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MOPAR LOVER

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Hello everyone!
I just sold my 2017 crew cab and I am ready to buy a regular cab for my daily driving.
after searching for some days it narrowed to a couple of options. One is a 2012 r/t sport and the other is a 2014 Express, both with about 130k miles on it and at the same price. Even they looks very similar on general conditions, the express is slightly in better shape, especially on the interior. I was reading somewhere about a common cam/lift problems with the year model 2011/2012. Which one do you guys advice as a better option? Any opinion will be really appreciate. Thank you.
 

kurek

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I may be forgetting the exact year but I think pre 2013 trucks still had hydraulic power steering and didn't have BLD traction control yet if that matters to you
 

Wild one

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Hello everyone!
I just sold my 2017 crew cab and I am ready to buy a regular cab for my daily driving.
after searching for some days it narrowed to a couple of options. One is a 2012 r/t sport and the other is a 2014 Express, both with about 130k miles on it and at the same price. Even they looks very similar on general conditions, the express is slightly in better shape, especially on the interior. I was reading somewhere about a common cam/lift problems with the year model 2011/2012. Which one do you guys advice as a better option? Any opinion will be really appreciate. Thank you.
If the 14 has the 8 speed,go for it instead of the 12 which will have the 5 speed
 
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MOPAR LOVER

MOPAR LOVER

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I may be forgetting the exact year but I think pre 2013 trucks still had hydraulic power steering and didn't have BLD traction control yet if that matters to you
For sure! Something to take in account. Thank u
 

Burla

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I'd prefer the rt, and I would test it out on warm idle, test drive a good 10 minutes if not longer, and listen to warm idle, if it ticks, walk. I wouldn't say that I like the rfe, but I like it better then the 8 speed, and I believe it would be the 6 speed not the 5 which is the 545 I believe wasn't in 2012, which is huge 6 speed better then the 5 by a lot. You will have an easier temp delete on that transmission then the 2014, both pump temp into transmission fluid. Do you know gearing in both trucks, if either is 3.92, that is winner winner chicken dinner.
 

Burla

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Get the RT, I believe the 6 speed RTs had 4.10s. It's the better truck with more options
way cool, 4.10's I did not know, makes me want to trade my truck and get that, damn. If I knew I would have this truck for 20 years which looks like it's gonna happen, no doubt I would have got an rt.
 
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MOPAR LOVER

MOPAR LOVER

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I'd prefer the rt, and I would test it out on warm idle, test drive a good 10 minutes if not longer, and listen to warm idle, if it ticks, walk. I wouldn't say that I like the rfe, but I like it better then the 8 speed, and I believe it would be the 6 speed not the 5 which is the 545 I believe wasn't in 2012, which is huge 6 speed better then the 5 by a lot. You will have an easier temp delete on that transmission then the 2014, both pump temp into transmission fluid. Do you know gearing in both trucks, if either is 3.92, that is winner winner chicken dinner.
Both are 6 spd reg cab. The rt have 4.10 rear axle and the express have a 3.55
 
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MOPAR LOVER

MOPAR LOVER

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way cool, 4.10's I did not know, makes me want to trade my truck and get that, damn. If I knew I would have this truck for 20 years which looks like it's gonna happen, no doubt I would have got an rt.
Thank u bud
 

Burla

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Both are 6 spd reg cab. The rt have 4.10 rear axle and the express have a 3.55
oh dude, I hate one thing about my truck, the 3.55's. Oh god, what a mistake, they keep the engine in low rpm's way to much, to the point where the transmission shudders. My best friend has a 2012 with 3,92's, and I drove it when he got drunk at a Giants game, man what a difference. No way would I ever by a 545rfe trans ever again. If you do buy it, you can tune shift points and put in a shift kit to make it better, but unless you plan on doing that, avoid those. Now, I have only 5 gears, maybe the 6 speed will be a little better, but I'd really look at the other truck.
 
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MOPAR LOVER

MOPAR LOVER

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oh dude, I hate one thing about my truck, the 3.55's. Oh god, what a mistake, they keep the engine in low rpm's way to much, to the point where the transmission shudders. My best friend has a 2012 with 3,92's, and I drove it when he got drunk at a Giants game, man what a difference. No way would I ever by a 545rfe trans ever again. If you do buy it, you can tune shift points and put in a shift kit to make it better, but unless you plan on doing that, avoid those. Now, I have only 5 gears, maybe the 6 speed will be a little better, but I'd really look at the other truck.
Thank u man. I will go tomorrow and test drive both trucks. I am really into the rt too. Will keep you posted which one won.
 

Jeepwalker

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There were a lot of 'refinements' that occurred beginning in the 2013 model yrs. A lot of them to do with electronics (more). The pre-13 tks were a bit simpler. Some think the pre-13's are more reliable, others like the 8-spd and newer features. Some of those newer features in '13 were rather frivalous IMO. I rather like the column shift with the gear-select buttons on the end. One nice thing is you can rest yer hand on the gear selector and monkey with the radio buttons as ya drive down the road. Makes a super-handy 'rest'. I guess it comes down to individual preference. Since they both have 6 speeds, it probably comes down to the condition of each truck and how well it's been cared for and how they drive and 'feel' to you.

I don't think you'll be disappointed with the regular cab. The Ram has a good 13" of space between the seat and the cab, which trucks of the 90's and 00's didn't have (of course it tapers up too). That's actually quite a bit. You'd be surprised how much stuff will fit back there (grocery bags, milk, etc) for a regular cab truck. Since I'm the primary person in my tk 95% of the time, I don't regret getting a regular cab ever. What I do regret is not getting the short wheel base tk. It's extremely difficult to find a decent used SWB 4x4 anymore.

Have you taken them out for a good test drive?
 

Jeepwalker

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Now that I think about it, there were a lot more changes made to the 2013's (a 5-yr mid-cycle refresh): The front bumpers are slightly different than the 12's (they don't interchange), ....the grille and some engine operational changes as I recall. The stamping dies were probably near the end of their life and they decided to make minor changes while they had to make new dies anyway (that's usually how things go in the mfg world). There's probably a lot of other subtle changes I'm forgetting, but you get the point. I'm sure if you do searches here, those were topics that were discussed quite a while ago.

From a strategic standpoint of long-term ownership and parts interchangeability, you'd be somewhat better off owning the 2014 because parts that are '12 and below will get more out of date sooner than those that fit 13 and newer (of which there are more tks around). I think we're talking minor things, here, esp if you never wreck the truck or don't plan on significant mods. But worth pointing out. As far as the rear diff, you can always re-gear any tk you buy.

I'd go with the one that has the best stereo!! LOL
 

Wild one

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Both are 6 spd reg cab. The rt have 4.10 rear axle and the express have a 3.55
The R/T also has a factory high stall convertor with it's 4.10's.If both are the 6 speed,the R/T will probably hold it's value a little better,even though it's 2 years older.I didn't think the 6 speed came into play until 13,but by the sounds of it,it was in the 12's.If you plan on hauling anything in the box,the payload on the R/T is lower,as they have softer more progressively wound rear springs,which gives it a better ride when both are empty,but loaded the Express has the capability of carrying more weight in the box compared to the R/T
 

GTyankee

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The R/T will hold its value longer

Design wise, the 2009 -2012 are the same
2013 & newer the front bumper & grille changed slightly

AAM made the rear differentials for years until & including 2010 Ram

beginning in 2011, the rear differentials were made in Germany by ZF

In 2013 ZF 8 speed Transmissions were installed in Ram 1500s only, no HD models
 

caulk04

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Now, I have only 5 gears, maybe the 6 speed will be a little better, but I'd really look at the other truck.


Huh? 545 or 65, the RFE is the same. I had an 08 Jeep with the 545 that I tuned the trans in and used all 6 forward gears in succession which even the '65' trucks don't do.

Either way he's getting the same trans and I'd much prefer the 8spd given any option. I've owned both, the 8spd is better.
 

huntergreen

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I'd prefer the rt, and I would test it out on warm idle, test drive a good 10 minutes if not longer, and listen to warm idle, if it ticks, walk. I wouldn't say that I like the rfe, but I like it better then the 8 speed, and I believe it would be the 6 speed not the 5 which is the 545 I believe wasn't in 2012, which is huge 6 speed better then the 5 by a lot. You will have an easier temp delete on that transmission then the 2014, both pump temp into transmission fluid. Do you know gearing in both trucks, if either is 3.92, that is winner winner chicken dinner.
If I'm not mistaken , the 6 speed is mechanically identical to the 5 speed, the programming is different.
 

Burla

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If I'm not mistaken , the 6 speed is mechanically identical to the 5 speed, the programming is different.
Can I turn my 545 into a 65? Because I would like that, my issue with the 545 is the 3rd and 4th gears paired with the 3.55's have really low rpm's in 3rd and 4th gears. Anyone know if you can charge the 545 then?
 

Jeepwalker

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Those RF trannys are related. I wouldn't get caught up in 5-spd or 6-spd or 8-spd. I have vehicles which have 4, 5 and 6 speed tranny's. They all work ok. Yer not going to get 100mpg with any of them. Yer talking shades of gray in economy, which are easily mitigated by your driving style. If it's economy you're worried about you probably should be looking at a small car. I'm pretty sure all the 2012 Ram RF's were 6-spds, or the ones I've seen were.

What people don't always point out, is the more gears ya have the (often) more lag there is when you go to pass someone ...dead-spot during downshifting in many cases. Deadspots reduce spirited driving. On our older Jeep GC with a 5-spd V8, on the hwy, it almost never needs to downshift to pass. Put yer foot down, Boom! it goes RIGHT NOW ....the power is right there right now, and yer around that slow turkey before they knew what even happened!! he he. None of this slow 'wind-up' ..down shifting to get into the powerband to get up to speed, like someone's grabbed yer truck by the scruff and it's waiting for things to 'kick in'. And frankly, that can be one issue on the Rams when they're in the MDS (Economy) mode. You want to pass, there's a lag to come out of that mode and then find the 'right' tranny gear. Things fall flat in that 2 seconds.

Trannys with a lot of gears that are shifting all over the place up and down every start and stop, hill and noll ....might eek out another mpg or two, but can be awful to drive day in and day out. I like the gear-select toggle on the shifter that allows me to limit the top gear for times I'm not going real fast or on hills ....don't need to be shifting into the top gear or going into 6 or 4 cylinder mode.

You'll have to drive both trucks and see which one drives the way you like it the most. Pay attention to the lag and shifting like I described above. One may suit your driving expectations more than the other.
 
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