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2014 RAM 1500 EcoDiesel Review

G
Dec 20, 2007
1,941
864
113
Three Forks, MT
i here a lot of people talking about how awesome the 8speed auto will be, but with the reputation dodge has with automatics behind diesel engines not holding up very well i think i'd give it some time before I'd be makin any assumptions how great it will be. there's a reason they're the only truck you can get with a manual anymoreand obviously its not because the majority of people want one or the others would still offer one.

i will give dodge credit for stepping out of the box and atleast offering a light duty diesel, although i agree they probably would do better if they stuck with the 5.0 cummins. hopefully gm will release the colorado diesel in the u.s. soon, I'd like ta see how the little truck would do especially if you could turn it up some might be a fun little truck.

FYI

The 8 speed is ZF trans that BMW, land rover, Maserati and other manufacturers have been using for a while. I wouldn't worry about that. And the engine has been in the grand Cherokee in Europe for a while as well.
 
C

cowkiller

Active member
Nov 26, 2007
326
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Eugene Or.
I have to jump in on this.
I own a 2003 dodge 1 ton I bought new in 03. It is a Cummins 6 spd. Chip and filter. I get 25 mpg empty on the highway, 16 mpg pulling a 2 place enclosed. I get 12-14 pulling my 36ft triple axle fifth wheel.
The truck is still in great shape runs great, looks good.
The economy of the diesel option is not a short term deal however in the long run I have easily saved the cost (I think $4800 in 03) over the last decade.
Long term durability... A diesel will be running strong when the eco boost or hemi is all clapped out. Oh and another advantage is there are no hills. The usable torque is amazing.
I hunt with a guy with a hemi dodge. I get better fuel economy pulling a trailer than he gets empty
I have no intention of upgrading to a newer rig because I don't have to.
I like the truck now more than the day I bought it with fuel prices the way they are. Great fuel economy and I could pull a small town over the mountain if I needed to.
 

Ford428CJ

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Lifetime Membership
Jan 16, 2009
380
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28
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Why not get a 3/4 ton at that point!? There are some older Diesels that do well on fuel. And Diesels are not cheap to maintain. Also this is the first year.... I would give it some time and see what happens. JMHO
 

milehighassassin

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Nov 16, 2005
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FOCO/VAIL
There Is more to power and torque numbers than the peak number. Stop magazine racing.

Where this power is available is a big deal.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Mafesto

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Nov 26, 2007
12,261
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Northeast SD
There Is more to power and torque numbers than the peak number. Stop magazine racing.

Where this power is available is a big deal.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's what cool about Ford's ecoboost.
I've never seen another gas mill with a torque band as broad as that.
Pull hard ALL the way through.
 

turboless terry

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Premium Member
Jan 15, 2008
5,565
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Big Timber, MT
Everyone writes the cost of a diesel off when you buy it. It is when you see your monthly fuel bill that you start whining. It is not like people, that didn't get a diesel, put $8000 in their account to buy fuel. It is no different than people saying that if you can afford a turbo you can afford race fuel. That is not neccessarily true. You get waaaay more out of a diesel when you sell it so I think that mutes out the 8000 to get in the game. They will hands down get better mileage and pull a heavier load. Oil changes are double or triple and fuel is anywhere from .30-.80 cents higher. Do they pay for themselves? I have never seen anyone's truck pay for itself. It is just a neccessary evil that we all have to have. Is everyone buying their truck just for snowmobiling? I don't think so. You have to decide what fits your needs and go with it. I just seen what a 6.0 L would do, with 7 ton of concrete forms on a tandem axel dually trailer, going over the columbus hill in second gear. That is why I have a diesel. Years ago, my dad was a veterinarian, and needed a 4 wheel drive pickup. He got an f150 with a 302 because he didn't pull the horse trailer that much compared without. Let me tell you what, if there was a head wind, when pulling the trailer, it really sucked. That was pre diesel. He has a diesel now and says it doesn't matter what it gets. Buy what you want and get over pounding this to death. If it is what you want it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.
 

milehighassassin

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Nov 16, 2005
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Sure diesel resale is better but that's because you paid more in the first place. If you never sell the truck then it doesn't matter. Or if you put 200,000 miles your resale is garbage no matter the motor.


Not everyone needs a diesel truck. I don't. The most I tow right now is maybe 4k lbs. even of I tow double that once know while a half ton gasser will work fine.





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J

Jaynelson

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
5,005
5,542
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Nelson BC
Not everyone needs a diesel truck. I don't. The most I tow right now is maybe 4k lbs. even of I tow double that once know while a half ton gasser will work fine.
Agreed, I fall in to that same boat. That is where the lighter duty 1/2-ton diesel is (theoretically) not a bad option. Hopefully get a fuel economy benefit, with good low-end torque, without the buy-in price and all the maintenance and breakage issues/expenses (and poor fuel economy) of the current larger diesel offerings.

Don't get me wrong, if I had money to completely fart in the wind, I would probably buy a Denali Duramax just because they are badass. But for what I do with a truck, it makes about as much sense as a turbo sled. Cool...yes. Necessity....no.
 
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FriscoProx

Well-known member
Premium Member
Nov 29, 2007
754
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I'd hold out for the 2015 Nissan with the Cummins 5.0 at 300hp/500lb if I needed something in that class. My 2002 Cummins 5.9 has similar numbers to the 2014 in stock form less all the emissions BS. I'd want a little more that here in the mountains even towing a little two place open. The idea of tearing the exhaust\emissions apart first thing on a new $45,000 truck just doesn't seem reasonable.
 
J

Jaynelson

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
5,005
5,542
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Nelson BC
You need more than 420 ft/lbs at 2,000rpm to tow a 2 place open like I need a Leerjet for commuting.

Some people are hard to please....I've seen people towing 2 place opens with minivans, Rav4's, and Subarus.
 
K
Jan 18, 2013
107
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28
Idaho Falls, ID
You need more than 420 ft/lbs at 2,000rpm to tow a 2 place open like I need a Leerjet for commuting.

Some people are hard to please....I've seen people towing 2 place opens with minivans, Rav4's, and Subarus.


Haha, that was what I was thinking. Needs 20,000lb tow rating to pull a 2,000lb 2 place loaded??? Amazing the rigs people think they need to pull a trailer.
 
C
Jan 8, 2005
224
8
18
Calgary
i here a lot of people talking about how awesome the 8speed auto will be, but with the reputation dodge has with automatics behind diesel engines not holding up very well i think i'd give it some time before I'd be makin any assumptions how great it will be. there's a reason they're the only truck you can get with a manual anymoreand obviously its not because the majority of people want one or the others would still offer one.

i will give dodge credit for stepping out of the box and atleast offering a light duty diesel, although i agree they probably would do better if they stuck with the 5.0 cummins. hopefully gm will release the colorado diesel in the u.s. soon, I'd like ta see how the little truck would do especially if you could turn it up some might be a fun little truck.

Apparently Nissan is going to be using the Cummins 5L diesel in their Titan truck.
 

1Fast68

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Nov 26, 2007
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Renton, WA
From the MT Article
"During testing, our judges were surprised by the qualitative and quantitative results when comparing the diesel V-6 with a typical gasoline-powered V-6 or V-8. Our testing represents the type of hard driving to which the toughest of owners will subject their trucks. We tow, we accelerate from a stop, we accelerate at highway speeds, we throw in some climbs for good measure, and we simulate a truck's best/worst days. When all was said and done, the EcoDiesel returned an observed 15 mpg at the test track, while the GM V-8s and the lone Toyota 1/2-ton V-8 were all in the single digits. The Sierra V-6 managed only 10 mpg. The Real MPG testing confirmed our findings, with the Ram towering over its 1/2-ton competition by at least 8 mpg city, 7 hwy. If you still doubt the advantages of the diesel engine, this might be more a spiritual than intellectual quandary."
 

Mafesto

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Nov 26, 2007
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Northeast SD
That is very encouraging.

But this is what I thought was lacking...
"PASSING, 45-65 MPH 5.1 seconds"
 
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