Ram trucks

[Ky hills]

Not officially looking for another truck just yet, but we have been thinking about maybe before too long.
The first truck I had was an 1989 3/4 ton Dodge. It was described as riding as rough as a spring wagon, steering was loose. but I really liked that truck. It was used pretty hard and was hard working truck.
Traded it in for 1998 1/2 GMC which had plenty of problems. Then a 2006 1/2 ton Chevrolet which has been a good truck, but it’s probably ready to change hands. then we got a 3/4 ton 2018 Chevrolet. It’s been a good truck, but it’s just an extended cab and even though there’s plenty of room in the front the seats are just not very comfortable on a long trip, and if anybody is in the back it’s an ordeal to get in and out of and really cramped up once in it, and I’m not very tall and long legged.
I’ve been seeing where Ram is getting good reviews for improving their ride comfort.
I’ve never had a diesel truck before, but a 3/4 ton Ram Cummins diesel seems interesting to me.
What are y’all’s thoughts on Rams both diesels or gasoline?
I’ve always been kind of partial to Chevrolets but at the same time I’ve always missed that old Dodge, I’m open to any of the 3. With the plan to move soon the road situation might be a mite rougher there than here so I’m kind of wondering which should hold up the best.

 

[Travlr]

I had an '05 Hemi crew cab and loved the truck... except it would drop the milage to 7 mph whether I was towing a loaded stock trailer or a motorcycle.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

I have a 2014 Dodge Ram Hemi 1/2 ton quad cab. Best truck I've ever had out of the seven different trucks I've had in my life. It has no problem carrying a ton of hay or pulling a stock trailer across country.

 

[Travlr]

I guess I should mention my son-in-laws experience. He breaks everything he drives (owns). He is HARD on vehicles. But he's had a '13 (?) Dodge with a Cummins for about five years and put close to two hundred thousand miles on it managing construction projects, towing heavy equipment, and off roading, at 90 miles an hour if not more... and he's only had to put a transmission in the truck. For him... that's a reliable truck.

 

[bird dog]

One ton with a cummins is what I've had for about the last 17 years. Drove the first one for 200K miles with no issues. Drove the second one for only about 60K then traded it in during Covid when the trade ins were stupid high. It had no issues. The one I have now is a 2022. One sensor went out on the limited slip but it also controlled the 4WD and the cruise.

My current one has the high output motor and the Aisin tranny. I have flatbed on the back.
They run best when you work them hard. You need to keep the fuel filters changed and the oil of course.
Oil and both fuel filter changes will cost $400 if you don't do them your self.
On the highway running at 2000 RPM will get you 17 1/2 MPG. I can get 11 1/2 running 70 MPH & pulling 20,000 lbs if the wind is calm.

I would get another one equipped just like the one I have now if I needed another. I ordered mine to get one without all the fanciest electronics and no chrome. Its a Tradesman package. The seats are nice and passengers think they are leather.

The ride is stiff when empty. Not to bad. Much better than is used to be. With a some heavy weight in the bed or pulling a load of cattle makes it float down the highway.

 

[sstterry]

@kenny thomas wil be able to tell you what he thinks of his.

 

[Brute 23]

I think @Caustic Burno has a Dodge now too.

 

[Brute 23]

Not officially looking for another truck just yet, but we have been thinking about maybe before too long.
The first truck I had was an 1989 3/4 ton Dodge. It was described as riding as rough as a spring wagon, steering was loose. but I really liked that truck. It was used pretty hard and was hard working truck.
Traded it in for 1998 1/2 GMC which had plenty of problems. Then a 2006 1/2 ton Chevrolet which has been a good truck, but it's probably ready to change hands. then we got a 3/4 ton 2018 Chevrolet. It's been a good truck, but it's just an extended cab and even though there's plenty of room in the front the seats are just not very comfortable on a long trip, and if anybody is in the back it's an ordeal to get in and out of and really cramped up once in it, and I'm not very tall and long legged.
I've been seeing where Ram is getting good reviews for improving their ride comfort.
I've never had a diesel truck before, but a 3/4 ton Ram Cummins diesel seems interesting to me.
What are y'all's thoughts on Rams both diesels or gasoline?
I've always been kind of partial to Chevrolets but at the same time I've always missed that old Dodge, I'm open to any of the 3. With the plan to move soon the road situation might be a mite rougher there than here so I'm kind of wondering which should hold up the best.

I'm interested in the details on your current Chevy if you get ready to part with it.

 

[cfpinz]

I've got mixed feelings on Dodges. Wife had a 1999 2500 that rode and steered horrible, dropped the auto transmission around 90k, we sold it not long after that. I'm driving her replacement for that truck now, a 2009 2500 with the 6.7 and 68RFE. Worst riding truck I've ever owned, and that says a lot. New ball joints at 90k, and steering is enough to keep you on your toes - even with new steering installed by Dodge under warranty around 70k. 16.5mpg empty (hand calculated, overhead console says 20-21) and 11ish towing. I had a 2007.5 3500 drw with the G56 manual trans briefly, 2 front ends in 100k miles, death wobbles, etc. Worst truck I've ever owned, but it rode nice. Wife's new truck is a 2021 3500 cab and chassis with the Aisin, only has 40k on it but I like it so far. 15mpg empty and 9 to 10ish towing our lq horse trailer, time will tell.

I've owned Fords my whole driving career, still have a couple old 7.3's from the 90's and a 2019 F350 drw with the 6.7 diesel. I like it better than the new Dodge, tit for tat on power, rides good and gets 13-15mpg empty and 9 to 10 towing.

Before we bought the 2021 Dodge for my wife (used from some friends of ours who bought it new), we were going to order a new 450/4500 that year - 2023/2024. We looked at both and as much as I hate to say it, I liked the interior better in the Dodges of that year model than I did the Fords. First time I can ever remember thinking that, usually Dodge's interior leaves a lot to be desired.

Pick your poison.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Id like a find a good 24 valve 4x4 dually.

These new ones scare me with all their electronics.

 

[Brute 23]

The Dodge interior has come a long ways, especially on the upper models. I'm a Chevy guy. Their interior has always felt different, in a good way. I can jump in a Dodge now and feel that same comfort. Nothing agaisnt a Ford, I just always feel like I'm sitting on a bench vs a recliner.

 

[Mrcopier]

I’ve had Dodge diesels all my adult life and had very little trouble. Well if you don’t screw up and put gasoline in it . I have a 2019 tricked out and love it

 

[Dave]

True story. One fall a couple years ago the Bighorn sheep were in the rut. A man driving down the road rounded a corner and found a group of Bighorns in the road. They didn't move so he honked his horn. A Bighorn took out his radiator. But what did he expect? After all he was driving a Ram pickup. Honest this is a true story.
Probably would have had the same results had he been driving a Chevy. But the community wouldn't have got as many laughs out of it.

 

[Ky hills]

I've got mixed feelings on Dodges. Wife had a 1999 2500 that rode and steered horrible, dropped the auto transmission around 90k, we sold it not long after that. I'm driving her replacement for that truck now, a 2009 2500 with the 6.7 and 68RFE. Worst riding truck I've ever owned, and that says a lot. New ball joints at 90k, and steering is enough to keep you on your toes - even with new steering installed by Dodge under warranty around 70k. 16.5mpg empty (hand calculated, overhead console says 20-21) and 11ish towing. I had a 2007.5 3500 drw with the G56 manual trans briefly, 2 front ends in 100k miles, death wobbles, etc. Worst truck I've ever owned, but it rode nice. Wife's new truck is a 2021 3500 cab and chassis with the Aisin, only has 40k on it but I like it so far. 15mpg empty and 9 to 10ish towing our lq horse trailer, time will tell.

I've owned Fords my whole driving career, still have a couple old 7.3's from the 90's and a 2019 F350 drw with the 6.7 diesel. I like it better than the new Dodge, tit for tat on power, rides good and gets 13-15mpg empty and 9 to 10 towing.

Before we bought the 2021 Dodge for my wife (used from some friends of ours who bought it new), we were going to order a new 450/4500 that year - 2023/2024. We looked at both and as much as I hate to say it, I liked the interior better in the Dodges of that year model than I did the Fords. First time I can ever remember thinking that, usually Dodge's interior leaves a lot to be desired.

Pick your poison.

Yeah when a Chrysler/Dodge dealer came to town in the 80’s, my family got on the bandwagon. Had an 88 Dodge Shadow, good small car. A 1990 Chrysler New Yorker, it was their luxury type car at the time.It rode good but I never liked to drive it and didn’t much. It needed a transmission at right at 90,000 miles. The 3/4 ton truck was a 1989 model, oh man it rode rough and steering was loose and all over the place. It started using some oil at about 80,000. Other than that it a heavy duty tank of a workhorse truck.
Over the years I’ve known several that swear by Dodge trucks and have used them for years.
I remember once one of them got a truck that they had a lot of trouble with and got a Chevrolet the next time. He seemed to go back to Dodge after that though.
Another man usually kept Dodge trucks, but got a Ford and didn’t keep it long, he went back to Dodge, he didn’t like the Ford at all. Those men use ton trucks and do a lot of hauling big loads of cattle or equipment.

 

[Ky hills]

The Dodge interior has come a long ways, especially on the upper models. I'm a Chevy guy. Their interior has always felt different, in a good way. I can jump in a Dodge now and feel that same comfort. Nothing agaisnt a Ford, I just always feel like I'm sitting on a bench vs a recliner.

I’m the same way, I’ve always preferred Chevrolet too, but does seem like Dodge has improved a lot over time. I’ve never been in or around many Fords but I agree they feel more like a bench. Another thing that goes along with the bench feel is that if they are leather or leather type seats then being so firm, they are so slick that I can’t hardly stay in the seat,
Other than that though I really don’t have any objection to a Ford, a lot of folks swear by them.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

About the sheep - The front of Dodge trucks used to say Ram and the tailgate said Dodge or visa versa.

Mine has minimal electronics on the dashboard which I hate and don't use. But something goes wrong with the computer system and $$$ just for the diagnostics. If an automaker would produce new old timey trucks without all the bells and whistles they would clean up

 

[Brute 23]

About the sheep - The front of Dodge trucks used to say Ram and the tailgate said Dodge or visa versa.

Mine has minimal electronics on the dashboard which I hate and don't use. But something goes wrong with the computer system and $$$ just for the diagnostics. If an automaker would produce new old timey trucks without all the bells and whistles they would clean up

The big 3 are offering a lot more options now like the "Custom" I have or the "Tradesman" with dodge. It basically give you some of the comforts above a the work truck than many people like but keeps the electronics to a minimal. I call them functional, not fancy.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

If an automaker would produce new old timey trucks without all the bells and whistles they would clean up

But yet sales data shows more customers are looking for the optioned out trucks than they are the basic trucks. Most people that drive pickups don't really need a truck, they use them as normal commuter vehicles and want all the bells and whistles like a sedan.

 

[Dave]

But yet sales data shows more customers are looking for the optioned out trucks than they are the basic trucks. Most people that drive pickups don't really need a truck, they use them as normal commuter vehicles and want all the bells and whistles like a sedan.

The trucks now days are just an ubanite car with a pickup bed. I knew a guy who was a sales manager in a large ag area. He said he had a standing order for 8-10 work trucks but the factory just wouldn't ship any of them to him. I don't need or want all the creature comforts and electronics in a truck. One of the reasons that when my 7.3 gives up the truck will just get a new motor.

 

[Travlr]

But yet sales data shows more customers are looking for the optioned out trucks than they are the basic trucks. Most people that drive pickups don't really need a truck, they use them as normal commuter vehicles and want all the bells and whistles like a sedan.

That's because the dealers make more money off of options than they do on the vehicle itself. They put the optioned trucks on the showroom and the front lot and keep the commercial, tradesman trucks in the back lot and hidden. And then the salesmen are trained to tell people that "options make for higher resale" when it's the optioned trucks that depreciate fastest.