Does it bother you when people call your RAM a Dodge?

[troverman]

It seemed pretty dumb to me for FCA to throw away decades of the iconic "Dodge RAM" moniker. Especially when the trucks are still the latest evolution of all those Dodge RAM trucks. Europeans think pretty differently than Americans, and they probably had a totally drunken board meeting and came up with the "strategy" of Dodge being about performance, the invented brand "RAM" being about trucks, and Jeep remaining what it was about off-road. Chrysler itself became kind of the odd man out.

In reality, this strategy is dumb because individual brands have caused FCA to have a very thin model lineup. Having a larger lineup means the better products in the portfolio will help cover the brands weaker models in terms of overall reputation.

For example, Dodge sells the Challenger, Charger, Journey, Durango, and Grand Caravan. How the heck they think the Journey, Caravan, and even Durango are "performance / muscle" vehicles is beyond me. And frankly, the Challenger is just a two door version of the Charger; both of which are antiquated platforms along with the 300.

Chrysler sells the Pacifica minivan and aging 300 sedan. Quite a weak lineup. RAM sells full-size pickups and crappy Fiat-based vans.

While I don't care if people call my truck a Dodge (I call it that myself, since that's really what it is) I am annoyed by an iconic American brand being owned by Fiat.

 

[tjfdesmo]

It seemed pretty dumb to me for FCA to throw away decades of the iconic "Dodge RAM" moniker. Especially when the trucks are still the latest evolution of all those Dodge RAM trucks. Europeans think pretty differently than Americans, and they probably had a totally drunken board meeting and came up with the "strategy" of Dodge being about performance, the invented brand "RAM" being about trucks, and Jeep remaining what it was about off-road. Chrysler itself became kind of the odd man out.

In reality, this strategy is dumb because individual brands have caused FCA to have a very thin model lineup. Having a larger lineup means the better products in the portfolio will help cover the brands weaker models in terms of overall reputation.

For example, Dodge sells the Challenger, Charger, Journey, Durango, and Grand Caravan. How the heck they think the Journey, Caravan, and even Durango are "performance / muscle" vehicles is beyond me. And frankly, the Challenger is just a two door version of the Charger; both of which are antiquated platforms along with the 300.

Chrysler sells the Pacifica minivan and aging 300 sedan. Quite a weak lineup. RAM sells full-size pickups and crappy Fiat-based vans.

While I don't care if people call my truck a Dodge (I call it that myself, since that's really what it is) I am annoyed by an iconic American brand being owned by Fiat.

I agree with your sentiment, but the reality is after years of domestic mismanagement, being milked to near-death by Daimler, then scavenged by Cerberus, I am glad the lights are still on at all.

 

[tbird71]

Hell, I bought NOS 2008 DODGE branded running boards for mine (same exact board as a 2014) Pd $156 vs $500+ for the unbranded 2014 ones...call them anything you'd like at those kind of savings!

 

[corneileous]

I agree with your sentiment, but the reality is after years of domestic mismanagement, being milked to near-death by Daimler, then scavenged by Cerberus, I am glad the lights are still on at all.

Exactly. That, and Chrysler didn’t have much of a reputation ways back in those days so they were always being outsold by Phord and Chibby. That didn’t make matters better.

Hopefully Fiat can help get the Chrysler and Dodge name back up to were it was a long time ago.


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[WWDiesel]

Dodge, Ram, one in the same, both good, still much better than a Ford or Chevy no matter what you call em.

 

[racerx20]

It is a Dodge! Always will be

 

[ford40]

Its a dodge ram same as calling a Cummins a cummings everyone knows what your talking about.

 

[corneileous]

Its a dodge ram same as calling a Cummins a cummings everyone knows what your talking about.

But it never was a Cummings tho.


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[troverman]

Dodge, Ram, one in the same, both good, still much better than a Ford or Chevy no matter what you call em.

Why do you think they are better? I recently bought my first RAM coming off from six Ford Super Duty trucks which were all excellent. For me, I can find things I like about the RAM better and things I like about the Ford better.

 

[GhostCost]

Doesn't bother me but it highlights that it was a bad decision IMHO based on the way it has not caught on entirely after a decade. The fact that most sites refer to it as a DODGE is telling also..Bad decision strictly from a brand recognition standpoint...they're laughing all the way to the bank so what the hell do I know?

This exactly! It's a dodge, it's always been a dodge, if you renamed a box of kleenex tissues a box of "Tissue brand tissues", it's still a kleenex.

It was a dumb move 10 years ago and should be chronicled as such for all time.

 

[corneileous]

Why do you think they are better? I recently bought my first RAM coming off from six Ford Super Duty trucks which were all excellent. For me, I can find things I like about the RAM better and things I like about the Ford better.

Any Ram, or just yours? You did buy a tradesman, correct? And came from an XLT? Probably a lot of what you don’t like on your Ram is because you bought a both of the barrel trim level.


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[MMM]

Since my daughter was 4, she knew to call it RAM. lol

 

[Torrch]

Even FCA was confused. My 2011 ram had dodge written across the storage tray on the top of the dash above the radio.

Mine does too and it’s a 2012. But random ones say RAM. Using up whatever Dodge inventory they had?

 

[Hardracer]

Guy at my shop calls them Fi-odge.

 

[PeteTPuma]

I try to correct people who call it a Dodge by letting them know Ram and Dodge split in 2012. But it really bugs me that various auto part and modification sites still call it a Dodge.

 

[Tsys100718]

I rarely give it a second thought. Old habits die hard and this is almost in the same category as the Dodge "Cummings" diesel LOL.

You know there is no G in Cummins?

 

[Tsys100718]

Guy at my shop calls them Fi-odge.

I wonder if he calls Chevy's & Jimmies as 'Government Motors'?

 

[Tsys100718]

Well like someone said above, my 4th gen says dodge right above the radio...and it will always be a dodge cummins to me. I dont think i will ever stop callong them dodges especially when the drivetrain from 3rd gen dodge rams is identical to the early 4th gen "ram trucks"

Also, if 4th gens were not dodges, wouldnt they be 1st gen rams?

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You do know that Cummins is NOT a division of FCA, right? Cummins INC. made diesel engines for OTR trucks LONG before Dodge approached them to design a downsized version.

 

[Marine Les]

Dodge is what it is, Ram name change was done for the sake of selling off the truck line with no legal issues involving the Dodge name. If you can't stop, Dodge.

 

[Tsys100718]

I know it bugs the crap out of my brother in law when someone calls his GMC a Chevy........so of course, I have to!

Try calling it Government Motors and see what you get!