Keep current truck or trade in?

[T JAZ]

Hi everyone! This will be my first post so forgive the rambling.

I currently have a 2015 ram 1500 laramie that I have had a 6" procomp lift put on, with pro runner shocks all 4 corners, and 35" tires 17" rims. I have also had a performance tune pcm swap by HP tuners, Kooks long tube headers 1 7/8" pipe. 3" full offroad Y pipe with a flowmaster 40 series muffler, and resonator delete. CAI as well from s&B.

I'm currently getting about 12MPG.

Sitting at about 28,000 miles.

My goal is to have a comfortable daily driver that I can take to car shows and show off with and have fun in. I do not plan to haul much at all or tow anything. Mainly going for the power/performance aspect.

I was originally thinking about turboing/supercharging my current vehicle but was informed the 5.7L wouldn't give out that much more, especially being lifted, and that the engine would need a complete rebuild in order to fortify it enough to withstand the power.

So my question is, should I go for a 2019 1500 and put a smaller lift on it but supercharge?
Or keep current vehicle and get the engine work done.
Or go to a power wagon possibly level it and supercharge that 6.4L?
Or go diesel with the cummins? I'm not familiar with diesel but Id assume doing a turbo swap would grant more power?

I have even pondered getting a hellcat as a second vehicle, but I am still in my 20's and am about to go into the military(air force), so having two vehicles just wouldn't make sense.

Anyways I was hoping to get some input on here as my local shop who does great work on hellcats and Mopar in general may be just leaning to sell me stuff. I've been had the idea of an engine swap come up in conversation but Id rather not lose all resale value by doing so.

I also do understand that the higher a truck is the slower it will be so maybe find a equilibrium between lift and engine work/performance? Or at least weigh the pros and cons of lift/ performance?

I do enjoy having big trucks, but at 12MPG average and running 91 octane, plus not being able to maneuver well in parking lots and parking garages being off limits, Id like to see what else is there available. I sort of rushed into this truck last year due to several personal reasons but again Id just like to get an idea on what everyone else thinks and go from there!

Thanks everyone in advance for any advice or experience you could put forth.

 

[Firebird]

With that list of mods, I would keep it

 

[mboymopar]

Sweet looking truck, I vote keep it.
Welcome from west Michigan

 

[joeygster]

I'd keep at least until the 5th Gens get any kinks worked. I'd revisit your notion of trading it in once the 2021 model 5th Gens are coming out.

 

[T JAZ]

Ah gotcha. Think it’s worth while perusing supercharging the 5.7L?

 

[MADDOG]

Keep it, build it, boost it.

 

[22hemi13]

Ahhh to be in my 20’s again. I’d say get though bootcamp and get that military career going there will be plenty of time for mods haha. Go ARMY

 

[craigsez]

Yeah I agree with the man above..Get yourself all settled in with the military before you star investing big coin in a new trk/mods n such..Who knows you might get moved around a bit at 1st..
Im sure you can trickle a few more bucks in some unique customized stuff on your 15 to keep it fresh...

Go on some of the car sales web sites and just see what you trk is worth(forget your mods cause its not likely you will get much back on them)you might be happy with its value or not...See what the market is like in your area for your trks value..

 

[Silver Goose]

Good advise has been given, I vote to keep the truck, get your career in place. I have the truck almost to the level you want, no reason to start all over again.

I would suggest going to as many car shows/truck events as possible, talk to the people that build, show and race full time. The advice they can give will save untold hours and money spent. Old motor heads can save you a ton of worry.

Good Luck

Serve Proud, Serve Long

Larry

 

[ramdriver2018]

Sweet truck. Trade it in for a low mileage c7 with factory sc. call it a day.

 

[Hootbro]

Given the mods put in, I am surprised you are worried about MPG's. Sounds like you have run the course with this one and looking for validation to get a 5th gen.

Only you know what you want and what your budget is. Smart money is keeping what you got but if that is not floating your boat, then do what makes you happy.

 

[T JAZ]

Sweet truck. Trade it in for a low mileage c7 with factory sc. call it a day.

Good idea but I don’t think I can do sports cars. I’m 6’7” so a truck without sunroof is all I can do.

 

[T JAZ]

Anyone have any idea what a decent price to supercharge and build up the engine be?

 

[mtnrider]

The older you will kick your butt for even thinking about trading or putting more money into that thing.
Get you life sorted out and stop wasting money you don't have.

Signed,
Been there done that...

 

[markusaf81]

Well, he said he wanted advice:

So if I could go back in time and tell my 20 yr old Air Force self something it would be, “buy a used Honda Civic, save your money, and invest in the TSP.”

With your choices you gave us, I’d get a 2019 and put a mild lift on it just because you complained about the mileage and parking and all that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GsRAM]

As has been said....ahhhhh youth...lol. 20s seems like quite awhile ago for me now. I'm old enough to be your dad. Lol.

Man I hear you. I can't tell you the thousands upon thousands of dollars I spent on cars when I was in my 20s. Restored a 1969 GOT, had a 79 trans am, 1960 Chevy apache 10 pickup many mustangs.

I sure wish i had all that money back! But I did have a lot of fun.

Personally I'd keep what you have but to do it right I'd figure on 15k for the engine build to do it right and including the procharger. Just my .02...but that would be a rocket. Good luck.

 

[JohnnyMac]

I say stuff a Hellephant in that baby and have at it!

 

[T JAZ]

My first actual car was a 5 ton m923a2 that I restored funny enough. HOA made me sell it after two years.

 

[Random_Walk]

I gotta toss in a "keep the truck" vote... and don't monkey with the engine on it.

The USAF is why. Here's some unsolicited advice from an old tarmac rat:

If you stay CONUS, you'll be PCS'ing enough that you'll need and want things in a stable state, vehicle-wise. Yes, most USAF bases have real sweet auto hobby shops to work on your truck in (you can thank Gen. Curtis LeMay for that), but you don't want to be spending all your time in there. If you get stationed overseas (*cough*Kunsan*cough*), you won't be able to ship your truck overseas at all, or if you're allowed (e.g. Aviano, Ramstein), you'll be spending obscene amounts of money to do get it shipped there and eventually back (and paying obscene prices for gas to feed it while you're overseas).

Oh, and unless you're going to OCS or the Academy? The pay will suck, and you won't afford it.

Also, semi-frequent deployments mean that you won't be using the truck at all while you're out in sandland, so in that case (or remote/overseas), you'll be making payments on something that'll be sitting in a parking lot somewhere.

 

[Random_Walk]

So if I could go back in time and tell my 20 yr old Air Force self something it would be, “buy a used Honda Civic, save your money, and invest in the TSP.”

Same here... instead I sunk whole paychecks into modding up a new Jeep. :/

(though banging a chick @ Moab on the rollcage was kinda worth it... I'll shut up now.)