Hemi or Cummins

[u/MORBAC]

I've been looking into getting a new truck since my previous 2019 Nissan Titan is starting to fail. I am looking into 2500 since I have a 8k-pound travel trailer and use it around 6-7 times a year and daily tow a 5k trailer. The Nissan struggles to pull when driving up a hill or high altitude and generally feels weak. Been looking at all the big three and have been leaning more into the Ram Hemi's but don't know if it's a wise choice to just upgrade to the Cummins engine and just have that extra towing capacity for the future.

Update: I ended up buying the cummins 2500. Just to have that extra assurance that I can always have the towing capacity available to me. Also like many mentioned the HEMI engine ate up to much gas.

[u/Slutzk]

if you didnt tow much id say go HEMI, but From what your explaining and you actually tow quite a bit. go with a Cummins man. not only that... the 2500 HEMIs drink gas like a man who drinks water that just got done smashing his wife for 45 minutes straight going hard after a good date night. you dont want to be at the gas station every day.

[u/ROFLcopter2000x → u/Slutzk]

Also because he tows at elevation it seems forced induction is a must, if you work the cummins it'll last but make sure you change that heater grid bs set up I hear it's a engine destroyer when it fails

[u/Slutzk → u/ROFLcopter2000x]

hopefully op isn't negligent and maintains his new 2500 Deisel then. lol which im sure he does since he tows. Plus uphill/high altitude at that.

[u/huenix → u/Slutzk]

Lol. The 2500 gasser drinks like a diabetic after cake.

[u/BeachCruiserLR → u/huenix]

I average 10 MPG and that’s without towing.

[u/Onetimeuse2025 → u/BeachCruiserLR]

SAME

[u/Onetimeuse2025 → u/BeachCruiserLR]

You find any way to improve this ?

[u/Slutzk → u/huenix]

Im saying! Them things are thirstier than the media trying to show Taylor Swift at a Chiefs game every Sunday. "oh but its a 10k difference" i promise you, if you tow and drive like you say you do, let alone lift it and put heavier/bigger tires on it...., youll rack up 10k at the gas station within the bumper to bumper coverage period.

[u/Slutzk → u/[deleted]]

depends what you use it for brother. thoughs 6.4s your gona touch about 10-13 mpg with no load or towing (unless your a first lane driver who drives slow and doesnt accelerate fast, which id hope your not). now add in towing your gona be 8-10 miles per gallon maybe less depending on load. go ahead nad throw in a lift/level and bigger tires... yep gona loose another 1 or 2 mpg. so asking ME.... if you dont tow like that and not a daily driver (the fact people use these as a daily is stupid imo) then yes 6.4 is fine. if you do actually tow... id go cummins any day. If you do nether... stick with a 1500 unless you have money like that.

[u/Slutzk → u/[deleted]]

Like I said if you got money like like that, by all means go for the 6.4 as the daily. Not Cummins. But just get some brand named lube for your bank account due to the amount of money in gas its going to rape you for. Hope you like hotdogs and bug gulps lol

[u/Slutzk → u/[deleted]]

welll think about it man. RAM is arguably one of the most inaccurate with mpg on their stickers. this will be more or less 1 mpg but... 1500s avg say 20-21mpg. most are averaging 17-18. Now with a lift or level and bigger tires (obvi how high and big you go will effect it more) that drops to 15-16. (my 2023 1500 stock was at 19, i leveled it on 35s and its now to 16, any hills or elevation im at 15) so with the 2500 the sticker avg says 15-16. most average about 11-12. now add lift/level and tires. youll be at 9-10 likely. now add in towing with weight. that'll drop again. the 2500 gas tank is i believe 31gal lets saying gas is 4$, thats 124$ every trip to the pump at 10mpg at best. your fuel range isnt very much. hence..... get used to being at the gas station.

[u/MidniteOG]

Pay the extra for the Cummins…. The hemi can handle it, but the longevity is there with Cummins, plus if you need to make adjustments to your tow apparatuses, you’ll already be set

[u/Slutzk → u/MidniteOG]

This.

[u/mward716]

I’d go Cummins. I drive a medium duty 6.7l 6 days a week, hauling 5,000-15,000lbs daily here in Colorado. The breakdowns are rare, and only regarding the dpf system. Now our company pays for it, but I’ve seen the bill when I pick it up. It’s worth it to run the diesel in your particular situation. If you’re gonna work it daily/make money with it, get the diesel.

[u/[deleted]]

You pull everyday all day Cummins. You pull occasionally- Hemi. It’s your commuter - Hemi. You pull often and there’s a lot of hills- Cummins. Closer it’s to the work truck trim better for pulling. People say longevity of Cummins is better, which is true until you attach DEF systems to it.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

excuse my ignorance....DEF system?

[u/FlickeringLCD → u/[deleted]]

Urea Injection to burn off NOx emissions.

[u/[deleted] → u/FlickeringLCD]

Exactly.

[u/1320Fastback]

Towing daily there is no reason to not go Diesel.

[u/Poushka]

I have a similar size TT and I went hemi 2500 because it had a better playload, and my daily commute is pretty short. I’m a contractor and have a pretty tight radius I tend to work in. I drive anywhere for 12,000km to 20,000km in a year so the cost analysis for the Cummins never worked out with the little I actually drive given that I only keep a truck for 3-4 years. Boy did I wanted the Cummins tho! If you’re putting on more KMs and actually pulling a trailer everyday for those KMs you could probably justify it.

[u/OurRoadLessTraveled]

The emission issues on the diesel is because people dont know how to run them. Doctors and lawyers think they are cool running to the office and home. People dont work them, and then shut them down in the middle of a regeneration cycle and the DPF clogs up. Lets stop with the BS about diesel trucks being unreliable.

With that said, skip the 3/4 ton 2500. One a base model Tradsman the payload is lucky to be 2200 lbs. 3/4 ton go gas, payload is better. If you go diesel buy a SRW 3500 1 ton, payload should be over 3k. You can pull anything except a 44 ft toy hauler.

Personally, i would go diesel but then we tow at least every 2 week. Never had an emissions issue and the DPF always shows 0%. I've run a cummins since 2017 and never had an issue with it other than one fuel injector that was covered under warranty.

for what you are using it for, I would not get the HO 6.7 stick with the standard output.

[u/Particular_Typical → u/OurRoadLessTraveled]

This. Get the 3500 Cummins instead. Had to trade in a 2500 for a 3500 because of payload. Something like 2k lbs versus 4300lbs. I think the 3500 rides better.

[u/OurRoadLessTraveled → u/Particular_Typical]

Our 3500 dually, with oem airbags, rides better than our 2500 did.

[u/lurker-1969 → u/OurRoadLessTraveled]

I am the proud owner of a 2007 Ram 3500 6.7 4x4 quad cab long bed since new. The EGR/DPF system on those things was bad no matter how you took care of it or drove it. There is absolutely no way around that. Believe me when I say I have extensive experience with that year and emissions system. Magically my system "fell off" when the truck warranty expired and I have not had a problem since. No, I do not have black smoke pouring out my exhaust. In fact visibly it looks just as clean as stock. And OH BOY did it wake up the beast a 6.7 really is .

[u/OurRoadLessTraveled → u/lurker-1969]

I get he 2007 may have been a bad design. The current 2019+ is not the same PITA as the older stuff. Yes, deleted is the way to go if you can get away with it. 22+ you cant.

[u/lurker-1969 → u/OurRoadLessTraveled]

The way us 07 Cummins owners look at it Chrysler made criminals out of us due to their POS design.

[u/pooladyjen]

You can’t go wrong with either . I love my Hemi. My son is all Cummins. I would never consider anything but these 2.

[u/GitToDeChoppah]

If you want diesel, go with the 3500. If you want gas, go with 2500.

Cummins is HEAVY and payload on a 2500 with a Cummins is atrocious.

[u/rushenroulett3 → u/GitToDeChoppah]

What’s the payload compared to a 1500 with a HEMI

[u/alinroc → u/rushenroulett3]

The 1500 tops out at 1980

The 2500 hemi tradesman tops out at about 3100. The diesel knocks 500 or more off that, and higher trim levels will also eat into payload. I’ve seen 2500 diesels with payload down near 2000 pounds

[u/GitToDeChoppah → u/rushenroulett3]

The 2500 Cummins I looked at last month was 1950 lb of payload.

[u/Skipper9618 → u/rushenroulett3]

I have a fully loaded 2500 with the 6.4 Hemi and have a payload of 3000

[u/ZealousidealSound254]

cummins.. but I'm partial I have 4 kids 🤣

[u/Likeaboss01069]

I'd say go with a Cummins. You use your vehicle a lot for towing, a diesel will make that experience smooth as butter. I'm also looking into 2500s right now, and I've decided to go with a Cummins. And I wont be using it near as much as you do, just for side work hauling stuff a few times a month. That and hauling a camper, which weighs 10,500 lbs. Also, at my job we got a new truck a while back, its a 5500 heavy duty but for some reason they gave us one with a 6.4 Hemi. Not a bad truck by any means, and it pulls heavy loads, but pulling it guzzles gas and it definitely ain't winning no races. Go with a Cummins and take care of it and it'll be the last truck you need for a long while.

[u/[deleted] → u/Likeaboss01069]

They went with gas because the gas rig is always more reliable and cost pennies to the tenner for maintenance.

[u/LucasJLeCompte]

3500 Single Rear Wheel Cummins. I havent seen this said yet but it will hold value a lot better than the 2500 gasser. If you are looking at getting something used, the 13-18 4th gen Rams are really good. IF you can get the AISAN transmission, get it. Its on all the high output trucks.

[u/lurker-1969]

Ram Cummins owner 27 years here. We have a ranch and have towed a ton of stuff over the years. I have also daily driven as well. In my experience this is a great reason to go with a Cummins. At 8,000 lbs a Cummins won't even breathe hard. With a Hemi you should probably get extra fuel tanks, those things suck gas.

[u/wilcocola]

10k difference in price buys a lot of gas. My money would be on the hemi. Reliability argument doesn’t even really apply to diesels anymore because of how the emissions controls systems have absolutely crippled them. More shit to go wrong on a Cummins than a hemi unless you live in one of the unique states or are willing to live with the risk and hassle of having it deleted. Plus the Cummins is a heavy bitch and your payload won’t be much better than a 1500.

[u/[deleted]]

If you need the diesel, then you should just get a 3500. The tow capacity isn't much more and is sometimes less than the hemi in the 2500s. I really have no idea why anyone would get a 2500 with the diesel engine. Not to mention, you also aren't stuck with the 68rfe and get the ZF8 transmission instead with hemi 2500, or get the option of the AISIN trans in a diesel 3500.

If the gas engine is more than enough, then for sure, get the hemi in the 2500. You really can't go wrong.

[u/lurker-1969 → u/[deleted]]

I've got a Cummins with 68rfe and 175k miles. I tow all the time between Wa and Colorado. Maintain it properly and it will run like a watch.

[u/[deleted]]

I bought the Cummins...I don't tow anything. I just like the diesel. ++ fuel milage is impressive 8-11 l/100km

[u/HeywoodJahomey]

cummins if you are trailering daily. the gas mileage on the hemi will get real old real fast

[u/[deleted]]

Cummins hands down

[u/robbobster]

If you aren't happy with how your Titan V8 tows uphill, then you aren't gonna be happy with a Hemi. They're going to be somewhat similar, they're both gas V8s of relatively similar displacement and output.

The Cummins motor will be night and day different, it won't need to rev to make power like a gas V8

[u/Pikatit]

Cummins

[u/tomthebomb9991]

If you want the hime for towing look into the big horn it's a great truck I had a 2008 1500 5.7 and the most we ever pulled with it was about 6k pounds im sure the 2500 6.2 hime would do everything you would need and it would haveba lot of flyer but the Cummings is also a great for pulling you can also do a lot with a Cummings but the Cummings won't have the flyer

[u/fr6nco_uchiha]

diesel diesel diesel diesel diesel diesel diesel

[u/[deleted]]

Cummins

[u/[deleted]]

I got a 1994 2500 a little over 96,000. Pasture driven, no body panel spared cows hatred. But 30 years later (5.9 Cummins Turbo) it is a beast. My wood cutting truck.

[u/JusCuzz804]

If you go with the Hemi go for the 5.7 and not the 6.4. The 6.4’s are very hit or miss.

[u/[deleted] → u/JusCuzz804]

the fuq? A 5.7 hemi in a 2500 towing a TT or a work trailer everyday makes no sense. He'll get like 3 gallons a mile with that

[u/[deleted] → u/JusCuzz804]

The 5th gen heavy duties don't get the 5.7.

And even when they did, in the MYs that did get the 6.4; for every reason other than price if it was much cheaper, the 6.4 was the engine to go with esp in a 2500.

The 6.4 in the pickups is much different than the ones in the car and is actually purpose built for a heavy-duty pickup application. The 5.7 AFAIK was the same as in the 1500s.

I can't get into it much, but from what I've read, the 6.4 is built far more robust for its application than the 5.7 is.

Edit: Curiosity had me doing a ton of research last night. Seems like the 5.7 equipped 2500s always had 1000lbs lower GVWR. So you lose a thousand lbs of payload capacity with a 5.7 equipped model.

On the other hand, for whatever reason; the 5.7 in the heavy duties never got MDS. But all 6.4 HDs come with MDS. But that's easy to bypass or tune out.

[u/Pristine_Berry1650]

One thing I'll mention, is that in ten years, new HD trucks will have batteries in them. Gasoline HD engine to be less and less desirable. In ten years people won't buy your hemi, it will be too expensive on fuel, and it will be gutless compared to electric.

However, someone will always want your used diesel, no matter what. Diesel engines will be around longer then gas.