Ram Truck Purchase Decision - Need Someone to Kick Some Sense

[ray1970]

Personally, I've found the smaller trucks really don't do any better on fuel than a full size so you might as well have a full size truck. In fact, I got rid of a Nissan Frontier because I figured if I was only going to get about 16 mpg I might as well have something a little roomier.

I get up into the mountains a few times a year pulling a small trailer and every time I do I wish I had a diesel. The rest of the time a gas engine suits me just fine.

My daily driver is a 2008 Chevy 3/4 ton with a 6.0 gas engine. Even loaded to almost full GVW the thing has plenty of power. Of course it only gets about 13 mpg on the highway. But keep in mind mine weighs in right at 9000 pounds and I don't pay for gas so I'm a bit heavy on the throttle all the time.

[wyome]

Wife has an '08 1500 QC 4x4 with the 4.7L flex fuel motor...makes for a decent daily driver
I know the hemi has instant torque, whereas the 4.7L doesn't...was still able to tow my 64 chevy p/u on a hauler with no problems..gas mileage towing is atrocious...11mpg if you're lucky.

Just cruising the interstate on gas it gets about 18mpg...on E85 it gets about 12mpg.

Only problem was the tranny crapped out at the 3 yr point, which was replaced under warranty no problems

We use ours about the same way you described your intended usage...if you ever want to do real 4x4ing/crawling I would get a 2500, or sumthin with a solid axle front end just for durability sake. For our hiway/lite 4x4 trail use when we go camping our is fine.

[TAR31]

Get a full size diesel truck or get a car.

[blacklabel]

I went with a Nissan Frontier for a few reasons.

Cheaper than a full size
Gas mileage
Easier to maneuver in the mountains/trails

I get about 16.5 in town and up to 23 on the interstate. I wouldn't trade it for anything right now.

[NightCat]

Roll coal

[ben4372]

My Hemi SLT is a fantastic value. Not overly deluxe. Decent mileage, lots of power. The 2009 and up hemi has 390hp and near 400lbft torque.

[rockhound]

the cummins is a bad choice for daily city driving, they are made to be ran hard, they need to be hammered against the limiter on a regular basis, towing a 10,000 lb trailer at least occasionally, a short commute will kill the pumps and injectors, stop and go they do not like at all.

i have been driving and towing trailers for 20 years, i have had everything from a cummins to a ford and currently have an 05 ram and a chevy 5.3

i love my ram, it will literally pull a house down, it does not even know my 35 foot fifth wheel is behind it, but the advantages to the diesel went away when the price of diesel jumped up past the cost of gas, the gains is mileage are offset by the additional cost of fuel.

the gasser is way cheaper to maintain. I had to do the injectors on my ram this last year. dealer wanted almost $6000 to install new ones, i did them myself, but parts were still $1700 for remans,

I could have done four sets in the gasser for that. tires cost more e loads kill me, i have yet to get more than $30K out of set on the dually,

I drive the chevy 5.3 as my daily driver, $.70 a gallon cheaper fuel and the mileage is better.