2018 Laramie CC 6.4

[AkNoad2]

Looking at a 2018 Laramie CC 2500 with the 6.4 with just under 34k miles on it, listed for $49,995 and books out on KBB between $54-$61k so sounds like it's a good deal but I don't know much about these 6.4's so I figured I'd ask here. How much worse are these trucks on gas compared to the 5.7 Hemi, I do a fair bit of towing but nothing over 5k lbs and this will be a daily driver. Here's the window sticker so you can see everything it has on board.

2018 Laramie CC

 

[AkNoad2]

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[HEMIMANN]

App. 1-2 mpg less. Remember it's not only due to a slightly bigger (12%) engine, it's due to the truck weighting app. 1,500 pounds more.

I had a 2012 Ram 1500 Quad Cab 4x4 short bed. I traded for my 2500 because the 1500 squatted too much with my contractor trailer.

 

[sandawilliams]

On my second truck with the 6.4 No issues and like the engine.

 

[Cahriad]

I have the almost identical truck, the only thing missing on yours is the upfitter switches, I tow an 8500Lb travel trailer and average around 9 miles per gallon, 6mpg on hilly routes.

 

[Irishthreeper]

I had a ‘19 1500 5.7 and now a ‘21 2500 6.4. Tend to agree with Hemiman that mpg is about 2 less with the 6.4 but I think its about the same towing. Loved the 1500 with 3.92’s but the 2500 is a beast. Good luck!

 

[AkNoad2]

Mileage sounds pretty close to the same as my 2010 1500 5.7 with the 3.55 rear end, though empty I get close to 18 on long road trips (heavy foot). I do like the color of the truck and it has everything I want/need and the truck has been on that lot for almost 8 months so maybe I can get an even better deal. Thanks for the info so far.

 

[mtofell]

That truck looks like one of the last ones with the far less desirable 6sp tranny. I thought it was 2018 they went to the 8sp but maybe it was 19. In any case that ones listed with the 6. I have a 2014 and it's been a decent truck but my tranny has failed twice. But the failures really aren't even my biggest beef (they were covered under warranty). My biggest complaint is the gear spacing. The 66rfe in that truck as ratios that were borrowed from the 68rfe that goes with the Cummins. So, it's intended for a diesel that makes all its power at low RPMs. The main place this comes up is the gap between first and second. When pulling my 11K 5th wheel up a moderate winding hill I can't hold second unless I'm going 45-50ish. So, the choices are let the tranny slam itself back and forth or just lock it into first and putt at 35 with the engine at 5K RPMs.

Of course, I'm kind of maxing out the truck with that 5th wheel and I do live out west with lots of hills. What you are looking at towing I'm sure would be a much better experience. As a daily driver the tranny kind of sucks in other ways. Mainly the shifting is just stupid as it holds gears until the truck literally starts shaking before downshifting. That can be made up for by just doing it manually though.

Otherwise, not a bad truck IMO. MPGs I tend to agree with the others. Stop/driving and excess speed really burns the fuel. I don't ever hand-calc but my meter tells me about 13 in the summer with mixed driving, 12ish in the winter with the crappy 10% ethanol fuel. I've gotten upper teens or even 20 on the highway if I can keep my foot out of it.

 

[AkNoad2]

We have some fairly steep hills here in Alaska but I don't travel them very often so I think I should be ok in that regard. Are there any issues with these motors that I should know about, like the manifold bolts on the 5.7? I really don't want to have to deal with that nightmare again, my current truck has had them repaired 3 times and needs it again on the drivers side. I know the front ends on the diesel trucks generally need work after about 100k miles or so, is that an issue with these trucks as well?

 

[HEMIMANN]

Well, no, they haven't done anything about the manifolds to my knowledge. They have tried to improve valve lifter reliability, but I've seen no data that shows if they succeeded, or how much. Reports still have failures in later models as well. That's the one you want to keep an eye on, as it's mission-disabling and expensive.

Anyway, the synthetic oil thread has all sorts of info about that. Many of us Hemi owners use Red Line 5W-30 engine oil and a low restriction oil filter (Royal Purple or Fram Ultra) with shorter OCI's to baby the lifter rollers.

 

[mtofell]

I think the engines are pretty solid but there are reports of manifold bolt failures. I took my truck in due to a noise and they did both sides of the bolt (again, under warranty or I never would have done it). I went to pick up the truck after the bolts were done and the noise I took the truck in for was still there... lol. It's just kind of a rattling noise when cold that I think it just an exhaust mount or something. It's only noticeable when I first start it and I mainly just wanted to be sure it wasn't something more serious. I suppose when something falls off the truck they'll fix it.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Rattling noise is the heat shield over the exhaust manifold.

This is an annoying failure, not missing disabling. Unless you got a melting component near the exhaust port. Keep wiring away.

 

[AkNoad2]

It's really disappointing to hear that these engines suffer from the same issue as the 5.7, I was really wanting to get away from that with the 6.4.

 

[buckeyexx]

It's really disappointing to hear that these engines suffer from the same issue as the 5.7, I was really wanting to get away from that with the 6.4.

It isn’t just the ram with the issues either. We have 2015 and 2016 Silverado’s at my work that have suffered the warped manifolds. Just replaced a set a couple of months ago on one.

 

[miles01]

I had a 2011 1500 with 5.7, 3.92 rear end
Then got a 2018 Laramie 2500 with 6.4, 3.73 rear end.
Daily driving The 6.4 averages 16 mpg, the 5.7 average was 22 mpg.
I tow a 8,300 lbs rv trailer
I get 9-10 mpg, the 5.7 towing the same trailer got 12-14 mpg.

Note both are 4X4, Crew cab Laramie trucks

 

[mtofell]

I had a 2011 1500 with 5.7, 3.92 rear end
Then got a 2018 Laramie 2500 with 6.4, 3.73 rear end.
Daily driving The 6.4 averages 16 mpg, the 5.7 average was 22 mpg.
I tow a 8,300 lbs rv trailer
I get 9-10 mpg, the 5.7 towing the same trailer got 12-14 mpg.

Note both are 4X4, Crew cab Laramie trucks

You must be driving downhill both directions with a tailwind.

 

[AkNoad2]

I had a 2011 1500 with 5.7, 3.92 rear end
Then got a 2018 Laramie 2500 with 6.4, 3.73 rear end.
Daily driving The 6.4 averages 16 mpg, the 5.7 average was 22 mpg.
I tow a 8,300 lbs rv trailer
I get 9-10 mpg, the 5.7 towing the same trailer got 12-14 mpg.

Note both are 4X4, Crew cab Laramie trucks

Damn that's some good mileage, I have never gotten 22mpg with my 2010 Laramie 5.7 with the 3.55 rear end, 18 is the best I ever got.

I test drove the 2500 yesterday and I'm just about to pull the trigger, I'm going to test drive a 2018 1500 Laramie with the 3.92 rear end and has only 4200 miles on it, very nice looking truck but I'm really leaning towards that gorgeous 2500.

 

[FF376]

My 2018 has the 6.4 and the 3:73 "snow chief" gears. Tows my 5500 lb car trailer perfectly. With the suspension, engine and braking of the 2500 I think you will be happy with it. Around town it gets low teen mileage with the trailer right around 10. Little bouncy around town but mine still has the Fire stones on it as well. That 2500 is a pretty truck in that picture. As screwed up as the market is and will be I would go for it!

 

[AkNoad2]

My 2018 has the 6.4 and the 3:73 "snow chief" gears. Tows my 5500 lb car trailer perfectly. With the suspension, engine and braking of the 2500 I think you will be happy with it. Around town it gets low teen mileage with the trailer right around 10. Little bouncy around town but mine still has the Fire stones on it as well. That 2500 is a pretty truck in that picture. As screwed up as the market is and will be I would go for it!

I see the "Snow chief" option when I run a KBB value on this truck, what exactly does this mean? Also, this truck has the power folding mirrors on it but I couldn't find the switch for it, can you tell me where it's located?

 

[AkNoad2]

Got to looking online again for more trucks and found this one, a 2017 2500 Laramie Mega Cab freakin loaded to the hilt and the price seems reasonable at $53k and it has only 40,656 miles plus the 4.10 rear end. According to the KBB it's about $6500 under their bb value. If anyone has that Ram Box option how do you like it, pros and cons.