New to the diesel game....
#31
03-22-2012 | 08:46 AM
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Joined: May 2010
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From: Pennsylvania
The subaru requires 93, which is only .10 cheaper than diesel. I have read a lot of people with cummins, and my friends who have cummins are getting 20-21 highway mileage. I realize that cheap and reliable would be best, but I want/need something 4wd/AWD, so it would be a truck or a subaru, and diesel gets better mpg on the highway than a gasser as far as trucks go.
#32
03-22-2012 | 09:13 AM
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Well Touche. Remember a cummins like this is going to be older and have tons of miles. If you got the time to keep on maint and the money for it go for it. Remember parts are double. Also most people dont drive strictly on the highway.
Been to college and heres my two cents. Get the cheap reliable vehicle, I lived in MI my whole life and didnt own a 4x4 till I was 24 years old and made it by just fine, and I live in Northern NY and see thousands of front wheel drives that do fine. You really should focus your energy and time on going to school. The better you do the better job you will get out of college and with a better job means getting the exact truck you want later, ask anybody here project vehicles never turn out as intended, they either cost more money than expected or sit and rust some more. Messing around with some old beater during college will not be that fun when its broke or breaks down trying to go class. I dont know what kind of school you are going to, but in order to succed college is a full time mon-fri event. I didnt study or work much on weekends and was successful, but there were weekends where I did. Like I said get the cheapest thing that goes the most miles with least amount of money during school, youll thank me later.
I also had the friends in late HS and early college that had the big truck and they were cool, working making 15 bucks an hour. Well I went to school and 6 years later I make double the money and have a nice new big truck and they are tinkering with that same old pos truck.
Been to college and heres my two cents. Get the cheap reliable vehicle, I lived in MI my whole life and didnt own a 4x4 till I was 24 years old and made it by just fine, and I live in Northern NY and see thousands of front wheel drives that do fine. You really should focus your energy and time on going to school. The better you do the better job you will get out of college and with a better job means getting the exact truck you want later, ask anybody here project vehicles never turn out as intended, they either cost more money than expected or sit and rust some more. Messing around with some old beater during college will not be that fun when its broke or breaks down trying to go class. I dont know what kind of school you are going to, but in order to succed college is a full time mon-fri event. I didnt study or work much on weekends and was successful, but there were weekends where I did. Like I said get the cheapest thing that goes the most miles with least amount of money during school, youll thank me later.
I also had the friends in late HS and early college that had the big truck and they were cool, working making 15 bucks an hour. Well I went to school and 6 years later I make double the money and have a nice new big truck and they are tinkering with that same old pos truck.
Last edited by nards444; 03-22-2012 at 12:31 PM.
#33
03-22-2012 | 05:39 PM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 8,673
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From: Rosenberg/Baytown TX
Yea, I know about the buy-backs, Ford took my '03 and GAVE me an '06 even trade. (I have purchased a lot of Ford products over the years) They were very cool about it. Also, I didn't rant and rave and throw a pissy fit when the '03 cylinder heads blew off, they were impressed by my mature attitude.
#34
03-22-2012 | 05:43 PM
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Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Rosenberg/Baytown TX
Keep in mind your in school and the biggest thing you need is CHEAP and reliable. Does the WRX or diesel fit that bill? Only you can determine that. Most diesel parts are double the cost, and if you cant fix it yourself mechanics charge more to do the work. Also on a lot of models of diesels routine fixes can mean pulling the cab, tranny, or just ripping half of the engine apart.
this right here. to get a cummins in the cheaper range you might get the mileage but you still have to deal with the older dodge truck and their bad trannys and seats etc. not because im a ford guy (had a 94 dodge) but id look at a powerstroke. the interiors are nicer but also theyre all interchangeable. the list of parts on my truck that are off of newer f250's is crazy. that and if you get a 7.3 youll also have a very limited capacity to make cheap power and that will save you money while in school haha
#35
03-22-2012 | 10:45 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 348
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From: Pennsylvania
Well Touche. Remember a cummins like this is going to be older and have tons of miles. If you got the time to keep on maint and the money for it go for it. Remember parts are double. Also most people dont drive strictly on the highway.
Been to college and heres my two cents. Get the cheap reliable vehicle, I lived in MI my whole life and didnt own a 4x4 till I was 24 years old and made it by just fine, and I live in Northern NY and see thousands of front wheel drives that do fine. You really should focus your energy and time on going to school. The better you do the better job you will get out of college and with a better job means getting the exact truck you want later, ask anybody here project vehicles never turn out as intended, they either cost more money than expected or sit and rust some more. Messing around with some old beater during college will not be that fun when its broke or breaks down trying to go class. I dont know what kind of school you are going to, but in order to succed college is a full time mon-fri event. I didnt study or work much on weekends and was successful, but there were weekends where I did. Like I said get the cheapest thing that goes the most miles with least amount of money during school, youll thank me later.
I also had the friends in late HS and early college that had the big truck and they were cool, working making 15 bucks an hour. Well I went to school and 6 years later I make double the money and have a nice new big truck and they are tinkering with that same old pos truck.
Been to college and heres my two cents. Get the cheap reliable vehicle, I lived in MI my whole life and didnt own a 4x4 till I was 24 years old and made it by just fine, and I live in Northern NY and see thousands of front wheel drives that do fine. You really should focus your energy and time on going to school. The better you do the better job you will get out of college and with a better job means getting the exact truck you want later, ask anybody here project vehicles never turn out as intended, they either cost more money than expected or sit and rust some more. Messing around with some old beater during college will not be that fun when its broke or breaks down trying to go class. I dont know what kind of school you are going to, but in order to succed college is a full time mon-fri event. I didnt study or work much on weekends and was successful, but there were weekends where I did. Like I said get the cheapest thing that goes the most miles with least amount of money during school, youll thank me later.
I also had the friends in late HS and early college that had the big truck and they were cool, working making 15 bucks an hour. Well I went to school and 6 years later I make double the money and have a nice new big truck and they are tinkering with that same old pos truck.
#36
03-22-2012 | 10:48 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 348
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From: Pennsylvania
yup its often easiest work with the cab off but alot can be done cab on still just being bigger trucks and motors there are lots of little things that need to come off.
this right here. to get a cummins in the cheaper range you might get the mileage but you still have to deal with the older dodge truck and their bad trannys and seats etc. not because im a ford guy (had a 94 dodge) but id look at a powerstroke. the interiors are nicer but also theyre all interchangeable. the list of parts on my truck that are off of newer f250's is crazy. that and if you get a 7.3 youll also have a very limited capacity to make cheap power and that will save you money while in school haha
this right here. to get a cummins in the cheaper range you might get the mileage but you still have to deal with the older dodge truck and their bad trannys and seats etc. not because im a ford guy (had a 94 dodge) but id look at a powerstroke. the interiors are nicer but also theyre all interchangeable. the list of parts on my truck that are off of newer f250's is crazy. that and if you get a 7.3 youll also have a very limited capacity to make cheap power and that will save you money while in school haha
Last edited by fishsniper; 03-22-2012 at 11:54 PM.
#37
03-23-2012 | 12:24 AM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 8,673
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From: Rosenberg/Baytown TX
Any diesel truck I'd get would be a manual transmission, so the bad tranny wouldn't be a big deal there, and yea, I know that dodge autos are terrible (my mom had a 99 1500). I've always loved the powerstroke. " if you get a 7.3 youll also have a very limited capacity to make cheap power" Wouldn't that be a bad thing to have a limited capacity for cheap power? ANY truck I'd get would have higher miles on it.
And it was a joke. It's good for your wallet but not as fun. 7.3 with mods can do what a tuned 6.0 can but the same goes for 6.4's. 6.0 needs compounds and nitrous to get above 700hp where 6.4's can easily hit 700 and many highly modified ones make over 1000hp
#40
03-23-2012 | 05:12 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 43,310
Likes: 778
From: Joplin MO
The ideal diesel would be a Ford truck with a Cummins engine with either a manual transmission or an Allison automatic............
My nephew has a 2000 2500 with a Cummins and an auto - the tranny is a total POS. He's looking to do a manual conversion.
I know that dodge autos are terrible (my mom had a 99 1500)
Last edited by glc; 03-23-2012 at 05:14 AM.
#43
03-23-2012 | 10:31 PM
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,843
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From: St. Charles, MO
