'14 Ram Thoughts after a week of ownership

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patchelect

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I had been waffling about getting a RAM to replace my '01 Dakota for quite some time, probably a year or more. I recently retired and began looking a bit closer and finally allowed myself to get bit by the bug. I bought a CPO '14 RAM about a week ago. In that time I put close to 800 miles on the truck so I guess my initial impressions have some merit.

Compared to the Dakota, the RAM is huge! Dimensionally not so, but the feeling is much bigger.

The Hemi is a huge improvement over the 3.9 V6 I had as was expected. The 8 speed transmission can be argued either way. Sometimes I feel like it is hunting and others like there is a hole between gears.

The room and comfort in the RAM is magnitudes better than the Dakota, BUT, the Dakota is WAY better handling than the wallowing RAM. Maybe when I have a few more thousand miles on the RAM I'll change my mind, but right now the Dakota wins, hands down, and I still have the Dakota so it's not fading memories.

The HVAC system on the RAM is also much better than the Dakota. They both have the manual systems so it's an apples to apples comparison.

The steering on the RAM is so disconnected to the wheels! I feel like I'm "driving" a video game instead of a vehicle, but I also know that the change is the way things are today.

The information system, while filled with options, is daunting. Too may possibilities that require too much input to read and scanning some readings requires changing screens as they are on different ones.

Getting information from the owners manual is nearly useless although I haven't tried the CD that came with it. (I'm assuming it is identical) I've learned far more from Google and posts by others including youtube posts.

I'll give that the cab is very accommodating for passengers vs my Dakota's Club Cab arrangement, although I could have gotten the Dakota with 4 doors as well.

Overall the RAM is a sweet ride, but the Dakota is a sportier one.
 

14hemiexpress

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The reason the steering feels different is the 13+ has electric steering vs the standard power steering.
 

12sportmc

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That's the most disappointed sounding initial review ever lol. Give it some time and I think you'll enjoy better than the Dakota. As far as EVIC being confusing, well that's how pretty much any modern vehicle is now. Never heard it called confusing but I guess coming from an older model truck I could see how it might be a little shocking. Sounds like you've got buyers remorse, maybe the dealer will take it back and you can keep rocking the Dakota lol. Just givin u a hard time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

TRCM

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I had been waffling about getting a RAM to replace my '01 Dakota for quite some time, probably a year or more. I recently retired and began looking a bit closer and finally allowed myself to get bit by the bug. I bought a CPO '14 RAM about a week ago. In that time I put close to 800 miles on the truck so I guess my initial impressions have some merit.

Compared to the Dakota, the RAM is huge! Dimensionally not so, but the feeling is much bigger.

The Hemi is a huge improvement over the 3.9 V6 I had as was expected. The 8 speed transmission can be argued either way. Sometimes I feel like it is hunting and others like there is a hole between gears.

The room and comfort in the RAM is magnitudes better than the Dakota, BUT, the Dakota is WAY better handling than the wallowing RAM. Maybe when I have a few more thousand miles on the RAM I'll change my mind, but right now the Dakota wins, hands down, and I still have the Dakota so it's not fading memories.

The HVAC system on the RAM is also much better than the Dakota. They both have the manual systems so it's an apples to apples comparison.

The steering on the RAM is so disconnected to the wheels! I feel like I'm "driving" a video game instead of a vehicle, but I also know that the change is the way things are today.

The information system, while filled with options, is daunting. Too may possibilities that require too much input to read and scanning some readings requires changing screens as they are on different ones.

Getting information from the owners manual is nearly useless although I haven't tried the CD that came with it. (I'm assuming it is identical) I've learned far more from Google and posts by others including youtube posts.

I'll give that the cab is very accommodating for passengers vs my Dakota's Club Cab arrangement, although I could have gotten the Dakota with 4 doors as well.

Overall the RAM is a sweet ride, but the Dakota is a sportier one.


Google 2014 Ram owners manual...and download it...its free, and the PDF is SOOO easy to search for stuff
 
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patchelect

patchelect

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Great suggestion. There is a book that came with the truck (the truck is 200 miles from at the moment) that doesn't look at all like the .pdf I found. I'll peruse the file.

Thanks.

But the electric power steering is still something my old fashioned brain has to get used to!!
 

BackCountryAK

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Great suggestion. There is a book that came with the truck (the truck is 200 miles from at the moment) that doesn't look at all like the .pdf I found. I'll peruse the file.

Thanks.

But the electric power steering is still something my old fashioned brain has to get used to!!

I'm a big fan of the electric power steering. No more worries of blowing power steering lines because the temperature was too cold! Of course only us Arctic folk were concerned about that.:roflsquared:
 

Galadaeros

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Sometimes I feel like it is hunting and others like there is a hole between gears.

That sums up my impression of the Hemi-8 speed combination as well. However, with MDS turned off the truck is much more responsive and fun to drive.
 

Skerj

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What trim do you have? I had an 05 Dakota ST quad cab with the 4.7 V8, and compared to my previous 11 Outdoorsman, and especially my current 16 Outdoorsman, the Dakota was definitely more of the marshmallow, although the Rams are/were much more comfortable as well as confident to drive IMO. I wonder if either my Rams are/were aired up too much, and the 16 is still breaking in, or if you have soft tires or suspension part wear; while I wouldn't call the Rams 'tight' like a sports car, but wallowy to me describes my Dakota (loved that truck too...).
 

bryan28

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I'm a big fan of the electric power steering. No more worries of blowing power steering lines because the temperature was too cold! Of course only us Arctic folk were concerned about that.:roflsquared:

I was stationed at Ft Richardson for 5 years and worked on the slope at Kuparuk for over 8 years and have never heard of this happening. Guess you learn something everyday.
 
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patchelect

patchelect

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What trim do you have? I had an 05 Dakota ST quad cab with the 4.7 V8, and compared to my previous 11 Outdoorsman, and especially my current 16 Outdoorsman, the Dakota was definitely more of the marshmallow, although the Rams are/were much more comfortable as well as confident to drive IMO. I wonder if either my Rams are/were aired up too much, and the 16 is still breaking in, or if you have soft tires or suspension part wear; while I wouldn't call the Rams 'tight' like a sports car, but wallowy to me describes my Dakota (loved that truck too...).

My Dakota is a Sport model, a seriously good handling an stiffly suspended truck. I've amazed myself at the sweeping corners and ramps I can take, especially compared to my Miata. I haven't even gotten a chance to push the RAM yet. At some point I may get around to it, but for now I have a block in my mind that keeps thinking I'm driving a Hearse!

As for the electric steering, I'm aware of it but it is NOT like my Dakota or my Miata in terms of feeling.

Progress can be daunting!
 

Skerj

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My Dakota is a Sport model, a seriously good handling an stiffly suspended truck. I've amazed myself at the sweeping corners and ramps I can take, especially compared to my Miata. I haven't even gotten a chance to push the RAM yet. At some point I may get around to it, but for now I have a block in my mind that keeps thinking I'm driving a Hearse!

As for the electric steering, I'm aware of it but it is NOT like my Dakota or my Miata in terms of feeling.

Progress can be daunting!

Makes sense then. Probably had bigger rims with less tire as well which would tighten up the feel even.

https://www.google.com/amp/www.mlive.com/articles/8075634/2013_dodge_ram_features_nextee.amp

According to this article, power steering gets 1.8% :)roflsquared: increase in fuel economy but also is where the Hemi gets an extra 5 ponies.
 

BackCountryAK

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I was stationed at Ft Richardson for 5 years and worked on the slope at Kuparuk for over 8 years and have never heard of this happening. Guess you learn something everyday.

Yeah, Anchorage and coastal Alaska do not get as cold as the interior. When it gets -40 or -50 for a period of time, all sorts of things like to leak and break.
 

Dr. Righteous

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For me last May was 1 year I've own my 2014 hemi Ram 4x4.
I've been very please with it and I've used it HARD. I purchased it after I put my house on the market, and soon it was towing a heavy loaded trailer containing our household. It took about 5 trips to get everything moved. The trip is about 80 miles down back country roads one way, and that is up and down mountain roads. The mileage computer said I was getting 17 mpg loaded on those trips. I called BS on that. I did the math, was getting 16.5 mpg.
Unloaded on the highway it cruises smoother than any car I've ever owned and gets 20 or slightly better. I've found higher octane fuel does boost your mileage slightly. So does avoiding E10 gas.
I'm on a long haul next week pulling a car hauler with a Plymouth Barracuda. Hauling it to Florida to my Brother.
Since I'm always in the situation where I have to do everything by myself I've outfitted my trailer with a 5000lbs winch and installed the power cabling in the truck to power it.
Crawling around under the truck I'm very impress on how it is put together. The only thing older trucks have on these newer ones is the body panels were thicker steel and they had real bumpers on them.
A hail storm can total a new vehicle because they are so 'thin skinned'. Older ones didn't dent so easily.
 
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patchelect

patchelect

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Makes sense then. Probably had bigger rims with less tire as well which would tighten up the feel even.

And I think I omitted that it's a 4WD. That alone makes a difference to the suspension.
 

Burla

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bilstein 5100's or kyb's will make your ram handle like your dakota. Firm shocks are way better then factory sponges for handling. Be warned, if you go to firm like HD's you may not like the gut busting bumps in roads.
 
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patchelect

patchelect

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Right now I need to acclimate myself to the truck and since it resides 200 miles from where I live "full time" it will be a while before that happens. I do have about 750 miles on it in a 5 day span but it will take more than that to pass too much judgement.

In the meantime my Dakota is my DD and I'm not complaining about that!
 

dan1911

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Yeah, Anchorage and coastal Alaska do not get as cold as the interior. When it gets -40 or -50 for a period of time, all sorts of things like to leak and break.



Very familiar with this! Blew a PS hose in my Sierra in Fairbanks a few years ago. Not fun to deal with at -40 and no garage lol


Sent via telepathy
 
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