I'm considering selling my GM (2000 2500HD 4x4) and getting a diesel.

I've done some homework but am looking for personal reviews.

I am looking most likely to get a crew-cab short box 1 ton. Single rear wheel as I will be plowing (dual is too wide).

thx

Can't comment on the GM's as I've never driven them, but the engines are isuzu based and isuzu engines are pretty well refined units these days. Our fleet trucks at work were Superduty's with powerstrokes and they just took abuse all day long. The 99 Superduty was pretty solid, had a few issues with the 01. The cummins in the dodge is pretty solid as well. Worked on the little brother engine 4B3.9 (the older dodges used the 6B5.9, newer ones use the 6.7 QSB) and those engines will outlast the truck.

As always, the Cummins is the best of the bunch for diesel engines, I'm not sure how the Powerstroke/Duramax compare to eachother, but I know Ford has had some small problems in the past, and if IIRC GM had a few problems with the early Duramax's (could be thinking of something else on this one)

Take this from a kid from the prairies where most stuff is diesel. I know my dad went from diesels all his life to a gas Avalanche and hated it. No better fuel mileage, way less power.

But ya, you can't go wrong with a cummins, just too bad that there is a Dodge chassis wrapped around it (my dad is actually doing a swap someday, Cummins->GM, that's how much he loves the Cummins and hates the dodge trucks)

Also, if you want crazy power, just add a chip, and have some fun doing big smoky burnouts (not only the tires ha)

I test drove all 3.

Here's my thoughts

Ford, rides really high and I can't see much right in front of me (I'm not short either)- when plowing small parking lots that could be a bitch. Otherwise rides like a normal HD truck and all controls are in good placement. I've just heard bad things about fuel mpg and turbo issues with the 6L.

GM rides the nicest, more like a 1/2 ton then a 1 ton. I like GM so I won't go on and on but I have to be honest to myself when spending 35g's on a used truck that has to last for a few years. Like the Ford, pwr is a dissappiontment (I only drove a 05 with the normal duramax not the new one with 650lb/ft of tq and 365hp). Even with the pwr they have my 6L gas gm feels quicker. However when pulling a 20ft cargo trailer every day with 5000lbs in it the diesel i'm sure will out pull. I've read the duramax gets the best mpg unloaded. I also found that gm's are the most expensive and have yet to find a 1 ton single rear wheel. Some of the 6L gas's are going for what Ford and dodge diesel's are going for. I guess GM has a good name for lasting and that reflects the price.

Dodge..
I've heard so many bad things about dodge tranny's its not funny. B4 buying my 2500 i drove a dodge same yr with a diesel. I didn't like the tranny in the dodge and other minor details, so i bought the gm. Yesterday I drove an 06 3500 single wheel and loved it. The sales rep (dodge dealership) really knew these trucks and explained that dodge upgraded the tranny in 04 (and omitted to the past issues). Turning radius was very tight, tighter then my reg cab 2500 and this truck was a crew-cab short box. It also was quiter then the older cummins i drove and that is a big deal - older cummins are very loud...its like white noise after a while. I could imagine pulling into a apt complex at 3am to plow and making so much noise that ppl wake up...even with my flowmaster muffler on my 6L gm, I still cant hear my truck when driving next to a older cummins.
Pwr in the cummins is instant, right off the bottom. I'm sure its around the same as the others up top but off the line it has more pull. Interior isn't as nice as a gm or ford, rather cheap looking honestly, though I'm not buying a denali...the truck is going to get dirty and in the summer we leave the windows open and no matter how we try, grass clippings and dust always gets everywhere in the cab (its funny, I just use the air gun to blow it all out, does a really good job).

I still am not sure though...I just spend 3g's on front end repair (from plowing) to the gm and cant afford to buy a lemon.

More thoughts?

Cummins all the way

well i plow with two diesel's a 93 dodge 2500 cummins with a dump box in the back and a 99 chev, with the old style diesel in it 3500 single rear wheel, both trucks have their pros and cons, all of which won't pertain at all to the ones you're looking at so I won't bore you with them, what I will say is for a plow truck find one that you're comfortable spending time in, most importantly the seat, find one that you can see out of well. Finally either way you need a diesel to plow, I've talked to lots of guys with gas powered trucks and they get between half as good and a third as good mileage as I do with either of the diesels.

I hear you on the fuel mileage. During the summer with a 20ft cargo trailer on the truck 5 days a week I get an avg of 425-460kms per tank. I think it is a 130L tank don't quote me.
In the winter when plowing I'm lucky to get 350kms on the gm and my F150 I'm lucky to get 250km. Its terrible.
Mpg aside its the repairs that are adding up.