F-250 super duty, Ram2500 mpg

[MountainDon]

Hello All,

We are looking at getting a new tow vehicle this year, but it will also be my daily driver. I was wondering if you guys out there that own the vehicles could post what king of MPG you get not towing, towing ( with the trailer weight ) the year and model of your truck and if you are happy with your purchase

I would like this for ANY tow vehicle. We are leaning to the super-duty, but still considering anything but a chevy ( my wife did not like the chevy's ride )

so year and model truck
MPG towing
MPG not towing Hiway /combined
Weight of trailer
Do you like it

Thanks in advance

Don

 

[cookie]

Don, the answers to your questions could be all over the place.
There are too many variables.
Driver A travels at 65 mph while driver B travels at 75 mph. That 10 mph difference will impact mpg.
Gear ratio could make a difference.
So individual drivers alone will matter when calculating mpg.
And the difference in fuel economy will not be huge so I suggest you buy what you like.
Not to mention the guy that gets 36 mpg towing offering advice.
JMHO

Peace
Dave

 

[Pokiejoe]

Well Don we had a 2014 f350 that got 8 to 10 towing a landmark 14 to 18 when not pulling anything and loved it but it was a srw . So now we have a 2017 f350 drw and get same mpg but we do love the new 350 it has all the bells.Hope this helps.

 

[MountainDon]

Don, the answers to your questions could be all over the place.
There are too many variables.
Driver A travels at 65 mph while driver B travels at 75 mph. That 10 mph difference will impact mpg.
Gear ratio could make a difference.
So individual drivers alone will matter when calculating mpg.
And the difference in fuel economy will not be huge so I suggest you buy what you like.
Not to mention the guy that gets 36 mpg towing offering advice.
JMHO

Peace
Dave

I am completely aware of the points you raised, but the data points are still valuable to me
this is not the deciding factor in what truck we buy, if the duramax got significantly better mileage than everything else I doubt I could convince my wife to like it)

I am interested in the information and whether people like the choices they have made


Don

 

[Gaffer]

You also need to consider that the Dodge may be more reliable with the straight six having so many fewer moving parts than a V8. And the bulletproof Asian tranny.

 

[Doublegranch]

Hello All,

We are looking at getting a new tow vehicle this year, but it will also be my daily driver. I was wondering if you guys out there that own the vehicles could post what king of MPG you get not towing, towing ( with the trailer weight ) the year and model of your truck and if you are happy with your purchase

I would like this for ANY tow vehicle. We are leaning to the super-duty, but still considering anything but a chevy ( my wife did not like the chevy's ride )

so year and model truck
MPG towing
MPG not towing Hiway /combined
Weight of trailer
Do you like it

Thanks in advance

Don

Don:
I have a 2016 Ram 3500 SRW 4x4 mega cab. I get avg 19 running around in the rural area where I live and 21 on the hwy not towing.
Undertow I get avg 14 mpg towing the Sundance 3100ck and set the cruise at 65 mpg.
All my other Rams were manual and while they got a little better MPG, I am really enjoying my first ever auto Trans "Asian"...
when in tow haul and the exhaust brake on, I rarely have to apply brakes when slowing down, ( not stopping but slowing down).

 

[MountainDon]

Thanks to you all so far - I appreciate it.

I have had a number of people locally cast aspersions on dodge quality, and I am least knowledgeable about Dodge, but I notice that a great many people on this forum tow with Dodge, so I figure it is likely not really a more problematic truck.
I am not trying to create a BRAND war here. I do not know what we will buy, but am trying to make the most informed choice I can. Does anyone have issues with Dodge or Ford maintenance or reliability?

I do not want to hijack my own thread here, but I am really trying to consider what my best choice would be and what details I should look into more before choosing one badge over another

Reliability really matters to me
Mileage towing and not towing matter to me
Features might matter to me

Thanks all

 

[JWalker]

I watch the TFL guys on YouTube a lot. Saw this video the end of last year.
https://youtu.be/JwBiUFMN8kQ

Lots of variables that go into fuel mileage.

Good of luck with your choice.

 

[MountainDon]

I agree entirely about a lot of components go into mileage. In my current truck I made a few changes and ran a test course of about 40 hi way miles with each change

I have a 2004 half ton chevy with a 5.3l gas engine

I put a k&N filter in - no significant change ( if breathing isn't the problem - K&N won't help )
the truck had brand new AT tires on it, I switched to Michelin LTX M&S tires and it got 3MPG better, conclusion - tires CAN be huge and offload tires are not mpg friendly.

This in in CO btw

don

 

[WBG]

Thanks to you all so far - I appreciate it.

I have had a number of people locally cast aspersions on dodge quality, and I am least knowledgeable about Dodge, but I notice that a great many people on this forum tow with Dodge, so I figure it is likely not really a more problematic truck.
I am not trying to create a BRAND war here. I do not know what we will buy, but am trying to make the most informed choice I can. Does anyone have issues with Dodge or Ford maintenance or reliability?

I do not want to hijack my own thread here, but I am really trying to consider what my best choice would be and what details I should look into more before choosing one badge over another

Reliability really matters to me
Mileage towing and not towing matter to me
Features might matter to me

Thanks all

My 2010 F350 Diesel is the perfect match for my 15,500 GVW Bighorn 3570rs. It tows like a dream. The only consideration is that 2010 was the last year for the International Harvester engine, starting in 2011 Ford switched to their own diesel. I have heard nothing but rave reviews for Ford's diesel, gets better mileage to boot. My brother has a 2003 Ram 2500 and has had a number if issues with it. Breakdowns on the road can be expensive and tend to eat up a bunch of time.

 

[MCTalley]

I'll just provide data points for your consideration, though we generally prefer the Ford.

2016 F-350 DRW 4x4, 3.73 axle, 6.7 diesel

Towing our 15,500 lb. Big Country @ 65 mph:
9.25 - 9.5 (level, no wind)
8.5 - 9.0 (hilly, no wind)
7.5 - 8.5 (hilly, wind, etc.)

Not towing:
Rural - 16.5
Highway @ 70 mph - 16.0
In town with a LOT of stop and go (worse case) - 11.5

FWIW, anecdotally the RAM gets better mileage in all conditions for the same type of vehicle (4x4 DRW w/3.73s). Probably due to its 6 cylinders vs. 8.

 

[bwdt]

One reason the Cummins gets better fuel economy is in the inherent design. A longer bore and a longer stroke in a diesel engine is generally more efficient. The Cummins has a lower compression ratio due to bigger bore and longer stroke, which increases its thermal efficiency and less pumping losses. This is why a six is usually more efficient over an eight with the same displacement. There are additional factors, but this is one of the main ones.

 

[NYSUPstater]

FWIW dep't, with our current truck, we towed our old Silverback (GVW loaded for week camping trip, 12,800) @ 70 mph, it got 10.5. Towing the BC, loaded for a week (GVW of 16,000), 8.5-9.0. Around town, 10-13 (but closer to the 13 number). Hiway generally at 60-70 15-17. If I baby it and stick closer to 55-60, she will get 18-19 not towing. 2015 F350 SRW, cc, 4x4, 3.55 gears, 50 gallon T-flow tank.

 

[JohnD]

Just to give you the Chevy's gas mileage, I have a 2015 Chevy Silverado 2500HD gasser with the 4.10 rear end.

It is a trailer hauling beast (as long as you stay within the tow ratings, of course)!



It was my daily driver for almost three years (100 miles per day, just rolled over 65,000 last Saturday).

I get between 6-8 MPG when towing and 11-13 MPG when not towing.

I used to get 15 MPG when not towing until I went with a more aggressive tread pattern when I got new truck tires.

 

[Jim Posz]

We purchased a new 2017 F-250 Crew cab last October with the 6.7 power stroke. We pull a 37' Sundance, about 12,000 pounds loaded.
We turned over 10,000 miles yesterday and overall averaged 10.65 mpg. Probably 2/3 of these miles were towing. We generally tow at the speed limit up to 65 mph and 68 mph at higher speed limits. We usually use the cruise.

Our previous truck was a 2009 Chevy Silverado 2500 with Duramax, It gave similar fuel economy, but had noticeably less power and consequently spent less time with the cruise on.

One thing to note regarding the Ram trucks which we discovered while truck shopping last fall was that they have two different Diesel engine/ transmission combinations; the regular output Cummins with a Dodge(?) transmission and the high output Cummins and Aisin tranny. The local Ram dealer was unable to locate a truck for us otherwise configured the way we wanted with the Aisin transmission

Hope this helps. Jim

 

[MountainDon]

We purchased a new 2017 F-250 Crew cab last October with the 6.7 power stroke. We pull a 37' Sundance, about 12,000 pounds loaded.
We turned over 10,000 miles yesterday and overall averaged 10.65 mpg. Probably 2/3 of these miles were towing. We generally tow at the speed limit up to 65 mph and 68 mph at higher speed limits. We usually use the cruise.

Our previous truck was a 2009 Chevy Silverado 2500 with Duramax, It gave similar fuel economy, but had noticeably less power and consequently spent less time with the cruise on.

One thing to note regarding the Ram trucks which we discovered while truck shopping last fall was that they have two different Diesel engine/ transmission combinations; the regular output Cummins with a Dodge(?) transmission and the high output Cummins and Aisin tranny. The local Ram dealer was unable to locate a truck for us otherwise configured the way we wanted with the Aisin transmission

Hope this helps. Jim

I had heard about the Aisin Transmission, but did not realize there was a high output cummins to go with it

Thanks to everyone for the info

 

[AnthonyA]

Hello All,

We are looking at getting a new tow vehicle this year, but it will also be my daily driver. I was wondering if you guys out there that own the vehicles could post what king of MPG you get not towing, towing ( with the trailer weight ) the year and model of your truck and if you are happy with your purchase

I would like this for ANY tow vehicle. We are leaning to the super-duty, but still considering anything but a chevy ( my wife did not like the chevy's ride )

so year and model truck
MPG towing
MPG not towing Hiway /combined
Weight of trailer
Do you like it

Thanks in advance

Don

All the Diesels have the potential to get decent MPG if you modify them correctly, i.e. performance upgrades.
On a modified Ram 2500 I have seen MPG go from 16/18 mpg stock to 18/22 with modifications.
Of course when you start towing anything, MPG goes right out the window as most people will get 8 to 10 miles per gallon.
With a modified Ram 2500, we got 11 miles per gallon towing a 16000 pound trailer over 2000 miles at a speed of 80 miles an hour ( which is way too fast to Be Towing a trailer FYI).
Unloaded I averaged 20 MPG.
If it were me, I would base my decision on which vehicle would be the most Dependable overall.
With that in mind the Cummins is hands-down the most Dependable motor you can get in a diesel truck. People may disagree but the statistics always point to the Cummins as a Dependable Workhorse.
As far as horsepower and torque ratings go, Ford Powerstroke comes in first, the Cummins second, and a Duramax third.

Hope this helps.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[John T Bettencourt]

You also need to consider that the Dodge may be more reliable with the straight six having so many fewer moving parts than a V8. And the bulletproof Asian tranny.

The Dodge will give you better fuel mileage than any of the other makes

 

[MountainDon]

I see a lot of posts touting ram reliability due to better design / fewer parts
but I also ran across jd power quality ratings today that showed Chevy as the most reliable over all with ford having the most reliable power train and the Ram in a distant third.

Is there data out there that shows ram in a better light?

As a side note, when I started the quest I really though a f-150 eco boost was the answer and had never realized how purpose built the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks are for towing.

I have learned a lot from all you guys about the importance of details I had never considered

Don

 

[MountainDon]

I have found some good information from a mechanics post online, the article was about which truck was the most durable and went back to the 80's vintage trucks. Basically the good and bad of each one. Here is the most current Ram section:

http://www.btdaa.com/uncategorized/what-is-the-best-diesel-truck-out-there/

Dodge 2003 -2007

The Cummins engine had a fuel system make over which made it quieter and more powerful. Unfortunately the fuel system was less durable than previous models. The injectors had a lot of issues which caused everything from misfires to no start issues. The injectors were eventually updated so now all of the replacement injectors from Bosh are updated with stainless steel inner parts that do not fail as quickly as the old ones did. The injectors in the 2004 ½ to 2007 models, if they fail, could quickly melt the pistons, so as soon as you saw the first sign of injector issues you better shut it down and get it to the shop because $3000 worth of injectors can quickly turn in to a $15,000 engine. The rest of the Dodge truck in these years is very durable with very few transmission problems. They have weak factory ball joints but can easily be upgraded to a very durable ball joint and eliminate most front end issues. The differentials and transfer case are strong. The engines make a ton of horsepower and torque and are still more durable these years than the Ford and Chevy engines.

Dodge 2007 - present

The Cummins B series got a face lift in 2007. It went from 5.9 liters to 6.7 liters. It got a newer, very durable injector design and a variable geometry turbo which doubles as an exhaust brake. It also got an EGR valve and a DPF exhaust filtration system. Dodge had a lot of software issues with how they controlled the DPF system but software upgrades made the delicate system a lot more durable. The variable geometry turbo has had a few issues but the most of the issues come from the heavily modified vehicles. Stock trucks have very few variable geometry issues. The engine is back to the most durable diesel truck engine on the market. The transmission was also drastically updated in 2007. The cab was modernized and they put in lots of creature comforts. If there is a weak spot in this truck it is the weak ball joints still and the DPF system but both are easily upgraded and fixed.

So when you are looking to buy a used truck, there is a lot to consider. First is your budget to buy the truck. How much do you want to pay for the truck and how much do you want to spend to fix the truck after you purchase it? What are your needs? Do you want a comfortable quiet ride or can you sacrifice comfort for outright durability? Everybody’s needs are different so when you are in the market for a used truck, hopefully this helps but if you have more questions or would like us to look at your truck before you purchase it, please call of email us. We would be happy to answer any other question. We always recommend you do a prebuy before purchasing any type of vehicle. It might cost you some money up from but it could potentially safes you thousands of dollars down the road.