should I settle for a 1500?

[msorbara10]

I have been in the market for many months for my ram. My price limit is 15k and I have to have a black truck with the hemi. I am looking 04 or 05 and newer. Anyway I looked at a good amount of 1500's and I test drove a 2500 a cople months ago. I really fell in love with the 2500. Keeping in mind i dont drive a lot so gas isnt an issue and always loved the more heavy duty trucks. f250 Silverado 2500 etc. I just think they are better built and always preferred it and like how they sit higher and little things like that. Also when I do some side jobs for people it would be nice when im throwing cinder blocks in the bed and doing a little towing around my cousins farm..

Anyway do you think I should settle for a 1500? Are they really that much different of trucks?
Am i crazy for only wanting the 2500?

 

[SmokedRam]

If you barely drive and just do light hauling, a 1500 will more than cover you.

 

[dogcar3]

Get a truck you will love to drive. Dont skimp if you dont have to. That said, im sure a 1500 would be enough. If you are just looking for an excuse or justification for a 2500, just do it.

 

[msorbara10]

i have just been getting impatient I have been waiting too long!! lol

 

[kcbigbadram]

Sounds like you should wait for a 2500. If you don't love it when you buy it, you'll be kicking yourself every day and always looking for an excuse to trade it in.
Good luck with your search

 

[WhySoSerious]

You sound exactly like me! I have wanted either a Ram 2500 or a Ford F-250 or F-350 for at least 5 years now. I am finally approaching a position in life where I can actually afford it.

The point is I want either a big bad 2500/F-250/F-350........or I don't even want to bother getting a pickup truck. Now don't get me wrong......Ram 1500's are very sweet vehicles. But its just not for me. If I get a 1500 or an F-150 I feel like I will be settling!

 

[v8only]

Your price limit and year restraints means a 2500 is out of the question If you want a clean low mile truck...in your price range Better to get a clean low mile 1500 than a high mile beat 2500

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[SmokedRam]

Your price limit and year restraints means a 2500 is out of the question If you want a clean low mile truck...in your price range Better to get a clean low mile 1500 than a high mile beat 2500

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This is true. I think you'd be right at your max budget even with a LOW MILEAGE gen3 truck. I am sure you could find them all day with over 100,000 miles for $12,000-$14,000.

For instance, I traded in my gen2 for my current gen3...it's a RCSB 1500 with a 4.7...had 43K miles on it when I bought it, dealer wanted $13,999 for it, I got it for $13,100 with a new set of tires. At the time I was shopping, a QC Hemi truck with that mileage would have pushed me up over $17,000 used.

 

[v8only]

Three months ago i got My 05 4x4 hemi quad cab with 69000 miles on it for $15,600 and it was by far the lowest priced for the miles...if you stick with 2wd you can find a clean 1500

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[NWRQC]

If you barely drive and just do light hauling, a 1500 will more than cover you.

I think he wants the 2500 for occasional hualing of heavier loads and the heavier duty build of the truck. The amount of driving isnt a factor in his case..

Get a truck you will love to drive. Dont skimp if you dont have to. That said, im sure a 1500 would be enough. If you are just looking for an excuse or justification for a 2500, just do it.

I agree with the first half completely. The way I see it, if you are forking out a few hundred a month for a while, it may as well be for something you love and enjoy.

i have just been getting impatient I have been waiting too long!! lol

I would keep looking, nothing worse than settling for something you don't really want only to find the exact thing you have been looking for becomes available soon after you settle.

Sounds like you should wait for a 2500. If you don't love it when you buy it, you'll be kicking yourself every day and always looking for an excuse to trade it in.
Good luck with your search

I agree

Your price limit and year restraints means a 2500 is out of the question If you want a clean low mile truck...in your price range Better to get a clean low mile 1500 than a high mile beat 2500

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I think with some serious looking and good negotiating, he should be about to find a clean (not beat) 2500 (esp since he only wants the Hemi).
If he drives very little (say 5K a year) I personally cant justify paying more for an identical truck just because it has lower miles. All things aside with the only difference being 65K miles vs 90K miles....I'd save the cash and go for the higher mileage truck. 10 years from now it might only have 140K vs 125K miles, but both will still be about 17 years old.



My vote is to keep shopping.

 

[quietpeen]

Keep looking. Since you say you would be settling you would never be happy and would end up trading it in on a 2500 and costing you more

 

[msorbara10]

Yea I know that i cant expect anything with low miles. I even told a dealership whos looking for me that I would expect something with 80-100k miles on it. and like i said I dont drive a whole lot where miles would be a big deal. I would just like somthing with 100k or less miles on it

 

[Roll_HEMI_Tide]

Yea I know that i cant expect anything with low miles. I even told a dealership whos looking for me that I would expect something with 80-100k miles on it. and like i said I dont drive a whole lot where miles would be a big deal. I would just like somthing with 100k or less miles on it

I don't know where you live, but around my parts, it's extremely hard to find a 3rd Gen 2500 in decent shape with low-ish mileage around the 15k mark. Hemi 2500's are virtually non-existent.

When I first started shopping, I wanted a 2500 CTD. I had a budget of around $20,000. Didn't happen. The ones in the 15-20k range were ragged, pushing 200,000 miles. I couldn't justify spending that kind of money on something that used.

My advice is to continue shopping, don't settle, but don't rule out a 1500. You'll come across FAR more options in that price range with the 1500. And more than likely, you'll end up with a nicer truck. Go for a 4x4 if you like a higher ride.

 

[msorbara10]

I don't know where you live, but around my parts, it's extremely hard to find a 3rd Gen 2500 in decent shape with low-ish mileage around the 15k mark. Hemi 2500's are virtually non-existent.

When I first started shopping, I wanted a 2500 CTD. I had a budget of around $20,000. Didn't happen. The ones in the 15-20k range were ragged, pushing 200,000 miles. I couldn't justify spending that kind of money on something that used.

My advice is to continue shopping, don't settle, but don't rule out a 1500. You'll come across FAR more options in that price range with the 1500. And more than likely, you'll end up with a nicer truck. Go for a 4x4 if you like a higher ride.

Yea I couldnt afford anything with less than 50k miles on it. I think I mentioned it before but im looking for something with 80 or 90 k miles on it.. Just something under 100k

 

[Hemitom]

I know of a dealer that goes to auction very often.Ive been with him many times.. you might want to hook up with someone that does that and go with them and see if you can find what you want there.

 

[WhiteRam]

I had a 1500 for about 3 years and I fell in love with it. I really did, it was the one thing I could rely on and would have never traded it for anything.


Then I drove a 2500.

I now drive a 2500. It's worth it.

 

[Casper]

As long as you look it as settling......

Of course you have to live with whatever you buy...but unless you're towing a horse trailer, or another vehicle on a regular basis, the 1500 is probably going to fit like a glove--IMHO.

If you're worried about toughness, remember the truck already lasted this far to be available used on that lot.

2500s and 3500s are rarer than 1500s. If they are used as work trucks they're probably going to have more wear and tear than somebody's moderately stressed weekend draft horse 1500. And there are going to be fewer on used lots.

I just saw where another member of this forum is looking at a 2WD 2007 1500 with 73K miles for about $12K (Texas I think).

But if you look at it as 'settling', you're never going to lose that nagging little voice in the back of your head and as a result, you will never allow yourself to be happy with your truck.

I wish you the best whatever vehicle you unltimately purchase.

 

[KGBIGCOUNTRY]

Might be able to find a 1500 Mega Cab which is basicaly a 2500 badged the other way since people are tradeing in for the new 1500 crew cabs