They sure don’t make these trucks like they used to, but which one’s best?
TFL is a team of truck owners through and through. Some of us have brand new trucks, while others have preferred to go a different route. You know the adage: “They just don’t make ’em like they used to.” Take Kase, who’s put more time and energy into his 1994 Dodge Ram 2500 5.9-liter Cummins turbodiesel than most car owners ever will. For our “Hell and Back on $5K” series, we’ve also just picked up a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500, although this time it’s packing a 5.9-liter Magnum gas V8.
Even though these trucks look similar to a casual observer, there are some big differences worth mentioning between these two Rams. But which one is best? Let us know what you think in the comments, and check out Tommy and Kase’s takes on each truck as they walk through the details in the video below.
The beginning (and end) of a generation
Beyond just the two different engines under the hood, they do represent both the beginning and end of the second-generation Dodge Ram trucks. When it first came out, the 1994 Dodge Ram 2500’s 5.9-liter Cummins inline-six managed 175 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque from the factory. Ultimately, though, these durable engines are tunable to put out much more grunt. Factory examples received power and torque bumps (up to 245 horsepower and 505 lb-ft of torque) through the years. The larger-displacement Magnum, also available from launch, put out 245 horsepower and 335 lb-ft of torque by 2001.
Many other changes went into these trucks through the years, which Tommy and Kase go through below. Check it out and let us know which you prefer below!
