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New Member- Future ED owner with a few questions

3366 Views 11 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  Tim
Hi all,
My name is Ryan and I'm a current ram owner(06 2500 diesel) and looking to downsize for better mileage and gain a crew cab for the family. I'm from Iowa and a heavy equipment mechanic for an earthmoving company. Because of my job I have always preferred diesels over gas for the efficiency. I have a few questions for current owners regarding the bed lengths. My current bed is the 6'4" bed and its been very acceptable to me for almost everything I've needed to haul. I've been looking at new ED's and can't decide if I want a crew cab with the longer bed or the shorter bed. Was curious if anyone went from the longer bed to the shorter on their new truck and found it as a pain in the butt. I haul lumber pretty frequently doing projects around the house. I can fit the longer bed truck in the garage but it'll be tight and I'm sure the wife would prefer the same length truck as my current one. Also how is the leather in the new Laramies to clean? My leather is solid so when I get it dirty I wipe it down but I see now they are perforated in the center and wondered if they are a pain the keep clean? Thanks for your help guys!
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The "long bed" on the 1500's is the same length as the bed you have currently (or at least within a couple of inches). the "short bed" is a 5' 7" which is only available on the 1500's. I Currently have a 06 mega cab, but i ordered the 1500 with the 5' 7" bed. we'll see how it goes.
I just think crew's with the long bed are MASSIVE. I wouldn't mind so much if you had more bed than cab, you know, functional!

welcome to the site!
I came from a 2500 Cummins quad cab to this 1500. It's the same bed as my Cummins so I see no difference. As for the quad or crew - I would have to haul adults in the back and care about them to change.

My thoughts on that are an adult, sitting in the back seat of a truck, should have their own truck. As for the grandchildren, they are small and the back seat is fine. That seat just hauls stuff, guns and fishing gear. It's fine for that.

Don't do leather. Can't help there.
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FP3- This is exactly what I was meaning. Not sure how I will like a shorter bed.

I would like to go with a crew over a quad because my current quad cab sucks for car seats. My daughter is only 3 months old and we plan on having another in a few years. To put her car seat in the truck behind my wife's seat she has to slide it half way up which makes it uncomfortable. If I get a crew cab and the shorter bed it will be the same length overall as my current truck. Was just wondering if someone had gone from the 6'4" bed to the 5'7" bed and how they felt about it. Or anyone with the shorter bed if they haul stuff if they find it to be normal or more of a hassle.

Thanks guys!
All I know is "Happy Wife, Happy Life!" If you're making any considerations about how easy it is to get a car seat in and out, make that your top priority. Two kids are more than twice the work of one. (I have two and I love them, this is just physics).

If you make it tough on your wife and the kids, you will never hear the end of it. If you have to struggle a bit to tie down your load of lumber better, you'll get over it after you first beer when you get home.

sorry for the grandfatherly advice.....feel free to disregard.
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Worst case scenario you could always invest in a bed extender if you're concerned about haulability. I figure thats the best of both worlds...

second zoomie above!
cummins06td- I have no input on that yet. wont get my truck till satuday/monday
Got my new ED yesterday!

I gave in and decided to get myself a new truck. I found one that I loved about 5 hours away(in Chicago). Worked out good because I rode up with a coworker that was going there anyway and picked it up. Got a Laramie Limited 4wd Crew cab with the 6'4" bed. White with black interior. Had a good 240 mile drive home to see how I liked it. Turns out I love it! I got 28 mpg on the drive up which was through road construction(stop and go traffic for 45 miles) and then about 90 miles of 70 mph and a good stretch of very hilly 60mph road. I couldn't be happier with the mileage. The air ride is much better than I figured and couldn't notice when it lowered down as I was driving until I said it on the dash that it was in aero mode. I was it would lower into aero mode at about 50 instead of over 60 but maybe when it learns my driving habits it will. I'm coming from a 06 3/4 ton truck so this thing rides sooo much better and has a lot more creature comforts. Also amazed at how quiet the truck is all around, engine noise and road noise both are great. My one complaint was the dealer. I would not recommend anyone to buy a car/truck from them and if you live in the greater Chicago area please feel free to PM me and I'll tell you the dealers name. I have never been so angry and outraged with buying a car, if I had not rode 5 hrs to get it and loved everything about it(and had a ride home lol) I would have walked out of there without the truck and found a different one. Have a great day and thanks for the replies to my original post!
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Thinking of buying

Hello Everyone,

New here to the forum but my story sounds close to others here. I currently have a '08 F-250 powerstroke (DPF delete, mini max tuner) that I'm selling. I was looking for something smaller (towing needs changed). I have been looking at a Tundra with hesitation because people are getting at best 16 mpg. I have never owned a Dodge before but this ecodiesel has really got my attention. Looking at this truck for the mileage and reliability that I have become accustom to with a diesel engine. Does anyone have any suggestions when buying one of these trucks. Anyone having any problems. New to the DEF concept does the truck still go through a regeneration cycle? I had the DPF but deleted once the filter clogged and need replaced. Thanks again for any help and don't bust my balls about the powerstroke, I'm not a brand type guy it fit my needs at the time lol.
Hello Everyone,

New here to the forum but my story sounds close to others here. I currently have a '08 F-250 powerstroke (DPF delete, mini max tuner) that I'm selling. I was looking for something smaller (towing needs changed). I have been looking at a Tundra with hesitation because people are getting at best 16 mpg. I have never owned a Dodge before but this ecodiesel has really got my attention. Looking at this truck for the mileage and reliability that I have become accustom to with a diesel engine. Does anyone have any suggestions when buying one of these trucks. Anyone having any problems. New to the DEF concept does the truck still go through a regeneration cycle? I had the DPF but deleted once the filter clogged and need replaced. Thanks again for any help and don't bust my balls about the powerstroke, I'm not a brand type guy it fit my needs at the time lol.
I have had 2 2500's that where 5.9s and current have a 6.7 that is deleted due to the problems with the emissions...I'm seriously contemplating getting either a 2015 or 2016 1500 ED for myself for my next truck.

DEF and Selective Catalyst Reduction, do a google search to learn more about How they work. Also, learn what happens when you run out of DEF thanks to EPA!

Use of DEF-SCR improves the mileage as compared to the self regenerating NOx systems that was used in the first versions of the 6.7. In short you dont get what I term 'wet soot' back into the engine which causes the EGR valve to clog up and made the sliding turbo vanes to stick causing the infamous P2262 code and check engine light to come on.

I dont think that the ED will suffer as many problems as the emissions on the prior larger diesels trucks as they have gone thru the growing pains. But as a precaution we did elected to get the extend bumper to bumper warranty on our 1500 ED (but more so for all the electronic gadgetry).

DPF is designed to last 250,000 miles at least as claimed for the 2500' under normal usage. They only clog up due to high ash oils and high amounts of sulfur in diesel. Nowadays you can neither buy high ash oils nor high sulfur diesel and so these problems are mostly gone.
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