First time truck buyer, getting close to purchase

[justice]

Hi everyone, I am a first time truck buyer and getting close to placing an order.

I have been reading your forum for a couple of weeks and wanted to say how helpful it has been reading through your threads. Thank you for that!

I wanted to post about the options I am selecting, ask your opinions on a couple of items, and maybe help other first time truck buyers out there. Please feel free to chime in on anything that interests you!

First let me say that this truck will basically be a glorified SUV for carrying family -- we have three kids, two dogs, and all the stuff that goes with them We go camping lots (sometimes for a week at a time) and do have a need for occasionally pulling a small trailer.

Once a year we take a long camping trip out of state, but other than that one trip this truck will mostly be in town near home.

I was looking for something fun to drive with lots of room inside, and I am excited to say that the new 1500 appears to fit the bill nicely.

Here are the specs that I am considering and some thoughts about them ...

2019 RAM 1500 Limited Crew Cab 4X4 5'7" Box 3.92 Rear Axle Ratio
5.7-liter V8 HEMI MDS VVT Engine (Still deciding on eTorque)
33 Gal Tank
The recently available deployable bed step
Off-Road Group
Bed Utility Group
Not decided on color -- black, red, or blue in the running.
Leather bucket seats -- black interior
Sunroof
Trailer Brake Control


A few thoughts ...


LARAMIE -VS- LIMITED
When comparing the Laramie -vs- Limited -- the deciding factor for me so far has been the availability of rear ventilated seats in the limited -- we are in Texas, 'nuff said. The rear seats in the Laramie are heated, but not ventilated as far as I can tell.

I know that the dealers seem to be discounting the Laramies more than the Limiteds, (the sales manager at my local dealer even mentioned this) so I could probably save some money with the Laramie if the ventilated seats were not a concern.

OFF ROAD GROUP
I just love the look of the 1" lift and the beefier tires. Beefier but not TOO beefy. I have read how smooth the ride is and I don't want to mess that up -- hopefully adding the tires and the heavier duty shocks with this package will not adversely affect the ride. Any thoughts?

TRAILER TOW GROUP
I did not add the Trailer Tow group as that added the tow mirrors, which for some reason causes you to lose a lot -- including the 360 camera which my wife will need to park this thing, and the electrically folding mirrors which we will use every time we park in the garage. We did add the trailer brake control separately -- I have never towed before but I could see that becoming handy if things got dicey.

5'7" BED -VS- 6'4" BED
The longer bed with the crew cab makes this a long truck -- so long in fact that it would not fit in my garage, otherwise I would be seriously considering it. Also, I think the shorter bed will make the truck easier to park, especially for my wife and daughter.

TONNEAU -VS- CAMPER SHELL
I am thinking about getting a camper shell -- I love the look of the tonneau as it keeps the truck looking like a truck, where the shell kind of makes it look like a big suv. Looks aside however, the shell does give us a little more space. For this reason we are not as interested in the RAM boxes, although I am sure they would be useful.

BEDLINER
The Spray in bed liner is simple enough, probably protects the bed from paint scratches, which could allow rust at some point. It does feel rough, which makes me wonder if that would make sliding objects into the bed difficult, or if I would have to put down cardboard or something to protect items I carry from damage.

SUNROOF
I am an astronomy geek so love the idea of looking at the stars in cold weather from the comfort of the truck. Also, I have seen some of you mention how the natural light makes the cab feel bigger. I saw there were some leaking concerns -- I'll make sure to check the drain tubes out the back of the cab to see if the sealing ring is flush and in place.

eTORQUE
The engine shutting down when you stop seems like a great idea for fuel savings -- obviously this will help more with city driving. My only concern is reliability with the new system and if it does break, availability of parts in a timely fashion. I have not made a decision on this yet, I know it would take a long time to save enough in fuel to make up for the upfront cost so that is not a reason for me -- the engine shifting more smoothly and a short burst of torque to get you rolling from a stop might be worth it -- hard to ask the sales guy to let me punch it from a stop in two different new trucks on a test drive however, anyone tried both and know if the HEMI shifts more smoothly with the eTorque?

 

[Pudge]

Looks like you got it figured out. I just factory ordered a Limited in December. Hope to get it in a few weeks. I added etorque because of this video ...


And I like your decision to not order the tow package. You loose too much. The 360 camera, blind spot, power folding, plus more. The blind spot feature will take into consideration your trailer length, so that’s pretty cool. The tow mirrors wipe that feature out. But be sure to get the brake control. I used normal mirrors on my 2014 Ram and never had a problem seeing what was behind me. I suppose it depends on the width of your trailer.

 

[justice]

Very informative video, thanks! I wanted to order in December as well, love buying cars in the last month of the year. I hope my waiting to January/February does not cost me too much in incentives.

Congrats on your order I am sure you will enjoy the truck!

 

[Jvander]

Looks like you got it figured out. I just factory ordered a Limited in December. Hope to get it in a few weeks. I added etorque because of this video ...


And I like your decision to not order the tow package. You loose too much. The 360 camera, blind spot, power folding, plus more. The blind spot feature will take into consideration your trailer length, so that’s pretty cool. The tow mirrors wipe that feature out. But be sure to get the brake control. I used normal mirrors on my 2014 Ram and never had a problem seeing what was behind me. I suppose it depends on the width of your trailer.

You still get the blind spot monitoring. You do lose the 360 and power folding.

I have a Laramie, rear seats heated but not ventilated.

 

[justice]

The salesman at my local dealer tells me that the Laramie trim with Level 1 equip includes heated and ventilated seats, front and rear.

Can anyone confirm this? I didn't think that trim had those seats.

*edit* -- he just called back to say the ventilated seats are only available in the Laramie Longhorn, and the Limited.

 

[MegaRam18]

I like the combo of Bedrug with topper. It's easy on the knees and provides a cozy place for the dog besides the cab.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[lobsterbake]

If ordering skip the bed liner and get Linex done after you pick up your truck - you can get the Linex Premium and it won’t fade. Two reasons not to order from factory: no anti fade and only get 3yr 36000 mile warranty. Pay about the same price and have sprayed locally and can get the premium with no fade UV protection and get a lifetime watrranty. Linex is awesome and you will love. Go look at dealers that have pickups sitting on lot with a bed liner for months and you will notice the sun has faded already.

 

[Matthew C]

I’m new to the forum and about to order my first truck. It’s going to be a 2019 Ram Laramie with level 2 entertainment group and advanced safety group. I really want the 12” screen but I’m still up in the air about that with all the issues it has. Any input on the 12” would be greatly appreciated. And another question I have is has anyone brought a truck from Dennis Dillon in Idaho? And how was your experience with working with them over the phone and thru email.

 

[Kap1]

Hi everyone, I am a first time truck buyer and getting close to placing an order.

I have been reading your forum for a couple of weeks and wanted to say how helpful it has been reading through your threads. Thank you for that!

I wanted to post about the options I am selecting, ask your opinions on a couple of items, and maybe help other first time truck buyers out there. Please feel free to chime in on anything that interests you!

First let me say that this truck will basically be a glorified SUV for carrying family -- we have three kids, two dogs, and all the stuff that goes with them We go camping lots (sometimes for a week at a time) and do have a need for occasionally pulling a small trailer.

Once a year we take a long camping trip out of state, but other than that one trip this truck will mostly be in town near home.

I was looking for something fun to drive with lots of room inside, and I am excited to say that the new 1500 appears to fit the bill nicely.

Here are the specs that I am considering and some thoughts about them ...

2019 RAM 1500 Limited Crew Cab 4X4 5'7" Box 3.92 Rear Axle Ratio
5.7-liter V8 HEMI MDS VVT Engine (Still deciding on eTorque)
33 Gal Tank
The recently available deployable bed step
Off-Road Group
Bed Utility Group
Not decided on color -- black, red, or blue in the running.
Leather bucket seats -- black interior
Sunroof
Trailer Brake Control


A few thoughts ...


LARAMIE -VS- LIMITED
When comparing the Laramie -vs- Limited -- the deciding factor for me so far has been the availability of rear ventilated seats in the limited -- we are in Texas, 'nuff said. The rear seats in the Laramie are heated, but not ventilated as far as I can tell.

I know that the dealers seem to be discounting the Laramies more than the Limiteds, (the sales manager at my local dealer even mentioned this) so I could probably save some money with the Laramie if the ventilated seats were not a concern.

OFF ROAD GROUP
I just love the look of the 1" lift and the beefier tires. Beefier but not TOO beefy. I have read how smooth the ride is and I don't want to mess that up -- hopefully adding the tires and the heavier duty shocks with this package will not adversely affect the ride. Any thoughts?

TRAILER TOW GROUP
I did not add the Trailer Tow group as that added the tow mirrors, which for some reason causes you to lose a lot -- including the 360 camera which my wife will need to park this thing, and the electrically folding mirrors which we will use every time we park in the garage. We did add the trailer brake control separately -- I have never towed before but I could see that becoming handy if things got dicey.

5'7" BED -VS- 6'4" BED
The longer bed with the crew cab makes this a long truck -- so long in fact that it would not fit in my garage, otherwise I would be seriously considering it. Also, I think the shorter bed will make the truck easier to park, especially for my wife and daughter.

TONNEAU -VS- CAMPER SHELL
I am thinking about getting a camper shell -- I love the look of the tonneau as it keeps the truck looking like a truck, where the shell kind of makes it look like a big suv. Looks aside however, the shell does give us a little more space. For this reason we are not as interested in the RAM boxes, although I am sure they would be useful.

BEDLINER
The Spray in bed liner is simple enough, probably protects the bed from paint scratches, which could allow rust at some point. It does feel rough, which makes me wonder if that would make sliding objects into the bed difficult, or if I would have to put down cardboard or something to protect items I carry from damage.

SUNROOF
I am an astronomy geek so love the idea of looking at the stars in cold weather from the comfort of the truck. Also, I have seen some of you mention how the natural light makes the cab feel bigger. I saw there were some leaking concerns -- I'll make sure to check the drain tubes out the back of the cab to see if the sealing ring is flush and in place.

eTORQUE
The engine shutting down when you stop seems like a great idea for fuel savings -- obviously this will help more with city driving. My only concern is reliability with the new system and if it does break, availability of parts in a timely fashion. I have not made a decision on this yet, I know it would take a long time to save enough in fuel to make up for the upfront cost so that is not a reason for me -- the engine shifting more smoothly and a short burst of torque to get you rolling from a stop might be worth it -- hard to ask the sales guy to let me punch it from a stop in two different new trucks on a test drive however, anyone tried both and know if the HEMI shifts more smoothly with the eTorque?

Hi, great questions and you're on the right track!

Are you sure you'll have enough room for 3 kids in the back? Keep in mind, you won't have the third row seats and access to trunk as you have in an suv - so the back seat is all you get for 3 kids and any misc things they may need with them.

Truck is cool, but I would look for a large suv with a third row seats instead, like a suburban or Nissan titan etc..

While truck does have a bed, it's pretty much useless without a camper shell (or tonneau cover but probably not for you as you got dogs) . Your kids won't be able to reach into the bed while you're driving to grab stuff, or to throw things to the third row for more storage space... each time they need something you'll have to pull over and open the camper.

If you're really determined to get a truck with such a large family, maybe look at the 2500 mega cab as it'll give you a bit more storage space behind the back seat.

Get the bedrug, but it'll probably stink soon from dogs, so maybe a harder surface is better!

What do everyone think about it? Fyi it's just my theory, I never owned an suv and no kids yet but we're really trying to think through this subject

 

[Cordwood]

Hi justice, what is the "recently available deployable bed step" you speak of?

 

[Pudge]

Hi justice, what is the "recently available deployable bed step" you speak of?

Here is a short vid that shows it. A little cheesy, but only 2 minutes and you’ll see what it is.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/p/2019-ram-1500-tailgate-and-bed-autoblog-short-cuts/vp-BBK0vGU

 

[Cordwood]

Oh ok, so I have seen that. I thought that was the AMP step. I guess ram is integrating (or stealing) that product now. I definitely want one!

Here is a short vid that shows it. A little cheesy, but only 2 minutes and you’ll see what it is.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/p/2019-ram-1500-tailgate-and-bed-autoblog-short-cuts/vp-BBK0vGU

 

[MegaRam18]

Hi, great questions and you're on the right track!

Are you sure you'll have enough room for 3 kids in the back? Keep in mind, you won't have the third row seats and access to trunk as you have in an suv - so the back seat is all you get for 3 kids and any misc things they may need with them.

Truck is cool, but I would look for a large suv with a third row seats instead, like a suburban or Nissan titan etc..

While truck does have a bed, it's pretty much useless without a camper shell (or tonneau cover but probably not for you as you got dogs) . Your kids won't be able to reach into the bed while you're driving to grab stuff, or to throw things to the third row for more storage space... each time they need something you'll have to pull over and open the camper.

If you're really determined to get a truck with such a large family, maybe look at the 2500 mega cab as it'll give you a bit more storage space behind the back seat.

Get the bedrug, but it'll probably stink soon from dogs, so maybe a harder surface is better!

What do everyone think about it? Fyi it's just my theory, I never owned an suv and no kids yet but we're really trying to think through this subject

Bedrug is not "carpet". https://bedrug.com/why-choose-bedrug

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[pacofortacos]

I would skip the 3.92's for your purpose, unless you want it to be a touch more fun racing redlight to redlight. The 3.21's will pull a light trailer easily and save you several mpg on the highway.

Offroad package will cost you a couple of mpg also - between this and the 3.92's plan on 17-18 highway mpg IMO. Low 20's without the offroad and with 3.21's - just something to consider.

I have a hard toneau that I like a lot, with dogs a cap might work better and if you get one with a slider window in front, you can reach through the back slider into the cap for small things or talk to the dogs.
I have a bedrug vs. lined that is nice, but with dogs it might be better lined and buy some carpet remnants to put on the floor - dog accidents, spills not a big deal then, just throw out and get another.

Etorque - I think it will be fairly dependable, it is really a simple system. Recovery of the cost might take a long time - if it was a $500 option it would be a no brainer.

 

[Kap1]

Bedrug is not "carpet". https://bedrug.com/why-choose-bedrug

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

I've had bedrug for 5 years in my work truck with camper shell. I love it as it's soft and is easy on knees. However, dogs will make it smelly and dog accidents will make it terrible.

It's just like carpet, although perhaps has better qualities at withstanding moisture and is tougher and sifter..

 

[justice]

If ordering skip the bed liner and get Linex done after you pick up your truck - you can get the Linex Premium and it won’t fade. Two reasons not to order from factory: no anti fade and only get 3yr 36000 mile warranty. Pay about the same price and have sprayed locally and can get the premium with no fade UV protection and get a lifetime watrranty. Linex is awesome and you will love. Go look at dealers that have pickups sitting on lot with a bed liner for months and you will notice the sun has faded already.

View attachment 151973

Thanks -- I checked out their web site and requested a quote. Had no idea this was an option.

 

[justice]

... Are you sure you'll have enough room for 3 kids in the back? Keep in mind, you won't have the third row seats and access to trunk as you have in an suv - so the back seat is all you get for 3 kids and any misc things they may need with them.

There is no doubt the three kids will have less room in the back of the truck -vs- our honda odyssey van. We have had the van since we bought it new in 2008 -- still runs great with 240k miles.

But the ability to move our dogs (we have two big dogs) from our space in the cabin to their own space in the truck bed is worth a lot.

And the truck can get us to a lot of places that the odyssey struggles with.

And we still plan to keep the odyssey as long as she runs ...

 

[SrKag]

First off don't listen to what they say you don't want. It's your family , its your ram and you'll absolutely love it with the 3 kids in the back. The thing to look for is the discount and the interest. You have 3 kids don't opt for the 3.21's you want the 3.92"s . With 3 kids and travel trailers you will want the strength to pull. 5.7 with 3.92 will pull just over 11,000 lbs and with the 3.21 its max is 8500 lbs. Plus the more options you put in will cost ,, yes but if you plan to keep it for a long time the option are very nice to have. Toneau cover is better but if you like a cab so be it.

 

[soapy]

I ran a thread on the Etorque payoff time. $2695 option price for it, gas at $3 per gallon the breakeven point is around 83,000 miles.

 

[Rampat]

Research the dealership, believe me the dealership can quickly turn the whole experience negative. I'm speaking from personal experience. When you are negotiating don't let them pressure you and go home and give it good thought. Be clear on finance terms. I was told I had 96 months term. Finance team sped through the details and it was until I was home looking at the contract that I found that they had me signed up for a balloon loan.
BE VERY AWARE!!!