The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: billt on December 03, 2014, 08:14:48 AM
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I'm going to be getting a new truck this Spring. I've been looking at all of them, and I've decided on the Dodge Ram 1500 with the 5.7 HEMI and the 8 speed automatic. Mostly for 2 reasons. First and foremost is POWER. My 1991 Ford F-150 has been a damn good truck for the last 23 years, but it can't get out of it's own way. Especially after I switched from the 235 X 15 tiny tires it came with, to 31 X 10.5 X 15 tires with a larger circumference. It runs great, but it's a total dog performance wise, and I'm tired of it.
Second is they seem to have a lot of them available with standard cabs and short beds. A can't get, (or I don't want to chance), getting anything with a longer wheelbase into my garage. If it won't fit in my garage, I'm not buying it. The Arizona Sun eats paint. My next door neighbor leases and parks in his driveway, and after 3 years his cars are always starting to fade. Ford's, Chevy's, and Toyota's seem to be non existent these days with standard cabs and short beds, unless you buy a stripped down work truck....... And those damn things are almost as much a HEMI Dodge Ram 1500. My 1991 F-150 is a standard cab, long bed, and it BARELY fits. I can't get the door down if I put the front tires against the front curb, and leave the ball in the receiver.
I want something that will get up and scoot. My F-150 just can't get moving up a freeway on ramp. I know the 2015 HEMI Ram's will run low 15's in the quarter mile at around 85+ MPH. Pretty good for a pickup. The new 8 speed transmission is the one everyone say's to get because it has so many ratios, it keeps the engine at the best RPM, regardless of where or how you're driving. And the best part is they get as good, or better fuel economy than my old Ford. I can live with poor gas mileage because I don't drive that much. The guys who own them seem pretty happy with them, and I've always liked the look of them. I just wondered if any of you guys drive one, and what you think of it?? The way I'm seeing this deal, with 395 HP and 410 Ft. Pounds of torque.... What's not to like?
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A buddy of mine has one and loves it,I have a Hemi Magnum and 300C and the power if impressive.I get 18-19 mpg around town in my 4400 Lb Magnum and 22mpg highway.I think you'll like it a lot
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I recently drove all 3. The 91 is more a truck then any of the new ones and will most likly be on the road long after they are gone.
The only truck that impressed me power wise was the ford eco boost. The chevy felt cheap and the dodge rattled like crazy.
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The Ford Eco Boost twin turbo V-6 is somewhat faster, but that is a really complex and expensive motor. I doubt those twin turbochargers would live very long, especially out here in the desert when it gets 115+ with regularity in the Summer months. Yes, it's all covered under the warranty, (extended). But I don't drive enough to get anywhere near the mileage out of any warranty. The time will run out, (6 years), long before I get to 60,000 miles. Then you're on your own. I just think a high powered, high torque, naturally aspirated V-8 is the better choice for a motor in a pickup.
Over the years I've known a lot of guys with various turbocharged engines in their cars. Very few of them ever got past 75,000 miles without the turbo going south. And they are VERY EXPENSIVE to replace. Especially when you have 2 of them.
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I have a 2003 (first year?) and it's been a rock - no problems at all and very fast.....of course the very fast part costs a fortune in tires! - and it has 20" rims!!
I will be replacing it next year and I'm sorely tempted to get another if I can talk the missus out of her desire for a 4wd Tacoma long bed, crew cab.
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One of my brothers had a Dodge Ram pickup made in Mexico. He said it was the worst piece of crap he ever owned. When it was time to replace it he bought another made in Mexico Dodge Ram pickup. ??? We don't really talk to each other so I don't know how this one is doing. I'll be buying American again like I always do.
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Ram 1500 with Hemi and 8 Speed? Sounds good to me!
I have a 2004 2500 4wd reg cab/long bed with the Hemi before MDS, a lift, and 35 inch tires. The beast get horrible mileage! ;D 11 to 12 MPG :o
But can it move! Even with the added weight of the lift, larger frame, the tires (100 pounds per tire!) it moves fast.
The only thing to know is that the Hemi takes medium grade gas, not 87 octane.
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The only thing to know is that the Hemi takes medium grade gas, not 87 octane.
That's no biggie. I've got to burn Premium in my 5.0 or it pings like hell.
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Premiun? Holy crap!
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Never cared for anything made by Chrysler or Dodge...call me biased..
I had my Ford serviced this evening and the dealership sold hats with the following;
"Built Ford Tough, WITHOUT YOUR TAX DOLLARS!"
Buy your Ram, Bill. When it breaks down, you can sell your Barretts to get it repaired!
:D
Dodge and Chrysler are dead brands to me, personally! Same with anything from GM!
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I don't want to turn this into another "Chevy vs. Ford vs. Dodge vs. Toyota" argument. Those are no better than "which brand of AR-15 is best". It always turns into nonsense. Same with all of this "buy American" crap that gets slung around so much. What is that? I can buy a Honda made in Marysville, Ohio. Or I can buy a Ford made in Mexico. What's the difference?
Yeah, you can argue you're helping a Japanese based company as opposed to helping an American one. The fact is we live in a global market, and I can buy stock in either and reap the profits, or suffer the losses just the same. Besides, one can counter that by saying he is giving an American assembly worker a job as opposed to a Mexican, so it's tit for tat. I know equal people who like and prefer all 4 brands of trucks. I'm convinced it doesn't make a damn's worth of difference. Any one of them can produce a good product, the same as they can put out an occasional lemon.
I should add that I'm a bit skeptical of the new all Aluminum bodies Ford is going to in 2015 with their F-Series trucks. I hate being a first year Guinea Pig buyer for something so radical. You don't know if they'll stick with it, or if insurance will amount to more, because of increased body repair costs. Especially if they drop the concept, and body panels become hard to locate years down the road. I plan to keep this vehicle for a long time to come.
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Bill, we're a gun forum and our opinions vary widely!
Our opinions on trucks and cars is no different. If you want to know what truck is the most dependable, most powerful, most "everything" then read the truck blogs, read the reviews of professional auto folks and make the choice based on their opinion rather than ours...
I read up on everything I've bought "auto wise" since Al Gore invented the interweb and found that I still gravitate back to what's worked for me in the past. If you read the information available, you can eliminate the chafe quite easily and focus on those models that have the best of what you need.
I, like you, have probably bought the last vehicle I'll need for the remainder of my life. It's gotta last me at least 10-15 years with proper maintenance but in the Northeast, Ma Nature will probably have a strong say in that as well.
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The Ford Eco Boost twin turbo V-6 is somewhat faster, but that is a really complex and expensive motor.
A friend of mine has a '14 Ford with a NON-turbo eco boost engine. He's pulling an Airstream trailer with it and said quote, "I don't know why Ford made the turbo model. I can't imagine needing more power up hills than this motor has."
He got rid of his Dodge truck because the body, trim and interior was falling apart pretty ugly after only 3 years...and this is a guy who takes care of his stuff to the point of being anal about it.
Dodge powertrains always have been solid but their bodies aren't anything I would want to have. JMHO.
I'm a Toyota guy but he likes his Ford.
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That's no biggie. I've got to burn Premium in my 5.0 or it pings like hell.
drop a spark plug heat range or 2.
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The last Dodge pick up I owned was a 1960 one ton with a 318 and four speed. THAT WAS A TRUCK!!! Wish I hadn't sold it :'(
Between personal and work I have driven several Chrysler products, mostly vans. My experience with Chrysler products, and several others confirm this, is that they are a good value short and long term, they are very nice when new, and over the first 75,000 miles they lose their tight fit and finish and become tinny. If we had a local Dodge dealer I would be talking to them about a pick up, but without driving 50 to 100 miles it is GM and Ford.
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Still have the new one I bought in 2007. One word " POWER". I pull a 16' stock trailer full of camp with water and firewood plus a four wheeler from one side of Montana to the other every year hunting. Going up and over the Rockies the slowest I go is about 60. yes I would buy another one. It also gets about 12mpg on that trip of 400 miles one way.
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I just traded in my 2010 Ram 1500 to upgrade the wife's car. It had a hemi and ran like a top. Very quick, lots of power and good highway mileage. City was 14 highway was 19-22 depending on flat land or Mtn driving. I had the crew cab and would never go with anything less than that. I will be getting a new Ram in the spring.