How do you feel about this 2500HD locally?

[danv1317]

Found this 2500HD locally. I'm new to diesel trucks, currently running a 5.4L gasser f250 which is a dog. It's hard finding 2500HD with the allison locally here in San Diego. How do you guys feel about this one i did find with some higher miles with that price?

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?dealerId=100012690&zip=92109&endYear=20...

[danv1317]

majorgator wrote:

danv1317 wrote:
The dodge felt strong, the suspension felt great, and it was also $5,000 less than the 32,000$ Chevy.

When I clicked on the link you provided, that GMC was listed at $25,999 not $32K :h

That GM i posted the link to was not the one i test drove. I found a dealership with a 2500HD 6.6L that had only 75,000 miles on it. So i went for that one instead to test drive. I wanted to stay more near 100,000 or less.

[majorgator]

danv1317 wrote:
The dodge felt strong, the suspension felt great, and it was also $5,000 less than the 32,000$ Chevy.

When I clicked on the link you provided, that GMC was listed at $25,999 not $32K :h

[danv1317]

So anyway, i ended up with a 2007 Dodge Ram 2500 mega cab with the 5.9L cummins.

I drove a 2007 2500HD with the 6.6L Allison also and it only had 75K miles on it. But it just felt it like it was a hard 75000 miles. The suspension felt shot and the inside had a litle more wear than i would have liked.

The Chevy was a much much better looking truck, but when it came down to it, the Dodge is almost perfect condition inside and out. Really no signs of wear at all. The dodge felt strong, the suspension felt great, and it was also $5,000 less than the 32,000$ Chevy.

I have a brand new 2014 F150 that i just purchased but it's sitting at a friends house while my girlfriend and i travel for work for the next couple years towing our 30ft TT with my motorcycle in the back. It's got great space inside with the mega cab as well. It came with a cap on the back which i'll be trying to sell on Craigslist before we start the 5 week drive to Anchorage Alaska from San Diego in a week.

[majorgator]

Paul Clancy wrote:
Unless your truck is quite old there is a way to tell. The op gets an ecm/tcm flash history check done by a GM dealer before buying. They all leave a footprint. They say tuned and he walks away. Power train warranty is routinely denied this way. Software guys working for a tuner co cannot possibly have the power train knowledge and data of every manufacturers engineers.

That will only tell you if there's ever been a programming mod, which doesn't happen from tuners alone. Even if this were the case, about less than 1% of the people that are "tuner wary" are going to ask for this to be done, and even then, the chances of the salesperson/dealer giving you a straight answer if they're afraid the sell would be lost is probably far less. Not to mention that a Ford dealer would likely not do this for the GM on his lot, and vice versa.

But alas, I see there's no convincing of the anti-tuner crowd. Preconceived notions and opinions (yes, I have some too) die hard.

[Paul_Clancy]

Unless your truck is quite old there is a way to tell. The op gets an ecm/tcm flash history check done by a GM dealer before buying. They all leave a footprint. They say tuned and he walks away. Power train warranty is routinely denied this way. Software guys working for a tuner co cannot possibly have the power train knowledge and data of every manufacturers engineers.

[majorgator]

kmbelt wrote:


I would avoid also. A tuner allows the engine/tranny to operate outside of the manufacturers ideal scenario for fuel economy, longevity, power, etc. I feel that the MFG knows best how to tune their cars as they engineer them.

The manufacturer engineers vehicles to be a one-size-fits-all, with a typical balance between all the major functions and features. Not everyone is towing a 5er, and not everyone is idling around town all day, so they have to build these vehicles to meet everyone's needs "good enough". The higher-end and more sophisticated tuners are likewise designed by engineering folks who know as much, if not more, about automotive engineering than the people at the factory.

But I go back to my last statement. Let's say I take the tuner out of my truck right before trading it in. The truck is in great shape with little to no aftermarket mods. YOU see it on a lot, the price is good and it checks out mechanically. Never mind that I had a cheap tuner and always ran it hard on a "race" setting. YOU don't know it had a tuner because there's no way to tell, and you end up buying the truck. Is ignorance bliss??????

Again, never seen a truck on a car lot with a tuner.

[dave17352]

I agree with those that think that is too expensive. I bought a LT brand new in 2008 for 34K. LT extended cab standard box 4x4 diesel. I liked the truck a lot but I like my 2011 a lot more. It does use DEF and does do a little better in MPG. But if the 2500 are like the 3500 the 2011 models are way way better for towing and everything that goes along with it. I bet if you wait and look around you can do a lot better than that price at lower mileage.

[Targa]

kmbelt wrote:

majorgator wrote:

dreeder wrote:
I think it is safe to say that in most, not all, but most cases the presence of a tuner is a red flag and I would certainly avoid it.

Why do you say that? I honestly feel that its misleading to suggest that just because a tuner is there, the truck has been abused in some way.

On a similar note, I've never ever EVER seen a vehicle on a used car lot with a tuner. I've seen a few listed on CL that have them, but NEVER on a car lot. It would take me all of 5 minutes to remove my tuner, and another 5 minutes to list it on eBay or CL if I were selling my truck or trading it in.

I would avoid also. A tuner allows the engine/tranny to operate outside of the manufacturers ideal scenario for fuel economy, longevity, power, etc. I feel that the MFG knows best how to tune their cars as they engineer them.

A tuner sets these parameters outside these limits whether good or bad. A buyer does not know how the previous owner treated it. As a general rule, people who tune are typically people looking for more power. In doing so, this more power can cause more wear and tear on the engine and tranny causing the life of the equipment to be reduced.

I for one would not risk it. If i were shown a vehicle that had a tuner, i would just walk away. the risk is not worth the reward since there are so many other vehicles out there. If you were to give me your truck with the tuner, I would still sell it as I do not know what damage has been done.

To each their own though.

You sir saved me alot of typing....:). All of those points are exactly why I wouldn't give a tuned truck a second look.

[chevor]

Too high priced for a Work truck. Plus from what I see no camper mirrors, Front wheel cap missing.

[kmbelt]

majorgator wrote:

dreeder wrote:
I think it is safe to say that in most, not all, but most cases the presence of a tuner is a red flag and I would certainly avoid it.

Why do you say that? I honestly feel that its misleading to suggest that just because a tuner is there, the truck has been abused in some way.

On a similar note, I've never ever EVER seen a vehicle on a used car lot with a tuner. I've seen a few listed on CL that have them, but NEVER on a car lot. It would take me all of 5 minutes to remove my tuner, and another 5 minutes to list it on eBay or CL if I were selling my truck or trading it in.

I would avoid also. A tuner allows the engine/tranny to operate outside of the manufacturers ideal scenario for fuel economy, longevity, power, etc. I feel that the MFG knows best how to tune their cars as they engineer them.

A tuner sets these parameters outside these limits whether good or bad. A buyer does not know how the previous owner treated it. As a general rule, people who tune are typically people looking for more power. In doing so, this more power can cause more wear and tear on the engine and tranny causing the life of the equipment to be reduced.

I for one would not risk it. If i were shown a vehicle that had a tuner, i would just walk away. the risk is not worth the reward since there are so many other vehicles out there. If you were to give me your truck with the tuner, I would still sell it as I do not know what damage has been done.

To each their own though.

[majorgator]

dreeder wrote:
I think it is safe to say that in most, not all, but most cases the presence of a tuner is a red flag and I would certainly avoid it.

Why do you say that? I honestly feel that its misleading to suggest that just because a tuner is there, the truck has been abused in some way.

On a similar note, I've never ever EVER seen a vehicle on a used car lot with a tuner. I've seen a few listed on CL that have them, but NEVER on a car lot. It would take me all of 5 minutes to remove my tuner, and another 5 minutes to list it on eBay or CL if I were selling my truck or trading it in.

[gmcsmoke]

there are lots of 2011+ D/A's in that zipcode in the mid $30k and I found one for $25k as well. I'd keep looking.

[Me_Again]

deleted

[Targa]

I think it is safe to say that in most, not all, but most cases the presence of a tuner is a red flag and I would certainly avoid it.