- Joined
- Feb 13, 2019
- Posts
- 2,706
- Reaction score
- 7,552
- Location
- South Jersey
- Ram Year
- 2022
- Engine
- Hemi 5.7
I've never had any problems with my dial shifter but my truck is only a '19. My '14 was a 6 speed column shift.
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A quick update both trucks were a bust
I looked at the 13 first it was ok there were some spots that were showing some underneath rust someone already put a deposit down on it and having had your guys input on the 6 speed I was not wowed to even pursue it so I passed on it
The 15 bighorn was an even bigger bust the body of the truck looked tired after a couple of minutes of running the check engine light popped on the interior seemed tired and it had a couple of rust spots so this was a pass!
I made my way down to the dealer where we bought my wife’s highlander from a few years back the guy did right by us gave us more than expected on her trade in and really did right by us a real stand up guy for a car salesman he’s been doing alright for himself and opened up another lot that his son runs that he sent me down to where he sent me down to all they mostly sell there are trucks!
The market is so inflated right now but I took a look on the lot most of what he had was out of my price range but he showed me some vehicles he had a
16 Silverado crew (white)133k which did not really grab me 25k
12 F-150 supercrew platinum (white) 99k I’m not really a Ford guy to me fords have always been a hit or miss 26k
13 Sierra crew (light blue metallic) 125k I was going to take a look at this one for 26k but he immediately steered me away from it he said he’s sending it back it does not sound right to him and he has not had time to diagnose it so that to me was him being a stand up guy
He had other vehicles on the lot but most were out of my price range the rams he did have were quad cabs he had a 15 sport that literally just came In with only 70k miles on it which was a beauty all jacked up a beauty of a truck unfortunately it was out of my reach
So I thanked him left him what I was looking for and went on my way.
About 20 minutes after I get home I get a call from him about a vehicle he forgot about that just came in the mileage was a bit high but he knows the vehicle was in mint condition and very well maintained it came from someone he knows it did not check really any of my boxes but He thought I may like it.
I went down to look at it and what a beauty
Yes it has 140k on it but you turn the key and the truck just purrs it has a bit of a lift to it the truck just looks bad ass
13 sport granite metallic the interior was mint the body pristine you could tell this vehicle was very well taken care of you could just tell
A couple of issues
High mileage not a deal breaker as it’s my weekend ride I’m not going to put a whole lot of mileage on it
It’s not a quad cab but it’s not a crew neither it’s an extended cab I really wanted a crew cab but it’s not as tight as a quad it could be something I can live with,with the truck being in such good shape
Immediately I noticed the floor shifter with it being a 13 this happens to be a 6spd not the 8 ugggh such a nice sounding ride sharp looking with just the right lift to it!
I did not get a chance to drive it,it was in the back of the lot and it was late in the day I’ll probably take it for a spin tomorrow and open it up see how it feels
I hate vehicle shopping it’s fun but not fun if you guys know what I mean especially now with prices being so inflated!View attachment 489004View attachment 489003View attachment 489002
That, my friend, IS a Quad Cab.A quick update both trucks were a bust
I looked at the 13 first it was ok there were some spots that were showing some underneath rust someone already put a deposit down on it and having had your guys input on the 6 speed I was not wowed to even pursue it so I passed on it
The 15 bighorn was an even bigger bust the body of the truck looked tired after a couple of minutes of running the check engine light popped on the interior seemed tired and it had a couple of rust spots so this was a pass!
I made my way down to the dealer where we bought my wife’s highlander from a few years back the guy did right by us gave us more than expected on her trade in and really did right by us a real stand up guy for a car salesman he’s been doing alright for himself and opened up another lot that his son runs that he sent me down to where he sent me down to all they mostly sell there are trucks!
The market is so inflated right now but I took a look on the lot most of what he had was out of my price range but he showed me some vehicles he had a
16 Silverado crew (white)133k which did not really grab me 25k
12 F-150 supercrew platinum (white) 99k I’m not really a Ford guy to me fords have always been a hit or miss 26k
13 Sierra crew (light blue metallic) 125k I was going to take a look at this one for 26k but he immediately steered me away from it he said he’s sending it back it does not sound right to him and he has not had time to diagnose it so that to me was him being a stand up guy
He had other vehicles on the lot but most were out of my price range the rams he did have were quad cabs he had a 15 sport that literally just came In with only 70k miles on it which was a beauty all jacked up a beauty of a truck unfortunately it was out of my reach
So I thanked him left him what I was looking for and went on my way.
About 20 minutes after I get home I get a call from him about a vehicle he forgot about that just came in the mileage was a bit high but he knows the vehicle was in mint condition and very well maintained it came from someone he knows it did not check really any of my boxes but He thought I may like it.
I went down to look at it and what a beauty
Yes it has 140k on it but you turn the key and the truck just purrs it has a bit of a lift to it the truck just looks bad ass
13 sport granite metallic the interior was mint the body pristine you could tell this vehicle was very well taken care of you could just tell
A couple of issues
High mileage not a deal breaker as it’s my weekend ride I’m not going to put a whole lot of mileage on it
It’s not a quad cab but it’s not a crew neither it’s an extended cab I really wanted a crew cab but it’s not as tight as a quad it could be something I can live with,with the truck being in such good shape
Immediately I noticed the floor shifter with it being a 13 this happens to be a 6spd not the 8 ugggh such a nice sounding ride sharp looking with just the right lift to it!
I did not get a chance to drive it,it was in the back of the lot and it was late in the day I’ll probably take it for a spin tomorrow and open it up see how it feels
I hate vehicle shopping it’s fun but not fun if you guys know what I mean especially now with prices being so inflated!View attachment 489004View attachment 489003View attachment 489002
I had a 2010 with the six speed transmission and 3.92 differential, and I needed the 3.92 because I had a towing requirement at around 10,000 lbs. When I wasn't towing the thing ran exceptionally well and had all the power I would ever want. However, if I didn't need to tow at maximum the 3.55 rear gears would've more than I would need, and the fuel consumption would be better.So I stopped down by the dealer today to get the carfax and build sheet carfax came back clean other than the small fender bender the vehicle had which I already knew about the truck was tapped In the back passenger side bumper being in the body business I inspected the spot real well you can vaguely see in the bright sunlight where the truck was hit but that’s mainly because mineral gray is such a nightmare of a color to match I know this from being in the business one of the worst colors to match.
Got the build sheet too and I was hoping for 3.92’s with this 6 speed turns out the rig has 3.55’s I don’t know if that’s bad or good but that’s what the rig has.
So now it was time to take her for a spin all I can say is wow!!I was impressed those of you who have these rigs know them inside and out but I’ve never had or even driven a Ram the 6 speed with 3.55 combo running 33’s may or may not be a good combo but for me having never driven a ram I’ve never felt power in a truck like this the truck to me was a beast I’m saying this only because I’ve never driven a truck with power like this before so to me it felt like a rocket ship.I opened her up and could feel the power when I hit the gas.
Yes the 8 speed is probably better and maybe a different gear ratio would be better with the 6 speed and 33’s but I have nothing to compare it to except the 04 Yukon I was driving I was running that with 33’s as well with a 5.3 & 3.93’s but this rig felt twice as powerful and so much quicker.
To say I was impressed is an understatement If I was on the fence about the truck being a quad cab only with higher mileage 140k that all went out the window after taking this rig for a spin.
Of course I need to still get it looked over so one of the dealers guys is taking it to my mechanic to have it looked over he’s my mechanic and body man the dealer has nothing to hide so he’s sending his man to my mechanic so he could put it on the lift and give it the once over.I don’t know if any dealers would do that they may or may not but this guy has nothing to hide so I hope to get the stamp of approval from my guy and if that happens I will be joining the Ram brigade!
I checked the EVIC like dodge lover mentioned its reading 13 so it’s hard to say if that’s bad or good and who drove it before me time will tell as I’m a more laid back kind of driver and take my time going from place to place but it’s hard to not think about the power of that Hemi knowing it’s there if I need it.
So that was the exciting end of my day next step getting the Rig over to my guy to have the body and mechanics looked over!
I have nine Ram owners in my circle of friends and not one has had a lifter/cam failure... yet. That includes four that are over 175,000 miles. Can it happen? Sure, but the subject has gotten so much negative attention that folks seem to forget that the vast majority don't suffer the issue. I think keeping the vehicle well maintained and using the recommended fluids has a positive effect.It’s possible that the dealer had the wrong info on this vehicle things slip through the cracks he thought it was 3.55 gearing as he had it on his lot before and may have had it crossed with another vehicle he had quite a few trucks.He gave me the vin and I looked up the build sheet and it turns out the truck has 3.92 gears could be why it felt so zippy to me and jumped when I hit the gas.
All good points with the mechanical end of things there is only so much someone can tell I just cross my fingers and hope for the best that the cam is strong.
The truck came in on a trade in!the dealer knows the truck very well he sold it to guy who traded it In.The guy bought it before the gas prices skyrocketed but once the gas prices starting climbing out of control he needed a more fuel efficient ride with his commute.so the dealer bought it back from him and moved him into a more fuel efficient SUV knowing he could turn around and sell it quick.I keep calling him the dealer but we’ve had some lengthy conversations his name is Sean very easy going guy not pushy at all so A standup guy so he deserves to be called by his name!Sean knows his trucks that I will say that’s all he has on his lot and he could tell you the pros and cons of every truck on his lot!he pulls no punches he told me straight up if you are worried about gas stay away from Rams if you want a fun ride with some attitude then A Ram is a truck to look at conservative look at Silverado’s somewhere in the middle you have your Ford and I kind of agree with him on that.Every truck in his lot he could tell you their strengths and weaknesses it was a learning experience just listening to him talk about trucks.I could have sat there longer and just talked truck talk it was really cool!
I can only go by what he tells me!what my mechanic can see and what kind of maintenance records there are which looks to be regular maintenance according to the car fax
Whenever you buy a used vehicle it’s a roll of the dice you hope for the best!and that’s where I’m at now I’ll keep you guys posted
Check under those fender flares for rust/rot 90% of people and dealers put them on to hide it lol Looks nice otherwise never a issue with my fathers 6 speed has 200k on it but like everything else depends how it was maintained.
I had no problems with th six speed 140000 miles. And I hauled a trailer dailySo I’m looking for a Ram truck with the way the market is any vehicle really is hard to come by nowadays.the only pickup I‘ve had was a Dakota years ago!with that being said I’m moving on from my 04 Yukon she’s still running good but the mileage is stacking up and it seems like every month or so I’m changing something else this week was the water pump my cat is on the horizon so before I start sinking more and more money into it I think it’s time to move on from her.I’ve always wanted a full size pick up and absolutely love the look of Ram trucks with their big bold stance so I’ve been looking and looking and came across two that are within my price range.
Before I get into what I found I have to say I want a truck well just to have a truck!It’s going to be my weekend vehicle really no hauling or towing to speak of unless I need to.Living in the northeast we have our share of winters where I need to drive in snow nothing like way up north but we get our snowstorms living in NY!I know A Ram is more than capable of hauling just about anything and handling some inclimate weather but it’s more of my daily driver and that’s the sole purpose not pulling or hauling it’s more to drive and enjoy.I love the look of Rams I am looking at crew cabs as I want the extra room in the second row to haul around my daughter her friends and on occasion the big goofy Shepard.
So I found two Rams if someone can chime in on Them and if you think I would notice much of a difference between the two.I’m coming from a heavy 4 speed Yukon 5.3 I have 33’s on it with 3.93 gears so I know how it drives and what kind of umphh it has.It’s a beast of a vehicle but big boxy and heavy I will tell you it handles like a beast in the snow even did some towing with her a few times easy peasy!
The two Rams I came across appear to be in very good shape from the pictures! I know I need to go see them in person but they both look to be in good shape.They are both the same $$ which vehicles are inflated right now but it is what it is I’m not overly concerned with the mileage as it’s going to be mainly my weekend driver as I use my company truck to travel to and from work
truck #1 2013 Bighorn 121k miles loaded with options Silver 5.7 6 speed it Has step bars looks very very clean well maintained car fax had a nice long history of maintenance on it.the gearing on this rig is 3.93’s same gearing that’s in my Yukon!
truck #2 2015 Bighorn 107k miles quite loaded as well no step bars though that’s something I would need to add on later Granite metallic 5.7 8speed looks pretty clean as well maybe not as well maintained as the 13 but still maintained carfax has a pretty lengthy history of maintenance as well.not sure of the gearing on this truck.
The silver is on a bigger Chain car dealer lot the gray is on a smaller used car lot not sure if this is good or bad anything you buy used you are taking a chance.You are rolling the dice a big chain dealer I may have more negotiating room possibly and support not quite sure they are both pretty local to me though so it’s not like I’m driving 5 or 6 towns away to look at vehicles!
when I compare the two the one thing sticking out is the 6spd or the 8spd I know I really need to test drive them both!coming from a 4spd either one will probably feel like a rocket ship with some get up and go compared to the Yukon so I am not quite sure if for my purposes a 6 speed or 8 speed will suit me better it may not make much of a difference especially being I don’t live in a hilly area,tow or haul.I live more rural so there is traffic but far from city living traffic.I know a big truck like this is going to be a gas hog so if I’m worried about gas I should have no business buying a truck especially a Ram!
without going to see either one yet or driving them my first gut instinct leans me towards the 2013 I know it’s 2 years older with 14k more miles on it the silver just looks so sharp and clean.I’m not quite sure not driving either a 6spd or an 8spd if I would notice much of a difference between the two the 6 or the 8 speed either one would be a step up from my 4spd Yukon!
Other than the transmission is there anything else I may be overlooking between the 13’s & 15’s all the features look pretty much identical other than color and transmission.Though the silver one seems to have more add ons listed on It’s profile page.
Did one year have more or less problems than another?
What are some common problems with these vehicles anything I should be looking for when I go to look at them other than the normal routine inspection of under carriage engine,fluids.what may be some problem areas?
Are there common rust spots to look for where these trucks start to rust though both of these vehicles are less than 10 years old!
I know with Tahoes and Yukons they are notorious for rotting on the passenger side door rocker they rarely rust on the driver side always on the passenger only spot on my Yukon that is showing rust the rest of the vehicle is clean.
Just putting some feelers out there for some of you Ram guys as I’ve always wanted one but have never owned A Ram this is probably going to be my last rig for a bit so just wanted to do my due diligence and research.
I appreciate any input you Ram people may have positive or negative I don’t want to make any hasty decisions especially with the price of vehicles right now I need to be absolutely Sure before pulling the trigger
Thank-You
If you are going to have people riding in the back seat, do yourself & them a favor & if one of the Rams is Crew Cab, choose it.
Don't buy a Quad cab, there is hardly any knee room in the quad cab's back seat area