I bought my ‘21 Classic Tradesmen for one reason only:
Price.
I am oilfield and have had company trucks for over 25 years. Last year they decided we could no longer drive the company trucks home and use them. (They have always been 3/4 or 1 ton 4x4, usually diesel). Since I work a 14/7 schedule, whatever I drive to west Texas will basically sit in the yard for my 2 week hitch while I use the company truck for work.
I wasn’t going to pay for a ridiculously expensive vehicle to sit in the wind, sun and dust for 3 weeks a month.
However, I need a pickup, because that’s what I drive, and they are handy. I do tow a car trailer with my ‘47 Merc on it about once or twice a year.
I am also a cash buyer, again, I refuse to pay out for something that sits that long. So , although I bleed Ford blue, Ford was out. They have become much too proud of their trucks. I’d rather take a beating than drive a GM product. I have many friends with Ram trucks, and they love them, so I drove one, and I liked it.
So, I found a dealer in OKC advertising ‘21 Tradesmen with the chrome bumpers and carpeting for $28,085. Brand new. I would have gotten the base model for that money without hesitation, but the carpet and chrome is a nice upgrade!
It has the 3.6, the 3.21, tilt, cruise PW and AC. Not much else. And it’s paid for. Everything I need in a truck, nothing I don’t.
That’s a darn fine price for a brand new, full size pickup!
Now I have obviously driven all the big three heavy duty trucks extensively, I don’t need anything like that for personal use, and they aren’t as smooth and comfortable as a half ton, so a half ton it is.
I have had vintage pickups with inline 6, Flathead V8’s, 60’s with big blocks, and I even had a ‘74 Ford with a dual quad, built 428 ( 7 mpg!), Ford Ecoboost, and the cruddy ford modular motors, all daily drivers at different points in my life, so I know what I wanted and needed in a pickup. I have had experience with many different drivetrains, from woefully under powered to so much power it was ridiculous.
I don’t feel the need to brag about having a V8, or defend having a V6, I was going solely on price. Everyone has different needs and expectations for a vehicle, that’s why there are such a vast variety of options.
All that being said, I really like the Ram. I find the 6 cylinder quiet, smooth, an frankly quick enough for anything I’m doing. I have no issues getting to speed on a highway on ramp, or passing for that matter. I usually drive 80-85 on the highway, and average 19-21 mpg. Fuel mileage wasn’t even a consideration, however. I would have taken a V8 if it was offered for the same money. I don’t find it lacking in power for my needs, I don’t notice the shifting of the trans, and I like quiet. It tows the car trailer just fine as well. Does the smaller engine work harder than a larger one in the same vehicle? Of course. That’s the laws of physics.
In conclusion, I got a nice pickup at a screaming good price, it does what I need it to, it’s comfortable and quiet. I Enjoy driving it and wouldn’t hesitate to get another if I had to replace it.
Price.
I am oilfield and have had company trucks for over 25 years. Last year they decided we could no longer drive the company trucks home and use them. (They have always been 3/4 or 1 ton 4x4, usually diesel). Since I work a 14/7 schedule, whatever I drive to west Texas will basically sit in the yard for my 2 week hitch while I use the company truck for work.
I wasn’t going to pay for a ridiculously expensive vehicle to sit in the wind, sun and dust for 3 weeks a month.
However, I need a pickup, because that’s what I drive, and they are handy. I do tow a car trailer with my ‘47 Merc on it about once or twice a year.
I am also a cash buyer, again, I refuse to pay out for something that sits that long. So , although I bleed Ford blue, Ford was out. They have become much too proud of their trucks. I’d rather take a beating than drive a GM product. I have many friends with Ram trucks, and they love them, so I drove one, and I liked it.
So, I found a dealer in OKC advertising ‘21 Tradesmen with the chrome bumpers and carpeting for $28,085. Brand new. I would have gotten the base model for that money without hesitation, but the carpet and chrome is a nice upgrade!
It has the 3.6, the 3.21, tilt, cruise PW and AC. Not much else. And it’s paid for. Everything I need in a truck, nothing I don’t.
That’s a darn fine price for a brand new, full size pickup!
Now I have obviously driven all the big three heavy duty trucks extensively, I don’t need anything like that for personal use, and they aren’t as smooth and comfortable as a half ton, so a half ton it is.
I have had vintage pickups with inline 6, Flathead V8’s, 60’s with big blocks, and I even had a ‘74 Ford with a dual quad, built 428 ( 7 mpg!), Ford Ecoboost, and the cruddy ford modular motors, all daily drivers at different points in my life, so I know what I wanted and needed in a pickup. I have had experience with many different drivetrains, from woefully under powered to so much power it was ridiculous.
I don’t feel the need to brag about having a V8, or defend having a V6, I was going solely on price. Everyone has different needs and expectations for a vehicle, that’s why there are such a vast variety of options.
All that being said, I really like the Ram. I find the 6 cylinder quiet, smooth, an frankly quick enough for anything I’m doing. I have no issues getting to speed on a highway on ramp, or passing for that matter. I usually drive 80-85 on the highway, and average 19-21 mpg. Fuel mileage wasn’t even a consideration, however. I would have taken a V8 if it was offered for the same money. I don’t find it lacking in power for my needs, I don’t notice the shifting of the trans, and I like quiet. It tows the car trailer just fine as well. Does the smaller engine work harder than a larger one in the same vehicle? Of course. That’s the laws of physics.
In conclusion, I got a nice pickup at a screaming good price, it does what I need it to, it’s comfortable and quiet. I Enjoy driving it and wouldn’t hesitate to get another if I had to replace it.