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Comments
Does the new truck seem the have a lot more power than your old one?
I got the Good Year Ranglers on my truck, I didn't like the looks of the Michelins...
Talked to a shop about installing my fifth rail over top of the liner with stainless steel spacer bars in between as you suggested. He said he would not do it that way since Reese recommends attachment directly to the bed. I'm thinking of calling Reese tomorrow and discuss it with them, if I can find a phone #. On the other hand, if the rails are nested in the liner cut outs, I'd buy a 4x8 rubber pad from the local farm supply store to lay over top when the hitch is removed. This would result in a nearly flat bed surface. I'm starting to see some negative posts on the "Happy Camper BBS" regarding the 24v engine.
I saw those post also. Thats scary!! Mine has had a miss a couple of times, just one beat..I sure hope its very isolated problem. Thats what NIGHTMARES are made of.
Sorry to take so long in getting back to you. I've been out of circulation. I believe the RAM Computer runs about $350.00, or somewhere about that.
Its been great to read all the info about the Ram Trucks, and long too...
I am ready to order a 2500 4x4 Quad Cab Cummins w/a 5 spd. I haven't heard if a 6 spd. manual is available yet, can anyone give me some info on it?
"bjann" I just found this place myself and had alot of questions, I went back and read almost everything. It helped me alot, If you have the time I would recommend it.
There is a lot on information on all Dodge's here. I would suggest starting at post zero and read up to the present. Of load them all into your browser and search for 1500. That way you can narrow the information you want to read. There's too much information for us to answer your question. If you wanted to be more specific, then, by all means, try us.
Ryan
"a lot OF information" and "OR load them"
Sorry for the mistypes.
Ryan
I am in the process of ordering a '99 Ram 2500 Quad Cab 4x4 with the 5.9L gas engine, AT, SLT pkg, etc. Is there a good reason to order the heavy duty shift on the fly transfer case with the power take off, even if I don't ever plan on using the power take off? Also, I will use the truck more for hauling than towing, so I do not want the 4.10 axle ratio for gas mileage and wet road traction considerations. That means I can not get the limited slip differential. Is it really that necessary to have the limited slip if I have 4x4?
Edmunds on line guide states that the 1998 Ram 2500 4wd regular, extended, and quad cabs come with air conditioning, cruise and tachometer as STANDARD EQUIPMENT. Is this a misprint or is it true??????
they're included with the SLT trim level
thenemo,
If you will always have a load in the bed, then you probably won't need the limited slip as much. It helps in that you won't need 4wd as soon as you might if the diffs were open.
Good point about reading all the posts for info, there's a lot here. FYI, I just bought my 1500 Qcab Lariat in April & have been doing lite duty hauling around town, mostly short hops (5-20 mi) freeway. I get about 14 mpg with auto xmissn & have about 4k on the odometer. I cant even begin to tell you how much i love this truck, and the quad cab is GREAT. Owned a F150 extd cab for years and there is no comparison. Don't know who your talking to, but it probably isnt a Dodge owner! Good luck -- Buck
I realize all major US manufacturers use some foreign labor. Yes, I was being critical of Dodge. I have never owned a pickup and at 55 years of age I guess I have to get it out of my system. I have been open minded of all 3 US makers (hey, I have owned GM cars all my life and what I have seen and driven on the new Ford F150s and GMCs makes me lean very strongly to the Ford) and am not convinced Mexican made parts and labor is up to (as) good quality control standards.
With this in mind, and those who I have spoken to about Dodge (former owners), this appears to be in the general agreement about Dodge made trucks. And I am NOT picking on the Dodge owners by any means. dunbarton
My Ram speaks Spanish. As far as build quality, it put my Kansas City-assembled Fords to shame. On the previous Dodge body, you actually LOOKED for a Mexican one, because it was built like a bridge.
Not taking a personal shot, just an ideological question - why don't you consider Canada a foreign country in terms of automobile/truck production? Ford uses that to its advantage in their CAFE rating. The Crown Vic & Grand Marq are intentionally just 70$ US, and solely assembled in Canada, making them foreign cars, and their fuel economy was thus offset by the high-mpg imported Aspire.
I guess I don't consider Canada "foreign" because they are close to a US wage structure. Mexico is 1/10 our wage structure (more or less). I just haven't seen much quality coming out of Mexico in any product (yet) and want to be very careful before I spend $25,000+ on a new pickup.
I also realize that Canada IS an economic advantage for automakers too, though not as large as Mexico's, which is the bottom line with Ford, GM and Chrysler.
Your comments on the Dodge are what I am looking for too, I have not made up my mind 100% on my new "toy" and want your input .....
Maybe I am making this too subjective and should just buy what pleases me from a personal standpoint. What I have seen physically with Dodge was not at all objectionable.
I am the new guy with pickups, aside from what my 20 year old son tells me, and want to make a good choice. Dunbarton
You are just a touch older than I am. So when I write, "remember how we all thought about anything made in Japan", you should remember how much of a shock it was to the big three when the "foreign" cars took so much of "their market share" away? I was raised in a GM family, my dad retired as a service manager from a GM dealer. He has always told us to be wary of the first year of any new body style for any US manufacturer. Also, Ford has building 4 door big Broncos in Mexico for years. None were sold here but I saw several when on vacation.
As far as Canadian labor goes, they wage structure may be close to the US, but when you take into account the US Dollar vs. the Canadian Dollar (last I looked about 85% of the US) it still means lower labor costs. What it boils down to is the professionalism of the workers, the pride in craftsmanship and I think that a lot of the "foreign" built equipment is easily comparible with that built in the US.
I ordered a Dodge (it just came in) regardless of where it would be built because it met my needs and has come HIGHLY endorsed by many, many people; including my family. I think all three of the US manufacturers offers are good. What it comes down to is what are you going to do with it? If you are going to tow, be sure to do all the research you can. I started with a Half Ton on my list, ended up with a 3/4 ton diesel. Yes it will cost more, but I look at a pickup as a vehicle that should last several years.
Good luck on your purchase.
DKG
You are certainly correct about the Japan issue. Many of their automobiles, and we all know which ones they are, outclassed the US models and lit a fire over here for quality control.
Just looking for an EX cab pickup as close to an automobile as possible while still having the advantages of a pickup. No towing, 2WD with the works, such as a Lariat, Silverado, etc. I want to "cruise" it, not "bruise" it!
Will take a closer look at the Dodge thanks to some of the other input from the 'guys."
I guess we all could argue the point until hell freezes over but the final decision lies with the one who spends the money. It's difficult to keep an open mind listening to others without the personal experience of owning. Dunbarton
A friend of mine bought a new Mercedes and had nothing but trouble with it. In the year he owned it, it had more miles on it to and from the shop than driving for personal use. It just goes to show you everyone makes a piece of junk every once in a while.
I thought the only dodge trucks made in Mexico right now were the 1 ton diesels...
this will probably make someone mad, but it doesn't make me happy either-- i think the Mexican plants will probably put out better quality work than the American. These workers don't belong to a union. they know that if they mess up, its their [non-permissible content removed] on the line, so they probably actually care about what they do. plus, these are the dream jobs of their country. they may be making 3 dollars an hour, and everyone says, how can they be doing good work? well, when your country's minimum wage is 50 cents, then you are living the high life and you like your job.
I don't like seeing jobs leaving this country either, but if it was your company, what would you do?
I don't get it. Japan is building more and more factories in the U.S. saying that America has the best, and most productive workers in the world. And that this is the best place to build and ship automobiles from. They are building them here and shipping them back to Japan, and we are are closing our plants and moving them to other countries. Makes me sick!!! I guess they are just trying to bust the unions. Who knows.
P.S. Don't buy Hagar slacks. They just shut down all of their U.S. factories and move to China or somewhere. Any company that does that should be band from selling their products in the U.S.
So there, I got that off my chest!
I never had a problem with Mexican-souce vehicles - my Ram speaks Spanish and it's the best truck I've ever owned. A lot of people think that plants are being OPENED down there. News flash, those plants have BEEN there. The Chrysler truck plant in Lago Alberto where my Ram was screwed together is the same age as the Dodge City Ram plant in Warren, Michigan - 60 years old - they both opened in 1938. Like you said, to them, it's a damn good job, and they work hard to keep it.
mharde,
The American workers in the Japanese-make plants here are not union. Just like the Mexican workers and the Saturn employees, they get pay and benefits based on the job they do. If you know going in that your boss will treat you right if you do ytour job, then you'll put pride in your work and always do the best job you can. If you know the union will always provide a "safety net" if you slack off, then you'll occasionally do a half-[non-permissible content removed] job, simply because you can.
Mine is running good, no problems. I have 8500 mi on it, and I'm getting the same mileage I always have. 15/20 13 towing Mine didn't take that giant leap at 6000 mi that heard about, but I am satisfied with what I'm getting.
The trucks running great. Had the hitch installed yesterday. I'm going to install the brake controller tonite, maybe. Sunday when we go to the lake, I'm hoping to hook up to my camper and run it around the block.
Well they cut my bed liner to install the rails. I think I may like that better in that if I buy a mat to lay in the bed when the hitch is removed I'll have a near level surface. Do you have any info on a source of a black rubber/plastic cover for the top of the bed rails?
Mileage still seems to be in the 18-20 mpg range after 2000 miles. I'm having my fuel tank replaced next Wednesday. The bottom is concaved and interferes with the fuel sender. Still haven't solved the melting mud flap yet. They replaced it but the new one is starting to curl already.
Keep in touch
Cummins is about to introduce their exhaust brake for the electronic B, Cummins calls this engine the "ISB". It will be totally controlled by the electronic control module. No throttle switches to bother with. Since the ISB already has heavy duty spings, the kit is much cheaper than the mechanical kit, about $200. And best of all the brake is approved by Dodge. See your Cummins distributor for more details.
1st is a camper shell. Snug top seem to be the leader out here in Souther California. Any one have opinions or suggestions?
Also looking at adding A CD palyer. I'd rather not add the outrageously expensive Dodge version. Does anyone know what brand radio Dodge uses. I have the Am/Fm cassette player with CD changer controls and would like to add just the changer, but would rather get one that works with my stock radio at Best Buy or circuit city. Any one know what brand(s) will work?
As for the stereo, once again, shop around. Look for the best buy amongst a brand you know has been around. The competition is pretty fierce, so you should be able to get a pretty good deal. One word of advise. I bought an Alpine CD last year. Shortly after that, I got up one morning and my truck won't start. They hooked it up so that I have to shut the radio off before I shut the car off or it sucks my battery dead by morning. I thought it was a bad installer, but I had two friends who bought stereos from two other dealers a couple weeks later, and the same thing happen to them. Make sure they know how to wire it correctly.
I looking to trade in my '96' 1500 SLT 2x4 for a '98' 4x4 Quad Cab.
Maybe the dealers in my neck of the woods just are'nt up to date with their products.
Does anyone know of a dealer with the options list for the 1999 Dodge trucks? Thanx, in advance!
The only items that are known to change for the 1999s is the price (higher).
It's too soon for the dealers to know anything and they told me a couple more weeks at least.
They depend on US to inform them!