F-250 super duty, Ram2500 mpg

[PondSkum]

Just for your data. I recently traded my 2015 Ram 2500 mega cab for a 2018 Ram 3500 mega cab DRW. Here's my info if it helps.

2015 Ram 2500 Mega Cab 4x4 Laramie - Auto Trans - 3.42 gears
Empty around town - 11-12 mpg
Empty highway - 20-22 mpg (best mileage was 22.5 with my wife driving avg between 60-65 mph... I got 21.5 driving 75-80 mph)
Towing ~7k lb trailer with Jeep Wrangler on it - 14-16 mpg
Towing ~7k lb trailer with Jeep + ~2500 lb popup tandem - 11-12 mpg (from Houston to Marble Falls, TX.. flat to somewhat hilly terrain)
Towing ~14k lb Road Warrior - 9 mpg (from Houston to Mason, TX.. flat to somewhat hilly terrain)

2018 Ram 3500 DRW Mega Cab 4x4 Laramie - Auto Trans - 3.42 gears (not Aisin unfortunately)
Empty around town - 11 mpg
Empty highway - haven't really tested yet, best I've gotten is 17 mpg with mixed highway/city
Towing ~7k lb trailer with Jeep - haven't tested yet
Towing ~14k lb Road Warrior - 9.3 mpg (from Houston to New Braunfels, TX.. flat to slightly hilly terrain)

 

[SNOKING]

Aisin/HO is only available in the 3500's. Love ours. 39K miles in 2 and 2/3 years. Some recalls, no failures. The 3.42 gears are great freeway cruising gears empty. The Aisin lower 1st and 2nd gear compared to the FCA 68RFE is a great combination. We tow a 16K high profile 5th wheel with a 24,500 combined weight, and it is very stable even on windy days.

Chris

 

[Boatman]

We bought our RAM 3500 to tow with, not for mileage. It will tow anything hooked to it, but this comes at a cost--fuel mileage. When asked "what is our fuel mileage", my answer is "whatever it needs". Would be nice to have the best of both worlds, but buy what you need. Best of luck on your choice.

 

[MountainDon]

Thank all of you for your input!

Does anyone have model or years to prefer or avoid in a 250/2500 or 350/3500 ford/ram

I think we are leaning to getting an older model of either for now and save the big dollar choice until we are closer to retirement

I appreciate everyone's input

Don

 

[NYSUPstater]

From a Ford standpoint, most would say to stay away from '03-'07 6.0 Powerstrokes. From '07-'10 Ford had 6.4 Powerstrokes that had good power, poor mpg's and EGR issues. I ran my '03 6.0 from new till Dec '14 (Ford replaced orig eng @ 32k due to oil leak), truck had 160k on it or 130k on reman. Overall, the engine was very good. Lost only 4 inj over that time and pulled our '06 Silverback quite well and got 10 mpg's doing so. Granted I added a Banks Monster exhaust so that helped. Ford rushed this motor to market to compete w/ GM's D-max, sadly it rushed it too fast as they never got the bugs worked out beforehand. Otherwise if they did, would probly had a good reputation like the 7.3 had. The 6.4 although another good motor had flaws which I think was more so due to emissions than internal workings of the motor. Others will chime in w/ more info. Stating in '11, Ford went in house and designed/built their own motor and from what I gather has been pretty much trouble free. Many will say they use a cheap inj pump and will be costly to repair and Ford won't stand behind it. Perhaps I live in a cave, but it seems that overall, all 3 mfr's make a very good truck and IF a problem arises, that's all you hear about and thus that makes "X" brand to be a total POS. IMO, if you use a good brand of quality additives which some see as snake oils, your engine will treat you well. Not saying you won't have problems, but perhaps not for some time. Biggest issue w/ todays diesels really aren't the motors, but rather the emission systems.....read DEF. Semis are no different. When they work, they are great! When they go down.....POS! Very costly to get repaired after warranty expires.

Example on cost. My semi threw 2 eng lites awhile back. Company sent it to dealer. Over 700 bucks for them to diagnose/repair a broken wire on DEF system. Yes a broken wire!! This is on a '15 Detroit DDT13 w/ 260,000 miles. Really 1st problem I had since I got the truck in July of '15 w/ 700 miles.

Sorry I got way off track, but IMO, I'd look for a '12-'14 F350 w/ a 6.7. If you can go a smidge newer, the '15 had a good power/tq upgrade. Also depends on how much you want to spend. Another example. When I was looking in fall of '14, local dealer had a '12 w/ 10k miles asking $42K. For 6 grand more had a brand new one w/ full warranty. No brainer, went new. Thought I had my '15 sold, but not looking good at the crunch time moment.

 

[SNOKING]

Thank all of you for your input!

Does anyone have model or years to prefer or avoid in a 250/2500 or 350/3500 ford/ram

I think we are leaning to getting an older model of either for now and save the big dollar choice until we are closer to retirement

I appreciate everyone's input

Don

With RAM the 2015's or later seem to be the best. 2013 or newer for the new HD frame for the 3500's and 2014 for the 2500's. Don't get a NON DEF 6.7 Cummins/RAM 2007.5 to 2012.

I would recommend a 350/3500 over a 250/2500, gets you room to move up to a larger trailer, which often happens!!!

Ford got their new HD frame in 2017.

Chris

 

[JohnD]

Unless you plan on getting a big 5th wheel in the near future, a 350/3500 is WAY MORE TRUCK THAN YOU NEED!

And diesel...again, way more truck than you really need for your current trailer.

A 250/2500 gasser is more than enough truck for your current needs.

 

[MountainDon]

John,

I completely agree that I do not need a 1 ton truck, I would most likely do fine with a good half ton

Our thinking right now is that I would like at least the margin I would get with a 3/4 ton truck.
More stability, power , etc

If we bought new ish I would not buy less than a 1 ton as we will probably have a smaller 5 ER as our next trailer (28-30’) which again would give me more margin over the 3/4 ton

We have made the decision that we will never go beyond that size.

In a brand new ford truck the difference between a 250 and a 350 is 200 lbs in weight and about $500
That seems like a good trade off for a 1000 lbs in payload

We are not considering a Drw and since we will be buying an older truck for now 250 or 350 is fine and we will move up when we need to

That is the current thinking any way

don

 

[JohnD]

I think that is what I said...the 250/2500 should be more than enough truck for you.

Even if you go with the size 5’ver you mentioned.

My 2015 Chevy 2500HD gasser tows my 34 foot Prowler with no issues and is well within the payload of my truck.

Now, had I known I was going to get a 5’ver, I probably would have gone 1-ton, however, then I probably would have bought a much bigger trailer than I really needed.

I know that is a different way of thinking than what most here suggests...

 

[jaimeandmatt]

Unless you plan on getting a big 5th wheel in the near future, a 350/3500 is WAY MORE TRUCK THAN YOU NEED!

And diesel...again, way more truck than you really need for your current trailer.

A 250/2500 gasser is more than enough truck for your current needs.

I agree with JohnD

2018 F250 V8 Flex Fuel 4.30 ratio pulling a 2018 Sundance 14000lb. Getting about 7-9 MPG towing and 14 MPG highway/city


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[Doublegranch]

Not sure I agree with the below comments at face value, as you need to look at what the pin weight is. I say that as I had a 2011 Ram Diesel 2500 and when
upgrading to my 2017 Sundance I would have been overweight for the pin weight. Yep the truck could have pulled it, stopped it, but over weight
places an udo legal and civil issue in the situation of an accident, regardless of fault. I upgraded to a 2016 3500 Ram diesel srw, no issues and room to upgrade again!
Check your numbers and make your own decision based on the facts!

 

[Oldelevatorman]

FWIW, on my 2015 f350 drw 2wd, my mileage seems to be the same towing or not, 12.5-13 since we left Sacramento in April, now in Billings, MT!


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