The price of owning a diesel...

[Adrian_D 520]

I agree on modifications being hard on the transmission. From what I can gather, the stock Getrag 5 speed in first gen Rams was just slightly higher rated than the engine. You start tuning it, bam goes the transmission. 

 

And for the torque numbers of a tuned diesel, it's no wonder transmissions suffer. 

 

But anyway, you have turbo, you have more heat, you have tight tolerances in fuel systems, you have iffy injectors (commonrail) so lots more to go wrong compared to a gasoline engine. And lots more in maintenance  

 

Funny to hear complaints about the "cost" of a diesel then to hear how not many can afford such a truck. 

[codester 48]

My dad had a 06 F350 with the 6L and had 179,000km when he traded it in and never had injector, egr or anything. He put a ficm in it once but that was it. He pulled heavy traillers all the time but did maintenance on time and ran diesel fuel treatment. He now has a 2012 F350 and it is an amazing engine, crazy power and torque, good mileage and has put 30,000k on it without any issues. 

[SMpaintball78 58]

^^ thats what i like to hear! haha  only reason i can afford my truck is because i still live at home and im a full time welder making decent money for my age. Like most of you, you all have houses and stuff to show off as your prized posessions... alls i have is my truck hahahahaha. but o well. gotta start somewhere! iv been thinking about getting me a little beater to go back and forth to work in so i keep the miles off my truck which means less things going wrong and start saving for a house   i have been driving my sisters old 2002 ranger since my truck is down for 5 days now and i have saved literaly $100... haha

[dem beats 1,223]

The beater will cost more money in the end.... but if you are sentimental to the truck, then keep it. You would have to gey like a 600% increase or more in gas savings to make a beater actualy save you money.

[SMpaintball78 58]

well not only will a $1000 beater save me gas, it will also keep the miles of my truck

[jonbearsmt 919]

do it

[SMpaintball78 58]

do it

 

also if i got a beater, id l=make it my bassmobile lol couple 12s or something lol i cant bring myself to tear into the interior of my truck :/

[S.DeYoung 967]

[Tirefryr 1,742]

I've been doing the beater thing for 16 years.  It NEVER saves you money, no matter your thought or planning.  Of course you're saving money now driving the Ranger.  You're not paying for insurance or maintenance on it, nor registration. 

[dem beats 1,223]

, it will also keep the miles of my truck

And that is the ONLY reason to do it. Sentimental feelings for a vehicle. Just don't fool yourself into thinking it will save you any money at all.

Edited March 20, 2013 by dem beats

[dem beats 1,223]

I've been doing the beater thing for 16 years. It NEVER saves you money, no matter your thought or planning. Of course you're saving money now driving the Ranger. You're not paying for insurance or maintenance on it, nor registration.

This. Second cars don't save you money. It is for emotional reasons or convince of not having to drive your truck.

[nem 2,019]

Must be a younger kid thing, we have a group of young kids in diesel trucks driving around just blowing black smoke. I was always under the impression that a diesel motor needs to work to keep it happy.

[Adrian_D 520]

I've been doing the beater thing for 16 years. It NEVER saves you money, no matter your thought or planning. Of course you're saving money now driving the Ranger. You're not paying for insurance or maintenance on it, nor registration.

This. Second cars don't save you money. It is for emotional reasons or convince of not having to drive your truck.

 

Couldn't agree more

 

 

 

Must be a younger kid thing, we have a group of young kids in diesel trucks driving around just blowing black smoke. I was always under the impression that a diesel motor needs to work to keep it happy.

Mine is stock but blows absolutely no smoke. Billowing black smoke is a sign of shitty tuning and a problem waiting to happen  

[Impious 1,476]

I've been doing the beater thing for 16 years. It NEVER saves you money, no matter your thought or planning. Of course you're saving money now driving the Ranger. You're not paying for insurance or maintenance on it, nor registration.

This. Second cars don't save you money. It is for emotional reasons or convince of not having to drive your truck.

Or for back up reasons...I've found it extremely helpful to have a spare vehicle around to drive when one of them takes a shit....such as situations like Lantz has right now.  Won't save money, sure....but saves having to coordinate the bumming of a vehicle from a relative.  Then again I don't drive very nice vehicles so one of them goes down pretty frequently....

[SMpaintball78 58]

 

I've been doing the beater thing for 16 years. It NEVER saves you money, no matter your thought or planning. Of course you're saving money now driving the Ranger. You're not paying for insurance or maintenance on it, nor registration.

This. Second cars don't save you money. It is for emotional reasons or convince of not having to drive your truck.

Or for back up reasons...I've found it extremely helpful to have a spare vehicle around to drive when one of them takes a shit....such as situations like Lantz has right now.  Won't save money, sure....but saves having to coordinate the bumming of a vehicle from a relative.  Then again I don't drive very nice vehicles so one of them goes down pretty frequently....

yeah having the ranger as a extra is very helpful.  the thing with the mileage is kinda messed up. right now, i work about 25mins away which is very close compaired to where iv been driving haha. one day, ill be working 10 mins away, next day ill get a call saying i need to drive a hr and a half to a job site on the other side on cincinnati lol.

[Godsmack 360]

Having the firebird has helped when I have had to lend the Tundra to someone who cannot drive manual, or because it had to go in for a day or so.

 

 

As for the diesel debate, I'll say this I purchased a used 'fully inspected'  F-250 King Ranch with the powerstroke. Within 500 miles it started going to shit. Hence why I am now in a Tundra, and could not be happier.

 

 

 

J

[dem beats 1,223]

My misspelled comment about convenience was about the good parts of having 2 vehicles. I wish we had 3 or 4 not including the motorcycle.

Just cannot afford it. I am the same way imp. All my life I have owned vehicles that require constant work.

[dem beats 1,223]

My buddies all have big trucks and buy the second vehicle.... one even has 3. Truck for hauling, jeep for climbing, and whatever shitbox he has for commuting.

The shitbox's are a slow drain. He is always fixing them then selling them to buy a new one before the old one explodes and he can't resell it. He builds his climber so it really only costs him anything when he breaks something.

The big truck makes him money so he can have the other 2. If he drove only the diesel he could save time and money. But he wouldn't have back up cars and wouldn't have projects that he needs to keep his ADD down.

He also fixes his 3-4 mountain bikes, makes shooting equipment, and works on building his oooooolld mustang and keeping his 5.0 mustang running.

[jonbearsmt 919]

if i didnt have company trucks i would have a beater... even tho i have company trucks i normaly keep spares,

 

 3 years ago i had. my black lincoln, a pick up,.  my 75 lincoln. a 97 lincoln and what ever my g/f at the time was driving of mine.

[SMpaintball78 58]

well got my new airdog fuel pump on and shes back up and running strong! ALSO, i was bored today and it was a nice day out so i decided to pull my 65 mustang out of the garage after sitting for 2 years because i could not figure out why it wasnt running.  after getting her started and running for a few seconds, i took a volt meter around to the distributer and everything power under the hood and found that my resister going from my battery to the distributer was bad so i replaced it. runs like a champ! got her all washed up and running strong as well its been a sucessful day for sure

 

http://s259.photobucket.com/user/SMpaintball78/media/IMAG0584_zps4c0efaaa.jpg.html

Edited March 24, 2013 by Lantz

[dem beats 1,223]

Good day indeed.

[SMpaintball78 58]

drove the mustang around slammin gears hahaha i missed it

[dem beats 1,223]

That sounds so fun. How is the truck running?

Do and WOT runs or pull anything or climb something to check it al out?

[SMpaintball78 58]

pulled a 7000lb trailer across cincinnati for my dad haha thats about it   wasnt nothing for her  

[dem beats 1,223]

Me neither. I like to go out and bench press my expy before breakfast. Builds the appetite.

Glad its working well though!