New Here, drove my first Ram2500 today...disappointed....

Well Im here asking for assistance and opinions. Not to start a flame war at all.

I had high hopes for the Ram2500 with the cummins. I went today to test drive one with the intent to buy very soon. And after the first couple miles, I was very let down. Heres what happened...

The truck was just super sharp inside and out. 2500 Laramie longhorn with everything in it. And as I started driving it, I noticed it took a lot of gas pedal to get the truck going. I figured it was stone cold, and cold out, so it would take some time to warm up.

Well 20 miles later, and the truck was at normal on the temp gauges. Yet still from every stop light, or just from coasting to accelerating, it took me having to stab the pedal to get it to move at all. It like the first half of travel on the gas pedal was nothing. Then going 3/4-wot pedal caused it to kick down a few gears and spin the tires. It was laughable. I asked the salesman what he thought, and he said they are all like that. Theres no way this is normal. Maybe its because it was new, but I just cant be sure. there were no more in stock to drive, plus this one was the one I wanted.

The truck had a 3.42 rear end, and the auto trans. Its like the trans was always in way too tall of a gear, and would not shift until you went almost wot. It was a tad more responsive in tow/haul mode, but still nothing like it should be.

In contrast I just had to see if this was normal for diesel trucks. So I had to leave and head to the Ford dealer. I drove a Platinum F250 SD with the mighty 6.7 Power Stroke. To say that truck was a rocket, would be an understatement. It was FAST. And so responsive to the pedal input, it was awesome. Granted I did not want a Ford, and the wife thinks they are UGLY...as do I. But there is no denying it felt worlds better. I didnt buy it, but it was saddening to feel that much better of a difference than the truck I did want.

Now another thing that keeps going in my head is if the Ram was that big of a slug with no load or trailer, what would it be like pulling a 10k travel trailer???? Scary to thing about.

But also what would the truck be like with a programmer and a proper trans tune? Would that be what this brand new RAM needs to just keep up with the Ford??? Pretty sorry if yes.

Please someone let me know whats going on here? I drove that Ram for almost an hour around town and it never got better.

But I can say the interior was TOP NOTCH and the tech the truck had was awesome. And it was a MEGA-cab and that gets an A++ in my book. Please set my mind at ease so I can get this truck that I really want, and not settle for something like a durafags. I drove a silverado too today and it was shat. Meh power and Meh interior and it was ugly on the outside with that DEF tank hanging out on the underside of the passenger side.

Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope to get some good feedback here.

Hi, and welcome! For reliability nothing can come to touching the Cummins. The newer 4th gens in my opinion have the best interior in it's class period. I test drove a 14 model 3500 with the Asian transmission with I believe with the 3.73 gears, and was very impressed with the shift points, like yourself not impressed with the throttle response. But again the engine not broken in yet, and I'm used to driving my truck. But, overall great truck and impressed with the Asian transmission, which is only available on the 3500 and up. If you drove the Powerstroke 15 model, they put out like 440 to 450 horses, so of course your talking over 50 horsepower difference. So of course the Powerstroke will have the advantage in the horsepower department, and they changed to a single turbo unit along with different injectors. If I were to get a new
Cummins it would be with an Asian transmission. They do have aftermarket tuners and down-loaders for the 14 models, so that would help with the extra grunt. The Cummins does have the advantage of the full torque at low rpm. Which diesel will around the longest, that of course is the Cummins.

Hi DieselB,

Don't have a diesel but that gas pedal thing is not that uncommon with the hemies either. Also when I bought my 13 new it acted kind of weird, still impressive but weird. When I picked it up they spent 20 minutes taking it out of "sales/ dealer" mode and putting it into customer/ end user mode. After I picked it up it acted different and was more like what I expected from this truck/engine combo. Don't know if the same apply's to the Cummins but what your describing sounds like that particular truck has another issue. Go to another dealer and try a different one to see if it was an issue with the truck or if it is a quark with that model.
Have a great day.

preachp

Yes the gas pedal thing is common but over all I love my 14 3500. My son has a 14 F350 and yes it does have a little faster throttle response but it is no quicker and is not better or worse in any noticeable way of driving. Overall I like my Dodge and have owned all 3 of the diesels in last few years.

preachp said:

Hi DieselB,

Don't have a diesel but that gas pedal thing is not that uncommon with the hemies either. Also when I bought my 13 new it acted kind of weird, still impressive but weird. When I picked it up they spent 20 minutes taking it out of "sales/ dealer" mode and putting it into customer/ end user mode. After I picked it up it acted different and was more like what I expected from this truck/engine combo. Don't know if the same apply's to the Cummins but what your describing sounds like that particular truck has another issue. Go to another dealer and try a different one to see if it was an issue with the truck or if it is a quark with that model.
Have a great day.

preachp

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Dealer mode hinders performance because its meant to prevent people from romping on a motor with single digit miles and every truck on the lot will be set in this until you buy it pretty much...most of the time thats when they'll take it off...my truck was delivered 320 miles (yes they drove it but it was for their own sales deadline so i got a discount for it) from its original dealership and the one i bought it off of deactivated it..

The only cummins ram ive ever test driven would break em loose at a dead stop. it was a 2013 w/3.73s but damn did that thing move! I myself was impressed with the takeoff of that truck but i am used to much bigger diesel trucks than pickups lol

I would never buy a cummins with a 68rfe though..if you actually tow with the truck regularly its gonna throw fits

Its odd you say that I have had 3 and none would break loose. I have had a 07 10 14

I like all except the 07 had issues with the 6.7 when it first came out but was still a good truck overall

But no chance any one of the 3 would break loose from dead stop without holding the brake pedal and accelerator at same time

regularcab2500 said:

Dealer mode hinders performance because its meant to prevent people from romping on a motor with single digit miles and every truck on the lot will be set in this until you buy it pretty much...most of the time thats when they'll take it off

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Huh? If it is in dealer mode, that just means that some of the electrical accessories will not work. It is to prevent a battery draw when the vehicle is sitting on the lot. It is equivalent to pulling the iod fuse on older ones that have an iod fuse.

Thats how it was explained to me by the service manager but yes i forgot that part too..he also said "the new ones".....

Never heard of the pedal dance thing, or dealer mode situation? Ford ditched the 2 turbos, in place of 1 larger Garrett turbo, 63.mm/ 88 mm compressor wheel with a 72.5 mm for the turbine size. For those that are into the Diesel Performance like myself, that's a pretty good size turbo for a factory set up. Replaced fuel pump, new injectors which have a finer mist, larger compressor vane, exhaust manifold, and upgraded transmission along with a torque converter. That can explain the more instant throttle response from the 2015 6.7 Scorpion Powerstroke.

I say drive another one. I did feel something similar when I was looking for mine. 2 trucks, same trim and gear ratio. Neither felt like my tuned Hemi (which i did not expect it to) but still... one felt like a dog and the other is the one I bought.

Also, its true that the Cummins does not have the off the line speed of the Ford in stock trim but mine has handled every task I've put in front of it. I have never regretted a day since I bought mine.

It's also a diesel. You have to remember there's turbo lag involved. Straight pipe and a tune would fix that


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My father has a 2008 6.7 cummins. All that is done to it is turbo back 5" piping, no cat, muffler or dpf. He has a efi live system set on economy mode, and a s&b cold air intake. His truck hauls ass! It will eat up hemis like nothing. And hes getting 17mpg average. He traded in a 2011 hemi for it and says he doesnt miss the hemi at all. From the few times ive driven it, i would do anything to own one. The dependability and power is just unmatchable.

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Cummins Powered said:

Hi, and welcome! For reliability nothing can come to touching the Cummins. The newer 4th gens in my opinion have the best interior in it's class period. I test drove a 14 model 3500 with the Asian transmission with I believe with the 3.73 gears, and was very impressed with the shift points, like yourself not impressed with the throttle response. But again the engine not broken in yet, and I'm used to driving my truck. But, overall great truck and impressed with the Asian transmission, which is only available on the 3500 and up. If you drove the Powerstroke 15 model, they put out like 440 to 450 horses, so of course your talking over 50 horsepower difference. So of course the Powerstroke will have the advantage in the horsepower department, and they changed to a single turbo unit along with different injectors. If I were to get a new
Cummins it would be with an Asian transmission. They do have aftermarket tuners and down-loaders for the 14 models, so that would help with the extra grunt. The Cummins does have the advantage of the full torque at low rpm. Which diesel will around the longest, that of course is the Cummins.

Click to expand...

The Asian transmission is really a great transmission but unless you get the Dully it only raises the cost, adds a PTO (which most people never use) and lowers you towing weight by 180 pounds the weight of the Asian) unless I had the Dully the extra $2600 isn't worth it in my opinion.

Its no hotrod, but then again I expected that going into a 2500 CTD.

But it pulls trailers really well!

Im seeing 18mpg hand calculated on the highway @ 75mph. Not bad I think. It does fell like a slug off the line but I imagine it has a lot of torque management. The 6 speed feels a bit clunky.
I feel and hear a clunk when I let off the pedal suddenly, like if it lets off a gear. Anyone else have that?

^^^Im pretty sure many many people have had that issue with the 68rfe.

regularcab2500 said:

^^^Im pretty sure many many people have had that issue with the 68rfe.

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really!? what gives?

"normal" ?

Idk what it is..i see threads on a cummins forum about it and i think it has something to do with the learning of the transmission. Someone correct me if they know something i dont but i dont think it a problem per say.

Mine always seemed to sound/feel rough when going from 5th to 3rd to 4th when driving in traffic unloaded. It always felt fine in T/H mode pulling the camper. The Tech said that these trucks really want to be driven loaded.

Custom trans tuning has helped a bunch but it still happens sometimes.

It's just turbo lag, plain and simple. My 15 6.7 is the same. All the other things like dealer mode and something wrong with the truck are inaccurate.

The OP says he had to press 3/4 on the throttle before getting a response. You all are mixing apples with oranges. That is TOTALLY NOT NORMAL and it has nothing to do with being a diesel or turbo lag. What he experienced is plain out of the ordinary. My stock 14 CTD is plenty responsive off the line.