Honestly, re: "The Best Bang for the Buck?"
While I recognize that this is a DODGE FORUM, and from my screen name, it's pretty clear I was set on owning a Dodge, as my lifelong loyalty to Ford disappeared when they started spitting their sparkplugs out of their heads, with NO RECALL, to date, and a cost of $400. per hole, to repair.
So please do NOT "flame" me, as the OP asked for "The Best Bang for the Buck."
Well, I bought a Toyota Tundra and, from my research, even when buying new, they are apparently several thousand dollars cheaper, feature-per-feature, than the domestics, Ram included.
So, re: "The Best Bang for the Buck?"
The Certified, Pre-Owned (i.e., "CPO") 2014 Toyota Tundra I just bought, for $27,500. with 41,000 one-owner miles.
No, wait--I'm serious:
The 5.7L puts out 381 bhp and 401 ft. lbs. of torque.
This drivetrain hasn't been changed in over 10 years, despite the styling's "freshening" in 2014, meaning it's tried and true, with no "Hemi Tick" or sludging issues--no offense. (The Toyota 5.7's are prone to a valve cover leak, but that's covered, for the next five years, under the CPO Platinum warranty.)
Because it's got the Tow Package, this 4X4, EIGHT-FOOT BED, four-door (i.e., "Double Cab") truck has 4.30 diff gears.
Those gears, plus a six-speed, autobox that shifts slicker than the Mercedes' I used to drive, for work, means that it's only turning like 2,000 RPM at 80mph--with a redline north of 5,500. (The top two gears are both overdriven--I believe 6th is like .0589:1 overdrive.)
This truck is a STRIPPER, yet it has:
A/C (manual--no automatic climate control)
PW, PL, remote entry fob
6.3" backup camera
Electronic Stability Control
Traction Control
Brake Assist
9,600lb towing capacity
Trip computer in dash (separate from the backup camera) that gives mpg, miles-to-empty, etc..., et. al....
Limited Slip rear diff (using the ABS running on top of the open diff, so no rearend clutches to wear out).
"Entune" head unit with all kinds of wireless connectivity, most of which I'll never use.
And it does 0-60 in something under 6.5 seconds.
It's also rattle and squeak free.
Because it's a rear leaf spring, it does transmit more road imperfections than the 2009 Ram 1500 shortbox we compared it to. But it also blew that truck away, in terms of acceleration--not even close.
These trucks came with an optional blower, from Toyota, with ZERO internal engine reinforcements, and no apparent problems, so that gives you an idea of the inherent durability of Toyota's 5.7 V-8.
I'm probably forgetting some of it's standard "options," as I'm only on my second tank of gas, but the truck is AWESOME and I positively love it!
I wish you well in your search, but I'm glad I took a look at Toyota, as I'd exhausted all the domestic options first, and found things I didn't like, with all of them.
The cloth seats in this stripper don't even have a manual lumbar adjustment, let alone power controls, or heated seats, etc.... But happily, the split bench is VERY comfortable and, with the column shifter, there's room for my tool/travel bag, right on the floor, in front of me.
Even though it's the "Double Cab" (which is slightly smaller than the Crew Cab) there is a TON of rear seat leg room, and the seat bottom flips up, for tool storage on a nice, flat surface.
The tailgate assist works both up AND down (domestics don't offer this, to my knowledge) and, again, it's an EIGHT FOOT BED, in a (heavy) half ton truck.
Can you even ORDER an EIGHT FOOT BED, in a (domestic) half ton truck?
The wipers are NOT intermittent, but the electronics to change this are located in the stalk, so for $165. for a new stalk, you just change it yourself.
Oh, and the dealer threw in a $275., "fold-a-way" step, that mounts to the left side of the bumper, underneath, so you can still use the step when the tailgate is down.
Added to the $27,500. purchase price were: ( $700. for full-length, cast aluminum, blacked-out, non-skid running boards--which match the blacked-out, non-chrome grill--and another $1,800. for an additional 5 years/125,000 [total] miles of Platinum Warranty--but the CPO comes with "wrap-around" i.e., "bumper-to-bumper" coverage, for the first year--everything but consumables and, oddly, the bumpers--LOL.)
I wish you well, in your search for a Dodge, but I'm in LOVE with this Tundra, and couldn't be happier!
All the best, and Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year to ALL!