Ram Owners Tow Vehicle - How's the V6 Pentastar ? The V8 ? The Tranny ?
- Thread starter parker
- Start date
I have owned about 8 dodge trucks over the past few yrs, all 2500's however(currently a 2016 2500 diesel)
but several friends have the 1500;s from about 2004-2016's
and I have drove them all, the new 8 speed trans in the 1500's is the best thing they added in yrs, I would NOT do a 6 cylinder, and my reason is this, the hemi's are getting 18-22+ mpg pending HOW you drive them, a 6 will NOT do much better, due to weight of truck alone and HP to LB ratio's, the re sale value will be better on the Hemi as well, as , just more folks would rather a V8 over a 6 cylinder, 9 out of 10 times!
BUT like all gas motored trucks, as soon as you hook up a trailer them MPG"S drop
towed a 2016 hemi(don't know diff ratio, big horn crew cab short bed packaged deal) 500 miles with 2 atv's on a open place 8.5x10 aluminum trailer, LOTS of up and down hills every 10 miles or so, and averaged 10 mpg, about HALF what it got without the trailer, it ran great nice and smooth, no HUGE down shifts as in the past to keep speeds up, but it drops MPG"S pretty good when towing,
IF you ONLY tow once in a while, I would say who cares, and go that route
I'd however be looking at a new Ford too, with there new 10 speed trans and all aluminum body's, if you are planning LONG term ownership
I am NOT a Ford guy, but these more speed trans, just help keep things from surges(AKA suck that gas down poor MPG's)
an all aluminum body, prevents the better issue we have here which is body rot from all the road salt and chemicals they spray to stop ice on road ways, its HARD to get more than 10 yrs out of a body here due to it, that aluminum should solve that part of things??
but several friends have the 1500;s from about 2004-2016's
and I have drove them all, the new 8 speed trans in the 1500's is the best thing they added in yrs, I would NOT do a 6 cylinder, and my reason is this, the hemi's are getting 18-22+ mpg pending HOW you drive them, a 6 will NOT do much better, due to weight of truck alone and HP to LB ratio's, the re sale value will be better on the Hemi as well, as , just more folks would rather a V8 over a 6 cylinder, 9 out of 10 times!
BUT like all gas motored trucks, as soon as you hook up a trailer them MPG"S drop
towed a 2016 hemi(don't know diff ratio, big horn crew cab short bed packaged deal) 500 miles with 2 atv's on a open place 8.5x10 aluminum trailer, LOTS of up and down hills every 10 miles or so, and averaged 10 mpg, about HALF what it got without the trailer, it ran great nice and smooth, no HUGE down shifts as in the past to keep speeds up, but it drops MPG"S pretty good when towing,
IF you ONLY tow once in a while, I would say who cares, and go that route
I'd however be looking at a new Ford too, with there new 10 speed trans and all aluminum body's, if you are planning LONG term ownership
I am NOT a Ford guy, but these more speed trans, just help keep things from surges(AKA suck that gas down poor MPG's)
an all aluminum body, prevents the better issue we have here which is body rot from all the road salt and chemicals they spray to stop ice on road ways, its HARD to get more than 10 yrs out of a body here due to it, that aluminum should solve that part of things??
HAHA, a diesel is only worth the $$ IMO if you tow a LOT< then they most certainly are
weekend warrior towing folks, CAN benefit from a diesel too, but its a LOT of extra $$$ to do so
HIGHLANDER
New member
whats even funny'r... is how long it takes someone to whine about others suggesting a diesel... you guys are all the same....the ones whos mirrors you cant see around the trailer doing 50 up a hill into the wind in a 70mph zone
T
Tracker
Guest
I tow with a Lincoln aviator with the cobra motor in it....I have 175000 miles and tow a 4 place ...love gas motor....get about 14mpg or less...wouldn't even consider a suKY diesel with glo plugs and gel and cold weather starting and all the lame problems a diesel presents not to mention that technology is as old as the steam engine....lol
Forgot to mention, make sure you buy an all aluminum trailer not a steel framed one and it will be nicer on the town vehicle. I had a 23 foot Stealth that weighed in dry at 1,200 pounds; with two sleds that is only 2,200 lbs.
Bear
Seasons about over for most of us .. So, what about Ram Owners V6 or V8 with a lot of miles on ?
So far everyone who contributed to the topic has newer model but with low miles.
I wanna know, will it last.
(I had a 1995 Ram V8 360motor purchased new - The Tranny Blew Up at 104K miles = not good)
So far everyone who contributed to the topic has newer model but with low miles.
I wanna know, will it last.
(I had a 1995 Ram V8 360motor purchased new - The Tranny Blew Up at 104K miles = not good)
srt20
Active member
If you loo around online, you will see that the hemi and the pentastar has proven to be very good engines. The 8 speed transmissions have only been out since 14. You will find some with over 100k but it just hasn't been enough time yet. Some earlier ones has some programming issues, but nothing real catastrophic.
Like I stated before, I have the 3.6 in a durango. Its a great engine and I like it. My wifes work truck has a hemi, and has 218k miles. It too is a great engine.
Sometimes I wish I would have gotten the hemi in the durango. Not for power, but because I like hearing the rumble of a v-8. But if I would have gotten the v-8 I would have wondered if I should have gotten the v-6 for mpg reasons. My brother has a 16 1500 with Hemi and 8spd. Its very entertaining.
From what you say you are going to do, either engine will serve you fine.
Do you want the coolness factor of the hemi v-8, or the practical factor of the v-6? Only you can decide, but you will be fine either way.
Like I stated before, I have the 3.6 in a durango. Its a great engine and I like it. My wifes work truck has a hemi, and has 218k miles. It too is a great engine.
Sometimes I wish I would have gotten the hemi in the durango. Not for power, but because I like hearing the rumble of a v-8. But if I would have gotten the v-8 I would have wondered if I should have gotten the v-6 for mpg reasons. My brother has a 16 1500 with Hemi and 8spd. Its very entertaining.
From what you say you are going to do, either engine will serve you fine.
Do you want the coolness factor of the hemi v-8, or the practical factor of the v-6? Only you can decide, but you will be fine either way.
srt20
Active member
On second thought, I would check and see if the v-6 is DI for 17. I believe it is? I don't think the hemi is yet.
Manufacturers are still having carbon issues with intake valves on DI engines. All brands. And DI engines are harder on oil as well.
Remembering that, I would definitely lean towards the NON DI engine.
Manufacturers are still having carbon issues with intake valves on DI engines. All brands. And DI engines are harder on oil as well.
Remembering that, I would definitely lean towards the NON DI engine.
I can tell you what I have but it is older. Had a 99 2500 with V10 that was a lease, turned it in with 85,000 on it. No engine or trans trouble at all. Truck was solid with no rattles or squeeks. Did eat front brake pads though. Pads were way too small.
Have a 03 1500 with the hemi and 5 speed. This truck has been almost perfect. has 230,000 on it now. Has towed a ton of stuff from my 35ft Jayco a lot of times with the Grizzly in the bed to an almost 12,000 lb flatbed (loader tractor with bushhog). Still all original driveline. Zero issues. As an example of how its been used it went to North Carolina twice last summer, once with a World rally car in my 24ft enclosed trailer straight down and back. One day trip. To Nc same trailer loaded with furniture on way down, up to Philly to pick up a Porcshe Panamerica then home. Two more additional trips to Philly and back with same Porsche. All same day trips. To Crivitz with 7 snowmobiles on flatbed and he bed full of parts and then to Minoqua to pick up a dodge pickup to restore. 3 trips with the tractor to just north of Louisville. Lots of local trips hauling cars. Pull a 4 place usually to the Up with it. Also pull gravity wagons with corn for my furnace 2 - 3 times a year. The total weight ranges from 15,000 lbs to 19,000 lbs depending on the bushels. I am religous about changing the fluids at the intervals in the manual. Do that with everything I own. Now have a 2011 2500 with the hemi and 6 speed. Just got it and haven't towed a lot with it yet. Hope it is as good as the 03. Got it because I I bought a new flatbed trailer and it is really too heavy for the brakes on the 1/2 ton. I wouldn't think twice about buying what you want. take car of it and it will serve you well. I have a large family and almost all of us drive dodges of some sort. Out of all of them I can only think of a couple with tranny or engine failure.
And I still have the 03. Too good of a truck and still in great condition.
Have a 03 1500 with the hemi and 5 speed. This truck has been almost perfect. has 230,000 on it now. Has towed a ton of stuff from my 35ft Jayco a lot of times with the Grizzly in the bed to an almost 12,000 lb flatbed (loader tractor with bushhog). Still all original driveline. Zero issues. As an example of how its been used it went to North Carolina twice last summer, once with a World rally car in my 24ft enclosed trailer straight down and back. One day trip. To Nc same trailer loaded with furniture on way down, up to Philly to pick up a Porcshe Panamerica then home. Two more additional trips to Philly and back with same Porsche. All same day trips. To Crivitz with 7 snowmobiles on flatbed and he bed full of parts and then to Minoqua to pick up a dodge pickup to restore. 3 trips with the tractor to just north of Louisville. Lots of local trips hauling cars. Pull a 4 place usually to the Up with it. Also pull gravity wagons with corn for my furnace 2 - 3 times a year. The total weight ranges from 15,000 lbs to 19,000 lbs depending on the bushels. I am religous about changing the fluids at the intervals in the manual. Do that with everything I own. Now have a 2011 2500 with the hemi and 6 speed. Just got it and haven't towed a lot with it yet. Hope it is as good as the 03. Got it because I I bought a new flatbed trailer and it is really too heavy for the brakes on the 1/2 ton. I wouldn't think twice about buying what you want. take car of it and it will serve you well. I have a large family and almost all of us drive dodges of some sort. Out of all of them I can only think of a couple with tranny or engine failure.
And I still have the 03. Too good of a truck and still in great condition.