So, I am in the market for a new 2500HD and doing some (a lot) of research. I know there are some dealers/salesmen/guys who buy a lot of trucks on this board that I'd love an opinion from. My question is, do I wait it out a couple months and see where the market is going, or jump in now and negotiate?
I am looking for a 2026 Chevy or GMC 2500HD/LT/SLT. I don't want the duramax, I want the 6.6 gasser, "leather" interior and heated seats since It'll be used mostly in Minnesota, which all have a sticker price of around 67k.
Am I smoking crack asking for the truck at around 60k O.T.D. in today's market, and am I better off buying it when I get to Minnesota or am I basically in the same deal range getting it here in SoCal?
I don't NEED a new truck as I have a paid off 2019 RAM Laramie 5.7 with 80k miles and it drives and looks like the day I bought it, I just want to upgrade to an HD. Ford is retarded in their pricing still, so I am sticking to Chevy/GMC unless things change with them. Not really a fan of the RAM HD's, but it is an option for the right price.
Any and all advice is welcomed...
6.6 gas?
My advice is get off the internet and buy today. End of year is best time to buy as long as your dealer is close to hitting a sales goal number.
Yeah, Chevy/GMC both offer the 6.6 Duramax and a 6.6 gasser. I'm not paying an additional 9-10k for something I really don't need. It's not going to be pulling 30k loads, at most 10-12k, and 87 octane is much cheaper than diesel nowadays, so there really is zero financial incentive to go that route.
My bad…didn’t lock into the 2500 size…DUH! 🤪
The bitch about HDs is the lack of huge discounts and free-money financing.
As a friend, I’ve gotta ask…are you SURE ya need to “HD”? The 1500s these days tow 15K no problem when equipped right and are “given away” around this time of year.
Jus’ digging into the issue so as to see if I can’t save ya a few bucks and, therefore, help you squeeze in that new 350 RX you’ve been jonesing for…and, if you’re not jonesing for it…I AM! 🤣
If I “Had To” get ya an HD? I’d get ya an SD…Tremor…and I’d throw Yokohama 39s on it…bigger Fox stuff…enhance the sound system…oh, and I’d sure as hell get “the roof”…the glass roof in the Ford is awesome. I can find ya a truck…as my younger bro, Chance. Got him a nice F150 for less than Tacoma money. Not kidding.
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Do you know anyone that you can buy it in Oregon and register it there for a few months first? No sales tax there. You're going to reregister it in a few months as a used vehicle in MN anyway. So maybe avoid the sales tax?
Yeah, I'm leaning towards a 1500 the more I really think about it. I mean 20% off msrp is where I'm thinking some dealers will get close to to move some product, given how many half ton's are sitting on lots.
GM’s 6.2 based 1500 towing seems to be pretty damn good…?
My neighbor has the new GM1500 diesel and he LOVES it.
My assumption based in recollection is that you have some potential towing needs? I recall GM having 13,000 + towing avail on their 1500s…I think. That’s pretty damn good.
I bought an F150 Hybrid for chase duty in Baja…it tows over 15K…more than enough to tow Cam’s TT home if the need arrives…oh..and it powers the welder and all the other pit equipment, too 🤣. When I got it in ‘24…our engineer had a pallet of dry wall and a bunch of other crap to pick up for an addition to his house. He had a 35 ft trailer all loaded up with shit. I let him borrow the hybrid…he said it towed better than his old Ram 2500 Cummins. That’s funny.
Just be sure to get EXACTLY what the hell ya want. You’ve earned it. 👍🏼
I know you said you're looking at GM, but if you're going to Minnesota with it anyway, check out Granger Ford in Iowa. Betting you can get a 7.3 gasser lariat F250 for a good price there.
If you can find someone who can get you an X plan pin for a Ford you're basically getting it for invoice no matter where you go but granger and some other high volume places will often beat that.
If you don't have any use for the diesel then don't bother but if you're towing at all regularly you'll appreciate it. If you don't plan on keeping the thing forever you'll make up the cost on the back end. Well maintained diesel HD truck without a ton of miles goes for damn near what you pay for them on used market or trade.
If you go the half ton route I would stay far away from GM. I just unloaded a 3.0 duramax I could not keep out of the shop. Every issue it had was known issue with backordered parts. Same story with the 6.2, they blow up on the regular and GM has blamed it on several different things, more models gradually getting added to recalls, lawsuits, etc. GM quality control has been nonexistent since covid.
I had a paid off 2019 Ram 1500 and traded that for a new 2022 Ram 2500 with the 6.4L.
First off- as you probably know the 2500 ride will be awful. Like rattle your brain awful. It took me 6+ months to get used to the ride (Ram1500’s ride like a Cadillac).
2500 sucks for parking, especially at the airport- again not a surprise but still irritating.
Fuel economy on the gasser is 14-17 mpg. Slightly worse than my 1500 was.
The 2500 is great for towing, but I kicked myself for taking out a new loan when I didn’t really need a new truck (just stupid on my part). That being said I aggressively paid off the truck last year to make up for that dumb decision.
Ram's HD trucks are worth looking at. My last one was more reliable than my current GM HD. Their 8 speed might be the best trans on the market, ride is horrible though compared to the GM trucks. IMO Ford F150 max tows are the only half ton worth getting if you're towing often, problem is they are priced close to a HD truck, at least they were when I was trying to buy one. The GM 6.2 are having issues and the Ram 1500 chassis leaves a lot to be desired while towing. They ride great unloaded though.
For what its worth i have a couple 7.3 gas fords that have been awsome. Work trucks.
Have bought 6 new ones since 2016, all GM. LTZ, High Country, AT4. All have been Duramax.
I've test driven the ford (25 super duty), and IMO it drives like a lumber wagon. You know you're in an HD truck.
I have not driven the Ram, but in NY they always seem to be the first ones to show signs of rust/rot.
The GM seems to ride the nicest of the HD's IMO. a 67k sticker should be do-able at the 60k range, especially if you have a supplier or employee PIN.
As mentioned, incentives are never as good on the HD's, but I will say the following. Yes 1500's ride like an SUV, and they are discounted HUGE up front. But the depreciation curve on them still seems to be much steeper than a well equipped HD. I've always utilized supplier and then done a little better (except during covid, it was always just straight supplier), and i've never had a depreciation cost between purchase price and trade in of over 3k/yr.
Unless you're planning to only tow a few miles or once a year, towing 10k behind a half ton or even pushing some of what they're stating they're capable of is scary, in my opinion. Others may disagree with me but pulling a 10k pound camper with a half ton was down right miserable.
If I were going half ton , which I almost did because I really dont need a 3/4 ton anymore until I really looked at the residuals, it would be the GM 1500 with the 3.0L diesel.
any other questions feel free to ask i'm pretty familiar with the process, Invoice, Hold backs, advertising money, ect.
If I was going GM gasser I would go with the 6.6 in a 2500. It doesn't have AFM/DFM so no crappy lifters to break on you and it doesn't have the crank shaft issues the 6.2 are having. It has VVT but almost all engine now days do.
My 2021 Silverado 5.3 was in the shop for lifter replacements right at 13k miles. Told myself I would never buy another 5.3 as long as it had AFM/DFM.
Also, that minimax 3.0 has a belt(wet belt) that runs the oil pump and the great engineers put it on the back side of the engine and they call for replacement at 100k. You have to pull the transmission to change it or pull the engine.
Always quick to blame the engineers....when its marketing/bean counters that really control everything.
Belts a 150k mile service interval for 20-2022 LM2, and 23+ is 200k I believe.
Agree entirely on staying away from the 5.3 / 6.2 gas engines in the 1500.
So, the marketing/bean counters were the ones that designed an engine with a wet belt on the back side of the motor that requires removal of the transmission to change it. Got it.
On a personal note, I would never buy a vehicle that has a wet belt. To many stories of them degrading and then material plugging up oil systems. But then again, I'm no engineer as I work in the marketing department.
There are two trucks I would consider: 1/2-ton Ford Ecoboost, 3/4-ton Cummins. If you don't tow often, get an Ecoboost and rent a 3/4 ton a couple times a year to tow. I get great discounts on GM products, owned several my whole life, but I won't go there anymore. However, I am hearing great things about the new minimax, so it's one that should be considered.
I guess it depends how long you plan to keep the truck. If you plan to drive it less than 150k, then shouldn't be a problem. But yeah if this is a long term 200k+ truck, then it's a no go.
AFM delete, upgraded torque converter, catch can, and a tune. And the 5.3 is a fine engine.
Pit Row
So, I buy a new truck then I have to pull the engine, do a cam swap, put some LS7 lifters in it. While I have the engine out put an upgraded torque converter in it. Once done put a tune in and install a catch can, then I have a reliable vehicle. Why do I have to do all that when I'm spending 50k + for a new truck?
I also have 2002 GMC Sierra with the 5.3 and no AFM or VVT and it's never let me down.
And say goodbye to any powertrain warranty claims.
And don't GM vehicles have locked ECU? So tuning requires replacing the ECU?
Then stick with your pre afm stuff man. These are the cards everyone is dealt. You clearly got a bad one, I've had two afm 5.3s and both made it to 150k+ miles.
Everyone is playing the bs emissions game. But it's pretty easy to figure out what the afm/dfm cause and effect is.
I mean GM is pretty upfront about their 6th generation small block being built around "next gen" cylinder deactivation. So it's not something we can get away from.
Something to think about.... I was in the same situation a few years ago between needing a 1/2 gasoline or 3/4-ton diesel pickup. I ended up building a spread sheet estimating how many miles I would drive with and without a trailer along with est fuel milage with and without a trailer combined with fuel costs.
The operating cost were about equal due greatly to the fact that I was lulling a trailer about 25% of the time.
I then factored in purchase price and depreciation as if I sold it at 100,000 miles, and the diesel with much much less depreciation actually was les expensive that the 1/2 ton gasoline pickup. Given you do have to tie more money in the diesel until you sell it.....
speak up
My uncle hates his new 3500 Duramax. '24 I believe.
He had a GMC 2500 with the 8.1 and Alison trans forever before trading in. He loved that truck. I have the same combo in one of my work trucks and it is a great combination, just getting old.
My daily is a '17 Ram 2500 with the 6.4L and I enjoy it very much. Test drove an F250 and wasn't a fan.
To each their own, good luck and enjoy whatever you go with!
I had a ‘22 Raptor, best truck I’ve ever had. Wife and I were looking at small toy haulers, couldn’t find one that fit our needs that was light enough to tow with the Raptor.
Said fuck it, bought a F250 and 29’ toy hauler first week of January 2025.
I found a dealership an hour away that had 3 2024 Platinum F250’s, all with the High Output 6.7 Powerstroke just different exterior colors. I worked a deal on the one they had on the lot longest, ended up getting it for $15k under MSRP and they gave me $70k trade in for my Raptor with 34,000 miles.
I have a ‘25 2500 Duramax LTZ for work, used it to pull my toy hauler to Utah for a quick work and moto trip. I thought it would be comparable to my F250, but I was surprised with how much more effort it took to pull the toy hauler, worse average MPG, and honestly rode like shit compared to the Ford.
I owned 4 new Chevy/GMC 1/2 tons before the Raptor, so I’m not a Ford guy
So my summary is: you can negotiate a great deal on these trucks, and get the Ford if possible.
Looking quickly at CarGurus, I don't think it's crazy to think you could snag a F250 Lariat with the 7.3 Godzilla for around $65K OTD.
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All good advice and opinions, so thank you guys. I've decided to sell my 1500 Laramie here before we move as a 2wd truck isn't worth a damn thing in Minnesota, and wait out the new truck market. The way I am seeing it, dealers can't move much inventory at all right now, and it's only going to get worse when the 27's start landing. Either way, they aren't going to get more expensive between now and then so wait I will.
Is it just me or are 80% of all new HD's spec'd with a 10k diesel option? That's insanity for those of us that like gassers. I think there will be a LOT of unsold trucks come June/July.
I think I read that their fiscal year ends at the end of march so the best deals should be late march.
But it could have been read on the internet so it may or may not be true. You'll maybe want to check on that.
I’ve seen new dodge rams 6.7 diesel new for under 70k check out Steve white motors in nc and there’s another in nc I can’t think of the name right now they advertise on eBay both of them. Generally around 10k off sticker with no fees on the dodges lately that I’ve seen.
Order a 7.3 Gas Tremor in BFE South Dakota…I recommend a Lariat.
Let me know where and I’ll order a truck there, too, and we can make a Black Hills Road Trip out of it! 🤣
That works. Especially when it comes to sweet finance deals 👍🏼
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