Titan vs. Ram 2500 Diesel

AndrewSiminoff · 09-06-2005, 11:30 AM

I have a RAM 1500 now. I am planning my next truck. It will be a 4 door 4x4.
Thing is, it will be a daily driver during the week, but on some weekends I tow a toy box trailer.
I think the Titan would do the trick, but also like the idea of better mileage, especially towing, with a Cummins diesel.

I also think the Ram 2500 would be a better long term vehicle, but it is about $10k more than the Titan. I would love opinions to help me make my decision.

buzzkillwill · 09-06-2005, 12:15 PM

I have driven the 2500, and it's a nice truck, and it's hard to compare a 1500 vs. 2500, especailly in towing. I don't think you could go wrong with either.

Daily driver with some towing...Titan would probably be more 'comfortable'. Again, the Ram I drove was nice, but we're comparing two diff. sized trucks, and there aren't many 3/4 tons that are as comfortable in ride, if any, as the Titan. Heck, most 1/2 tons, IMO, aren't as comfortable...

I do know the interior space on the Titan is bigger than the 2500 Ram. But with the Ram, you can buy your own gas making system (for about 4 or 5 grand) and make your own bio-diesel! It'd take you a few years to re-coop the money, but hey, you'd smell french dries everywhere you went!

Good luck, and let us know what you decide on...

tnbowhunter · 09-06-2005, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewSiminoff

I have a RAM 1500 now. I am planning my next truck. It will be a 4 door 4x4.
Thing is, it will be a daily driver during the week, but on some weekends I tow a toy box trailer.
I think the Titan would do the trick, but also like the idea of better mileage, especially towing, with a Cummins diesel.

I also think the Ram 2500 would be a better long term vehicle, but it is about $10k more than the Titan. I would love opinions to help me make my decision.

That's a tough one. If you were going to use the truck more for towing that as a comuter I would go with the Ram 2500.
But it sounds as if you will be using it most often as a daily driver, and I don't know if that would justify the extra 10K.
But the way gas prices are today, who knows.
The Titan can and will tow your toy hauler with ease if that is what you are concerned about.
I was kind of in the same situation as you when I was trying to decide what truck to buy, i'm still glad I went with the Titan, but I also wish that they offered a Titan with a diesel. To me that would be the best of both worlds.
I don't think you could go wrong with either truck, they are both solid and dependable trucks IMO, and either would get the job done.
Good luck in your decision!

*BAT1* · 09-06-2005, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewSiminoff

I have a RAM 1500 now. I am planning my next truck. It will be a 4 door 4x4.
Thing is, it will be a daily driver during the week, but on some weekends I tow a toy box trailer.
I think the Titan would do the trick, but also like the idea of better mileage, especially towing, with a Cummins diesel.

I also think the Ram 2500 would be a better long term vehicle, but it is about $10k more than the Titan. I would love opinions to help me make my decision.

I have owned both (3500 ctd, single rear wheel, shortbed 4x4). Nothing and I mean NOTHING beats the lowend power of the cummins. That turbo whine is something to behold as well. If you are serious about towing, (not just little trailers etc.) then go with cummins power. You will not even know it's back there. I had 35 bf goodrich ta's and would consistently get around 16-19 mpg depending on city or highway. Total highway I would get around 20 or so. I would have to say that fit and finish would go to the Dodge as well. I never had a squeak, rattle, bang or otherwise in the 3500, whereas with my 04' Titan I had numerous problems, squeaks, rattles etc. I'm sure some of them have been figured out on the 05'. As far as power distrubution, the 3500 feels like a truck. I believe if you wanted, you could pull a house down. There is more torque down low then you would ever need. The Titan feels more like a car in comparison. The power is there, but has to be revved up a bit to get to it. It's ok, but just not the same. If modding is your thing, then DEFINITELY go with Dodge. You can get so much hp out of a cummins for cheap it's insane. $600-800 and you can be cruising the streets with 400+hp and 750-800 ft. lbs of torque EASY.

back to your question...

just depends on how often and how much you will be towing and hauling and how much of a truck you want. Both are nice (05's anyway)...probably can't go wrong with either.

Steamguy · 09-06-2005, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BAT1

I have owned both (3500 ctd, single rear wheel, shortbed 4x4). Nothing and I mean NOTHING beats the lowend power of the cummins. That turbo whine is something to behold as well. If you are serious about towing, (not just little trailers etc.) then go with cummins power. You will not even know it's back there. I had 35 bf goodrich ta's and would consistently get around 16-19 mpg depending on city or highway. Total highway I would get around 20 or so. I would have to say that fit and finish would go to the Dodge as well. I never had a squeak, rattle, bang or otherwise in the 3500, whereas with my 04' Titan I had numerous problems, squeaks, rattles etc. I'm sure some of them have been figured out on the 05'. As far as power distrubution, the 3500 feels like a truck. I believe if you wanted, you could pull a house down. There is more torque down low then you would ever need. The Titan feels more like a car in comparison. The power is there, but has to be revved up a bit to get to it. It's ok, but just not the same. If modding is your thing, then DEFINITELY go with Dodge. You can get so much hp out of a cummins for cheap it's insane. $600-800 and you can be cruising the streets with 400+hp and 750-800 ft. lbs of torque EASY.

back to your question...

just depends on how often and how much you will be towing and hauling and how much of a truck you want. Both are nice (05's anyway)...probably can't go wrong with either.

We came from a 3500 dually, and there are a couple of things you want to think about.

1. Size.

For us, the step-in-height was too much on the dually. My wife is mobility limited, and no kind of step arrangement would work right. Yes, we did try almost everything. Spent a lot of money, and no help.

The truck was really big. Almost too big. But that's great when you want people to quit pulling out in front of you. But the down side is that really long truck was an absolute pain to park. My wife would NOT drive it on our country roads, since you had just a few inches on both sides of the wheel wells for clearance.

On the other side of it, folks are right. You can mod the truck and have a lot of fun with the performance. I had a VanAAken box and Banks turbo system on it and that big beast could chirp the tires in 4th. I actually busted the cross bolts in my trailer hitch by taking off too fast with the truck.

Thing you want to make sure of: Get the higher gearing (3:55 I believe it is) for the front and rear axles. I had 4:11s and the truck never got better than 17 MPG. I can beat the driving cost right there with the Titan, given the price difference between gasoline and dieseline.

Oh yeah, and the cheapest tires I could get for the Dodge came to just over a grand. For six tires. And you have to buy all six at the same time since it's 4WD. Keep that in mind. Also, if you're towing, the stock shocks on the Dodge are just crap. Budget some money to have them changed.

In spite of what I say here, I really did like the dually. If I could have solved the height problems (also, trying to load stuff in the bed made me feel like a little kid reaching up to Mom's countertop) and have afforded to change the front and rear axle ratios, I would still have the truck.

2. Handling.

The Titan drives right back to Nissan's roots with the '67 pickup - it handles like a sports car with a bed in back.

And the Dodge will always be a big truck. Period. A big, heavy truck. There will never be any fun charging along a country road and staying in your lane with confidence. Nothing will change the amount of mass that you want to make change direction when you're in a hurry. It just doesn't handle like the Titan.

At least one thing about the Dodge: Nobody bugs you for a race. And the easiest way to deal with tailgaters is just to pull on the emergency brake a little and slam the gas to make the cylinder pressures go up and make 'er smoke like crazy.

This really comes down to your choice. Maybe if I had the ten grand burning a hole in my pocket I'd spend it on the Dodge. (But then again, I don't have that kind of money and don't want to get obligated for that kind of period of time.) The Cummins is a good, reliable engine; and they have solved the injector racket at idle with it. It will give you a LOT good, reliable miles. Just be prepared to pay sixty bucks when you change oil.

NorCal 4x4 · 09-07-2005, 02:19 AM

In California, the Stockton and Los Angeles area diesel prices are currently higher so the savings of a diesel are not always going to be as much.
As an example diesel is 20-40 cents a gallon more in Stockton.
http://www.gasbuddy.com

QShip · 09-07-2005, 06:38 AM

I would go with the 2500 Cummins, but only because it has the Cummins.

If Nissan offered a diesel truck, I would have bought that.

stover · 09-07-2005, 09:04 AM

Andrew,
I own a Dodge Ram 2500 with a 500HP Cummins.
I also have two Nissan Titan's to drive for work.

In my opinion you should wait until 2007. Nissan is currently testing a Titan with a 4.6 L V6 International turbo diesel as part of a feasibility study.
I know Nissan wants a bigger share of the US pickup market; this is how they plan to get it.

Don't waste your money yet.

buzzkillwill · 09-07-2005, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stover

Andrew,
I own a Dodge Ram 2500 with a 500HP Cummins.
I also have two Nissan Titan's to drive for work.

In my opinion you should wait until 2007. Nissan is currently testing a Titan with a 4.6 L V6 International turbo diesel as part of a feasibility study.
I know Nissan wants a bigger share of the US pickup market; this is how they plan to get it.

Don't waste your money yet.

Stover,

Do you have more info on this, feasibility study? I hope you're right, cuz' that may be the way I go...

*BAT1* · 09-07-2005, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stover

Andrew,
I own a Dodge Ram 2500 with a 500HP Cummins.
I also have two Nissan Titan's to drive for work.

In my opinion you should wait until 2007. Nissan is currently testing a Titan with a 4.6 L V6 International turbo diesel as part of a feasibility study.
I know Nissan wants a bigger share of the US pickup market; this is how they plan to get it.

Don't waste your money yet.

Keep in mind however that you would be purchasing yet another "first year vehicle" that so many on this board have complained. If that is your decision, I would perhaps wait until 2008 for Nissan to work the kinks out. You do not want to be part of the current crop of unhappy 2004 model owners.

buzzkillwill · 09-07-2005, 11:30 AM

I'm an 04 owner, and couldn't be happier. Well, I could, but since Brook Burke is married, and Terry Hatcher isn't returning any of my calls, I'll just stick with the Titan.

I just hit 15K this morning on the way to work. This is the part where I'm supposed to say "And not a problem yet with it". But I don't want to jinx myself, so i won't.

Besides, most of the issues with the '04 are brakes, some squeaks and an occasional rear end. Most of those issues have been, or will be addressed by then. If the power plant change is the most significant change, I wouldn't worry about that.

Steamguy · 09-07-2005, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BAT1

You do not want to be part of the current crop of unhappy 2004 model owners.

I have an early 2004 and it is a great truck. Far better than the Ford!! And at least the dealer TALKS to you without sending you through arbritration for stupid little warranty problems!

Yes I had one. Won't go back.

stover · 09-07-2005, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzkillwill

Stover,

Do you have more info on this, feasibility study? I hope you're right, cuz' that may be the way I go...

It's happening in Chicago, and the diesel engine they are using is a V6 version of the popular Ford Powerstroke.
I allso know that they will need to replace the trans and rear end with bigger units if it ever hits showrooms.

Waterfowler · 09-07-2005, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stover

Andrew,
I own a Dodge Ram 2500 with a 500HP Cummins.
I also have two Nissan Titan's to drive for work.

In my opinion you should wait until 2007. Nissan is currently testing a Titan with a 4.6 L V6 International turbo diesel as part of a feasibility study.
I know Nissan wants a bigger share of the US pickup market; this is how they plan to get it.

Don't waste your money yet.

Ugh. Why couldn't they work with Cummins or even CAT(a liitle heavy and pricey though).

BigRedTitan · 09-07-2005, 07:51 PM

I love my '04. Take into account that I got 13000+ miles of free brakes and a new rear diff for free, even though it only had paint burned off and no other signs of problems. My SA hasn't given me one hassle or problem over any issues. And I still say that this is the best vehicle that I have ever owned. It may get traded when they come out with the CC Long Bed, 'til then, this Titan is stayin with me.