hello all..... helpful advice needed

[Jon NC]

Hey everyone. Decided to register and ask for your input. I will need to be replacing my old tried and true P'up in the next year or 2.... I am in my late 50's, have worked many construction jobs but have been a nurse for the last 20 years.

I have never owned a Ram/Dodge other than a Chrysler Concord - have never owned Dodge/Ram p'up, but my brother has. He has owned all domestic brands, my Dad is pure Chevy, me ....I plead the 5th. I am not here to bash other brands, and I appreciate conversations that avoid that.

I am here because Ram gives a few options I like. I also like their look, how they drive, etc. I recently had a rental - - 2022 ? with 3.6.

I was surprised and impressed.

To start with, I am leaning towards a full crew cab, (NOT quad) 4x4 with the Pentastar.

The truck I chose will end up with will get mostly highway miles, hardly ever towing anything, but will be used for loading/hauling firewood - our primary source of heat.
In the past, a 3/4 or 1 ton with 8 foot bed would be appropriate, but now that Im next door to 60 years old, it's not so mandatory. Timbrens may come in useful or some aftermarket coils for the back to lessen the sag when fully loaded.

Not looking at new, but one that's used, 2020 or newer.
3.6 quad - not crew- the rental I had - we used it to haul a FULL load of bulk mulch----while it didn't effortlessly fly down the highway - the pentastar was the little engine that could. It did what I wanted. I never go any more than 15 miles with any load..... firewood? I live in the middle of WNC - forests in every direction - we got smashed by Helene - I have a LOT of free firewood within a mile of my front door.

So what am I asking?
While I don't N E E D a Hemi - can you give me valid reason for it? (NO OFFENSE - not here to bash!!) Sure the extra power - but what is REAL WORLD MPG ?) Hemi tick? How can this be prevented ? I do maintain all my vehicles FAITHFULLY - oil changes are NEVER neglected
95% of the time it will be highway miles with no load - - -

Plus many other questions I will think off after signing off - - -
I am not an auto mechanic, but have been around farm equipment growing up and construction equipment for a decade. I know a lot about a little and a little about a lot - and specifically Ram trucks - I know very little.

What would you recommend ? I wish I could get a longer bed, but I do need a back seat for people over 4 foot tall....so I need the full crew cab.

As far as power - I am replacing a 210 hp /240 torque 4x4 that Ive had for 20 years now (not a Ram)..... It's done all I need, and PLEASE give me a nickel for every time it hauled a load of firewood - LOTS of nickels - and towing - and pulling out tree trunks (4 wheel low).

I have a lotta honey do to do today, Ive gotta go - but will check back later to see any advice is shared.

Thanks all in advance - appreciate any and all constructive comments

 

[Yardbird]

The 3.6 will do all you need. Try to find one without E-Torque if you can, which will limit you to a Classic.

I love my truck. Unless you live on pure flat land, I would try to find one with a 3.55 axle ratio over the standard 3.21.

Mine has a 3.21, and does fine. I couldn't find what I wanted with a 3.55, but the 3.21 is not a deal killer. The big advantage is the 3.55 has a better takeoff and isn't constantly shifting out of 8th gear on rolling hills at highway speeds.

I take care of that problem by keeping mine in 7th gear all the time.

It took me over 2 years of looking before I found a truck that met the majority of my wants/needs, but I'm happy with my decision.

As stated earlier, the main compromise I made was the 3.21. If one axle goes out in the future, I may change out to 3.55 on both, but hopefully that never happens.

Good luck on the hunt. I really like the Pentastar. It's smooth, decent power for such a heavy truck, and gets great gas mileage.

These engines like to rev. After owning a 300-6 Ford low end torque for 32 years and still owning a '94 Ram with a V-10 with gobs of low end torque, it took a little while to get used to the rpm of the Pentastar, but it's so smooth and quiet you don't notice it unless you're looking at the tach.

 

[Yardbird]

Mountains of NC I see. You can't be to far from me....lol

I take my truck to the mountains on a regular basis. It pulls 181, Beech Mountain, Roan Mountain, anything, without any problem. Getting used to the high coolant temps that's programmed into these things is the hardest thing for me, but the truck does not have any problem pulling the hills.

Just let it rev and it will be happy. There's not much hold back with these engines going downhill. I ended up putting Detroit Axle slotted/drilled rotors on front to improve the braking and keep the brakes cool.

 

[Jon NC]

The 3.6 will do all you need. Try to find one without E-Torque if you can, which will limit you to a Classic.

I love my truck. Unless you live on pure flat land, I would try to find one with a 3.55 axle ratio over the standard 3.21.

Mine has a 3.21, and does fine. I couldn't find what I wanted with a 3.55, but the 3.21 is not a deal killer. The big advantage is the 3.55 has a better takeoff and isn't constantly shifting out of 8th gear on rolling hills at highway speeds.

I take care of that problem by keeping mine in 7th gear all the time.

It took me over 2 years of looking before I found a truck that met the majority of my wants/needs, but I'm happy with my decision.

As stated earlier, the main compromise I made was the 3.21. If one axle goes out in the future, I may change out to 3.55 on both, but hopefully that never happens.

Good luck on the hunt. I really like the Pentastar. It's smooth, decent power for such a heavy truck, and gets great gas mileage.

These engines like to rev. After owning a 300-6 Ford low end torque for 32 years and still owning a '94 Ram with a V-10 with gobs of low end torque, it took a little while to get used to the rpm of the Pentastar, but it's so smooth and quiet you don't notice it unless you're looking at the tach.

Hey Yardbird - my wife gave me. a 10 minute break - thanx for the reply. I live north of Asheville - next to the Black Mountain Range on the north side - as you know, there aren't hardly any 'flat' roads here - thanx for the axle ratio suggestion - makes sense -

Is there such a thing as crew cab 6.5 ft box ?

Avoid eTorque - if you don't mind - elaborate ? (reasons why....)

Very unfamiliar with that - just that it 'helps' when the truck starts from a dead stop

Will check back later - ooops - she's calling

 

[Yardbird]

There are 6.5 crew cabs, but they are hard to find. My quad cab 6.5 sticks out of parking spaces. I can imagine what a crew cab would be like.

Re-read my last post, as I updated it while you were posting.

 

[Jon NC]

She fired me for 5 minutes - did a quick search of 'eTorque problems' and voila!! many threads to look at later ....
Thanx for the heads up!!

 

[RamDiver]

To start with, I am leaning towards a full crew cab, (NOT quad) 4x4 with the Pentastar.

I would have liked a Crew Cab, but chose to prioritize having a full-sized 6'4" box instead.

A Crew Cab with a 6'4" box is too long to easily fit in the barn where I park, and it also adds more challenge when parking in public areas where space is limited.

BTW, a 6'4" box barely fits a face cord of wood. I have a Roll'N'Lock bed cover that has a small canister up front, and I lose some cargo room. I need to pile the wood about 2' over the sides and cover with a mesh net for travel.

I rarely have passengers in the back of my Quad Cab, but full-sized adults fit without discomfort. I've even had 6'5" and larger-bodied passengers and received no complaints.

I suggest you visit a dealership, crawl in the back of a Quad Cab and then compare the box sizes between the 5'7" Crew Cab versus the 6'4" Quad Cab. Then decide what is more important for your needs.

.

 

[Yardbird]

I would have liked a Crew Cab, but chose to prioritize having a full-sized 6'4" box instead.

A Crew Cab with a 6'4" box is too long to easily fit in the barn where I park, and it also adds more challenge when parking in public areas where space is limited.

BTW, a 6'4" box barely fits a face cord of wood. I have a Roll'N'Lock bed cover that has a small canister up front, and I lose some cargo room. I need to pile the wood about 2' over the sides and cover with a mesh net for travel.

I rarely have passengers in the back of my Quad Cab, but full-sized adults fit without discomfort. I've even had 6'5" and larger-bodied passengers and received no complaints.

I suggest you visit a dealership, crawl in the back of a Quad Cab and then compare the box sizes between the 5'7" Crew Cab versus the 6'4" Quad Cab. Then decide what is more important for your needs.

.

I wanted the 6'4" bed as the trucks I've had over the past 35+ years have been long beds. I still have the long bed 2500 for those special occasions.

 

[Harley Harrold]

 

[diymirage]

The bare minimum acceptable engine in a truck is a 5.7 hemi, and even then, it's a slug

A 6 banger in a truck is downright dangerous

 

[Jon NC]

There are 6.5 crew cabs, but they are hard to find. My quad cab 6.5 sticks out of parking spaces. I can imagine what a crew cab would be like.

Re-read my last post, as I updated it while you were posting.

There was a time I was in search of 2500/3500 Crew with 8 foot box...... they are getting shorter as the years go by...

 

[Jon NC]

I wanted the 6'4" bed as the trucks I've had over the past 35+ years have been long beds. I still have the long bed 2500 for those special occasions.

I wish 2 trucks were in my future....

 

[Jon NC]

View attachment 571340

Holy BANANAS Batman !

Not a fan of yellow trucks, but I'll make an exception for yours !

 

[Jon NC]

The bare minimum acceptable engine in a truck is a 5.7 hemi, and even then, it's a slug

A 6 banger in a truck is downright dangerous

Yeah, I know....the 59 year old part of me reminds me that I've been a grandfather for years, and I drive like a little old man.

But yes, another part of me says ..... HEMI

As far as danger.... well..... I never EVER overload a truck, nor will I ever tow anything more than a riding lawn mower....

But yeah..... every once in a while I do get an urge to just

 

[Jon NC]

I would have liked a Crew Cab, but chose to prioritize having a full-sized 6'4" box instead.

A Crew Cab with a 6'4" box is too long to easily fit in the barn where I park, and it also adds more challenge when parking in public areas where space is limited.

BTW, a 6'4" box barely fits a face cord of wood. I have a Roll'N'Lock bed cover that has a small canister up front, and I lose some cargo room. I need to pile the wood about 2' over the sides and cover with a mesh net for travel.

I rarely have passengers in the back of my Quad Cab, but full-sized adults fit without discomfort. I've even had 6'5" and larger-bodied passengers and received no complaints.

I suggest you visit a dealership, crawl in the back of a Quad Cab and then compare the box sizes between the 5'7" Crew Cab versus the 6'4" Quad Cab. Then decide what is more important for your needs.

.

This sounds like good, sound advice.

EVERY vehicle I will ever buy has to pass the "Jon test"

the test is.....I get in drivers seat and bring it forward as much as possibles I can WHILE STILL BEING COMFORTABLE ( I am 6 foot 5 inches )

Then the test. I leave the seat in front as is....

and try to sit right behind that driver seat.

If I am still comfortable in the back, it passes the "Jon test"

I do haul around taller people, so..... we shall see !

 

[Marshall]

You may find that back leg room is a bit short if front seat way back, I have road in back of mine a couple times and it was tight, I use to be 6'1' but I have shrunk, Seems like it came out in the middle.

I have always had quad cab and 6.4 boxes, and 8 ft back in the day.
I can get the truck in the garage OK and open the tail gate if I am all the way ahead.

Never had the V6, so can't comment, But I do love the Hemi even in old age , I still like it, and get very good milage. Mine is older then you are looking at.

I have had 3 of the 3/4th gen of them and never had any problem with any of them, back to the 1st gen to the 4th, never had a 5th gen, thou the kids have a 22 or 23.

Every make seems to have its problems these days, the happy guys you don't usually hear from, the problems you hear about.

There are a few crew cab 8 ft box running around here and they are a pita when parked in town.

 

[RamDiver]

EVERY vehicle I will ever buy has to pass the "Jon test"

the test is.....I get in drivers seat and bring it forward as much as possibles I can WHILE STILL BEING COMFORTABLE ( I am 6 foot 5 inches )

Then the test. I leave the seat in front as is....

and try to sit right behind that driver seat.

If I am still comfortable in the back, it passes the "Jon test"

I do haul around taller people, so..... we shall see !

This is all about priorities. I don't have passengers in the back seat often, but never have a tall passenger behind me. I'm 5'10" with a 31.5" inseam.

I do however pickup several cords of wood each winter, carry two 12' or 13' kayaks weekly or more often, and stuff the box with scuba gear. A 5'7" box would be useless to me.

Maybe, you need to find a Crew Cab with a 6'4" box to meet with your needs.

You wouldn't be the first person to hop on a plane and drive home with your new ride.

There are a couple of outstanding dealers who sell below MSRP who also sell pre-enjoyed trucks.

I have no idea of their used prices, but they both have high reputations. And, you can likely see their inventories online.

Granger Motors | New Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, Ram Dealership in Granger, IA

Granger Motors sells and services Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, Ram vehicles in the greater Granger IA area.

www.grangermotors.com

Lake Charles Chrysler Dealer in Lake Charles LA | Beauregard Parish Calcasieu Parish Sulphur Chrysler Dealership Louisiana

Mark Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Lake Charles LA serving Beauregard Parish, Calcasieu Parish, Sulphur, is one of the finest Lake Charles Chrysler dealers.

www.markdodge.net

.

 

[RamDiver]

Yeah, I know....the 59 year old part of me reminds me that I've been a grandfather for years, and I drive like a little old man.

But yes, another part of me says ..... HEMI

I originally tested and signed a purchase agreement to buy a new Pentastar, telling myself it produced adequate power and I would be happy.

I thought the salesman was going to drop a brick when I slammed the skinny pedal and all the truck did was make more noise.

There was no lift-off, no feeling of being mashed into the seat, just a mild acceleration with lots of noise.

It's not like I didn't warn him in advance. LOL

Having previously owned a V8 Tundra more than 15 years, this would have been a radical change.

About a week later, I called the sales manager and said, "I made a mistake, could you supply a Hemi instead"?

I am so happy they agreed and found my current truck.
I get a thrill every time that I drive it and because it's a Hemi, periodically, I'm forced to drive it like I stole it.

You might want to test drive both a V6 & V8 Ram before you sign anything.

And, you're welcome.

.

 

[Jon NC]

You may find that back leg room is a bit short if front seat way back, I have road in back of mine a couple times and it was tight, I use to be 6'1' but I have shrunk, Seems like it came out in the middle.

I have always had quad cab and 6.4 boxes, and 8 ft back in the day.
I can get the truck in the garage OK and open the tail gate if I am all the way ahead.

Never had the V6, so can't comment, But I do love the Hemi even in old age , I still like it, and get very good milage. Mine is older then you are looking at.

I have had 3 of the 3/4th gen of them and never had any problem with any of them, back to the 1st gen to the 4th, never had a 5th gen, thou the kids have a 22 or 23.

Every make seems to have its problems these days, the happy guys you don't usually hear from, the problems you hear about.

There are a few crew cab 8 ft box running around here and they are a pita when parked in town.

I agree..... it is easy to find complaints about pretty much EVERY vehicle ever made..... just looking for ones with less complaints

Parking isn't a huge problem. 95% of the time the parking spots I will be using have room (yes, that is a bonus)

Doesn't bother me for long vehicles.... still have my Class A CDL..... regretted letting haz mat go.... but yes, there are times parking is tight....and for that our Mazda CX5 will be ready for the task and will be the choice

Used to be licensed for everything but doubles/triples

And the truck I've used for 20 years ?

Ford Explorer Sport trac. - 4.0 210 hp with ----- ----- ----- 4.5 ft box....utilized the aluminum flip over bed extender MANY times....so even a 5.5 would be an improvement, prefer 6.5 .....poor thing has been a glutton for MUCH punishment....

 

[Jon NC]

I originally tested and signed a purchase agreement to buy a new Pentastar, telling myself it produced adequate power and I would be happy.

I thought the salesman was going to drop a brick when I slammed the skinny pedal and all the truck did was make more noise.

There was no lift-off, no feeling of being mashed into the seat, just a mild acceleration with lots of noise.

It's not like I didn't warn him in advance. LOL

Having previously owned a V8 Tundra more than 15 years, this would have been a radical change.

About a week later, I called the sales manager and said, "I made a mistake, could you supply a Hemi instead"?

I am so happy they agreed and found my current truck.
I get a thrill every time that I drive it and because it's a Hemi, periodically, I'm forced to drive it like I stole it.

You might want to test drive both a V6 & V8 Ram before you sign anything.

And, you're welcome.

.

It is with wisdom that you speak ..... have driven the Pentastar, but not the big brother