New truck - RV-Dreams Community Forum

mesa48 · RV-Dreams Community Member

New truck

Racerguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congratulations on the new truck. I've always been a Dodge truck guy when it came to Diesel trucks but I have to say if I were in the market for a truck the new Duramax would get a long hard look.Good choice.

WestWardHo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congratulations on the new truck. It sound like a great truck! Keep us posted on your loves and dislikes.

Sherry

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congrats....

mesa48 · RV-Dreams Community Member

I gave the Dodge some pretty serious consideration but I am used to Chevy so I went that way

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

mesa48 wrote:
My wife asked me the other day if I was planning on getting a new truck not sure why she asked I really had not thought about it. We were on I-70 headed west somewhere in Kansas I think. Our truck was a 2007 2500HD Duramax which does a pretty decent job of towing our 31.5lk HH 5th wheel. The truck has 122K miles and runs great a few little thing are starting to happen like the driver side mirror remote quit working so I have to adjust it by hand and I had to change the front right CV joint in Tenn. my brother in law has a nice little shop behind his house so it wasn't to bad. So after my wife's question I started thinking maybe it is time to do a little upgrade on the truck we pretty much fulltime but on a limited budget so getting a new truck is no small thing especially if it means payments. Turns out GM is handing out some pretty nice year end rebates these days making a new truck purchase seem like a pretty good idea. So we are now the proud owners of a new Chevy Duramax 3500HD DRW Crew cab 4x4.

Yep, Congrad’s indeed. Too funny – were on I-70 in far west Kansas now heading for Colorado Springs. We have really enjoyed our Chevy 3500HD with the CC hauler bed. Thing isn’t 18 months old and we have 25,000+ on it. Other than changing the oil 5 times – never seen a shop. ‘Hope you have the same luck.

Enjoy!

Bill

VanMar · RV-Dreams Family Member

Mike,

Maybe some pics are in order?? That's the truck we're planning on...maybe in the 2WD version.

Vance

-- Edited by VanMar on Thursday 29th of August 2013 07:58:24 PM

Sushidog · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bill and Linda wrote:
mesa48 wrote:
My wife asked me the other day if I was planning on getting a new truck not sure why she asked I really had not thought about it. We were on I-70 headed west somewhere in Kansas I think. Our truck was a 2007 2500HD Duramax which does a pretty decent job of towing our 31.5lk HH 5th wheel. The truck has 122K miles and runs great a few little thing are starting to happen like the driver side mirror remote quit working so I have to adjust it by hand and I had to change the front right CV joint in Tenn. my brother in law has a nice little shop behind his house so it wasn't to bad. So after my wife's question I started thinking maybe it is time to do a little upgrade on the truck we pretty much fulltime but on a limited budget so getting a new truck is no small thing especially if it means payments. Turns out GM is handing out some pretty nice year end rebates these days making a new truck purchase seem like a pretty good idea. So we are now the proud owners of a new Chevy Duramax 3500HD DRW Crew cab 4x4.
Yep, Congrad’s indeed. Too funny – were on I-70 in far west Kansas now heading for Colorado Springs. We have really enjoyed our Chevy 3500HD with the CC hauler bed. Thing isn’t 18 months old and we have 25,000+ on it. Other than changing the oil 5 times – never seen a shop. ‘Hope you have the same luck.
Enjoy!
Bill

Wow, that's only 5,000 miles between oil changes. Do you change your oil when your DIC says to? I have a 4 cyl Chevy Cobalt that I tow my Aliner with (actually 70% over my vehicle's recommended tow capacity), so I use it hard - much harder than is probably smart. I change my oil and filter by the computer recommendation (usually 7,000-10,000 miles.) I always use Mobil One synthetic oil, and I now have 245,000 miles on this little engine (over 50k towing) and it doesn't burn a pint of oil between changesand the engine has had zero repairs. Now a diesel is quite a but different than a gasser, but I trust the advanced algorythm GM's computer uses to determine when my oil needs to be changed. If you don't trust the GM engineers who designed the computer program, I recommend doing an old school oil analysis for the ultimate info on when it needs changing. But even with petroleum based oil, you are brobably changing it at least twice as often as is needed. It's your engine, do whatever you want, but I'm sure you are changing perfectly good oil. Sweet truck, BTW.

Mesa48, congrats on the new truck!

Chip

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Chip,

Sorry, but some of us "old-school" folks have long believed in the philosophy that oil is one of the cheapest forms of preventative maintenance. It has only been the last year or two that I've gotten to where I'll wait until 5000 miles have passed before changing the oil, even in a gasser. Prior to that, 3000 miles was the number I went by.

As for engineers, some of us who "used" to be shade-tree mechanics curse engineers. Everyone of them should have to perform the maintenance on any engine they design so they will understand what it takes for the "wrenchers" to repair a malfunctioning engine part. Back many years ago, when I drove 18-wheelers, I always hated it when one of the trucks with a Detroit 318 engine was in the shop. Of all the guys around, I was the only one with small enough hands and wrists to reach in between the frame and the engine, so I got to be the one that was called upon to remove some parts from the engines.

Terry

Sushidog · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks, Terry and Joe for the reply. I understand the "cheap insurance" concept (when oil was pennies a quart) of changing oil early to reduce particulate matter, as oil is the life blood of an engine. Far be it for me to try to persuade anyone of doing what works best for them and they are comfortable with. However 3000 mile oil changes went the way of non-detergent oils. With today's high detergent oils with over twice the film strength (some as high as 10 times the film strength) that are very stable over time (less than 10% of the percent thickening and greater temperature stability of dinosaur oils) and modern micron oil filtration, it's hard to argue (other than emotionally) for too frequent oil changes, especially considering the price of oil. Heck, with motorcycle oil well over $12/qt and an oil change for my little 4 cyl car costing near $100 (and it only takes 5 qts of oil $9/qt oil.) I cant imagine how much an oil change is for a diesel with over 4 gallons of $12/qt Mobil one synthetic diesel oil. If it's necessary, that's one thing, but I'd rather spend that money on fuel to see this great USA before I expire!

Here's a good article on the subject. www.edmunds.com/car-care/stop-changing-your-oil.html

Sorry for the hijack folks. Just trying to help, (I was a mechanic and owned a repair shop for 9 years too) and I'm surely not judging anyone. It's surely better to change it a month too soon than a day too late. :0 It's all good! ;)

Chip

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sushidog wrote:
Bill and Linda wrote:

Yep, Congrad’s indeed. Too funny – were on I-70 in far west Kansas now heading for Colorado Springs. We have really enjoyed our Chevy 3500HD with the CC hauler bed. Thing isn’t 18 months old and we have 25,000+ on it. Other than changing the oil 5 times – never seen a shop. ‘Hope you have the same luck.
Enjoy!
Bill
Wow, that's only 5,000 miles between oil changes. Do you change your oil when your DIC says to?
Mesa48, congrats on the new truck!
Chip

Hey Chip:

Yea, I go about 5,000 miles due to towing. More emotion than science. The GM regional rep told us go head and do it at 5,000 miles if it makes you feel better, but that it really wasn't necessary for proper maintenance and engine longevity. There was an old adage my father used to say as he taught me a lot of things: “If everything else fails, read the directions from the man who built it.” So, yes, I change it sooner than I need to.

Point is, there is a warranty on these things and if the oil needed to be changed more often to assure the 100,000 mile warranty period they would have the DIC computer tell you to change the oil sooner. The new oils, as commented, are that good.

At 5,000 miles my engine says I’m at only ~50% of the oil change interval based on actual use. Therefore, IMO, under heavy towing conditions, that’s certainly soon enough for these new diesels. As I said, more emotion than science. And also yes, an oil analysis, as we did with aircraft engines isn't a bad idea, but probably overkill with the Duramax I have based on the 10 year history of that engine which GM certainly has.

FWIW, my trucks have never “used” oil even at 100,000 miles of towing service.

All good campfire discussion stuff. :)

Bill

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sushidog wrote:
Thanks, Terry and Joe for the reply. I understand the "cheap insurance" concept (when oil was pennies a quart) of changing oil early to reduce particulate matter, as oil is the life blood of an engine. Far be it for me to try to persuade anyone of doing what works best for them and they are comfortable with. However 3000 mile oil changes went the way of non-detergent oils. With today's high detergent oils with over twice the film strength (some as high as 10 times the film strength) that are very stable over time (less than 10% of the percent thickening and greater temperature stability of dinosaur oils) and modern micron oil filtration, it's hard to argue (other than emotionally) for too frequent oil changes, especially considering the price of oil. Heck, with motorcycle oil well over $12/qt and an oil change for my little 4 cyl car costing near $100 (and it only takes 5 qts of oil $9/qt oil.) I cant imagine how much an oil change is for a diesel with over 4 gallons of $12/qt Mobil one synthetic diesel oil. If it's necessary, that's one thing, but I'd rather spend that money on fuel to see this great USA before I expire!

Here's a good article on the subject. www.edmunds.com/car-care/stop-changing-your-oil.html

Sorry for the hijack folks. Just trying to help, (I was a mechanic and owned a repair shop for 9 years too) and I'm surely not judging anyone. It's surely better to change it a month too soon than a day too late. :0 It's all good! ;)

Chip

Not really a hijack, Chip, as it still is related to a vehicle. (Well, at least from my standpoint it isn't.) However, only an oil change on my F450 with diesel costs as much as $100. Otherwise, we can change oil in our gas powered F150 for right around $40. Methinks you are living in the wrong place....maybe?

Terry