These are the kinds of stories that start arguments. Write a story about the ten best of anything and you'll have readers checking it out, then arguing, "What wasn't this on the the list?" It could be the 10 best Beatles songs of all time, the ten best rock groups, the ten best movies of all time... two beers and you've got a fight started.
So KJ Jones has dished up a treat for gear heads. The 10 Best Diesel Pickup Trucks of All Time. Who's in and who's out? Let's rumble.
Dodge Ram: Kickin' up dirt and spoiling for a fight.
Jones sets a few parameters up front. First, he knows that there are some readers who are so enamored their Rams that they believe "If it doesn't have a Cummins, it can't be on the list." All bias aside, there are other criteria beside sheer muscle. For this reason he writes:
The trucks we've selected range from first-generation Dodge Rams of the late 1980s, to present-day Ford, GM and Ram rigs that tow upwards of 35,000 pounds, while getting almost 30 mpg in fuel economy. So, if you're in the market for a brand-new, or new-to-you, (older) diesel truck, consider the ten rigs that are cited in this rundown.
And indeed, the first truck unveiled is that first generation Dodge Ram: 1989-1993 Ram D-250 and D-350. His moniker for this truck is Timeless Diesel. Each photo is accompanied by a paragraph of text that underscores the features that make this selection significant.
The second photo is what Jones calls the Best Used Diesel Value: 2003-2008 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 HD. Third-gen Dodge Heavy Duty diesels are also held in high regard, Jones writes. In part, this is due tothe facelift as well as increased cargo and cockpit space. This is a big man's truck.
Truck #3 he labels the Most Capable Diesel, and yes, it is a Dodge Ram as well, a 2010-2013 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty. This puppy has a 6.7-liter Cummins I-6 diesel engine that produces real horsepower and mountains of torque in what Jones calls "a fairly simple package."
At this point you have to be wondering when the Fords and Chevs will get mentions. The answer, when you turn the pages is "not yet." Truck #4 is the First 1,000 lb-ft Diesel. It, too, is a Ram. Specifically, it's a 202 Ram 3500 Heavy Duty. This was a Motor Trend Truck of the Year when it appeared, and it's got a lot going for it, not the least of which is its 35,100-pound towing capability and 7,680-pound payload.
Rather than spill all the beans here, I'm just going list the rest of the categories Jones pigeon-holed his selections into. Three Ford and three GM offerings get selected.
Fords were chosen for these categories: Best Budget Diesel and Best Diesel to Modify and Best Diesel for Towing.
GM trucks got gold stars for these categories: Best Pre-Emissions Diesel, Best Hot-Rod Diesel and Best Diesel Drivetrain.
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Go check out the story and tell us what you think.
https://www.motortrend.com/
Wow. Talk about opening Pandora's Box, a can of worms, and a potential firestorm of differing opinions, all in one topic. When it comes to categorizing anything as the "all-time best," some sort of disagreement happens within seconds of the declaration being made. That's just the way things work in our world, especially when all-things "diesel" is the subject.
ReplyDeleteAs these things go, "any truck with a Cummins in it is better than any other truck on the road". While I appreciate the enthusiastic judgment at face value, and there are Cummins-powered rigs that we acknowledge in this rundown of the best diesel pickup trucks of all time, we need to stress that the best-truck doesn't stop always at Dodge Ram vehicles.
In the thirty years truck manufacturers have produced light- and heavy-duty pickups with diesels on board, there are several that can be categorized as best. However, drivetrain performance—including fuel economy--and towing/payload weight limits are universally recognized as a good criteria. They're all good. Let it rest.