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| Looking at purchasing a new truck. What are your thoughts and expereiences with a 2012 Dodge 3500 diesel? I will mainly be using this for towing, not a daily commuter. |
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Veteran
Posts: 186
    Location: Pollock | I have had no complaints or issues with mine, tows great:) |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1066
  
| We had one and it guzzled almost twice as much fuel as our old '01. We put over 60K miles on it in one year... it had lots of power, it was nice to drive, and we never had any issues, but the fuel mileage couldn't have been much worse.
ETA: 90% of those miles we hauling either a 3 horse LQ loaded with horses, or hubby's tool trailer for work.
Edited by Tys-ol-lady 2014-02-03 4:44 PM
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| I have a gas truck now so it would take alot to have fuel mileage that is worse than what I have now. What kind of fuel mileage were you getting? |
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 Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
     Location: North Dakota | If you can swing it I would look at the 2013s. They get better fuel mileage. |
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| Just Bring It - 2014-02-03 6:22 PM If you can swing it I would look at the 2013s. They get better fuel mileage.
How much better mileage? What mileage did you get with an 2012? |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
 
| Is it a high output would say on the rear badge on tailgate. High output have some extra options that give it more power also they come with 2 rear end ratios 3.73 and 4.11 and the latter one would have more power and therfore less milage.
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| The one I am looking at has the 3.73 rear. On average what kind of pulling mileage do you think I would be looking at getting? |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 824
   
| In my brand new 13 I get 10-11 mpg pulling my 4 horse sooner. Its about the same empty or loaded with 4 it seems like. I have heard mileage gets better when you get over 10k miles on them, mine only has about 2k on it now. LOVE LOVE it though. Mileage sucks but I think they're all about the same |
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| FlitsTinyCharger - 2014-02-03 8:21 PM In my brand new 13 I get 10-11 mpg pulling my 4 horse sooner. Its about the same empty or loaded with 4 it seems like. I have heard mileage gets better when you get over 10k miles on them, mine only has about 2k on it now. LOVE LOVE it though. Mileage sucks but I think they're all about the same
Thanks! My gas hog gets 8 pulling. Anything is better than that! |
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 Regular
Posts: 57
  Location: Southern Oregon | I have a 2012 3500 4x4 and I LOVE IT!!!! I pull a 4 H trails west with ease and get 11-13 mpg right now and not hauling I get 20+•••
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Pig-Bear Dog Lover
   
| I have a 2010 dodge 3500.. I thought it would get better mileage than my 08 f250 gas truck... but it doesn't. .. They're exactly the same. My conclusion is Drive what you want, one mile better...honestly wasn't worth my payment jump. |
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 Double Standards Don't Fly
Posts: 1283
      Location: At the barn | I have a 2012 with the 3.73 rearend. Its the 7th one I have pulled with. Its by far the stoutest truck I've ever pulled with. We haul a lot of heavy equipment and things that are heavier than our horse trailer so I can tell you these trucks are beasts! The fuel mileage does suck because you absolutely can haul the mail and your mileage pays for it. My 4 horse Platinum LQ loaded gets me 11.5 hwy. Empty I get between 12 and 15 around town. Just depends on how hard I keep my foot in it. I just rolled over 50k and if I use fuel treatment I get better mpg. The worst I've got has been 9 and that was loaded super heavy pulling in and out of mountains. If you do a delete kit and remove all the epa BS you improve your mileage and get increased power. But it voids your warranty. Mine is getting delete kit this spring. Check YouTube videos out and you will see what I mean. Also these trucks have to really be maintained, change oil early and not go over or you can have serious complications due to the emissions crap the government made mandatory. I lovemy ttruck but my only complaint is its an automatic. First one I've ever had and the last. Its great driving around town but pulling I want a manual. The exhaust brake is weaker and cuts loose at 10 mph leaving your ass hanging when you need it most. Plus it shifts quiet hard and tries to shift too soon when your really getting into a pull. Other than that i would say go for.they are bad ass trucks and beautiful to boot. |
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    Location: Philly | something to think about - as everyone's driving habits are different. if only pulling, mpg is not going to be great no matter the truck as long as you dont drive like a grandpa. going 75 down the interstate with a loaded LQ in a 2003 dodge i get 12-12.5. sure if I back it down to 70 or 65 (or less on the back roads) i can get 13.5 or so) but who drives 60 everywhere? 11 or 12 pulling on the interstate would be acceptable in my book for a newer truck. course the difference on the new ones is the empty mpg. |
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Member
Posts: 9

| You will not be disappointed. The 2012 Rams have more room, more standard features on the Laramie pkg and longhorn pkg that the 2 others don't have (heated steering wheel, heated rear seats). The fuel mileage is just a game. All 3 brands are about the same, we don't get as good of mileage as hoped, and mine has been deleted and "worked" on under the hood, and still only get 10-11 pulling a 14k trailer then adding 3-4 horses in it. The 4.10 ratio (max tow pkg) won't get as good as the 3.73, but the 3.73 will be fine, just won't have the get up and go from the start.(no big deal unless your racing ?? )
we have 2012 ram 3500 4x4 with max tow package and timbren overloads, fully deleted w/ H&S minimax, big fuel line, air intake, larger boost/intercooler tubes, straight exhaust
Edited by downonthefarm 2014-02-04 11:57 AM
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 Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
     Location: North Dakota | My dad has a '13 and we used it for a month and the mileage is about the same as our '04 but with much more balls! That truck is a pulling machine and is a beast. We got about 11.5 pulling our 4h LQ with haypod and about 16 empty. We love our '04 but the power of the '13 was awesome and the Jake break was a HUGE plus!!! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 805
    Location: Montana | We have a 2013 dodge they call it the tradesman sit came standard with cloth seats and rubber floor (no carpet yeah!!!) not towing we averaged 19mpg going to Helena to visit family. We haven't towed anything with it yet because I have my parents 04 Ford to haul with. I love the power of the dodge and it's roomier then the ford is. I can't wait to get the gn hitch in to start hauling with it, to see the type of mileage we get. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
       Location: Phoenix | My parents just got one for our towing needs....getting 11-12 hauling a full load and 15 with a light load. Seems a lot roomier than other Dodges I've seen. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 629
   Location: Roping pen | I won one in September and it will run! Mileage commuting to work is 11.8 on a 13 mile trip (half gravel road). Pulling 5 horses in ranch trailer will get 11.5 on hwy. By itself, going 65 on long trip we can get 16. On interstate 75-80 mph, it drops back to the 11.5 by itself.
Have yet to hook up to the LQ as needs to get flatbed on it. Due to the high box, our LQ won't fit with the trailer's dropped nose.
It has been in the shop 2x so far and has 2 open recalls on it...typical Dodge....
DO NOT DRIVE WITH BOTH FEET! If you hit the brake and the accelerater at the same time, it will throw a code and go into limp home mode....that the dealer has to reset. |
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