Need help with a few questions, re: buying first diesel

KD4UPL wrote:
If your just towing on paved roads there's no need for 4wd. If you intend to get on steep gravel or dirt roads it may come in handy occasionally. One thing that often gets trucks stuck, particularly if they aren't towing and have nothing in the bed, is wet grass. As dumb as it sounds I once go a 2wd truck stuck in my yard on a slight incline with wet grass and had to pull it out with a 4wd.
Around here it snows and there are mountains. I'd say 90% or more of trucks here are 4wd. You can't find a 2wd on a dealers lot and you can't hardly sell one if you try; basically nobody buys them. So, resale value might be a bigger factor than anything.
As for a MPG penalty, there probably is one because of the extra weight but it is likely so insignificant you couldn't measure it.

After I stuck my Ford F350 SRW truck on the grass after washing it, the next week I traded for a 4x4.

Honestly, I'd have to get a pretty good deal to buy ANY 07.5 to about 09 truck without being able to delete it.
And I'd put any LMM or LML Duramax against the same year Dodge Cummins and let miles, condition and price determine the purchase.

Then if I lucked out with the Dmax, I'd be happier because I got the best trans.

And friends don't let friends buy Ford diesels, especially not between the years of 2003 and 2010.

I am a 4WD fan for towing, you don't need it often but when you do you will really miss it. Wet grass, big muddy puddles, grades all found in CG can call for 4WD. It also expands your touring range greatly out west. I assume it is an advantage in snow but have minimal experience consisting of pulling a fellow out of a snow bank in the WY mountains. I think you need 4 sets of chains tho.

4WD is heavier and will supposedly reduce mpg by 0.5 to 1 mpg. It also makes your truck higher by a few inches.

Cummins12V98 wrote:
No such thing as a 5 speed RAM/ Cummins auto trans.

Great truck would be a early 07 5.9 with 6 speed stick.

^ This.

But if getting an auto truck for towing, I wouldn't even consider a 5.9 only because of the 4 speed trans. Makes an otherwise great engine and truck into something that shifts and drives like it's still 1993, lol.

6.7 with a 68rfe trans and delete it if you have any trouble with the early emission systems, otherwise think hard about 2014 and newer for better emissions design or at very least , not 07.5-09 as those were the first years of tier IV emissions.

No such thing as a 5 speed RAM/ Cummins auto trans.

Great truck would be a early 07 5.9 with 6 speed stick.

If your just towing on paved roads there's no need for 4wd. If you intend to get on steep gravel or dirt roads it may come in handy occasionally. One thing that often gets trucks stuck, particularly if they aren't towing and have nothing in the bed, is wet grass. As dumb as it sounds I once go a 2wd truck stuck in my yard on a slight incline with wet grass and had to pull it out with a 4wd.
Around here it snows and there are mountains. I'd say 90% or more of trucks here are 4wd. You can't find a 2wd on a dealers lot and you can't hardly sell one if you try; basically nobody buys them. So, resale value might be a bigger factor than anything.
As for a MPG penalty, there probably is one because of the extra weight but it is likely so insignificant you couldn't measure it.

Out of the years given, I would go with an early 2007 with a 5.9L if you can find one. You get the pluses of the 2007 chassis upgrades, but not the first years of the 6.7L which were not too great as with any diesel having to abide by the 2007 emissions.