Looking to buy a new truck

[DCB4]

Starting to think about upgrading to a newer truck. I'm currently in an 06 2500 Duramax. I hauled some hay for my uncle in his 3500 this summer and really, really liked pulling with the dually. Has anybody made the switch from a 3/4 to a 1 ton and regretted it? Also I would definitely want to go with a flatbed but have found a good deal on truck that currently has a regular bed. Anybody had any luck selling a bed they pulled off and replaced with a flatbed? Any recommendations on bed brands would be appreciated as well

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Do you mean new as in "new" or new to you?

I don't buy much "new" anything anymore as the depreciation is brutal. A clean used vehicle is all I look for these days.

I'll recommend a Ram truck just to mess with M-5's head.

 

[HDRider]

[youtube]https://youtu.be/JrFeOepzKD8[/youtube]

 

[jltrent]

Put air lift load lifter air bag on yours and it will make it almost as stable loaded as the ton. Your 06 was the year before most of the extra EPA Tier 4 requirements were added to the diesel trucks. If it was me and your truck is not T-totally worn out I would try to put it in A1 shape. You can add power if you want.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Find a totaled 3500 and take the springs off of it, along with the tabs for the overload springs.

 

[DCB4]

Do you mean new as in "new" or new to you?

I don't buy much "new" anything anymore as the depreciation is brutal. A clean used vehicle is all I look for these days.

I'll recommend a Ram truck just to mess with M-5's head.

I've gone back and forth on the whole new vs new to me question for months now. I started out thinking brand new and justified it with this will be the only time in my life I'll ever be able to afford a brand new vehicle (no kids yet.) i think I've settled on going with the best deal, not necessarily the cheapest, but what I feel like is going to be the best bang for my buck. When I bought my current truck i definitely thought it was a clean used vehicle and I've done nothing but throw money at it since. After going through that with my last one I'm at the point I'd rather spend the money up front and not have to worry about anything other than regular maintenance

 

[DCB4]

Put air lift load lifter air bag on yours and it will make it almost as stable loaded as the ton. Your 06 was the year before most of the extra EPA Tier 4 requirements were added to the diesel trucks. If it was me and your truck is not T-totally worn out I would try to put it in A1 shape. You can add power if you want.

That thought has crossed my mind many times. I wanted an LBZ every since high school and when I found mine I was thrilled to finally own one. The motor and tranny are strong and have never given me the first problem but the list of things I haven't replaced on that truck is shorter than list of things I have replaced. I've held on to it a lot longer than I probably should have because I wanted to keep the truck so bad. I ran across a '15 gmc 3/4 ton and considered it. Would definitely put air underneath it if I went that route. You have any experience with the air bags? I've got heavier springs under my 06 and it helps worth the squat but not much with the side to side sway. I think "helper springs" is the brand.

 

[SoILcattle]

What are you planning on hauling with the truck?

I have a 08 2500 Duramax, does what I need it to, I keep good load range e tires on it and have had 30k+ including the gooseneck on it before and the truck pulled and handled it fine. A dually will naturally handle the load better but won't get around as good off road.

I also put 180k miles on a 03 Duramax fixed a few things but the truck was worked very hard and was in pretty good shape when I sold it.

As far as buying new, I myself may never buy a new truck . The depreciation is to much for me. I am also not to keen on paying 60-80k for a pickup. Everytime I have bought a new vehicle the new wears off after about 2 weeks and that big payment still needs paid. In time I have foundy favorite vehicle is one with no payment :banana:

 

[bird dog]

If you buy brand new and replace the bed before you scratch up the new one you can probably sell it for 400 to 800. Not much for sure. Half the time the tail gate is worth more than the bed. When I bought my 3500 the dealer had a customer looking for a bed so it was an easy deal for me to sell. Sold for $800 but it was perfect. The guy installing the flatbed helped out with the transaction. He told me he had sold a few but never one for what I got.

Look around for a tradesman package without the appearance package. In other words no chrome anywhere. Mine new was cheaper than anything used I looked at because they were all loaded with stuff I didn't want. Go to the Ram website and build you one like you want to get an idea on the price. Then have the system tell you where one is at. There was only one like I wanted within a 100 miles. Its been a good truck so far but I only have 30K miles on it. It does have a airbag recall pending.

 

[wbvs58]

You say time in your life when you can afford it, no kids. I don't know of your situation but bear in mind if you have not bought realestate yet and plan to down the track, when you go see the bank they make lists of your assets and liability's and a weekly payment coming out of your income can significantly decrease what you can borrow. I too do like new, tires are new full 12mths registration paid, just that much further away from major services and you can confidently keep it for longer all of which eases that depreciation pain.

Ken

 

[littletom]

I have been through several of your questions. I have had a o6 dura max 3500 since 12. Before that all hauling was with a 3/4 imho if pulling real weight no comparsion and feels safer. The 06 has air bags under it. In feb of 17 i bought a new 16 c&c chevy with a cm aluminum bed. If buying new i would look for a model year back, the savings are stupid. I kept the 06 dually and put a flat bed on it, just a lot better option for me. Fuel tank, air compresser, tools etc. I put a gooseneck brand bed on it and love it. It's painted not powder coated have friends with year or two old powder coated beds that look like rust crap. And the goose neck are cheaper than most. I got a deal on the c&C had the aluminum bed on it on the lot, i would not have payed what that bed cost. It looks great but not as tough and makes truck ride rougher when not loaded. This truck is usually under a trailer.
I sold that 10 year old not busted take off bed for 1200. I don't regret buying new but looked around. Keep in mind a C&C will be a bit longer and bed be little narrower vs a dually take off.
All that said next time around if i get the chance. Next truck will be a ford with a gooseneck bed with a trough going to the ball. I don't ever see going back to a 3/4 or regular bed. For running around i have a beater tacoma. All depends on your uses.
My workers now drive that old 3/4 the leaf springs broke and fell out of it yesterday

 

[snoopdog]

This is a connundrum for me, as I currently have a 85 gas 1ton, and a 03 s10. Neither one can do what the other does, both have problems. Everything can outrun my one ton , with a load, but I still get there, and anything can outhaul my s10, but I still get it done. They are both paid for and have been for years, I do need a new rig, but which one should I replace?

 

[DCB4]

I have been through several of your questions. I have had a o6 dura max 3500 since 12. Before that all hauling was with a 3/4 imho if pulling real weight no comparsion and feels safer. The 06 has air bags under it. In feb of 17 i bought a new 16 c&c chevy with a cm aluminum bed. If buying new i would look for a model year back, the savings are stupid. I kept the 06 dually and put a flat bed on it, just a lot better option for me. Fuel tank, air compresser, tools etc. I put a gooseneck brand bed on it and love it. It's painted not powder coated have friends with year or two old powder coated beds that look like rust crap. And the goose neck are cheaper than most. I got a deal on the c&C had the aluminum bed on it on the lot, i would not have payed what that bed cost. It looks great but not as tough and makes truck ride rougher when not loaded. This truck is usually under a trailer.
I sold that 10 year old not busted take off bed for 1200. I don't regret buying new but looked around. Keep in mind a C&C will be a bit longer and bed be little narrower vs a dually take off.
All that said next time around if i get the chance. Next truck will be a ford with a gooseneck bed with a trough going to the ball. I don't ever see going back to a 3/4 or regular bed. For running around i have a beater tacoma. All depends on your uses.
My workers now drive that old 3/4 the leaf springs broke and fell out of it yesterday

Have you had any kind of problems out of your 16? Ive got a couple dumb questions but I don't know the answer so I'm going to ask them. Would the wear and tear be worse on the front end of a dually compared to a 3/4 ton as far as getting around in pastures and hayfields or is everything going to beefier to accommodate that? And as far as getting around wet, muddy places have you had much trouble in a dually? Ive got an old ford ranger that I use to beat around the farm in so it's not like I'd be taking a ton truck out to check cows or anything just wondering more about normal use as far as the wear and tear would go

 

[Brute 23]

I have been through several of your questions. I have had a o6 dura max 3500 since 12. Before that all hauling was with a 3/4 imho if pulling real weight no comparsion and feels safer. The 06 has air bags under it. In feb of 17 i bought a new 16 c&c chevy with a cm aluminum bed. If buying new i would look for a model year back, the savings are stupid. I kept the 06 dually and put a flat bed on it, just a lot better option for me. Fuel tank, air compresser, tools etc. I put a gooseneck brand bed on it and love it. It's painted not powder coated have friends with year or two old powder coated beds that look like rust crap. And the goose neck are cheaper than most. I got a deal on the c&C had the aluminum bed on it on the lot, i would not have payed what that bed cost. It looks great but not as tough and makes truck ride rougher when not loaded. This truck is usually under a trailer.
I sold that 10 year old not busted take off bed for 1200. I don't regret buying new but looked around. Keep in mind a C&C will be a bit longer and bed be little narrower vs a dually take off.
All that said next time around if i get the chance. Next truck will be a ford with a gooseneck bed with a trough going to the ball. I don't ever see going back to a 3/4 or regular bed. For running around i have a beater tacoma. All depends on your uses.
My workers now drive that old 3/4 the leaf springs broke and fell out of it yesterday

Have you had any kind of problems out of your 16? Ive got a couple dumb questions but I don't know the answer so I'm going to ask them. Would the wear and tear be worse on the front end of a dually compared to a 3/4 ton as far as getting around in pastures and hayfields or is everything going to beefier to accommodate that? And as far as getting around wet, muddy places have you had much trouble in a dually? Ive got an old ford ranger that I use to beat around the farm in so it's not like I'd be taking a ton truck out to check cows or anything just wondering more about normal use as far as the wear and tear would go

Once you get to the last 5 years or so there is no difference in a 3/4 and 1 ton other than the overload springs. The front end, engine, tranny, rear end, etc... all the exact same.

I had a 15' and now have a 17' Duramax. They are nice but the amount of money they want for them is ridiculous. If you don't drive a bunch of miles and its not your daily driver I would find a deal on a used dually and rig it out like you want. Even if you have $30-40K in it your still half the price of a new one.

A lot would depend on your financial situation if its wise or not.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Everyone around here that has GM trucks and works them has front end problems. The GM is the best riding truck I've been in, but maintenance will eat your lunch once you get over 150K miles. A flat bed dually is great for a work truck. But trying to park in a tight spot, carrying groceries, buying 2 extra tires and tieing or locking everything down that you want to keep is a PITA. We run a 1 ton 4 door, 4x4, long bed single wheel truck and it works good for what we do. We only pull really heavy 10-15k miles a year anymore so a dually isn't really needed. Tires use to hold a single wheel truck back, but the new tires and rim sizes made a big difference in towing performance.

 

[littletom]

Nothing broke on the 16 yet. The 06 has 245k on it front end rebuilt once won't be long now for another. No big heavy diesel truck set up to tow goes worth a crap in mud. I check cow and drive through pastures with them. About going used vs new i don't know you can get 40 in a used one fast. That 16 is cloth seats vinyl floors power everything with a expensive bed on it. Bought in feb of 17 so they wanted to move it. Had 18 miles on it cost 50. Find somewhere that deals in that type truck to get a deal.

 

[BobbyLummus1]

nothing beating the 6.7 powerstroke/6R140 trans right now

 

[True Grit Farms]

nothing beating the 6.7 powerstroke/6R140 trans right now

Except in fuel mileage.

 

[cfpinz]

nothing beating the 6.7 powerstroke/6R140 trans right now

Except in fuel mileage.

I concur. Just bought a single cab dually and put a Hydrabed on it, turned 3k miles last week. Averaging around 9 or so pulling a trailer and 11ish bobtail.

Previous truck was an '07 Dudge with the 6.7 which had been deleted and cranked on, would add 1 to 2 mpg to each of the above numbers. Ford still has emissions equipment on it at the moment. New truck is twice the truck the Dodge was, with 90% of the engine.

 

[True Grit Farms]

nothing beating the 6.7 powerstroke/6R140 trans right now

Except in fuel mileage.

I concur. Just bought a single cab dually and put a Hydrabed on it, turned 3k miles last week. Averaging around 9 or so pulling a trailer and 11ish bobtail.

Previous truck was an '07 Dudge with the 6.7 which had been deleted and cranked on, would add 1 to 2 mpg to each of the above numbers. Ford still has emissions equipment on it at the moment. New truck is twice the truck the Dodge was, with 90% of the engine.

My Ram 2011 dually 4D, 4x4 with 3.73 gears and a 6 speed got 17 mpg highway, and as bad as 7 mpg towing heavy stock. You must of had 4.10 in your Dodge. My 2013 deleted will adverage 20+mpg at 80 mph all day and for some reason even better in the mountains.
I'm still trying to accept the screwing I got from Ford on my 2003 F350 4x4. It had the new and improved 6.0, it was the latest and greatest POS. In all fairness it was a good truck besides the engine. I'm very close to buying a new Ford F350 4x4 long bed, but that's like buying 2 rental houses. I'm a Ford person, but I'd like whip the idiots that came up with the 6.0 and 6.4 diesel engines.