Owning a Cummins Diesel?

[BurbMan]

Seriously considering pulling the trigger on a 2015 Ram 3500 SRW diesel, only because finding the 6.4 in a 3500 (that I can afford) is dang near impossible.

Any known issues with the 2015's? In my limited reading it seems like folks have fewest issues with the Cummins. Is DEF easy to find now or do y'all still carry extra? I've never owned a diesel and know very little about them... any comments or advice you want to offer would be appreciated.

[SweetLou]

mudfuel07 wrote:
Got a 2017 2500 with 91k on it towing a 10k lb travel trailer. Love it, tows like a beast and fun to drive. Had one problem with the 68rfe, but dealer fixed it under warranty, a valve body. I bought it used, but everything under the hood looked good. DEF is not a problem, haven’t used an ounce in over 8k miles.

I use a box every 1500 miles or so. Do the math again

[LanceRKeys]

Unless he no longer has a DEF system on his truck....

[Cummins12V98]

Sorry 8k you used well over an ounce.

[mudfuel07]

Got a 2017 2500 with 91k on it towing a 10k lb travel trailer. Love it, tows like a beast and fun to drive. Had one problem with the 68rfe, but dealer fixed it under warranty, a valve body. I bought it used, but everything under the hood looked good. DEF is not a problem, haven’t used an ounce in over 8k miles.

[Cummins12V98]

"I would have asked for a NAPA or Gates pump"

FYI they are both made in Communist China.

[rhagfo]

IdaD wrote:

rhagfo wrote:

IdaD wrote:
My 2015 has been mostly great. I say mostly for two reasons. One, the water pump failed on me while towing the camper home from a vacation and left us stranded a few days. The replacement was also a bad unit, and it took several months before the dealership was able to replace it with a good version under the recall. Two, it's just had too many recalls. All minor stuff but a half dozen or so recalls is excessive.

Those caveats aside, I love the truck. It's fun to drive, tows like a boss, is reasonably efficient and it just does whatever I ask without complaint. I've got about 65k miles on it so far.

The water pump on a Cummins is an easy replacement, even if it was a warranty issue I would have asked for a NAPA or Gates pump to get back on the road.
The pump is a little harder to get to on the 2016, but changed the one in our 2001 Ram CTD in a parking lot in about 20 minutes and at least half the time was getting the belt back on.

We broke down in nowhere, Oregon. It was late Saturday before we got everything towed into town and no auto parts store nor the dealership had a pump in stock. It was a multiple day ordeal over something as silly as a water pump. I've got a Gates pump and spare serpentine belt under my back seat should something similar ever occur again. Ram reimbursed me for what I paid the local mechanic for parts and labor, but it took them few weeks.

Well now that you have a spare pump, you could likely put a million miles on that truck and never need it!

[IdaD]

rhagfo wrote:

IdaD wrote:
My 2015 has been mostly great. I say mostly for two reasons. One, the water pump failed on me while towing the camper home from a vacation and left us stranded a few days. The replacement was also a bad unit, and it took several months before the dealership was able to replace it with a good version under the recall. Two, it's just had too many recalls. All minor stuff but a half dozen or so recalls is excessive.

Those caveats aside, I love the truck. It's fun to drive, tows like a boss, is reasonably efficient and it just does whatever I ask without complaint. I've got about 65k miles on it so far.

The water pump on a Cummins is an easy replacement, even if it was a warranty issue I would have asked for a NAPA or Gates pump to get back on the road.
The pump is a little harder to get to on the 2016, but changed the one in our 2001 Ram CTD in a parking lot in about 20 minutes and at least half the time was getting the belt back on.

We broke down in nowhere, Oregon. It was late Saturday before we got everything towed into town and no auto parts store nor the dealership had a pump in stock. It was a multiple day ordeal over something as silly as a water pump. I've got a Gates pump and spare serpentine belt under my back seat should something similar ever occur again. Ram reimbursed me for what I paid the local mechanic for parts and labor, but it took them few weeks.

[2012Coleman]

I Love mine - first diesel. Had the 2017 6.4 hemi - drank gas like a fish. No issues with DEF. Try it, you WILL like it!

[rhagfo]

IdaD wrote:
My 2015 has been mostly great. I say mostly for two reasons. One, the water pump failed on me while towing the camper home from a vacation and left us stranded a few days. The replacement was also a bad unit, and it took several months before the dealership was able to replace it with a good version under the recall. Two, it's just had too many recalls. All minor stuff but a half dozen or so recalls is excessive.

Those caveats aside, I love the truck. It's fun to drive, tows like a boss, is reasonably efficient and it just does whatever I ask without complaint. I've got about 65k miles on it so far.

The water pump on a Cummins is an easy replacement, even if it was a warranty issue I would have asked for a NAPA or Gates pump to get back on the road.
The pump is a little harder to get to on the 2016, but changed the one in our 2001 Ram CTD in a parking lot in about 20 minutes and at least half the time was getting the belt back on.

[Cummins12V98]

75k on my 15 towing a combined weight of 35k in this pic. Towing about 1/3 of my total mileage I get an honest 9mpg AVERAGE hand calc West Coast along I-5.

Truck has been flawless, still drives like new. True Medium Duty Cummins and AISIN are a pleasure to drive.

Owned a 11 HO DRW and towed a combined 29k with the 68RFE. Did great but took it easy on take off on grades because of the tall 3.42 gearing. Towed at 60 with rPM's at 1,750 the same as my current 15 with 4.10's in 6th.

This is my 5th Cummins over 19 years.

[IdaD]

My 2015 has been mostly great. I say mostly for two reasons. One, the water pump failed on me while towing the camper home from a vacation and left us stranded a few days. The replacement was also a bad unit, and it took several months before the dealership was able to replace it with a good version under the recall. Two, it's just had too many recalls. All minor stuff but a half dozen or so recalls is excessive.

Those caveats aside, I love the truck. It's fun to drive, tows like a boss, is reasonably efficient and it just does whatever I ask without complaint. I've got about 65k miles on it so far.

[Grit_dog]

^But he’s already talked himself up from an older gasser pickup to newer gasser to newer diesel.....can see where this is going. Lol
By next week it’ll be a new Duramax Denali!

Can’t wait to see what ya get burbman. I’m sure it’ll be awesome!

[otrfun]

BurbMan wrote:
Thanks guys, the 3500 SRW crew cab long beds are like hen's teeth, seems like most of the 3500's are duallies. One with the 6.4 Hemi is ever harder to find even with a nationwide search. So, a clean 2015 with the diesel (68RFE) and 81k miles popped up closeby and I'm seriously considering it. Caught me somewhat flat-footed because I hadn't done any research on a diesel, I've never owned one, and now I have a zillion questions LOL. I found a great truck in NC that had the Aisin, but at $45k for a 2015 was a budget buster for me.

I believe your budget is $40k, right? You're just $5k away from a brand new diesel truck. There are a few brand new 2019 Ram 3500 SRW 4x4 Cummins CC LB's in the NE area with employee pricing around $48k. Add in a minimal $3k dealer discount (probably get more) and you should be able to bag one for $45k or less. That extra $5k will get you that new truck smell, ~zero miles, and a full 3/36 bumper-to-bumper warranty. I might add this particular trim level will net you almost 4,580 lbs. of payload (4,000 lbs. of that is available on the rear axle). Comes in very handy hauling a heavy in-bed camper. Good luck!

[ACZL]

Cummins seem to get the best MPG of the big 3 (GM, Ford, Ram). Most folks who have them, love them. Changing fuel filter can be cumbersome, but doable. IMO and vantage point of a semi driver, most RV transport guys run Rams w/ Cummins motors. Of their 2 tranny's, the Aisin is their top of the line. If you end up w/ a SRW, may want to consider Timbrens, airbags or "X" to help the rear end from squatting w/ camper on. Like what a couple others said about DEF, can get at most truck stops in truck lanes OR at any auto store. Usage should be 10 gallons/year as one said. Buy fuel at truck stop if you can due to high turnover of fuel. If not, find a large local place where you see a lot of companies fueling up (utility, landscapers, town/hiway dept., school buses, etc). Others with Cummins can chime in on fuel additives.

A lot to consider, but in the long run, a diesel is by far the best way to go if towing a lot or heavy and still get decent mpg's. Gassers have come a long way and for lots of folks, will work best for their set ups and don't want to deal w/ diesels and worrying about fuel and all. Both gas & diesel have their pluses and minuses. Do not be afraid to ask questions here about them as there is a HUGE amount of folks ready to assist you to answer them. May get some biased opinions and keyboard fighting, but it's all good. Let us know how you make out.

[deltabravo]

BurbMan wrote:
Is DEF easy to find now or do y'all still carry extra?

I don't use it in my truck, but I see it all over the place when I'm shopping.

Wal-Mart sells it. Auto parts stores sell it. Gas stations sell it in their convenience store. Farm and Ranch type stores sell it.