<snip> My Dad is going to buy a new truck to replace his trusty '91 F-150.
He's
gonna buy one as well as a large 5th wheel travel trailer to do some
traveling (he's a retired CHP Officer) Anyways, we're looking at about
10-13k
lbs trailer weight, but he's looking at the new Ford Power Stroke. I'm
trying
to get him into a Ram 3500 single rear wheel, he does not want a dually or
a
crew cab, just a extra cab. He's really set on that new Ford/IH diesel, but
what can I tell him to sway him at Dodge?
Ed,
My Dad is a retired rural letter carrier and he has had several 5th
wheel travel trailers. His first tow vehicle was a 69 Dodge with a 318. His
trailer was really too big for the 318 to pull safely. He wanted another
Dodge to replace it in 79 but by then Dodge had quit making the big block
motors and the largest engine you could get in a truck was the 360. So he
went to Ford to get the 460. He owned 2 Fords, one 79 F250 Supeer Cab and a
89 F350 Crew Cab dually. In 95, he traded the Ford in on a Dodge Ram 3500
Club Cab dually with the V-10 and he couldn't be happier. He and I had the
opportunity to take a road trip in December and we got on the subject of
truck and towing. Dad just turned 78 and he said he is getting too old to
tow his big 5th wheel around so he is selling his trailer. He told me he
read an article, I think in the magazine Trailer Life, that in order for
any diesel engine truck to break even for the additional initial and
operating costs you'd have to drive the truck over 180K miles. RIght now
with fuel costing what it does, its probably more mileage than that. The
diesels just do not get that much better gas mileage, in most places fuel
actually costs more then regular unleaded gas, you have a greatly different
maintenance schedule, there are more filters to change, it takes more oil
to fill the crankcase, there is a whole list of things you could go into.
Tell your Dad to do some more research and look at getting the Ram 2500
Quad with the Hemi or the V-10. If he is dead set against the Quad cab,
tell him to start looking around for a used Ram Club Cab with the V-10. I'm
sure there are quite a few around in good shape that could be bought for a
reasonable amount.
HTH,
Ray Irons
Dover, DE
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