Keep modding my 1500 or get a Power Wagon?

Skrap said:

Gymkata, I just fixed your whole dilemma. Get the most money you can from your 1500 then sell either your Porsche or Lexus. Take the proceeds from both and, BOOM, you have your PW paid for in cash. My guess would be you owe less on the Lexus. Done and your welcome.

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Lol...well my wife drives the Cayenne and is rather attached to it and I am finally starting to track my ISF regularly, so both those options are off the table. I like having a truck, but it will always be my second vehicle...or third if you count my wife's ride. My ISF has been paid off for years, but I plan on keeping that forever...not only is it extremely reliable, especially compared to its competition (M3, C63, RS4), but I have modified it much more than any vehicle I've owned. My 1500 does have a loan on it. I originally planned paying cash for it but threw that idea out the window when I was able to get a 1 percent loan through USAA.

I went to the dealership again today to get a better look at the Power Wagon. I can't test drive it for another day because they were swamped today and it was in the showroom. I think I have decided that if I get a PW I won't get the Laramie. There are many optioned up regular PWs around my area and the only major difference is leather. I like leather but I can live without it for an extra 5 grand in my pocket. I can get about 9 grand off MSRP right now so that would bring the out the door cost to approx 47k loaded.

So, what your telling us is that your wife won't take public transportation for the greater-good? How selfish of her.

If you can somehow swing the leather I would try. I have the Mega Cab Laramie and it sure is nice. If you are doing farm work it may be easier to clean the leather compared to the cloth interiors too.

Btw, what city are you in?

Here is a real nicely equipped PW. Looks like the OTD price would be close to the other PW your looking at. This one does have some great options too. Check out the window stick tab on the right side of the screen when you open the link. All kinds of cool chit.

New 2015 Ram 2500 Power Wagon!!! For Sale in Caldwell & Boise, Nampa, ID | Vin:3C6TR5EJ7FG645998

Skrap said:

So, what your telling us is that your wife won't take public transportation for the greater-good? How selfish of her.

If you can somehow swing the leather I would try. I have the Mega Cab Laramie and it sure is nice. If you are doing farm work it may be easier to clean the leather compared to the cloth interiors too.

Btw, what city are you in?

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I'm not too far outside of Baltimore. I don't have a lot of property, just one acre, but the back 1/3 is very swampy and I do all home projects myself in my spare time.

My 1997 Ram 1500 was the last vehicle I had without leather. Leather is definitely easy to clean...provided it isn't perforated.

Regarding my wife...There's not a chance in hell she'd give up her baby so I could get a bigger second vehicle...lol. Now if she didn't make the money the killer money she does, there's no way she'd be driving a Cayenne. I can't complain about it since my vehicles cost more than her SUV in combined value, especially considering mods...that and we have a very comfy family SUV for trips.

I test drove a 2015 Power Wagon yesterday. It was surprisingly comfortable, but you can definitely tell it is a heavy duty and weighs A LOT more than my 1500. I really like the PW, but obviously there are tradeoffs with either vehicle. I have a lot of thinking to do.

While the PW is powerful, my modified 1500 feels like a rocket ship in comparison due to less weight, the Icon suspension, lower center of gravity, and power mods...that was to be expected of course.

Whether I end up getting a PW or just get a bunch of armor and a winch for my 1500, I'll be sure to post what I do.

Thanks for all the advice up to this point.

Ok, it's been almost 6 hours, what are you going to choose? You are right about the size and weight. I drive a 2012 QC 1500 4x2 company teuck for work and in the evenings and weekends my 2500 Mega Laramie. It's amazing how different they feel. Personally the 1500 SLT is nimble and smooth ride and my 2500 is comfy and very powerful. There is just something I like about driving the 2500 way more than my 1500.

Skrap said:

Ok, it's been almost 6 hours, what are you going to choose? You are right about the size and weight. I drive a 2012 QC 1500 4x2 company teuck for work and in the evenings and weekends my 2500 Mega Laramie. It's amazing how different they feel. Personally the 1500 SLT is nimble and smooth ride and my 2500 is comfy and very powerful. There is just something I like about driving the 2500 way more than my 1500.

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haha...you flatter me that you are awaiting a decision.

I am 90% sure that I am going to put aside my desire for a PW and order skid plates, get an ADD stealth winch bumper with a 10.5k winch, and put 295/60R20 Nitto Trail Grappler M/Ts on my stock sport wheels. I had considered getting the Kore bumper but that would require too much of my non-existent personal time to put a winch behind it. I was also considering getting the Kore fenders and going with larger tires and aftermarket wheels. In the end though I think the skid plates, ADD bumper and winch, along with the Nitto tires will maximize my current ride's overall capability when considering money spent. We'll see.

1. Save up, or if you have it handy, put aside approximately 1/2 of the cost of a Power Wagon.

2. Stop spending money on upgrades to the 1500 for 6-7 months.

3. Go test drive Power Wagons when that 6-7 months is up.

4. Make a better decision then.

5. WINNING

Just Saying

IMHO.......I would stick with the 1500 and mod it the way you want. I hunt a lot during our 6 month season, and I drive a lot of rough logging trails and unimproved roads. I've done it in everything from Jeeps my friends own to my old F250 Diesel and bar none I would take a lighter smaller rig every time I have a choice.

Currently I use my 2001 Tundra for that duty and there is no effing way I would choose my Ram 2500 over the Tundra for off road duty, too big, too heavy, too nice....in that order.

Your 1500's power to weight ratio is probably a little better, the 5.7 Hemi has more mods supporting it than the 6.4 right now, you already have it partially or fully paid for and you have desires that no stock truck will satisfy.

The PW is awesome for a stock truck for rock crawling etc. but be honest with yourself, the other 95% of the time you drive it you will be on pavement, and you will want that peppy responsive more nimble 1500.

But WTF do I know.....lol

Steve

Broke pilot said:

I won't disagree with that bro!
Now if only ram would put a solid axle and lockers and winch on a 1500, I'd be first in line!
We need a mini power wagon

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yup and its going to be the Ram Rebel. but they should put the 6.4 in it

RAMGP said:

yup and its going to be the Ram Rebel. but they should put the 6.4 in it

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What? The Rebel has NONE of the above...

webdogg said:

What? The Rebel has NONE of the above...

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I think he is saying the rebel is going to be the mini power wagon, although that doesn't make much sense either, because like you said the rebel is nothing like the power wagon.

My two cents:

With all of your mods it's obvious that you like getting your truck exactly how you want it.. You also sound like you really want a power wagon! There's nothing you can do to your 1500 to make it a power wagon so you need to sell the 1500 and get what you really want! The power wagon!

I've put off the final decision regarding this for a bit. After much internal debate I think I will likely keep the 1500 and mod away.

I have been busy with this lately though: RacingBrake 2pc rotors and Carbotech XP8 install - Club Lexus Forums

Pics of said money pit.........errrrrr........Lexus.

Skrap said:

Pics of said money pit.........errrrrr........Lexus.

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Here's a few pics I snapped while at VIR for Hyper-fest earlier this month.

Maybe you should sell all of your mods at a huge discount to me instead

How is this thread still alive and why is OP listening to a bunch of us with 1500's?

You should have the mods move it here Dodge Ram Power Wagon - DODGE RAM FORUM - Dodge Truck Forums and watch the Flames get higher.

I have been seriously looking into the PW again. I have also been considering building my own starting with a 2016 Ram 2500 Cummins. The thing is if I spend 55-60 grand on a truck, I think it would be a serious uphill battle with my wife to put another 10k+ worth of mods on it (especially since she is due with our 2nd in a few days). I can custom order a 2016 Laramie Power Wagon loaded to my liking for 55 grand out the door (about 7 grand below MSRP).

I LOVE diesel engines, but if take a look at it financially/logically, I would put at least 3 times more money into making a cummins like Power Wagon than I would spend in extra fuel for the 6.4l over its life. Hmmmm...

PowerWagon2012 said:

I love my power wagon. It would be a no brainier for me.






And to those saying built not bought blah blah blah. Tell that to these guys I've been pulling out of the mud





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That's a beast and I'm saving up for one.....probably 2 years away.

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