New Ram which options? Air Ride, ram box, etc?

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sasquatch182

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2007
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Hemi
My current ram is a 2007 1500. It only has 91k miles but it's starting to rust pretty badly. So I'm researching a new one.
I'm thinking Laramie sport or Rebel.

Trying to decide some options
I like the idea of air ride but worried about problems down the road. It can get really cold here in the winter. (IL/southern WI area.) No towing to speak of. But do go hunting a lot in the fall.

What do you think about the ram box. Looks interesting but worried it's just a new place to rust.

Also E-torque or not?

Thanks for any advice.
 

Kellen

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Given your environment I probably wouldn’t go with the air ride option, nothing wrong with a more simple and cheaper setup. I really wish I got Ram boxes with my truck, no clue if they are more prone to rust but the functionality of having exterior storage without keeping stuff in the bed is a huge plus. I also have the e torque option but it depends on how you think you’ll fair with the differences in driving. The auto start/ stop does save gas when idling, it’s surprising how bad fuel economy suffers from idling for a bit. I don’t mind the truck shutting off and on a lot, but some people can’t stand it. It would be more noticeable if you had an exhaust because the starting up would be louder and may get annoying.

Since you go hunting it sounds like the rebel might be the better move, it should be more capable off road.
 

mikeru

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I have all three of those. I'll give my opinion on them.

I could take it or leave the air suspension. I will say that on 5th gens seems to be faring much better than it did on 4th gens. It was redesigned for 2019, and doesn't seem to suffer from cold weather like the previous generation did. My Limited came with it standard, but I probably wouldn't have ordered it if the truck wasn't already coming with it. It's kind of cool to have, but like you I worry about long term reliability. I guess I'll find out the hard way LOL. One cool feature of it is when combined with the power steps, I can raise the suspension all the way and deploy the power steps to cut down on door dings. The doors of most normal sized cars can't clear the steps, so if anyone throws open their door my steps will keep it from hitting the truck body.

Ramboxes are a must have for me. It's not just the extra storage. If you also get the Bed Utility Group you get a bed divider. Which is extremely handy in keeping things towards the tailgate end of the bed. I would also highly recommend the Multi-Function Tailgate (MFT). I wasn't excited about that until I actually used one.

Like the air suspension, I could take or leave etorque. I don't really like the stop/start feature so I turn it off. To me it's just something that could cause problems in the future. It doesn't really save me much since I really only have one stop light on my 25 minute work commute. I'll sometimes turn it on if I'm going into the city, but if the weather is extra hot or extra cold it keeps the engine running to maintain cabin temps. So the engine will stay running more of the time anyway.

Hope my experiences with these options will help you decide.
 

Farmer Fran

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For me...

RAMBOX and MF Tailgate are a must!
I love the bed divider it is also another feature I use a lot on the RAMBOX trucks
I love the Active suspension but live in the southeast - I use it often.

As for Etorque a big no for me.

Details section
RAMBOX - my last 2 trucks have/had them. I use them often for all sorts of stuff.
MF Tailgate - if you use your bed like I do having the additional reach is FANTASTIC! and still rated to 2000lbs
Bed divider - I use the truck for a many different things and being able to keep things divided, forward or backward is GREAT!
Suspension - I use the entry/exit mode, aero mode and Off Road 1 often so it is great for me.
Etorque - I hate start stop. I know you can turn it off but you have to on each ignition cycle. And I am just not a fan of these "mild" hybrids. If it was more battery I would consider.
 

Beltsand

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My 2 cents
- the Rambox option is awesome! I wanted it specifically for hunting as it lets you keep all the extra gear handy when you get to the field without having it sliding around in the cab. The rifle sits nicely in there as well.
- Etorque is done well, but I wouldn't miss it if it wasn't there.
- i have the Off-Road package on mine, which gets a little more height, A/T tires, full size spare, and skid plates. Personally, I liked the look better than the Rebel with the red interior trim and I could still get leather seats.
- Bed divider is used all the time, get the BUG!
- MFT wasn't available when I got mine. It does add weight to the truck and my setup is already pretty heavy as is, so depending on your usage it might be something to look at both directions.
- I don't have air suspension and still love the ride.
 

houligan91

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I have had Grand Cherokees with Air Ride, and theyre nice- comfortable ride etc, but long term they are expensive to maintain- they do tend to break down, and if youre not very handy they arent cheap to fix. I live in a very cold climate half the year, and never had an issue with my jeep air ride due to that

someone correct me if I am wrong but I think the air ride systems are very similar on the GC's and rams
 
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