Ram 1500 vs GMC Sierra

[Jeff CA]

Neighbor had a new Sierra Denali Crew Cab parked in his driveway today. Nice truck. I looked at them a little before I bought my Laramie CCSB 4x4, and although I think the trucks are close to a coin flip, I am definitely glad I chose Ram.

Here is what I think the Ram Laramie has over the Denali:

-- Hemi vs standard engine in the Denali is the 5.3L - underpowered.
-- 8 spd vs standard tranny in the Denali is only a 6 spd.
(Yes, the 6.2L is available, but it's an option, and the 8 spd only comes with the 6.2)
-- Rear coils or air susp and Panhard bar, versus leaf springs.
-- Interior. Not even close.
-- Price. A GMC equivalent to my Laramie is about $3k more.
-- A diesel option.
-- Ramboxes.

The only things I can think of that the Denali has over the Laramie is the optional 6.2L (but it's a $2500 option), the magnetic shocks, and the 4G LTE hotspot.

The interior quality and rear suspension cement my Laramie decision.

What thoughts do you guys have comparing the 2 trucks?

 

[Ratket]

If the chevy was truly only 3k more than a ram, I would bet more people would chose the chevy... but no way they are that close in price. I don't mean Msrp I mean what they can be bought for on a avrage daily basis. I came from chevy to ram solely due to price, and because of that one factor, so far.. I will not ever be going back to chevy. I absolutely love my ram.

 

[Blue Streak]

IMO, Ram is by far the best looking truck on the market. All the other manufacturers seem to be in a competition to see who can build the ugliest box. For me, I wanted a fast regular cab-short bed and no one else offers anything close to the Hemi-8 spd-3.92 combo in a this small package.

 

[Sam22]

I was very close to getting a 6.2 Denali.
It came down to the following:

Ram had a much better ride (even without air susp)
Ram had better MPG (5.7 vs 6.2)
Ram interior felt nicer (limited)
Ram dealer gave me Almost 10k off
Ram had a 32 gal tank.

And one last thing, the Denali looked too luxurious.
Almost out of place like the Lincoln blackwood.
My $.02.







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[DavidRam]

Exterior styling is just a big box on the GMs, the Ram has some nice truck-like yet sporty curves.
I just couldn't live with the square wheel wells...

 

[BlownGP]

Looks wise, yes the RAM is the best. The rest are all really ugly looking. The new F-150 looks like a Tundra. blaah

I don't hate the look of the new GMC/Chevy's but still not sold on it compared to the last gens.

Now the new 5.3L does have less HP/TQ than the hemi but there aftermarket support is worlds better than ours. Just a tune really wakes them motors up, especially a tranny tune. So stock the HEMI gets the nod but the 5.3L and 6L80 are not junk.

I love my RAM though and used to be a all GM guy. Still would die for a Vette or Caddy V but really don't care for anything else they have new.

 

[BlownGP]

I was very close to getting a 6.2 Denali.
It came down to the following:

Ram had a much better ride (even without air susp)
Ram had better MPG (5.7 vs 6.2)
Ram interior felt nicer (limited)
Ram dealer gave me Almost 10k off
Ram had a 32 gal tank.

And one last thing, the Denali looked too luxurious.
Almost out of place like the Lincoln blackwood.
My $.02.

Those blackwoods were a joke. Just a fancy F-150 with a cool tailgate and bed that was made to hold cotton balls.lol

 

[DavidRam]

Those blackwoods were a joke. Just a fancy F-150 with a cool tailgate and bed that was made to hold cotton balls.lol

Yeah, that thing was a disaster. I think they only sold like two of them, lol!

I have to add, that front end of this thing is pretty fugly, too.

 

[DavidRam]

For the life of me, I can not figure out what this is and why it is even there...

 

[mtofell]

Just a tune really wakes them motors up, especially a tranny tune.

To many people this is not a factor. Since a tune voids/muddies warranties IMO it's not worth it. A big part of what I pay for with a new truck is not worrying if things go wrong. A truck's potential with a chip is nice and all but IMO isn't relevant in side to side comparisons.

 

[BlownGP]

For the life of me, I can not figure out what this is and why it is even there...

A mistake.. They really messed up that truck.

To many people this is not a factor. Since a tune voids/muddies warranties IMO it's not worth it. A big part of what I pay for with a new truck is not worrying if things go wrong. A truck's potential with a chip is nice and all but IMO isn't relevant in side to side comparisons.

True, the newer 5.3L will give a HEMI a good race..

 

[Searay245se]

I came from having 2 GMCs before my Ram,A 2003 and 2011 and really liked both trucks and had great luck with them.When I went and looked at the new 14 Sierras I liked them until I looked at the ram and took it for a ride and read the specs on it then it was a clear choice.Ram won out in everything and so I bought mine and have not looked back and glad I did.

 

[Csanders1992]

Gms have always been underpowered and dumbed down from the factory. they have a lot of potential waiting to get unlocked, but that takes camming and tuning. Stock to stock the ram takes it all day though


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[Killerb]

Ram is a better looking truck by far and the 4lte hotspot crap will be outdated in a year. Then you will need updates that will brick unit. Just like analog car phones..
My boss works at GM engine plant and gotta tellya if you saw what he see's on the production line you would think twice about buying a GM product.Machines are made in Italy and broken all the time and luigi has to jump the pond to fix it, quality control goes out the window. Not saying Chrysler is any better but you would hope so.

 

[Archaic2021]

True, the newer 5.3L will give a HEMI a good race..

I just came from a 2014 Silverado 5.3 to a 2012 hemi 5.7.

The 5.3 would not be a good race. Actually them hemi put a truck length on the 5.3.

 

[smurfs_of_war]

Being a blue oval guy my whole life, nothing short of the apocolypse would have ever caused me to change brands. I am, however, a truck guy. I can appreciate what each brand has to offer- I made the jump to Ram and couldn't be happier.

The two things that the GMs have over Ram are payload, and the very fact that you can GET a 6.2L as an option. If I was on the fence with all other aspects- those two items would likely sway me. Hopefully, Ram raises the bar and makes that beast 6.4L optional in the 1500s

 

[RHeller]

I came from an ecoboost that was starting to become troublesome. Looked at a 2014 Sierra. Nice truck with a lot of nice options. Truck had a shimmy to it on the highway which bothered me a bit. Researched it more and it seems to be a bigger issue than what I thought. Drove a ram for the first time ever. Was impressed with the option list and power of hemi. Actually got pulled over during test drive. My biggest gripe with getting the ram was looking at all the used trucks that were rusting way to soon. Still not confident the ram won't start rusting sooner, but for the price difference between the gmc and ram, it was worth the gamble. So far I like the the ram better than the f150 and I have been a Ford guy for 20 years.

 

[Fullmetal]

One thing I thought with the Denali was that it is AWD and not 4x4? Not good.

 

[BlownGP]

I just came from a 2014 Silverado 5.3 to a 2012 hemi 5.7.

The 5.3 would not be a good race. Actually them hemi put a truck length on the 5.3.

A truck length is is a good race, yeah better if it was a by a door. lol

GM should just drop the 5.3 and make the 6.2L standard. Doesn't make sense. The 5.3L gas mileage isn't hat much better.

 

[regularcab2500]

The 5.3 is a joke as far as power...my 2010 with a 4.7 powertech pulled on my buddies 09 ltz silverado every single time...the more i drive the brand new chevy 2500s at work the more im glad i bought a ram lol