Ordering my 6.4 Longhorn Tomorrow. Last minute advice?

[nascamper]

I’m placing my order tomorrow for a 2500 Longhorn. Any last minute advice or options that I’m overlooking? I should note that this will be a daily driver, I do not work the truck, but I do tow a fifth wheel RV about 20 times a year. My current 5er is only 8k lbs, but the next one will be 10-12K.

I am ordering a 6.4l, 4.10, Bucket Seats, Luxury Package, 8.4” Uconnect (w/o NAV), Tailgate Camera, Back up Sensors, Spray-in Bed Liner, 5th Wheel Gooseneck Package, Tow Mirrors. Granite color, I was considering the Maximum Steel, but could not find that color on the lot to compare.


The things I’m not planning on getting, but would like to hear some feedback about:

Larger alternator – Should I really consider this? I do not anticipate adding anything to the truck.

Rubber floor mats – I am planning getting Weathertech or similar style unless someone thinks the factory rubber floor mats are good.

Center high mount cargo camera – I would really like this, especially when hooking up the 5er, but from what I have read if you have both cameras the tailgate camera gets moved to the rearview mirror. Considering that 95% of my driving will not be when towing I’d really prefer the tailgate camera be in the 8.4” screen. If the high mount camera was in the mirror I would certainly order both cameras.

Bed liner – Thoughts on the factory vs. Line-X? As mentioned above I am planning on the factory bed liner.

Thanks in advance for anything you can offer.

 

[Livinalittle]

I don't know what options are implied but remote start, rear sliding window and the sun roof are awesome. Why aren't you going with the nav?

Also I didn't realize until after I bought mine but there's no CD player with the 8.4" unconnect. I've got all my music on an SD card now which I actually prefer but it took some getting used too. Just in case you fall under the "old dogs vs new tricks" category

 

[Olli]

I’m placing my order tomorrow for a 2500 Longhorn. Any last minute advice or options that I’m overlooking? I should note that this will be a daily driver, I do not work the truck, but I do tow a fifth wheel RV about 20 times a year. My current 5er is only 8k lbs, but the next one will be 10-12K.

I am ordering a 6.4l, 4.10, Bucket Seats, Luxury Package, 8.4” Uconnect (w/o NAV), Tailgate Camera, Back up Sensors, Spray-in Bed Liner, 5th Wheel Gooseneck Package, Tow Mirrors. Granite color, I was considering the Maximum Steel, but could not find that color on the lot to compare.


The things I’m not planning on getting, but would like to hear some feedback about:

Larger alternator – Should I really consider this? I do not anticipate adding anything to the truck.

Rubber floor mats – I am planning getting Weathertech or similar style unless someone thinks the factory rubber floor mats are good.

Center high mount cargo camera – I would really like this, especially when hooking up the 5er, but from what I have read if you have both cameras the tailgate camera gets moved to the rearview mirror. Considering that 95% of my driving will not be when towing I’d really prefer the tailgate camera be in the 8.4” screen. If the high mount camera was in the mirror I would certainly order both cameras.

Bed liner – Thoughts on the factory vs. Line-X? As mentioned above I am planning on the factory bed liner.

Thanks in advance for anything you can offer.

Last fall when we were shopping for my wife's Durango we thought for sure that we would order the Granite Crystal. Then we just happened to see one in Max Steel that was all prepped for delivery. Wow! That was it! We ordered her Durango R/T in Max Steel. Love the color. I ordered my 2500 Laramie in Max Steel monotone I like it that much.

Larger alt.- Order the snow plow prep group for about $70-80. It is a cheap way of getting the 220 amp alt. (I did this and I don't plow)

Mats- Pass on the factory rubber mats. I like the Husky brand. I already have a set waiting for my truck to arrive.

CHMSL camera- pass for the reasons that you gave.

Spray in bed liner- the factory price is pretty good, it looks to be well done, no hassle of sending your truck out to get it done. ( I used to own a business that did spray on liners, I did a lot of the spraying, I would get the factory spray on)

Does the Longhorn come with the wheel to wheel steps? I ordered those. I think that they look better than just the cab length steps and according to RAM you can have improved hwy fuel efficiency due to less turbulence in front of the rear wheels. If you have kids and or a wife that stands less than 5'11", steps are a must.


Olli

 

[The Unabomber]

Get the nav so you get the 8.4 an head unit. It has more to it than just nav for the extra 500 dollars. ( hd radio, travel link, etc. )

The factory spray in isn't as good as line x. It is much thinner and just bare bones. I don't know if you care about fading from the sun but it will fade. You can't get the premium top coat like you can with line x.

I'd tell the dealer you want line x done and make it part of the deal. They have a special rate they get from the local line x dealer so it should be on par with the cost from factory.

Unless you plan to run a ton of extra stuff off the truck the alternator is probably overkill. If there is even a small possibility that you will, get it now as opposed to trying to add it later.

In regards to the camera I wish the backup screen was in my rear view mirror as opposed the the 8.4 screen. This is all preference, but I find myself relying on my mirrors more than the camera.

One thing you may look into is the lock pick for our trucks. It will be out soon they say and you can add another camera to your preferred configuration.

 

[mtofell]

I just got my 6.4 last week and overall love it. I picked one that was on the lot so I was somewhat stuck with the options it had.

The factory bed liner is nice and the same price as what a shop wanted
I really like the rubber mats. They are super thick and cover the carpet much better than the standard mats I've seen
I thought my truck had the heated seats and steering wheel but got confused looking at different trucks and was bummed that I don't have it. You might think of that option if you don't have it. I thought the concept of a heated steering wheel was useless until my wife's car came with it. It's super nice on cold mornings.
I had tube steps put on my truck at an aftermarket shop as they were much cheaper for the same thing as factory. This truck rides a few inches taller than my last one an you really notice it getting in/out.

 

[earlzach]

Being one to say " I ordered a truck" is a very cool thing to be able to do.
My question is, When you order dont you miss out on certain incentives discounts that are put in place to encourage you to buy a comparably equiped truck on the lot or a lot within reason? Are you sure you wont be stuck with MSRP + destination then the shop gets a prep fee. I heard in the past it can really add up. You probably are in the finacial position to absorb all of this for the truck you want but I would fear falling behind in equity. But then again all of the information I got could be wrong.
Trust me when I tell you the dealer ship isnt just a shipping hub for your factory direct buy they get a cut as if they had to sell. Your paying too many people.

Please let us know how the experience works out for you. Who knows my next one might be a special order if it has great purchase incentives.

 

[nascamper]

Thanks for the input so far.

It will have the remote starter and rear sliding window, heated seats and steering as part of one of the packages (luxury, I think?). I would like the sunroof, but just don’t want to spend the extra on it.

I was told as long as I have the 8.4” I could add the NAV (and all it’s features) at any time by simply paying the upgrade cost and I would be provided with an unlock code. (sounds like someone on this site could find a hack for that one).

I am ordering it with the Wheel to Wheel Steps, I forgot to mention that. Required for a short guy like me to reach into the bed.

I will check with the dealer about the Line-X and lock pick. Sounds like it might be the solution for my 2 camera concern.

 

[War Machine]

I prefer the factory rubber mats. I think the weather tech ones look and feel like really cheap plastic. I've had 3 trucks with the factory spray in liner. It hasn't faded and it's plenty tough, I had a Line X on my '04. I haven't been able to damage either type. The factory one has the advantage that it's one less thing you have to be without your truck for as it's already done.

 

[NewBlackDak]

I went with the bench, because I hate that center console invading my knee space, but that is all personal preference. I wish I had gotten the factory steps. Everyone under 6' complains about getting in/out, and I can't source anything for a '14 locally. The power sliding and defrosted rear window is very nice.

I didn't like the center mount camera option. It's much easier to hitch up a 5er than a bumper pull, so I didn't like the idea of the harder hitch being on the smaller screen.
Unless you want to add some heavy equipment or a huge stereo, the default alternator is more than adequate.
My brother and buddy both have '11s with the factory bedliner, and they both look terrible. Go with a Line-X or Rhinoliner dealer installed. It cost me $450 from the dealer(driving the truck over to Line-X) compared to $575 taking it to Line-X myself.
I prefer aftermarket mats to the factory.
The heated and cooled seats are crazy nice!



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[The Unabomber]

You are correct the nav can be added later. However it sucks compared to the nav that comes from the 8.4 an uconnect. Be aware that it won't have some of the functionality if you go the upgrade route.

Either way it costs 500 for the upgrade after the fact or 500 from factory with the better head unit that has HD radio, 3d nav models, as well as all of the other Sirius integrated stuff. Such as travel link, real time updates on traffic and construction in the nav, gas prices, movie times, etc.

I personally use the nav during my commutes to and from work for the sole purpose of avoiding accidents and traffic jams. It is super nice.

In regards to the lock pick I'd call them and ask about it. I believe if you where to get both camera options installed from the factory you'd be able to control where the output goes from the cameras if the lock pick is installed. Save the hassle of running another camera etc.

 

[nascamper]

Being one to say " I ordered a truck" is a very cool thing to be able to do.
My question is, When you order dont you miss out on certain incentives discounts that are put in place to encourage you to buy a comparably equiped truck on the lot or a lot within reason? Are you sure you wont be stuck with MSRP + destination then the shop gets a prep fee. I heard in the past it can really add up. You probably are in the finacial position to absorb all of this for the truck you want but I would fear falling behind in equity. But then again all of the information I got could be wrong.
Trust me when I tell you the dealer ship isnt just a shipping hub for your factory direct buy they get a cut as if they had to sell. Your paying too many people.

Please let us know how the experience works out for you. Who knows my next one might be a special order if it has great purchase incentives.

The main reason for ordering it was because I could not find the combination of 6.4, 4.10, fifth wheel prep, and other close options anywhere.
I was under the same impression that if I ordered it I would not be able to get as good of a deal as what was on the lot. In fact, the dealers told me that too. However, once I really narrowed down the options that I wanted and dealers knew ordering it was the only way to go this was not the case. I will get the current $3k incentive as well as the "On the Job" RAM incentive that will save me another $1k. The dealer shaved a bunch off too, so the bottom line is just over $9K off of the sticker. I also called the RAM incentive department who told me if I ordered it I would lock in any current offers and if there happened to be any new ones at time of delivery that are better or additional offers I could take advantage of those too. The dealer told me this also. Not sure if this is typical, but so far everything seems on the up and up.

 

[PTCTreeGuy]

Everything I've seen and heard makes me think ordering would get me close to the same price as finding one on the lot. The only difference would be if I was looking at the end of the model year or early the next, they might be a little more motivated to off-load a 14 in Sept or whenever the 15s come rolling in. But I stick with a truck for 10 years or more so I want exactly the right truck and knew I'd have to order it before I even first looked on lots.

 

[nascamper]

Everything I've seen and heard makes me think ordering would get me close to the same price as finding one on the lot. The only difference would be if I was looking at the end of the model year or early the next, they might be a little more motivated to off-load a 14 in Sept or whenever the 15s come rolling in. But I stick with a truck for 10 years or more so I want exactly the right truck and knew I'd have to order it before I even first looked on lots.

I agree. If you could probably save the most if you waited until the end of the model year and found what you wanted on the lot. Not an option for me as RV season is fast approaching and I sold my Titan much quicker than expected. Now I need something to tow the 5er.

 

[Mr.Asmith9]

Is the 4.1 rear axle ratio needed for the 5er you pull? If you could go with the next step down 3.91 (if that's even an option) you would get better fuel economy. Of course assuming the 3.91 configuration would achieve all your current set goals. I recall you saying this for the most part is a daily driver.

In reguards to the price, where are you planning on purchasing if from and have they given you an exact price for what you have currently decided on?

Also, like Me your going with the longhorn. Next to the highest end model, the limited was just a waste of money, but anyway that being said I know your spending a good amount on your new vehicle... So honestly... Get the sun roof. It's only a few dollars more a month in your payments and you won't regret not having purchased it later. That's something that you really can't go back and add later.

The alternator... The 220 is nice, but it doesn't sound like you have any reason to purchase this. If you get the snowplow kit that some one mentioned then it would be worth the extra cost because all the additional items you acquire with this upgrade. Once again if cost is what's stopping you, maybe you shouldn't be getting the Longhorn version. But if you are thinking about not getting it simply because you don't need it, then just don't. At a later time you can just replace the alternator it's self... Yes it'll cost more then factory upgrade but hey, you don't need it remember?

If your interest I could put you in contact with the dealership I'm purchasing through for a quick price comparison, if they are cheaper, then you can either buy from them or take your quote to your local dealer and try to do a price match. PM me for more info on that

Either way, good luck with whatever you decide & happy buying!!

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[NewBlackDak]

You are correct the nav can be added later. However it sucks compared to the nav that comes from the 8.4 an uconnect. Be aware that it won't have some of the functionality if you go the upgrade route.

Either way it costs 500 for the upgrade after the fact or 500 from factory with the better head unit that has HD radio, 3d nav models, as well as all of the other Sirius integrated stuff. Such as travel link, real time updates on traffic and construction in the nav, gas prices, movie times, etc.

I personally use the nav during my commutes to and from work for the sole purpose of avoiding accidents and traffic jams. It is super nice.

In regards to the lock pick I'd call them and ask about it. I believe if you where to get both camera options installed from the factory you'd be able to control where the output goes from the cameras if the lock pick is installed. Save the hassle of running another camera etc.

I made them throw the nav update into the deal. It's too basic, and I end up using my iPhone with google maps. I speaks through the speakers via Bluetooth, and does the job fine. I should have pressed for bedliner or steps instead of nav.


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[nascamper]

Thanks for all the comments. I will seriously consider the NAV upgrade to the 8.4".

I made one mistake. I will be ordering the BigHorn, not the LongHorn. I didn't even notice until I read one of the last posts...

 

[Mr.Asmith9]

made one mistake. I will be ordering the BigHorn, not the LongHorn. I didn't even notice until I read one of the last posts...

Aahh. That makes a lot more sense. Lol. Grats on your new vehicle either way!

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[Lhemi]

Post some pics soon! That sounds like a bad A__ truck! Congrats!!!!

 

[hemi1282]

Good luck with new truck, I recommend the new factory ram matts I've had husky's in my past two trucks and im really digging these alot they fit better and holds dirt well, if it was me I'd get aftermarket steps they come with better braces/brackets, factory are heavy as hell imo I took mine off didn't like the wheel to wheel look and dont like how they're put on, the passenger side rear lip that it was bolted on was bent couldn't hardly get bolts out and my 125lbs gf is the only one that climbs on that side

 

[6.4 dude]

Your describing almost exactly what I ordered. I sprung for the 20's and factory bed liner and wheel to wheel steps. I'm reaching in and out of my bed a lot so the steps are a plus. The beds on the 2500's are WAAAYYY up there.
I love the Alpine sound system. It beats any system I have ever had. If you like your bass deep and clear then it's well worth the $300 bucks.