Commuter Truck Pics

**ND13** · 08-09-2005 06:27 PM

This is my 270k mile commuter truck. Just goes to show what a little TLC and proper maintanance can do. Everything works great including ice cold a/c, cruise,etc. It gets 20 mpg, doesn't use or leak any oil, what-so-ever. If you were to drive it you would think it had maybe 60k on it. This is the only GM product I've ever had good luck with. I drive it 100 miles a day and wouldn't hesitate to drive it to Florida and back. Oh and BTW, it has Polk MMC6500 components and Phoenix Gold amps and sub in it and they mesh very well together.

**MacLeod** · 08-09-2005 06:29 PM

270,000 miles!!! Wow! That is impressive. I take it it still has the original tranny and engine? What year is it?

**ND13** · 08-09-2005 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by MacLeod

270,000 miles!!! Wow! That is impressive. I take it it still has the original tranny and engine? What year is it?

All original, not even rebuilt. 1995 with a 305 and 4sp AT

**ND13** · 08-09-2005 07:15 PM

This is the reason for the commuter truck, don't want to put too many miles on this one ;) It's leased. 2005 Dakota Quad SLT w/ 4.7 V8.

**MacLeod** · 08-09-2005 07:20 PM

Ataboy! 2002 Dodge Ram Quad Cab owner myself. Actually Im on my 2nd Ram. I had a 2000 and when the new ones came out in 02 I had to have one. Didnt matter I couldnt afford it. :D

I hope I get 270,000 out of mine!

I obsessively maintain it with Mobil 1 synthetic and Mobil 1 filters and religiously keep to the maintenance schedule. In fact its about 2000 miles away from the transmission service and plug change.

**Mike682** · 08-09-2005 07:37 PM

'03 Durango here. I have a 4.7 V8 with 5 speed auto, nice low end torque.. Engine/tranny combo is bulletproof. Great truck

I also use Mobil1 Synthetic oil.

Just keep that oil fresh and these things will last a very long time...

**MacLeod** · 08-09-2005 07:48 PM

I have the 4.7 also. I took it over the 360 (Hemi wasnt available yet) mainly because its designed life to overhaul was 150,000 miles whereas most engines are 100,000. That impressed me.

I love mine, its smooth as silk. Too small an engine for that big a truck really but only if youre hauling anything. I usually dont haul anything too heavy so its just right for me. Plus I dont have the 11 MPG the Hemi does!

**Mike682** · 08-09-2005 08:04 PM

Here's a link to the 4.7:

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/47.html

**ND13** · 08-09-2005 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by Mike682

'03 Durango here. I have a 4.7 V8 with 5 speed auto, nice low end torque.. Engine/tranny combo is bulletproof. Great truck

I also use Mobil1 Synthetic oil.

Just keep that oil fresh and these things will last a very long time...

I use Mobil 1 synthetic also, and just started with the new 15000 mile EP type. I won't go 15k but will sometimes go 5k, but they're all Interstate 70 miles. Wal Mart changes my oil and filter with full synthetic for $31.58 total.
Can't beat that doing it myself by more than a couple of dollars, plus they keep a computerized record if I ever had a warranty issue. All of the quick lube places charge at least $50 for a synthetic oil change, and for that I can get the LOF, tire rotation and new wiper blades at Wally World :D . I don't care what anyone thinks of Wal Mart, I'll take advantage of deals like that anytime, unless it's that Frenchy owned Target. God I hate that Target had to be owned by a Frenchy, I used to love to shop there when they had a sale going on, just a better atmosphere. No freaks of nature, at least not every other person anyways ;)

**ND13** · 08-09-2005 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by Mike682

Here's a link to the 4.7:

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/47.html

The 4.7 is an incredibly sweet engine, and be thankful they don't mate them up to that "multi-speed" tranny anymore. They're mated to a true 5 sp AT, now. You can also get a 6 sp manual with it in the new Dakotas. The multi-speed had 2 second gear ratios, one for upshifts and one for downshifts. It didn't workout very well, and was replaced after about a year or so. Be wary of the early 4.7s with that tranny. 99 Grand Cherokees, 00 Durangos and Dakotas. Most have been taken care of, but I'd say a few are still out there rearing their ugly heads up now and then. The engine has no known issues though, and was at one time rated by Ward's as a top ten engine in the world, and may be still.

**Mjr7531** · 08-09-2005 09:29 PM

100 miles a day? Wow...
Heh, I was think of a different type of truck, yanno', those big ones? Semi-Trucks... Have you ever seen one blinged out? I have, on the road, not at a show.

**MacLeod** · 08-09-2005 09:38 PM

I change my own oil mainly because I use the Mobil 1 filter which is $12 and mine holds 6 quarts so it costs me $40 a pop by doing it myself so it would be $60-75 if I went to Instant Oil Change or something. Plus I like doing it myself. Its the only thing I can do to it anymore. I dont dare change the plugs!

**ohskigod** · 08-09-2005 11:15 PM

that chevy looks looks exactly like my GMC sierra, shprt bed, stepside. its a 1991 with only 73000 miles on it. still runs strong, and will most likely be bringing it to the polkfest. you got a 6 or eight in that thing. I ask because i have the 6 and cant get over 17 mpg out of it.

**tecmo04** · 08-10-2005 08:58 AM

pics of odomiter??? lets see this great feet!!

**RuSsMaN** · 08-10-2005 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by ohskigod

...I ask because i have the 6 and cant get over 17 mpg out of it...

Changed your fuel filter recently?

Nice truck ND13, I've got a little S-10 that just turned 110K, I don't see any reason it won't turn 200, if the body can hold together.

My record is a 77 Toyota Corolla, I sold it finally with almost 280K on it, but it drank oil like an SOB.

Cheers,
Russ

**Mike682** · 08-10-2005 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by ND13

The 4.7 is an incredibly sweet engine, and be thankful they don't mate them up to that "multi-speed" tranny anymore. They're mated to a true 5 sp AT, now. You can also get a 6 sp manual with it in the new Dakotas. The multi-speed had 2 second gear ratios, one for upshifts and one for downshifts. It didn't workout very well, and was replaced after about a year or so. Be wary of the early 4.7s with that tranny. 99 Grand Cherokees, 00 Durangos and Dakotas. Most have been taken care of, but I'd say a few are still out there rearing their ugly heads up now and then. The engine has no known issues though, and was at one time rated by Ward's as a top ten engine in the world, and may be still.

I really like the 4.7. It's a very smooth engine like MacLeod said. That 5sp OD tranny and 3.55 rear (I believe that's what the gear ratio is) help with the gas mileage as I get around 14 city/20 hwy. Plus the engine is designed to run on 87 octane.

**ND13** · 08-10-2005 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by tecmo04

pics of odomiter??? lets see this great feet!!

I'll get one sometime today for ya'll.

**wodom1** · 08-10-2005 10:08 AM

I've got an '02 Durango with the 4.7. It's a quick and so far reliable engine. I've got 67k on it -- 40k of which were put on it within 13 months. My mileage is pretty ****ty though. I get around 12/13 in the city and can't ever get more than 16 on the interstate when I travel. It's a good thing that I don't have to pay for the gas!

**tecmo04** · 08-10-2005 10:16 AM

im getting the 05 durango limmited on the 22, so excited!! :D :D

**ND13** · 08-10-2005 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by ohskigod

that chevy looks looks exactly like my GMC sierra, shprt bed, stepside. its a 1991 with only 73000 miles on it. still runs strong, and will most likely be bringing it to the polkfest. you got a 6 or eight in that thing. I ask because i have the 6 and cant get over 17 mpg out of it.

5.0 V8 (305 CI) and I get about 22 hwy and 15 city with a combined of about 19-20 mpg. Needless to say, I'm extremely pleased with it's efficiency. I've owned trucks forever and the only ones I've owned that did better were a 1981 F100 with the 300 I6 and a 4sp manual ( the 300 is probably the best 6 cyl ever built by an american car company) and a 1992 Ranger with a 4.0 V6 and a 5sp manual. If I get over 15 mpg in a pickup or SUV, I'm a happy camper.

**Skynut** · 08-10-2005 10:36 AM

I also had a GMC 1991 stepside. 2/4 drop and centerlines. Silver and beautiful, I put leather seats in it and had 199,800 miles on it when it was stolen from me for the second time.
They didn't find it the second time.
That ok though since it used oil and the A/C and the heater core both were out.

**wodom1** · 08-10-2005 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by ND13

5.0 V8 (305 CI) and I get about 22 hwy and 15 city with a combined of about 19-20 mpg. Needless to say, I'm extremely pleased with it's efficiency. I've owned trucks forever and the only ones I've owned that did better were a 1981 F100 with the 300 I6 and a 4sp manual ( the 300 is probably the best 6 cyl ever built by an american car company) and a 1992 Ranger with a 4.0 V6 and a 5sp manual. If I get over 15 mpg in a pickup or SUV, I'm a happy camper.

The 4.9L I6 is a great engine. I used to have a 1996 Ford F-150 with that engine and the 5-speed manual tranny. I never had any problems with the engine and my Dad is still driving it now. It's currently got about 125k miles on it. The only repairs I had to make to it was replacing the slave cylinder and some bearings in the transmission. It also got much better mileage than my Durango even though it was larger and heavier and the engine was bigger, though I don't think it had the horsepower of the 4.7 V8 but I think torque was comparable if not greater.

**ND13** · 08-10-2005 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by wodom1

The 4.9L I6 is a great engine. I used to have a 1996 Ford F-150 with that engine and the 5-speed manual tranny. I never had any problems with the engine and my Dad is still driving it now. It's currently got about 125k miles on it. The only repairs I had to make to it was replacing the slave cylinder and some bearings in the transmission. It also got much better mileage than my Durango even though it was larger and heavier and the engine was bigger, though I don't think it had the horsepower of the 4.7 V8 but I think torque was comparable if not greater.

The 300(4.9) I6 is a torque monster, and the torque is availbale at a very low rpm and the curve is very flat, almost diesel-like. I had two, the 81 F100 and an 88 F150 with a 5sp manual, the latter was geared low so it only got about 20 mpg on the hwy. I opted for the 4.9 because it would out pull a 302 anyday of the week and came very close to the 351 in trailer towing capabilities.

**wodom1** · 08-10-2005 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by ND13

The 300(4.9) I6 is a torque monster, and the torque is availbale at a very low rpm and the curve is very flat, almost diesel-like. I had two, the 81 F100 and an 88 F150 with a 5sp manual, the latter was geared low so it only got about 20 mpg on the hwy. I opted for the 4.9 because it would out pull a 302 anyday of the week and came very close to the 351 in trailer towing capabilities.

My F-150 was geared really low too. I had to shift to 2nd gear at 9 or 10 mph and 3rd by 18mph. It was a fun truck to drive, but when I moved to Chicago I couldn't stand the manual tranny anymore. The clutch distance from normal to depressed was probably close to 1' and in stop and go traffic, it would cramp up my leg.

**ND13** · 08-10-2005 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by tecmo04

pics of odomiter??? lets see this great feet!!

Here's your proof. 267,970 miles, really couldn't get a good shot because the steering wheel and lighting.

**audiobliss** · 08-13-2005 09:41 AM

I think that really says 207,970! ;)

I love GM, so it's great to hear a success story like this. Unfortunately, I believe they're few and far between. :(

**ND13** · 08-13-2005 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by audiobliss

I think that really says 207,970! ;)

I love GM, so it's great to hear a success story like this. Unfortunately, I believe they're few and far between. :(

Look again pally, 267,970, but it has past the 268k since the pic was taken. If you take care of and maintain the vehicle correctly, most makes can do this. I'm not saying that there aren't lemons, because about 1 out of every hundred built has problems. That's an industry avg from a few years back. That has probably gotten a little better over the last couple of years.

The only oil additive I can recommend is "Prolong". It's one of the only ones that doesn't have some sort of solid in it(PTFEs, teflon, graphite,etc). Why anyone would put a solid particle in their crankcase is beyond me, but people are suckers and do it everyday. I've actually seen, in person, a demo of the prolong and the **** works. I've never used it myself, but have considered adding some to this truck after it hits the 300k mark, which should be by years end.

**amulford** · 08-13-2005 11:22 AM

I'm running a 96 ford F-150 with around 330,000 on it. Straight 6 300, you have to kill those motors.

The AC isn't working, though. You'd think that with the money I put into the stereo i'd fix the AC, but priorities man...

**nadams** · 08-13-2005 12:22 PM

Those ford straight-6 300ci engines are stellar. Buddy of mine has a truck w/ one in, and a 5spd. 250k miles, still going strong :)

**ND13** · 08-13-2005 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by ND13

I've owned trucks forever and the only ones I've owned that did better were a 1981 F100 with the 300 I6 and a 4sp manual ( the 300 is probably the best 6 cyl ever built by an american car company)

Yep the 300 I-6 is the ****.

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