Cash out your RAM??

Totaled my 12 Ram 1500 Quad Cab Big Horn week before Thanksgiving. Insurance gave me a fair price of 22k, problem was finding a replacement truck that was within my budget. And like you said previously, car lots are empty. After a month and a half of searching online and at dealers, finally purchased a 2017 Ram 1500 Crew Cab SLT. Can't say I didn't like test driving all the different ones I found. Cannot believe the difference in the ride from the 6 speed to the 8 speed, SUPER SMOOTH.

GsRAM said:

Why isn't it at the dealer to figure out?

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I don't trust dealers, I took my dually in for the airbag recall and they scratched up my dash.. it was considered minor cosmetic.. My truck is not "Ahem" stock, so that is another issue.. I have a manual coming tomorrow, I will sort it out..
Alot of guys are complaining about this and all the dealers do really is change the batteries and never sort out the problem.

RaptorHD said:

I don't trust dealers, I took my dually in for the airbag recall and they scratched up my dash.. it was considered minor cosmetic.. My truck is not "Ahem" stock, so that is another issue.. I have a manual coming tomorrow, I will sort it out..
Alot of guys are complaining about this and all the dealers do really is change the batteries and never sort out the problem.

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Copy that... thanks.

Just for s&gas, I took mine to a dealer. They offered me a figure that was about $5000 below what is being shown for present day values. I'll just keep planning on a private sale.

I understand you points on the car shortage. But I think I can shed a little light from the electronics side.

Almost all semiconductor companies use a supply strategy called JIT or just in time. The device warehouses are located by the manufacturing assembly facilities.They do this for a few reasons. First, if a manufacturing defect should arise. (and it does), there is less product to retest, reship back to the testing facility, ship back to the manufacturing facility and in general, less at risk. Auto manufacturers are very concerned about quality, longevity and infant mortality. While the electronics in a car does fail, it almost never crashes while you're driving. If we alter anything about the product, we are required to notify the end user and they must agree to the changes. If the customer wants a change in testing to grade devices (better current outputs, etc...) all the product needs to be retested,, reshipped and re warehoused. I did new product introduction as an electrical engineer for 25 years. The qualification required to get a part into an automobile is mind bending. Often 3.5 years from planning to production. This is why there are seldom second source vendors for electronic parts. Currently, semiconductor manufacturing is lagging for a variety of reasons. The JIT strategy and the Covid lockdowns means that it will be a while until they are caught up. The factories always run at 100% capacity. It's cheaper. The capitol for the equipment is astronomical and if we can max out capacity, the cost per device will be cheaper. Adding new equipment isn't a solution as its expensive and the time to get the new equipment qualified is far past the time to get caught up.

kurek said:

This is maybe a tangent but the whole idea of a car shortage is sort of weird to me; everywhere I drive it seems like 1 in 5 suburban houses and maybe a third or more rural properties have got at least one car parked outside that's obviously not been driven in a long time and on its way to being reclaimed by Earth. A lot of them are "around the bend" and can't reasonably be restored but before they get to that point, especially out West and South where rust isn't really a factor - I bet there are 5 million or more cars sitting in peoples' yards that could be brought back to life in a weekend by somebody with a wrench and a willingness to buy some parts.

It would be easy to misinterpret this as hubris and I'm trying to say it with as little ego as possible. I know I'm probably a lot more experienced under the hood than most people, not counting those who do it occupationally. That's not meant to be a boast just a matter of growing up poor and not having another choice you either learn how to make old junk run or you wind up missing work too often and sleeping on cardboard. So I look at any unharvested, disused car as potential transportation and I want to bring them all home like abandoned puppies and make 'em go again. It seems like a real missed opportunity every time I see somebody let a perfectly repairable resource just rot into the ground.

It's not like an old 1990s computer or brick phone or other piece of technology that just can't be used in any practical capacity anymore - an old car is still valid transportation even if it's 20 or 30 or 40 years old and I know an awful lot of folks on here aren't inclined to care about the environment but you can't deny that whatever pollution and other industrial effects come from building a car was already spent building those so if you can get more use out of them that's a good thing.

I guess I'm just surprised that we even got to the stage of having a car shortage, we're drowning in cars if anyone would pick up a wrench and turn it.

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I agree, if more of this took place it might help to slow down the crazy price increases we're seeing on new vehicles. I've always stuck to the rule that "Whether you're paying cash or financing, the purchase price of your car should be no more than 35% of your annual income. If you're financing a car, the total monthly amount you spend on transportation – your car payment, gas, car insurance, and maintenance – should be no more than 10% of your gross monthly income." -Moneyunder30.com
Also, a car should never be financed for more than 4 years.

I don't think I make bad money though right now if I got the right deal I might be able to replace my '16 with a '22 Laramie and stay under 35%. Though my wife, seeing she's a public school teacher in Florida, would be able to afford a new Toyota Corolla.

One thing I also feel that would help is DIY garages. There are a few around though not many http://www.dityautorepair.com/ for example.

...and the only reason I have a '16 is my wife made me buy a bigger truck because my '07 Dakota wouldn't fit all 3 kids. .
My '16 has Lifetime MaxCare and my brother is a Chrysler mechanic so hopefully, it will be the last truck I ever buy.

Adam E said:

Whether you're paying cash or financing, the purchase price of your car should be no more than 35% of your annual income

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Funny story about that... back in 2008/9 I was working for a company which was manufacturing electronics, warehousing/shipping from there, engineering and support and admin were in the same building. Most of the people working there were making industry standard wages of 9-12/hr which is 18-24k/yr gross.

When the financial crisis hit some woman from an investment firm came in to lecture all us idiots about how to be money smart like her. So she got out her whiteboard and started drawing a sample budget to teach us, "So if your mortgage is $2000 and your car payment is $650 and you spend $450 on food and.... " - I'm a real loudmouth so I asked her exactly how many $650/mo cars she walked past in the parking lot that morning. I know she walked past a number of $650 cars... not per month I mean $650 one time.

Basically any time a well paid person offers financial advice to lower paid people it's "If you don't have bread simply eat cake!"

The IRS reports that the median adjusted gross income is less than $45k in the USA which means if you're paying less than 35% of your annual income for a car the median American shouldn't buy a car over $15k - meaning zero new cars exist for the median American income. Median is the middle of a set and we know there are more low income jobs than high income jobs so the mode (the most commonly represented income value) is actually much lower than $45k which means that the majority of Americans need to shop well below $15k. Median household income is $68k but that usually means two or more earners... two or more cars.

If you gross $45k - remember that's the median not the mode so we're already starting off with someone who's doing better than typical - gross is about $3750/mo and net paychecks are about $1200 every 2 weeks.

So

Adam E said:

If you're financing a car, the total monthly amount you spend on transportation – your car payment, gas, car insurance, and maintenance – should be no more than 10% of your gross monthly income."

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That means your car payment, gas, car insurance and maintenance should be no more than 10% of $3750 or $375 .

Adam E said:

Also, a car should never be financed for more than 4 years.

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So a base model Mitsubishi Mirage looks like the cheapest brand new car I found on a quick google search at $15995 and just doing a quick payment calculator with a 4 year loan at 8% interest that puts you a little over $400 per month, which still doesn't factor in new car registration, insurance, gas or maintenance.

Remember we're talking about a hypothetical person who is making the numerically median income, which is necessarily higher than the typical (mode) income.

This topic isn't what we came here to discuss and I know a lot of people tend to get really... uh.. "invested" in financial and class conversations.

To stay on topic here according to IRS statistics the typical American worker is really not in a position to make any kind of new car purchase without also making a poor financial decision at the same time. That seems like an even better reason to put disused vehicles back on the road.. rather than deal with new car shortages I'm surprised we're not dealing with new car BUYER shortages.

I have a 2011 3500 with a few mods done. My truck originally came as a SLT but working to bring it close to a Laramie.
On line I’m seeing an average of 25k to 28k Canadian, if I’m lucky.

Here is a link for the truck I would love to trade in on. If the link does not work, just a 2022 Limited 3500 with a few option needed to tow a trailer.
A Ram 2022 1500 would be around 107k Canadian. Won’t be able to tow 5th wheel.


My 2 cents worth is, I cannot justify these outrageous price of vehicles. 8 years later the truck might be paid for. Providing I don’t miss a payment and are gainfully employed.

Sure, I might be able to trade up but then up here in the North financing used truck is 5-8 percent. Am I getting ahead????

Not sure what to do.

Sorry for the rant.

I got an e-mail from Carvana offering to buy a vehicle, and I filled out their form, just out of curiosity. Now my truck is a fully-loaded ten year old (2012) 2500 long-bed Laramie with the 6.7 Cummins, FWD, and AT. New tires last summer because the originals showed some checking on the sidewalls. Since it never has been driven in the winter, its condition is as pristine as it looks in the picture, and the odometer shows only 24000 actual miles, and some change.

Caravan came back with an offer of just over 23K dollars, for which I could never replace that truck. Their low-ball doesn't really offend me, because I'm 84 years old and this truck will last me for the duration, so I have no aspirations for a new vehicle. However, it does make me a little skeptical about all the hype surrounding the spike in used vehicle prices. I can sell it any time I want. Half of my dealer's service department would bid on it in a heartbeat if I offered it up for sale.

RetSatDiver said:

To funny you say this. I live in North East North Carolina and the lots are bare. I went online and let Vroom and CarMax quote my truck to buy. Vroom was 57k and CarMax about 600.00 difference. That's about 15K more than I paid for it. 2019 Power Wagon Red.

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I'm telling you strange days indeed.

I agree, lots of older cars still provide transportation. I have my 2020 Ram and a 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander with fading paint and quite a few miles. It gets driven around town and gets the Walmart door dings. Car runs just fine and has the coldest A/C on the planet. I figure it depreciates by about half a cent per mile I drive. Should provide some decent miles for a couple of years.

Not looking to cash out on my 2021 Laramie Sport - guess I was lucky to find it on the lot here in Mid TN back in August '21 and drove it home sight unseen that same day. Got it below invoice to boot. I almost pulled the trigger on a '21 GMC 1500 Sierra fully loaded, but after a quick test drive I was sold on the Ram. I initially didn't really like the Laramie looks and dark blue color but it's growing on me. Gave my '97 Toyota T-100 4x4 SRT to my son so glad it's stayed in the family.

I drive the Ram around Nashville part-time as a daily driver, haul light loads and pull the boat out of the marina occasionally for short trips to area lakes.

I've taken the Ram up to the Smokies, drives like a dream on the interstate and the steeps. Wife loves it but after she almost scratched the paint she no longer parks it in the garage.

Love this forum- keep it up!

Sorry if it's been said, but you're not going to find a full lot for something like a Toyota anywhere. It's basically order only and hope. It depends on the specific make/model and where they're made.

I don't think the 'rona effected Mexico much, so all the Jeep/Ram vehicles built there are still in decent supply.

Back to the OP:

Ramchargers in good cond are rather rare and becoming sought after (that's what I was seeing last I looked). Yes, do put in that tranny. What's wrong with working in the dirt? I did it for years when I was young ...and still do these days if I have a piece of field equipment or a skid loader that needs servicing. A vehicle that basic, you might be able to find a guy to install less than you think.

As simple as they are, guy can keep an old Ramcharger litterally running forever, reliably with good service and maintenance (and keep up with broken parts). If you don't need all the modern comforts, and a little slop in the steering wheel doesn't bother you, it might fit your needs and put a bunch of money back in your pocket. Plus they're a heck of a lot cheaper to insure too. You can always jump into a newer vehicle down the road if you change your mind.

Good luck!

Yes some could be fixed but some of the parts are just as hard to get ahold of, too. But it does make you wonder why people collect so much junk and not unload their stuff that they obviously have no use for nor intent to use.

Yes some could be fixed but some of the parts are just as hard to get ahold of, too. But it does make you wonder why people collect so much junk and not unload their stuff that they obviously have no use for nor intent to use.

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...could be emotional attachment for one. Like a loved one's last car (a person's deceases mom), or maybe a passed-away kid's car ...a vehicle they repaired or once restored ...or some other reason. Or just plain procrastination. Some people have strange habits too ..LOL.

I used to overlay my own biases and judgements on what other people do, but after a while I just stopped. I really don't care anymore why certain people watch certain TV shows/movies/games, which may not jive with what I like ...or what they drive, or color of their house ...or how they go about things ...as long as it doesn't impede me or others.

Oh ...i sure have neighbors who certainly do. Seems like a lot of energy wasted to me.

I have a 2018 2500 Powerwagon, best truck I've ever owned. Bought it in 2019 with 2600 miles on it. Now has 22,900 miles on it. KBB is a bit over $53,000 on trade, I paid 45k. Problem is, my truck has had the the Hemi tick in the motor on start up, since about 8k miles. Have brought it to the dealer twice about the issue, and they say that's normal. Runs fine, oil pressure normal. Thought about trading it in, for a new 2022 Big Horn or Laramie. Where I live, up here in Northern NY, trucks are in high demand, so no 2500's on dealer lots, you have to order one. So I ask my dealer, if I order a new truck, with all the options I want, about 64k, who will buy buy my Powerwagon, for like 55k, which they would sell it for, making that noise? He said we will fix that. Well, that's funny, because me keeping my truck, they wont ******* fix it, because, its normal. WTF??? And my powertrain warranty is good for another year and a half or another 37k miles. Its such ********. Not sure what I'm gonna do.

How loud ..or noticeable is it? Did they (or the tech) say if it was a warped exhaust manifold? Usually that's what it is. Would it still be under warranty?

If so, try another dealer, or RamCares. Don't buy new manifolds, or have a dealer install new manifolds. Get the old ones machined flat. Once the old ones warp they won't warp again. New manifolds will warp after x-number of heat/cool cycles, and you'll be back to hemi-tic again. You've probably read all that in other posts. Lot of engine manifold are that way ..not just Rams.

Great thread, I have an older Ram but I'm in a similar place. My '04 has 37k miles. It's a 5 speed V8 with a long bed and a crew cab, one owner and in near perfect shape, everything works like new. I bought it about 2 years ago for $6300 and I use it one day a week. I got a great deal, and the inflation makes it even greater. I'm in GA where trucks are marked way up, I could probably get in excess of $10000 for it now. But I love this truck. Don't need the money. And if I sold it where else would I get such a truck for so little money?

Chap said:

I have a 2018 2500 Powerwagon, best truck I've ever owned. Bought it in 2019 with 2600 miles on it. Now has 22,900 miles on it. KBB is a bit over $53,000 on trade, I paid 45k. Problem is, my truck has had the the Hemi tick in the motor on start up, since about 8k miles. Have brought it to the dealer twice about the issue, and they say that's normal. Runs fine, oil pressure normal. Thought about trading it in, for a new 2022 Big Horn or Laramie. Where I live, up here in Northern NY, trucks are in high demand, so no 2500's on dealer lots, you have to order one. So I ask my dealer, if I order a new truck, with all the options I want, about 64k, who will buy buy my Powerwagon, for like 55k, which they would sell it for, making that noise? He said we will fix that. Well, that's funny, because me keeping my truck, they wont ******* fix it, because, its normal. WTF??? And my powertrain warranty is good for another year and a half or another 37k miles. Its such ********. Not sure what I'm gonna do.

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My 2019 classic with 29 000km develop a hemi tick,this truck have full warranty so I let the dealer do the diagnosis, and they do and say,nothing wrong with this engine,this tick is normal,I am not happy with it but is not much I can do about it,just keep driving they say.