500 axles, and brakes, but retain the lighter 1500 frame. I was looking all over for those before I bought my 2500hd. I seem to get around 15-17 highway, and got just below 15 towing my trailer up to the kern river. I think they make a newer model called the "max" and it is a 6.0L 1500 with a slightly larger rear axle, but stays 6-lug.

Starting 07-08 you could get the vortec Max. Which is a half ton non hd with a 6.0

 

[SanDiegoOverland]

quite honestly, i like GM and ford. My wife has a ford edge that's been 100% awesome for our needs, and my in-laws had/have two GMC sierra's (2500/3500 dually) that are honest workhorses that keep going and going.

I have space needs that keep me looking at crew cabs (family of 5), though, and I can't seem to find a low mile crew cab from ford or GM in my price range ($15,000 or less).

This 4x4 dodge popped up with 60k miles and from what I've heard owners consider it to be a good year, with an honest, dependable drivetrain. (not without issues, but being a jeep owner, I'm not scared of occasional repairs. )

So yeah, not sure if this is the truck for me, but don't know if I can find a GM/Ford or even a heavier duty dodge, that doesn't have a bazzillion miles and that'll fit my kids - in my price range.

 

[Vanimal]

i don't know, i've seen tons of 4.7l grand cherokees with engine problems.

 

[SanDiegoOverland]

i don't know, i've seen tons of 4.7l grand cherokees with engine problems.

Do you remember what problems? I've been canvassing the dakota and commander boards, too and they all seem pretty happy with the HEMI and the 4.7l, with the edge admittingly going to the hemi for power and smoothness.

 

[in4aride]

Cooling issues. Repetitively.

 

[Vanimal]

oil sludge buildup, dropping valve seats, broken valve springs, rocker issues, head gaskets, etc.
seems like every 4.7l GC on cl had engine problems when i was looking. dont know much about them, just what i've seen by chance.

 

[SanDiegoOverland]

oil sludge buildup, dropping valve seats, broken valve springs, rocker issues, head gaskets, etc.
seems like every 4.7l GC on cl had engine problems when i was looking. dont know much about them, just what i've seen by chance.

10-4

 

[JohnX]

I've seen two broken valve springs on two different trucks, and i'm not strictly a dodge mechanic. So 10% of the cars I work on have accounted for 100% of the broken valve springs i've seen in the last ten years.

 

[xjjeeper19]

quite honestly, i like GM and ford. My wife has a ford edge that's been 100% awesome for our needs, and my in-laws had/have two GMC sierra's (2500/3500 dually) that are honest workhorses that keep going and going.

I have space needs that keep me looking at crew cabs (family of 5), though, and I can't seem to find a low mile crew cab from ford or GM in my price range ($15,000 or less).

This 4x4 dodge popped up with 60k miles and from what I've heard owners consider it to be a good year, with an honest, dependable drivetrain. (not without issues, but being a jeep owner, I'm not scared of occasional repairs. )

So yeah, not sure if this is the truck for me, but don't know if I can find a GM/Ford or even a heavier duty dodge, that doesn't have a bazzillion miles and that'll fit my kids - in my price range.

First thing... I work for chrysler, and I have for the last 12 years. I have been around the 4.7L since 2000. I have only seen a few cooling issues with the 4.7L and all of it looked like abuse ( too big of a trailer for a 1500 truck, things like that) I own a 2001 grand cherokee with a 4.7L and I bought it, because that engine had the least problems of all the chrysler power plants at that time, and the mpg's were good for a small v8. Hemi's seem to drop seats when they get hot, along with the valve springs breaking. The 4.7L is a great motor, if I was going to buy a slightly newer GC 2005-2010, my first choice would be the 4.7L over the Hemi. The sludge issue is the same with every manufacture, good oil, and good maitnence. Most engines with sludge issues stem from shitty oil, and lack of maitnence, not the motor itself.

Second thing, I work for chrysler, and I bought a Chevy.... My main reason with this decision wat the cab space. I hate the back seat in the quad cab rams, there is no room for car seats or anything really.
, and I hate the lack of a real dash to floor center console. I would however buy a new 2011+ ram with the mega cab. I love the interior in that truck, it's more "GM like" to me. Big cab, plenty of room, full lenght center console, yada yada...

I looked for three months before I bought my truck, I paid $8250 for it: 2003 chevy 2500HD 2wd crew cab with the 6.0l and it had just over 116k on the clock. power everything, just missing leather and heated seats. I have had no issues with it in the last year and a half, it gets ok mpgs, seems to be similar to the rams with the hemi. I originally wanted a 1500HD, but they are a little harder to find.

Justin