Anyone have a Dodge Dually Gasser?

I'm looking at a '03 Dodge dually with the 5.7 hemi and 5 speed manual trans. Not many miles on it at all and reasonable price. I know that in most applications, the hemi will pass anything except a gas station. Was wondering if anyone on here has had experience with one and what their impressions were. Is there anything about them that I should run away from it?? I've gotten burned badly before with the 6.0 POSD. Not wanting to go back to diesel. No more than I would be pulling a load, the extra expense is just not worth it.

The hemi is a great motor, some may disagree and you should always get 10 to 12 miles a gallon when pulling, depends on the gears in the rear end and alot on how you drive it, but overall a good motor.

I drive an '04 2500 Hemi (No, not a dually) 4wd/auto/qc/long bed that belongs to my employer. I personally have an '05 diesel that is essentially the same truck save for the engines.

The diesel tows, but not nearly as much as the gasser. Milage is erratic from my experience. (anywhere from 8mpg to 25 mpg, depending on load and speeds, milage drops off badly as it approaches maint intervals. Never heard anyone else complain about that, but my truck does it)

Hemi get's tortured. We drag around overloaded 25' 14,000gvwr gooseneck trailers, pile up the miles, and I drive it like I stole it.

Best milage towing (highway at constant speed) is around 7-1/2 to 8 mpg. It'll get as much as 16 highway without the trailer. Diesel does a bit better. Routine maint cost is FAR less on the gasser. Fuel cost negates milage advantage. The hemi I drive is approaching 300,000 miles. Only repairs with it were not associated with engine or tranny. (A/C coil, wheel speed sensor, CD player) Diesel needed new injector pump @ 266,000. All things considered, when my '05 wears out, I'll probably buy a gasser unless things change a great deal between now and then.

I have a '11 Dodge 2500 with a Hemi, mega cab 4x4. I routinely get 16-17 MPG daily driving. On trips without towing get 17-18. Towing only 10-12 MPG. Truck is only 15 months old but have put on over 40k miles. Been a really good truck. And like others said, less money for maintenance and gas cost less.

i have an '07 with a 6 speed and a gooseneck bed and 4wd. your last sentence pretty much answers your questions.nothing to run away from, but if you need torque you will be disappointed. light to medium use it will do fine at a substantial savings. won't have the macho sound that some guys seem to need. -john-

DRL, My neighbor has a (roughly) 08 MegaCab, 4X4, Hemi gasser, Auto. Has the Life-time Warranty. He is a Custom hay baler, and Hot-shots some too. Gets about the Same as Rufus80 said. Hauls his 4430 in between fields works the hound of of it. Services it religiously. it will get its 100K Check up from Dodge. He loves his. 6 months ago back in the Spring the truck went in for one of its routine Inspections/Warranty checkup Dodge changed out the RH head because a bunch of the Head bolts had broken off holding the header on. My Neighbor wanted both changed. He still feels the engine is not right but what the heck it is still warranted for as long as he owns it, Period.
My Nephew just bought a 3/4 ton,Crewcab, 4X4, 5.7 gasser, Auto. Pulled the Pu box, put a flatbed on it. He has a 16 ft single axle cattle trailer that lives on that Pu. He pasture gathers yearlings for the folks he works for. He is getting about that 14/15 mpg now
IMO not a lot to get twisted about, good power, relatively decent MPG, Hope this helps.
Later,
John A.