2013 Dodge Ram 2500 5.7 Hemi

[micpib1]

I currently have a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 with the Cummins and an auto trans, I am considering a new 2013 Dodge Ram 2500 with the 5.7 Hemi. I just returned from a trip to Mexico, running empty 17.4 mpg was my best, towing my 10,250# trailer on my last trip I got around 12 mpg. The Cummins tows great, but the mileage is not that impressive, especially considering the current cost of diesel over gasoline and when I factor in the cost of the Cummins motor in a new Dodge, it appears to be a very costly option. The new Dodge with the Hemi is advertising better mileage than what I currently get, but if it won’t handle the trailer, the mileage may not matter. Is anyone else towing a 10k trailer with the Dodge 5.7 Hemi and are you happy with the results? JH

[john_bet]

64thunderbolt wrote:
Has anyone thought about the lifespan of the gasser compared to the diesel? Try towing heavy with a gasser and see if it lasts 500K miles. I think not.

And how many people really keep thier tv for 500k miles? I think not many.

[64thunderbolt]

Has anyone thought about the lifespan of the gasser compared to the diesel? Try towing heavy with a gasser and see if it lasts 500K miles. I think not.

[JBarca]

RTrider wrote:
Why not keep the truck you already have for towing, and buy a small car for your non-towing transportation. You may be better off on total cost and ongoing costs as well.

This is what we did. My 2005 F350 Gasser handles our 10K TT with no issues. The truck has enough bells and whistles to make camping a luxury. However it does have a drinking problem. 7 to tops 8.5 mpg is it for towing. The truck itself could last me another 8 to 10 year of service since now we only use it for camper hauling or other hauling needs. Lives in the shed when not being used. With the price of fuel so up in the air, and now the talk of E15 fuel, (this engine does not like any Ethanol even E10,) I'm just waiting it out. I'm not going decide on anything new for a while in the truck, what I have fills my towing needs totally.

To deal with the fact that this truck is not a daily driver, we upgraded the daily driver to a 2011 Ford Fusion and now have daily driving more economical and not putting lot of wear miles on the truck. And the $$$ saved between a Fusion and a Super Duty with a high end interior package is a big deal.....

It sounds like you are in the same boat. You have a truck that fills your towing needs now. Upgrading the truck just for mileage or daily commuter makes one needing to stop and think. Think of it this way, the longer you keep your adequate towing truck, the higher payback value you get from owning it. If you are undersized in towing, or are sitting on a the need of an engine or transmission job, that may affect the decision. If the truck fills all your towing needs today, keep it.

If you do the math on gas verses diesel, it takes a long time to pay back the cost of the diesel upgrade. And in today's economy who knows where we will be able 5 years from now on fuel of any kind. A Gasser properly sized to the load can give you a pleasurable towing experience just as a the diesel high torque monster can. Changing for fuel economy is probably still not a good reason to upgrade in either direction.

Good luck.

John

[rasteck]

45Ricochet wrote:


Your 01 Cummins should be pulling down 20 MPG easy. I'd spend/ save a few bucks and fix it up if needed.

x2!

[jeepman71]

As answered earlier. I recently moved from a 96 class A towing an HHR at a total of about 17,000 pounds. I live in colorado on the front range. When I headed east it was great and plenty of power, when I turned the other direction my right leg always cramped before I got over the mountains. I have completley enjoyed the diesel truck with a fifth wheel at about the same combined rate going up and coming down and especialy at the pumps. I drive the same truck for a daily commuter and that is when I question the sanity of going to a gasser.


Nope, I'm stuck on the power.

[VintageRacer]

I have a Dodge Hemi, and unloaded it's a rocketship compared to my F250 PSD, but loaded it's just not in the same class. Fuel mileage is a killer, I was getting 7.5 - 9 mpg towing a quite tall car hauler with around 8K in it. It would do it, but there was a lot of shifting going on (five speed manual), and foot-on-the-floor in 4th gear to maintain 55 - 60 mph if there was a headwind. There seems to be a tipping point where available power at the rpm in 4th or 5th gear seems to loose the fight against weight and wind resistance plus hills, and you really don't want to be cruising all day in third gear...

Hemi is a fantastic engine, and the truck is a total hot-rod unloaded, but at a certain point it meets it's match. 10K trailer, particularly if a tall one, is right around where it meets it's match, for me.

Brian

[45Ricochet]

Your 01 Cummins should be pulling down 20 MPG easy. I'd spend/ save a few bucks and fix it up if needed.

[NC_Hauler]

..Keep the diesel, you won't end up regretting it..

[micpib1]

Thanks for the opinions and views, maybe the "old" Cummins is not sounding so bad. Maybe just rebuild the interior and the front end, it would be just like new... hmmmm just thinking. JH

[Jayco28BHS]

I had a 2010 Dodge 2500 4x4 QC Hemi with the 3.73 gears. For one, and this may have changed, but the tow rating was only 8800 lbs. The payload was good at about 2400 lbs. As for MPGs, empty just driving I was lucky to see more than 12 city, maybe 15 hwy. Towing was about 9.5 MPGs. And I drive with a light foot. SO gas mileage is pretty crappy. After all, the 2500 weighs like 6400 lbs empty and is shaped like a brick. I don't know what has happened with the tow ratings in the newer 2500s with the six speed auto, but Dodge gassers with the Hemi were the lowest rated 3/4 tons around ...like I said, 8800 lbs. Reality was less because once you load up the truck with family and junk, your tow rating is more like 8000. Anyway, just be aware that, at least in 2010 with the VVT Hemi, the truck didn't get good gas mileage at all, empty or towing.

[transamz9]

Maybe take a little money and do some "upgrades" on you '01. You don't have to worry about emissions and such on that model. I have an '05 Cummins and I get easily 20 MPG empty @ 75 on long trips and that is leaving the truck running at the stops. I can get 22 if I try and that's running at 70. I get 11+- pulling 18,000#. If your truck is in good shape I would just do some upgrades and maybe buy a cheap car for running.$1500-$2000 will go a long way towards better fuel mileage if spent correctly.

[RTrider]

Why not keep the truck you already have for towing, and buy a small car for your non-towing transportation. You may be better off on total cost and ongoing costs as well.

[htowners]

I admit when I'm running up a steep grade at near 5500 RPM, it gets the heart racing and my wallet screaming, but having done some rough math at an almost $7K premium (with the 6 spd auto) and fuel costing between $.50 to $1.00 more around my area I could not justify the upgrade. Add in more expensive oil changes, filters and an actually lower cargo weight capacity plus the fact that I maybe get out for 30 nights in a good year I can deal with the noise. Even with changing my oil every 3K and 16 spark plugs every 25 K, I think maintenance wise I'm still way ahead on routine maintenance. I averaged approx 7.5 mpg going to Nashville, vs. what I've read is approx 11.5 for the CTD.

[APT]

Bionic Man wrote:
I'll probably be in the minority here, but I would wager that the new Hemi will pull your trailer better than an '01 CTD. The Hemi gives up about 40 lb/ft of torque but has around 150 more HP and at least two more gears.

That said, neither a new CTD or Hemi will match your 01 in mpg. If that's your main concern your better off keeping your exsisting truck. There are a lot of advantages to the new truck, but overall $ saving isn't one of them.

I agree with this. The towing experience will be different, but I'd give a gentlemen's bet that a 2013 Ram Hemi will tow 10000 pound faster than a 2001 diesel.

Compare acceleration times between gas and diesel in the quarter mile and up at 16% hill. And 2011 diesels have a lot more power and gearing than 2001.

The gasser will use more fuel. To accomplish those acceleration rates the gas engine will need to spin about twice as fast as the diesel. Both will handle a 10k pound RV with ease. It is the many people than cannot handle (sound, psychological) the gasser at 4000-5000rpm at times.

[rhagfo]

micpib1 wrote:
I currently have a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 with the Cummins and an auto trans, I am considering a new 2013 Dodge Ram 2500 with the 5.7 Hemi. I just returned from a trip to Mexico, running empty 17.4 mpg was my best, towing my 10,250# trailer on my last trip I got around 12 mpg. The Cummins tows great, but the mileage is not that impressive, especially considering the current cost of diesel over gasoline and when I factor in the cost of the Cummins motor in a new Dodge, it appears to be a very costly option. The new Dodge with the Hemi is advertising better mileage than what I currently get, but if it won’t handle the trailer, the mileage may not matter. Is anyone else towing a 10k trailer with the Dodge 5.7 Hemi and are you happy with the results? JH

What speeds were you running? Mileage ratings will vary with speed and gear ratio.
I can pull 20 mpg with my 01 Cummins 4X4 with 3.55 gears, I also pull an 11,000#+ 5er up and down the Oregon coast range, at the speed limit, do you really want to give that up?
It is YOUR $7,000 to $8,000 difference in price, happiness has a cost.