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2500 vs 3500

ramblinChet said:
For every one 3500 owner that says they wish they had purchase a 2500 there are ninety-nine 2500 owners wishing they had purchase a 3500. Just saying...
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I was thinking this the other day, haha. These questions ive posed came to fruition from being on this forum and getting the notion that there were more 3500 owners than 2500 owners.
 
RV_Goose said:
But some states will require you to have a non-commercial class A license if the trailer is over 10K. NC does. FL does not. And private, non-commercial, can exceed 26,001 in most states. RVs are but one example.
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Must have read that wrong with NC. Gonna have to call DMV, RV dealer in NC is either wrong or lying.
 
For me it's payload.

The last time I checked the payload in the 2500 is pretty low for what I do.

In commercial construction (Masonry) you haul a lot of heavy stuff like a pallet of 8in or 12 inch block, pallet of mortar or cement and those are 70-90lbs a bag. 2.5k to 3k lbs of sand. I need a payload to be at least 3k at minimum in my line of work.
 
I got the 2500 because I plan not to tow anything more than 6000# (hunting trailer) and love the fact that the coil spring suspension is reminiscent of a jeep suspension. I go off road every chance I get and use the truck more like a big diesel overlanding tank and family hauler than a commercial vehicle or parking at rv lots. If your use case has you towing a lot or you forsee a slide in camper of any sort.. please do yourself a favor and get the leaf sprung 3500.. always options to help ride quality down the road in the 3500 in the aftermarket. If you plan to use it as a glorified half ton but put extra load in it from time to time and also have ride quality near the top of your list.. the 2500 is an excellent choice. I was about to go with a 3500 ''just because'' and that I never wanted to hit a ceiling of what I could tow or carry but when I wrote my plans and goals down on paper for my truck.. it was very obvious that the 2500 would be best suited for me. The HO w/Aisin transmission also drives very different than a SO Cummins 2500.. so do yourself the biggest favor and go and test drive both a 2500 and 3500, then report back here because usually you will know instantly after driving them back to back.
 
CasualAdubs said:
Ah! Plowing snow! Another one I didnt even think of. Interesting. Because of the weight of the truck makes it easier to push snow around?
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More so because the trucks are designed to handle the weight and abuse. Half tons are mostly commuter grade, and take more of a beating.
 
Squatch said:
Nothing you can’t program out, but 3500s don’t shoot off warnings at you for tire pressures like a 2500 will.
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Uh oh. That sounds like an undocumented feature. haha
 
Good thing there isn't a "one size fits all" when we talk about trucks.
1/2 ton > 3/4 ton > 1 ton SRW > 1 ton DRW> 2 ton >
There's something to please everyone.

When I've got my 3500 SRW, some of my friends thought I was silly not to get DRW, in their mind the 1 ton has to be a DRW.
 
Brutal_HO said:
[Edited] Only the long bed trucks get a larger tank option. Looks like 2021 added the big tank for Gas as well as diesel?

If you're registering commercial, tags and insurance could be a big difference too. Also over 10K GVWR usually requires CDL for any and all drivers.

No flames, I don't have a CDL nor am I a professional driver, just doling out free, potentially inaccurate, internet advice.
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No CDL here for non pro use. If you haul for profit, including show animals, etc. that pay winnings/prizes, you do need a CDL crossing state lines. Lots of grey/areas subject to interpretation. For the record, I have a CDL, so no worries except for when I had the 2500. If I would have been stopped, I would have gotten the, “as a CDL holder/driver, you should have known better”, from law enforcement.
ramblinChet said:
For every one 3500 owner that says they wish they had purchased a 2500 there are ninety-nine 2500 owners wishing they had purchased a 3500. Just saying...
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And I definitely was one of those......99%
 
Scary812 said:
Must have read that wrong with NC. Gonna have to call DMV, RV dealer in NC is either wrong or lying.
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Look up the license classes for NC. Look up the law referenced on the trailer registration. The exemption in NC is for the fuel tax exemption.
 
I went with the 3500 because of the payload. In late 2019, we ordered a new travel trailer, similar in size, though a little heavier than what we were replacing. I initially started to look for 2500s in the area (I'm in Nor Cal) and came across a dealer about 50 miles away that had four new leftover 2018 2500s Tradesmans with a Cummins. The price was almost too good to pass up with a $16,000 discount off MSRP. I got my pre-approval from my credit union and made the trek to the dealer to buy. The 2500's payload was only 2547lbs and I thought I would quickly run out of available payload with the new trailer. I've posted pics of the great deal I passed on and it's payload sticker.
 

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Branog said:
I went with the 3500 because of the payload. In late 2019, we ordered a new travel trailer, similar in size, though a little heavier than what we were replacing. I initially started to look for 2500s in the area (I'm in Nor Cal) and came across a dealer about 50 miles away that had four new leftover 2018 2500s Tradesmans with a Cummins. The price was almost too good to pass up with a $16,000 discount off MSRP. I got my pre-approval from my credit union and made the trek to the dealer to buy. The 2500's payload was only 2547lbs and I thought I would quickly run out of available payload with the new trailer. I've posted pics of the great deal I passed on and it's payload sticker.
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Wow, one hell of a deal, only 2 wheel drive but still....
 
RV_Goose said:
Look up the license classes for NC. Look up the law referenced on the trailer registration. The exemption in NC is for the fuel tax exemption.
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Class C: Required to operate any noncommercial single vehicle with a GVWR of less than 26,001 lbs.; and a vehicle towing a vehicle which has a combined GVWR of less than 26,001 lbs. operated by a driver 18 years old or older. Most drivers need only a regular class C license to operate personal automobiles and small trucks.

Source: https://www.ncbold.com/license/44326

In my scenario I’m talking a 5th wheel RV. Or travel trailer that is on the heavy side. Heck, even if I was hauling a kubuto tractor on flat bed (personally owned) it looks legal on a NON commercial class C. That’s the weird thing about NC. They have commercial class A,B,C then they have non commercial.
 
Scary812 said:
Class C: Required to operate any noncommercial single vehicle with a GVWR of less than 26,001 lbs.; and a vehicle towing a vehicle which has a combined GVWR of less than 26,001 lbs. operated by a driver 18 years old or older. Most drivers need only a regular class C license to operate personal automobiles and small trucks.

Source: https://www.ncbold.com/license/44326

In my scenario I’m talking a 5th wheel RV. Or travel trailer that is on the heavy side. Heck, even if I was hauling a kubuto tractor on flat bed (personally owned) it looks legal on a NON commercial class C. That’s the weird thing about NC. They have commercial class A,B,C then they have non commercial.
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Class C is good as long as the trailer GVWR is under 10k. A trailer over 10k needs class A. Read the non CDL Class A requirement
 
I'm thinking about upgrading from my DT to a 2500 this fall/winter. 90% of the time a 1500 is more than sufficient for my purposes, but it's borderline the remaining 10% of the time.

I have no desire to deal with a 3500 as a daily driver--last year I test drove a MC 3500 SRW HO back to back with a MC 2500--and the 2500 with the air suspension has a substantially closer ride quality to my DT than the 3500.

The 2500 would be more than sufficient for my current needs or anything I'm expecting to do for the next 5+ years.
 
Scary812 said:
combined GVWR of less than 26,001 lb
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Ref: https://www.ncleg.net/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByArticle/Chapter_20/Article_2.html
"Class A. - A Class A license authorizes the holder to drive any of the following:
a. A Class A motor vehicle that is exempt under G.S. 20-37.16 from the commercial drivers license requirements.
b. A Class A motor vehicle that has a combined GVWR of less than 26,001 pounds and includes as part of the combination a towed unit that has a GVWR of at least 10,001 pounds."

GVWR of my 5th wheel is 11,800. So a non-commercial Class A is required.
 
MEGA HO 3500 said:
Good thing there isn't a "one size fits all" when we talk about trucks.
1/2 ton > 3/4 ton > 1 ton SRW > 1 ton DRW> 2 ton >
There's something to please everyone.

When I've got my 3500 SRW, some of my friends thought I was silly not to get DRW, in their mind the 1 ton has to be a DRW.
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DRW can be a pain if your daily driver and you regularly go into parking lots. Unless a lot of heavy towing or giant in bed camper is planned, SRW should be enough for most. I got a DRW to pull a 30k gooseneck, and just going to the store or a little league game can be a pain when parking lots seemed designed for Prius. Although maybe I'll lose some weight with not fitting in some drive-thrus.
 
Pete Schweddy said:
DRW can be a pain if your daily driver and you regularly go into parking lots. Unless a lot of heavy towing or giant in bed camper is planned, SRW should be enough for most. I got a DRW to pull a 30k gooseneck, and just going to the store or a little league game can be a pain when parking lots seemed designed for Prius. Although maybe I'll lose some weight with not fitting in some drive-thrus.
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I agree and that was my point exactly, there is a truck to suit everyone. 2500 would have been a little too small for me but I do not want / need a DRW.
I do accasional light towing but I need a 1 ton as I have a slide in truck camper planned in the near future, and I do not want to lag around a huge one with slide ins, etc...
 
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