Thinking about switching to Dodge from FORD

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Hey guys,
New to this forum, looking for some input!

I currently drive a 2015 Ford F150 2.6L TwinTurbo ecoboost V6. It's a lease and my lease is almost up! It's a 4x2 and my next truck (which I will be purchasing) will be a 4x4.

I love the way my Ford Drives. I've test driven a Ram in the past and not to bash on Dodge, but the 2.6 EB engine on the F150 is a lot quicker off the line. Pretty damn zippy for a truck. Not to mention I average 20mpg mixed city and highway.

I recently was talking to a buddy of mine who drove Ford for a while and switched to Ram and says he LOVES it so I started looking more into the Ram lineup. I do like the more 'quality' feel of the interior of the Rams. The exterior body I like as well, but not any more than I like the appearance of the F150.
Just curious if anyone else on this forum has switched from Ford to Ram and wanted your honest input on the experience.

I'm currently looking at a 2017 Ram 1500 Sport Night Edition 4x4 with the 5.7L Hemi. Stickered at about $53,500. On sale for 42,500 with rebates on top of the dealer discount.

If I do end up purchasing this Ram, I will be financing. Aside from switching to Ram trucks, I was also wondering if you guys think this would be a good deal? Or can I get a better price? Here's a link to the truck;
New 2017 Ram 1500 For Sale | Huntington Beach CA | 1C6RR7MT3HS749618

Any and all input would be much appreciated. Thanks!
 

BossHogg

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I came to RAM from GM simply because I was tired of gray and black interiors and boring dash designs and crappy seat comfort (subjective of course). The RAM's interior attracted me and the seating comfort was over the top, again all subjective.

My 2013 Laramie impressed me so much after two years of ownership, I bought a 2015 3500 Cummins to pull our fifth wheel RV.

I'm older and I'm likely not interested in the same things you are in a truck, I'm looking for usability, driveability, and comfort while still holding on to luxury options. I don't care who is faster or who gets better MPG. Also, outside looks don't mean much since I'm inside driving and can't see the exterior.

About your deal. First, deals are more about your regional location than anything else. If your 42.5K price is before taxes and other fees then you are getting 20.5% off MSRP which is on the high side of the typical discount (17 to 20%). Some post they got an exceptional deal but who realy knows. I suggest you go over all of the factory incentives with your dealer, there are usually a dozen of them and some appear to be strange like an extra $500 off if you own Bobcat equipment (I qualified for that).

You can price check with one of the several volume dealers whom all have an online presence and list their inventory and sale pricing like Dennis Dillon. Just remember, the low as price includes "all" incentives, something few folks qualify for.

New 2016 - 2017 Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, RAM Cars & Trucks for Sale in Caldwell
 
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Phylodog

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I bought a 2012 Tradesman (bare bones) in August of 2013 and my best bud & hunting partner bought a 2014 F150 with the 3.5l ecoboost a few months later. His is a much higher end package and a really nice truck but I've always thought my Ram was more comfortable. I was actually looking to buy a used F150 when I stumbled across the deal they were offering on my Ram so it's safe to say I'm open to both.

My wife was rear ended in our 2012 recently and due to crappy body shop work we ended up with two different new F150 trucks and we neither one liked them. They drove really nice but I hated the interior layout and didn't care for the looks of the trucks on the outside.

I'm a police officer and have driven Ford vehicles for the past 20 years. To say I'm comfortable with their build quality would be a huge understatement, those cars sustained more abuse than I would expect any vehicle to take and kept on going. That said, I sold our Jeep a month ago to buy a second truck and didn't even consider going with an F150. I wanted a 2017 or 2018 but ended up finding a clean 2013 and I'm very pleased with it. I don't think you would regret going with a Ram.
 

mohemipar

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Ram builds a great truck. The EcoBoosts are quick but the Hemi will hold its own with simple old school torque by displacement. If you want better power off the line make sure to look for a truck with 3.92 gears. MPG will be a little less but that truck would roast tires if you wanted it to. Also remember the engine will only get better as it breaks in.

As said above, the interiors on the Rams are very nice and also one of my biggest reasons for switching from GM. GM has upped their interior game but the Silverado still has nothing on Ram. You want to be wowed by a truck interior, sit in a Longhorn!
 

troutspinner

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I had a 2011 3.5 Ecoboost F150 Crew Cab. When my wife and I decided to sell the Trailer / Camper I thought I might as well get rid of the truck and bought a nice speedy luxury car. ;) That lasted about 5 months and then I wanted my truck back.

Fast forward, right back to Ford I went and I had a deal on the table for another 2014 3.5 Ecoboost F150 Crew Cab because I liked it that much. A good friend recommended that I look at the Rams before I pull the trigger so I went to a closed dealer on a Sunday. I liked what I saw so I returned on Monday and drove a Ram. My best way to describe it then (in 2014) was that Ram bought an F150, copied what they liked and then improved the little things Ford should have thought of as well as did a better job in overall fit and finish.

Power wise, I liked the Hemi with the 3.92 gears over the 3.5 Ecoboost with 3.55 gears. They felt VERY similar in speed. I knew the Hemi would not feel the same towing say 8k lbs. like an Ecoboost but that is in the past and I'll never tow like that again anyways. I did like the exhaust note of the Hemi over the Eco as well as I would never have to hear someone wrongly tell me that those Turbos would blow up! ;)

Overall, in the 3 years I have had the F150 and the 3 years I have had the Ram, I have enjoyed the Ram much more than the F150. The Ram just has a better ride and feels more luxurious even though both trucks were VERY similar in model and options. Since then, Ford and Ram have made incremental improvements (except that Aluminum body), nothing earth shattering so if someone stole my Ram and I had to buy a new truck today, back to Ram it would be.
 
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baum

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OP just a word of advise coming from someone who also leases vehicles.

If your F150 has positive equity (meaning the residual is less than trade in value) trade it in and dont give it back to ford (the dealer you trade it in at will buy out your lease no differently than they would someone loan). If the trade in is worth less than the residual then give it back.
 

mohemipar

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I did like the exhaust note of the Hemi over the Eco as well

Amen to that. The Hemi has old school attitude and character that you just dont get on a 6 or 4 cyl. OP, if you buy a Ram with Hemi, exhaust mod is a must lol.
 

MADDOG

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Sorry but I can't help you with your choice. My last 4 trucks have all been Ram.

Anyway, welcome to the forum and good luck with your choice!
 

Tray Burge

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I never considered anything else except the Ram when I was looking, I did look at the Lightening, but they're so dated looking now. The Rams seem to have a timeless design.
 

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Thank you for all the input. I really appreciate it! Much more useful and friendly than the guys in the F150 forum..haha.

I'm going to be checking out this exact model today at the dealership and see how I feel after sitting it in and driving it for another test drive. I'll let you guys know what happens!
 

Firebird

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I have had many Ram's, but decided to take a chance on Ford ownership to see if I liked it. I bought an F150 4x2 with the 3.5 ecoboost. Here are my impressions:

Pros-
-that 3.5 will scat!
-beautiful color
-Ford's 6 speed seemed better than Ram's 6 speed trans

Cons-
-flimsy doors, feel like Toyota doors
-more frame flex than a Ram
-cheap interior
-Ford's version of Uconnect sucked
-darned uncomfortable, a 200 mile ride left me aching like crazy (Ram is substantially more comfortable)
-fuel economy was no different than the Hemi (Ford had 3.55 gears, my Hemi had 3.92 gears)

Overall, the Ford wasn't a horrible truck, but it just was not to the level of the Ram. It's just my opinion, but it's an honest one. I have never traditionally been a "brand loyal" kind of guy, I just buy what I like.
 

Spearsy

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Hey man plain and simple I don't think you will be disappointed in the Ram! My good friend has 2016 f150 2.6 eb that he's done a few things too and man that thing will scoot. I have 2017 Express but I have the pentastar v6 (which I love!) so I won't even speak to performance or speed difference between it and the hemi. But with that said literally everything else from interior to exterior to the difference in uconnect and whatever it is ford thinks compares is night and day. All of that is subjective of course! Best of luck! I think you would love a Ram!
 
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This will be my second truck and I'm not familiar with all the mechanics. Can you explain the difference that the 3.92 gear makes?
 

mohemipar

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This will be my second truck and I'm not familiar with all the mechanics. Can you explain the difference that the 3.92 gear makes?


A simple way to look at it is 3.92 will make your torque more usable but your RPMs will always be a tad higher than with the 3.21. So the truck will feel faster and prob be a little faster, it will hold gears better, better for towing. Only downside is slightly worse fuel economy on the highway. But IMO a lower gear in a truck is a must and the way to go. If fuel efficiency is a top thing for you then 3.21 might be best.

If you plan on ever running 35" tires, get the 3.92 gears.
 
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thekevin

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I had a leveled 2015 FX4 with the 2.7TT that was tuned by Brew City Boost and with 3.55's it ran absolutely amazing. I put over 50k miles on it in 2 years and then had a couple of issues that my warranty wouldn't cover so I traded it off for a Ram. First I test drove a 2017 GMC Sierra z71 with 3.42's and the 5.3 and it was an absolute dog. Next I drove a 2017 Ram 5.7 with 3.21's and it was just ok. Then I test drove the Big Horn that I bought with 3.92's and with the 8spd it gets the same mileage as my ecoboost did and still feels strong low in the rpm range. I had the sport package on my F150 and the seats in it sucked compared to the Ram. I have almost 4k miles on my new Ram so far and have very few complaints with it.

Old truck
20151202_074424_zpstscg32pa.jpg

New truck
97FBF4D1-7D3C-4604-A1AA-68CFB5810B26_zpscvn9ztsq.jpg
 

pgr1990

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I test drove the GMC Sierra, Chevy Silverado, Ford 3.5 ecoboost f150 and the Ram and here's why I chose my Ram over the Ford.

Ram Pros:

-Best ride and that's not subjective its objective due to the Ram having coil over suspension which is like butter compared to the competition. The seats are also thicker and more plush in the Ram

-Ecodiesels fuel economy is unmatched in the segment

-The Ram looked the most like a Truck (subjective)

-tried and tested chassis

-Cheaper in comparison to similarly equipped models

- ZF is the best transmission in the segment

Ram Cons:

- Truck has been on the same frame and chassis for over 10 years

- Projector headlights have terrible output and are halogens which is ancient now in the auto industry also the projector headlights have major condensation issues that haven't been fixed or addressed by FCA

- UCONNECT system plain old sucks

Ford F-150 pros:

-Fit and finish is incredible

-More premium options available

- extremely fast with the Ecoboost motor

- LED headlights

- very new sleek design (subjective)

- Ford's Sony Sync infotainment system is state of the art.

Ford F-150 cons:

-Aluminum body is EXPENSIVE to fix and has proven to tear easily. Many shops don't even work on aluminum as they need a separate location away from the traditional steel repair to specifically work on aluminum

-To get most of the options that come standard in a Laramie will run you $65k in the Ford. Very expensive truck.

-Fuel economy is awful the ecoboost is as bad as the old 5.0 v8 so it's all a marketing ploy to even call it "Eco"

-Design doesn't look like a truck anymore, it's too advanced looking IMO (subjective)

- The ride of the suspension and the seats are stiff and not very comfortable.

- Lots of issues with turbos failing in the Ecoboost (not sure if Ford has fixed it on the newer models)

I chose my Ram crew cab Laramie ecodiesel because of the excellent price (I bought it a year old with very low miles), the ridiculous fuel economy and because it had all the options I needed at a price I could afford.

The Ford with the options I wanted and utilize everyday would have cost me a lot more money and the options only come on the decked out Platinum model. Although the laramie has a LOT less premium options than the Platinum Ford, most of those options I could do without and I couldn't justify spending an extra $10,000 to have them. For me the Laramie was the perfect blend of price and premium options without going over the top. The only thing my truck doesn't have that I really wanted was a sunroof. But I got a killer deal on it so I can live without it.

Hope that helps anyone cross shopping.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

TruckNut

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Hey guys,
New to this forum, looking for some input!

I currently drive a 2015 Ford F150 2.6L TwinTurbo ecoboost V6. .......

I thought Ford was either a 2.7 or 3.5 Ecoboost in 2015. Which one do you have? Both put out a lot of power, but only the 3.5 Eco seems to be in the same ballpark with the 5.7.
 
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I thought Ford was either a 2.7 or 3.5 Ecoboost in 2015. Which one do you have? Both put out a lot of power, but only the 3.5 Eco seems to be in the same ballpark with the 5.7.

2.7. Sorry that was a typo. I test drove the Ram today. Seems as though my 2.7 is a little faster off the line but once it gets going, the Hemi outshines it forsure!

I liked the interior of the Ram for the most part. Only thing I didn't like about the interior when comparing it to my Ford is that the buttons and options on the screen seem to be a little clustered up together. A lot to take it and a little complicated. Maybe because this Ram has more features than my F150. I am also not crazy about the radio controls being on the back on the steering wheel.

Wishing the Ram 1500 and an auto start stop feature to help save a little bit of gas!

Aside from the little quirks, I loved it. The exterior is beautiful and the interior with leather is really nice as well.
 
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