NEED ADVICE - About to Buy My Sweetie a Brand New 2021 RAM 1500 Laramie

[HandyCruiser]

Serious question, why a bed rug if you have a spray liner?

My wife wants to use the bed of her new Laramie as a car trunk. It already has the remote-open tailgate and in-bed lights. So I just need to add a hard tonneau cover (BAKFLip F1), bed divider (likely just a net) and some cushy carpet so her stuff doesn't get scuffed up. The XLT Bed Rug solves this last requirement.

The purpose of this truck is to be an Arkansas luxury car. While it has the options, it will likely never tow anything nor haul any kind of heavy load as long as we have it. Just like the 2019 Charger Scat Pack we traded for it, in about three years or less, someone is going to get a very cherry slightly used vehicle driven by a 50-something year-old woman.

 

[stormcom]

I bought the Limited. Took off the 22's and put 20" Mich LTX on it. Much better ride. Etorque cant tell if it is there or not. Guess it is good. I bought mine before the prices flew. Being offered 4500 more than I paid for it. Problem is there is nothing to replace it with.

The big let down is the 3.92 gears. If you are going to pull a semi.... Fine!

The other is the seats. If you are a big Norsk, the padding is lacking.

Love the truck and would recommend the Limited over the Laramie.

 

[RBJRBJ]

I have a 2021 Longhorn Limited. I have the eTorque 5.7L Hemi and have had zero problems….the stop/start function is easily turned off by a button, if you wish.
22” wheels on my truck rides very well, but 20” wheels will give a slightly better ride. Looks vs. Function.
My truck has the 3.92 transmission which if you intend to tow,is recommended. If you go with the 3.21 geared transmission you will get slightly better gas mileage and lose a little power from a dead start.
Definitely get the running boards especially if you go with the 22” inch wheels! It’s a big truck with a big step up.
If you plan on keeping anything of value in the truck bed, get a hard tri-fold tonneau cover. They look better too however, the soft tonneau from Mopar works well.
I have the 12” screen and have had no problems at all. I like it.
With air suspension even with 22” wheels, truck rides like a luxury car on the highway.
I do not use my Longhorn off-road; for that, I use a Jeep Rubicon.

 

[LSU04_08]

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Y'all did good. The Delmonico Red Pearl is a beautiful color, especially when the light hits it and turns gold and sparkly. I just traded a 2016 Lonestar that same color, on a 2021 Laramie Night Edition. I researched over 20 dealerships within a 200 mile radius and found my Ram for $57,180. After rebates, trade-in, add-ons, extended warranty, and tax title license, I financed for $41,000. It has everything I wanted minus the HUD, camera rear-view, and dual sunroof. The e-Torque has yet to bother me, the 12" Uconnect has been amazing, the Harman-Kardon is magnificent, the 22" wheels are more luxurious riding than my 20's were, and the 3.92 gears were the only things I missed when I traded my 2012 for the 2016 so now I have those back. I have the heated back seats, navigation, EVTS, XM Guardian, and tons of other features. The closest truck I could find like this was $58,000 firm. I drove out to Rockwall, TX to buy this one. No mods or add-ons are needed for this other than the Blue Line plate I'll put on the front. General Manager let me keep my bed cover, too, but it wasn't on yet in this picture.

*Had to edit pic because I forgot my name comes up on my pics. Whoopsie.*

 

[BWL]

I missed the part about her wanting a truck.

You do know that "happy wife; happy life" is a myth, right?

I always thought it was happy wife empty wallet

 

[OC455]

Tomorrow we are going to look at this truck below. It's a 2020 Longhorn model with 19K miles on it. It's freaking loaded, but no air ride. What's not in the photo is a new set of all-terrain tires and a leveling kit. And again, if we end up with this one, I will add the chrome or tungsten side moldings.

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I have a Longhorn 3500 and I love my truck...

 

[HandyCruiser]

I am at the local Ram dealer this morning having the side chrome moldings installed. They said there were a couple of software updates I need as well.

 

[HandyCruiser]

 

[HandyCruiser]

Got the chrome installed. I really think it completes the look of the truck. And these are the specific OEM chrome side moldings for my Laramie by VIN, but I've never seen another Laramie with it.

 

[LSU04_08]

Got the chrome installed. I really think it completes the look of the truck. And these are the specific OEM chrome side moldings for my Laramie by VIN, but I've never seen another Laramie with it.

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The sets the truck off very well with all the other chrome. It's easy to overdo chrome, but you've got it just right in my opinion. Good balance.

 

[mikeru]

Got the chrome installed. I really think it completes the look of the truck. And these are the specific OEM chrome side moldings for my Laramie by VIN, but I've never seen another Laramie with it.

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Looks good if you like chrome.

I've never seen anything other than a Limited with the chrome side molding from the factory. Not sure how those could be factory correct for your Laramie by VIN though. If that were true, wouldn't it have come with them from the factory? Anyway, props for making it your own!

 

[HandyCruiser]

The sets the truck off very well with all the other chrome. It's easy to overdo chrome, but you've got it just right in my opinion. Good balance.

Thanks. To my sweetie and I, it just looked like our truck was missing something without it. We had really wanted the fixed runner boards to help reduce door dings. So I wasn't completely sure that adding another horizontal strip of chrome in the same general area would be too much. But I think it turned out great.

I could have installed the chrome myself or let my regular paint and body guy do it. He offered for free. Instead, I decided to let the dealership do it because I wanted the side moldings in exactly the factory position. I even took photos of a Limited with side moldings for reference. The cost of the side moldings from the dealership was about $347. They changed another $140 to installed them. Total cost was around $487 plus $48 tax, totaling right at $535. I felt bad spending that much for a couple of lines of chrome. But I'm very satisfied with the result. And my sweetie like it, which is what is really important.

 

[HandyCruiser]

Looks good if you like chrome.

I've never seen anything other than a Limited with the chrome side molding from the factory. Not sure how those could be factory correct for your Laramie by VIN though. If that were true, wouldn't it have come with them from the factory? Anyway, props for making it your own!

Thanks. To answer your question, almost no vehicle comes from the factory with all available options. For dealer installed options, the dealership parts department uses an application guide, not build sheets. These side moldings were an option for my VIN. If you looked them up for your Limited truck, the ones with "Limited" inscribed on them would probably come up in both chrome and tungsten finishes. Those with Limited on them are not a factory or dealer installed option for my Laramie. I could still buy them and install them, but they wouldn't be right for my specific vehicle.

 

[LSU04_08]

Thanks. To my sweetie and I, it just looked like our truck was missing something without it. We had really wanted the fixed runner boards to help reduce door dings. So I wasn't completely sure that adding another horizontal strip of chrome in the same general area would be too much. But I think it turned out great.

I could have installed the chrome myself or let my regular paint and body guy do it. He offered for free. Instead, I decided to let the dealership do it because I wanted the side moldings in exactly the factory position. I even took photos of a Limited with side moldings for reference. The cost of the side moldings from the dealership was about $347. They changed another $140 to installed them. Total cost was around $487 plus $48 tax, totaling right at $535. I felt bad spending that much for a couple of lines of chrome. But I'm very satisfied with the result. And my sweetie like it, which is what is really important.

I would have let the factory do it as well, that way if it messed up, they'd be responsible for correcting it. Not to mention, since there aren't any Laramies floating around like that, it'll add more for your trade if you ever decide to trade or sell it. You've just made it unique. In the end, as long as your babydoll is happy, that's all that matters.

 

[mikeru]

Thanks. To answer your question, almost no vehicle comes from the factory with all available options. For dealer installed options, the dealership parts department uses an application guide, not build sheets. These side moldings were an option for my VIN. If you looked them up for your Limited truck, the ones with "Limited" inscribed on them would probably come up in both chrome and tungsten finishes. Those with Limited on them are not a factory or dealer installed option for my Laramie. I could still buy them and install them, but they wouldn't be right for my specific vehicle.

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I think we're getting into the weeds here. An owner is able to determine the options that were factory installed on their truck based on the VIN. If your VIN included the side molding it would have come with it from the factory. I'm not sure what this means "These side moldings were an option for my VIN". Regardless, it's safe to say that those side moldings will install on any 5th gen 1500 crew cab if the owner wants them. If that's what you meant then we're in agreement. If you're implying that you could have ordered a Laramie with them from the factory then we disagree. Dealer installation is irrelevant here since they can theoretically install anything they want.

 

[HandyCruiser]

I would have let the factory do it as well, that way if it messed up, they'd be responsible for correcting it. Not to mention, since there aren't any Laramies floating around like that, it'll add more for your trade if you ever decide to trade or sell it. You've just made it unique. In the end, as long as your babydoll is happy, that's all that matters.

Yep. Now when I see my sweetie's truck go down the road, I will know for certain it's her.

 

[andymax]

Your truck looks great! Oops...your sweetie's truck looks great!

 

[Redfour5]

Like you, they gave me so much on trade in that it offset the lack of incentives. I paid MSRP after the dealer marked up the truck by the amount of the 1250 incentive. BUT they gave me so much for my 2015 Outdoorsman with 70K miles that it ended up being a good deal.

My requirements would be sprayed on bedliner but if you can't get it, after market ones are just as good, so don't let that stop you. Anti-slip differential is a priority and does make a difference so get it. And last but not least is the light package. Having driven with and without, it may be the best safety measure you can get imho. Of course we have deer but for anyone, I'd get it.

Everything else is pretty much preference or situation dependent. For example, if you tow, and tow more than 5k, get a 3.92 rear end. AND irrespective, get the tow package if you tow. I did not want a Rambox, utility management system and step, or in particular the multi-function tailgate, but they were part of the packages and the sprayed in bedliner were a part of it. After a month, I am sold on all of them...but that is a preference. For a wife, you might consider them. I almost exclusively use the "barn doors" on the truck now. Not having to throw your body across the tail gate to reach stuff at the transfer station alone is great. Same for groceries, plants and "stuff." I still can use the "regular" tail gate as a work station for driveway projects (most of mine) and like the sheet goods I hauled here a couple weeks ago. When I tow I anticipate NOT having to carefully hold the tailgate so it doesn't bang on the trailer jack as I try to get into the cooler. Looking forward to that.

With the models you are looking at, all the bells and whistles will be covered pretty well you might want.

 

[HandyCruiser]

DOUBLE POST

 

[slar676]

Look at Dennis Dillon or Dave Smith in Idaho. I buy my Rams and Jeeps up there. I know it is a long drive but worth the money you save.