Pentastar vs Hemi, which should you choose?

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Perforator

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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.
 

Ken Camp

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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.
You took the words right out of my mouth. I have the 3.6 also and have absolutely no regrets. Would definitely buy another one. It just depends on what you do with it and how you drive it. In the end to each his own. I'm more than happy with my 3.6.
 

Mb7640

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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.
Glad you like it!! I love mine I got a great deal on mine also. I wish I could pay cash I bought a new 2021 warlock 4x4 with 5.7l for 35k with 10 miles. thats the same price I paid for the challenger R/T that I traded in for the truck. I like the 5.7l had 2 Challengers with them and I also had a 3.5l challenger. I could not beat the price so figured why not. As long as your happy that's all that matters.
 

rachabot

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Really good writeup. I had the Pentastar in my 2021 Wrangler and you are dead on on the low torque. Even with the Jeep's 4.10 axle, it would not stay in 8th gear if the wind blew hard enough. The gas mileage was decent even with the Jeep, and highway versus city did not make a huge difference with the Wrangler due to its stellar aerodynamics :p . Still it was fun to drive. But I do like the Hemi in my Ram a lot more. Not had it long enough to even gage the difference in fuel usage on my daily commute. It just sounds better, has a lot more "go" and I think for my future potential towing, it was the right choice for me (and was the only choice for the package I wanted).
 

Wahrsuul

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For me, I wish I could have found a V6 with the options I wanted for a price I wanted to pay. The one thing I hate about my Ram, is the MPG. I average about 15.5 hand calculated. But then I also have the old(er) 5.7 with the 5spd trans and 3.55 gears. On the highway I've managed 22.5 once at 65mph on a flat section of I-95. I can usually get around 20 on my trips from SC to FL and back which is pretty good for a big truck.

I've said it before - for all I've used my Ram as a truck, I could have done the same thing with a Ridgeline. I haven't towed much, and the hauling I've done could have been with something smaller. So for my uses, the V6 would probably work better.

The couple of times I've looked at newer trucks, the salesmen try to argue me out of a V6 saying that if I'm used to the Hemi, I won't be happy with the V6. At that point I usually walk off. They're entitled to their opinion, but I know what I'm looking for for my usage. In the end, I still haven't found anything with the options I want at a price I feel like paying.

Besides, they're hard to find in yellow.
 
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Huliodude

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The only correction I would make is that the Hemis definitely have a transmission heater in addition to cooler. See very long threads on forum members removing or bypassing the heaters.
Yes I saw those threads. It looks as if FCA has removed the trans heater in the latest RAM Classics, because I don't have the three-way coolant valve under the air filter. I just have long coolant lines going straight to the heater core. Perhaps that's why my cabin heater is so much better than the V6.
 

PoMansRam

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Yes I saw those threads. It looks as if FCA has removed the trans heater in the latest RAM Classics, because I don't have the three-way coolant valve under the air filter. I just have long coolant lines going straight to the heater core. Perhaps that's why my cabin heater is so much better than the V6.
The trans heater is still there, they just deleted the coolant 3-way on hemi classics. That's how it is on my 2019 classic hemi at least. I think pentastar powered classics still have a coolant 3-way valve for what ever reason.
 

huntergreen

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With all the hills near me, I didn’t think the pentastar would really get that much better mpg. At least that’s how I justified the hemi. The truth is, I wasn’t ready to give up the fun factor.
 

indept

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I've said it before - for all I've used my Ram as a truck, I could have done the same thing with a Ridgeline. I haven't towed much, and the hauling I've done could have been with something smaller. So for my uses, the V6 would probably work better.
If you had a Ridgeline you would have to wear a disguise so nobody would recognize you driving a Ridgeline.:D
 
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Huliodude

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The trans heater is still there, they just deleted the coolant 3-way on hemi classics. That's how it is on my 2019 classic hemi at least. I think pentastar powered classics still have a coolant 3-way valve for what ever reason.
The 3 way valve is what provides the heater function to my knowledge. It diverts hot coolant to the trans coolant to-oil heat exchanger on the side of the transmission. Without it, only the cooling function will work when the trans reaches operating temperature on its own.
 

67440dodge

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Having owned both, this is my feeling.

You want a vehicle to get you from point A to point B, haul some stuff too big for the car, go for the Pentastar. It'll do the job, get good gas mileage (I saw 28 when going down the 401 west of London a few times). And has some grunt to it. Take the $2500 US you save over the hemi/trans and get some nice bolt ons.

You want fun when you punch it? Get the Hemi with 3.92's.
 

Ken Camp

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Is the Ridgeline even considered a truck? My wife wants one but I told her I forbid it. She'll get one anyway LOL.
 

Wahrsuul

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I can't say that i wanted a Ridgeline, just that it would do everything I've done with the Ram. It's not near as pretty, and honestly from what I've seen, the mpg is about the same, at least with the original Ridgeline. I didn't think they were ugly, just different. But for the same price and mileage, I have a big-@$$ yellow truck. Honda builds some great vehicles.

You can still order a Classic Tradesman in Yellow, I'm just not in the mood to pay $40k for everything I want. I usually buy used anyway.
 

RamHemi18

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I like this thread. I have a 2018 Ram with the 5.7 Hemi and 3.92. Bought it used. Wanted the V8 for towing my camper. The truck has been great for family trips because it rides beautifully and there is so much room. Those 3.92s will snap your head back if you hit the gas hard enough. My street rarely gets plowed in the winter...if it's snow covered I need to feather the gas otherwise those tires will just spin :p. Our other vehicle is a 2016 Equinox AWD 2.4L, once it is time to upgrade I am hoping to get a Durango AWD with the 3.6.
 

Docwagon1776

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I suspect there are really two questions to be asked:
1)Do you need the additional capability for towing or whatnot?
2)Understanding it's a sliding scale, do you view your truck as more of an appliance or more of a toy?

Answer those truthfully and you'll see which one to choose. Vehicles are toys for me, a source of entertainment and a way to get out of my own head for a bit. I'll pay the price of admission and feed for bigger motors/more power because it's better than being bored.
 

HEMIMANN

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The Ridgeline bed is a joke, is our point. It's smaller than a Chevy ElCamino, nearly worthless. It's all about fashionable, not functional. That's why I call it a hipster mobile. Perfectly fits the bio of those I saw driving them around here. Pretend city people.
 

Xenia-13

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I feel like I got the best of both worlds. My tradesman has the 3.0l diesel with the 3.92 rear-end for towing. I've gotten 31 plus mpg traveling cross country on the highway and it has a good bit of get up and go. It also has no issue with towing. I bought a little John Deere tractor a few years back and was able to haul it on a U-haul trailer with my pick up without any trouble. I estimated the tow weight to be about 7,000 lbs. I love my Ram and can't imagine not having it. My only complaints are the cost of diesel and having to fill the DEF tank every 6 months or so. But the diesel cost is softened by the great fuel mileage.
 

Mwyz

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Nice review the only thing you didn't mention is maintenance costs. 16 spark plugs tends to drive up that cost significantly. That being said I have had 4 vehicles with the 5.7 a Charger, Challenger, 2015 Ram Classic 3.21 and a new 2022 Ram 3.21. So I guess that doesn't make as much difference to me.

The question I have for everyone is my new Ram doesn't seem to be getting as good mileage as the 2015 Classic. I would have thought with the new design and MVT system it would do a little better. I currently only have 1400 miles on it does this sound like a breaking in thing?
 

Dean2

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The Ridgeline bed is a joke, is our point. It's smaller than a Chevy ElCamino, nearly worthless. It's all about fashionable, not functional. That's why I call it a hipster mobile. Perfectly fits the bio of those I saw driving them around here. Pretend city people.
That seems kind of odd. Never seen people pretend to be city people. Now Pretentious City people or City people pretending to be country folk are what we call, All Hat no Cows. :) Guess you could say the same about their pickup, All Ridgeline, no Cargo.
Kind of like all the mall crawlers with short box pickups and jacked up 2 wheel drives.
:33:
 
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