paxton
Junior Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2016
- Posts
- 15
- Reaction score
- 3
- Location
- Rocket City, Alabama
- Ram Year
- 2017
- Engine
- Hemi 5.7
I put first in quotes because I've pulled little utility trailers and stuff around town before (though not in this truck). No biggie. It's like it's not even there, so in a way, that doesn't count.
This time, it was a car. That counted.
I have a 1987 BMW 528e I want to restore and I won a 1986 528e on eBay. The bad thing is I had to go to Michigan to get it.
I looked for shippers who could do it for me quickly and economically, but in the end, the disorganization of the company I picked plus their general lack of professionalism left me with one option: RAM!
I convinced my wife to come along. The two little ones wanted to come. So we piled into the truck with a few tools and headed out on Friday after work.
750 miles.
The truck did great on the ride up. I was getting close to 20 MPG! I was happy, the kids were happy, and after some napping were up and chatting and singing after midnight. "You put the lime in the coconut and drink it all up..." Great song until the 1000th time.
I was getting tired. We tried Dayton, OH but couldn't find a room. By the time I got back in the truck, I had a little energy (it happens when I get out and stretch my legs.) The Hampton Inn in Lima was our short term bed. We got in the room at 3 am and at breakfast about 8:30 am. 3 hours of sleep was not enough.
We continued on our way. We arrived at our destination near Lake Superior at about 1:30 local time. I took possession of the car. I had to get a trailer from the local U-Haul.
The 20-something guys at U-Haul had to come out and connect the trailer to verify it was done right. Fine. They came out. I was watching the hand motions of the taller one, and he was curling his fingers: back, back, back, back, BAM!!!!
What? I got out. I said, "What was that?" "You hit the trailer." I looked at my bumper. Nice dent in the brand new chrome. I was ticked off.
I almost lost it. You kept telling me to come back, and then I hit the trailer!!! Do you not know how this works? The worst? He said, "You have to move up." As the trailer lowers the tongue moves forward. You idiot, I thought. They connected the trailer and booked out of there more quickly than I thought they could.
I was fuming. I went to WalMart to get a come-along and after struggling to get a non-running car aligned with and on a trailer, on a gravel parking lot on an incline, with only my tiny wife helping, we finally tied it down and hit the road about 5:30.
Stopping and eating and stretching our legs turned what was supposed to be 11 and a half hour drive into a 14 hour drive, but we did finally make it, safe and sound, back to Alabama. We left at 5:00 pm on Friday and returned at 7:30 Sunday morning.
It really gave me a new appreciation for truckers (my dad was and my brother still is a cross-country trucker). And trying to nap in rest areas. And the RAM 1500. That truck did great. Acceleration and braking suffered a little, as you can imagine, but handling was good. Mileage dropped from 19.5 to about 13.5, which all told isn't too bad. But it was comfortable and completely capable.
In summary, my truck felt great and handled the load as well as I could've hoped.
Now if I could punch that guy in the face for backing me into the trailer...
This time, it was a car. That counted.
I have a 1987 BMW 528e I want to restore and I won a 1986 528e on eBay. The bad thing is I had to go to Michigan to get it.
I looked for shippers who could do it for me quickly and economically, but in the end, the disorganization of the company I picked plus their general lack of professionalism left me with one option: RAM!
I convinced my wife to come along. The two little ones wanted to come. So we piled into the truck with a few tools and headed out on Friday after work.
750 miles.
The truck did great on the ride up. I was getting close to 20 MPG! I was happy, the kids were happy, and after some napping were up and chatting and singing after midnight. "You put the lime in the coconut and drink it all up..." Great song until the 1000th time.
I was getting tired. We tried Dayton, OH but couldn't find a room. By the time I got back in the truck, I had a little energy (it happens when I get out and stretch my legs.) The Hampton Inn in Lima was our short term bed. We got in the room at 3 am and at breakfast about 8:30 am. 3 hours of sleep was not enough.
We continued on our way. We arrived at our destination near Lake Superior at about 1:30 local time. I took possession of the car. I had to get a trailer from the local U-Haul.
The 20-something guys at U-Haul had to come out and connect the trailer to verify it was done right. Fine. They came out. I was watching the hand motions of the taller one, and he was curling his fingers: back, back, back, back, BAM!!!!
What? I got out. I said, "What was that?" "You hit the trailer." I looked at my bumper. Nice dent in the brand new chrome. I was ticked off.
I almost lost it. You kept telling me to come back, and then I hit the trailer!!! Do you not know how this works? The worst? He said, "You have to move up." As the trailer lowers the tongue moves forward. You idiot, I thought. They connected the trailer and booked out of there more quickly than I thought they could.I was fuming. I went to WalMart to get a come-along and after struggling to get a non-running car aligned with and on a trailer, on a gravel parking lot on an incline, with only my tiny wife helping, we finally tied it down and hit the road about 5:30.
Stopping and eating and stretching our legs turned what was supposed to be 11 and a half hour drive into a 14 hour drive, but we did finally make it, safe and sound, back to Alabama. We left at 5:00 pm on Friday and returned at 7:30 Sunday morning.
It really gave me a new appreciation for truckers (my dad was and my brother still is a cross-country trucker). And trying to nap in rest areas. And the RAM 1500. That truck did great. Acceleration and braking suffered a little, as you can imagine, but handling was good. Mileage dropped from 19.5 to about 13.5, which all told isn't too bad. But it was comfortable and completely capable.
In summary, my truck felt great and handled the load as well as I could've hoped.
Now if I could punch that guy in the face for backing me into the trailer...
