Is Daimler actually having a positive effect on Chrysler Quality? Judging by the number of posts, rather the lack of posts, about quality problems with the new Ram, it seems that Chrysler has finally overcome the start-up quality problems that plagued the Interepid, Neon, PT, etc. Am I reading too much into this or are there truely very few problems associated with the new Ram? If it's true, makes me want to run out and buy one this weekend. I guess that with the 7yr/100k warranty I don't really have a lot to loose anyway, except the pain in the a** taking the truck into the dealer all of the time.
I agree about the bed cover info by Sebring95 but wanted to add that I feel the best idea is a "roll-top" where like a windowshade there is a pull cover that retracts up, and locks down for security. The side rails attach from the inside and don't mar your bed with drilling where you can see. The other bed covers are a pain, especially the hard ones. A cover in general is good from a gas milage perspective as the tailgate at speed acts like a huge air dam, and things can blow out of an open truck.
I had a liner that came with my truck, but Rhino's are good. Quality depends on the installer more than anything. Disadvantage is difficulty in removing if you have a wreck and need to repair an area, potential fading of color, but they are very nice IMHO.
Just remember the part time 4x4 can be a pain in snow - you have to switch back and forth on clear streets and snow covered areas. I did a road trip to Maine to snowboard one year and was shifting the transfer case like a manual transmission, and the driving got fun when you hit some slick stuff in 2wd - lots of oversteer with my limited slip rear.
If you go with a tonno cover, get the kind wiht the bolt on rails so you don't have to drill your new Ram's bed to attach.
one thing about trucks, there are lots of accessory options.
The tonneau cover that dodge sells is really good I have one on my 01 ram and it has work great for the 2 years I have had it I have even taken it off and put it back on at -20F without a problem. It has six clamps that hold the rails down on the truck with no drilling. Another great feature is I got the "snapless" version which has a plastic band that slides inside a groove in the rail so there is no snaps to break. Up here in Alaska I paid $200 for it and so far it has been great.
I posted in the quadcab section, but my new RAM has needed zero visits to the dealer, which is a big surprise. Everything I've purchased has needed something or other including Acura, Honda, BMW, Porsche............maybe Daimler is getting through. Of course I only have 2,400 miles on it so......we'll see. Sidebar: I love this truck.
I saw a Ram with the "big wheel" package today. It is not at all what I expected, Overall diameter of tire is not much larger than the 265 70 17 tires. It looks funny (as in weird) to me. Not sure I would be willing to pay the extra $$ for this option.
I agree. At first I thought they might look good but after a trip to the dealer's lot and seeing them side-by-side with the normal 17" I cannot say they are worth the extra $$$. I next looked them up at TireRack.com and the price varies from $138 for Goodyear Wrangler to $261 for the Michelin 4X4 Diamaris! So not only could one drop over $1000 to replace when the time comes but that size must literally be a pain to change. I'm going to stay with the 17".
Went to my local dealer to take another look at the 20" wheels. Just out of curiosity I took along my tape measure for some unscientific measurements. The total diameter of the 20" wheel/tire combo, measured from the center of the tire's contact patch to the top most point as determined by my uncalibrated eye, was 31.5" while the 17" wheel/tire combination came in at 30.5". So it seems there is very little actual difference between the two; its just that the 20" APPEAR to be so large.
Perhaps someone with more accurate information can tell us what the revolutions per mile are for these two as that will be the true determining factor between them, other than aesthetics.
Has anyone compared the speed that the passanger window goes up and down to the other windows. Naturally the drivers side is a little faster than all the others. But the passanger side is slower than the rear windows. Is this standard behavior or a weakness in the passanger side window motor? If anyone can check this out on their test drives it will be interesting to hear the results. I will be collecting my new Ram Quad this saturday...can't wait!!
Yup, you're exactly right prmartin1, from what I've seen. I've test-driven 3 models so far, 02 QC 4X4 sport package w/ 20" 4.7 and 5.9, and 02 QC 4X4 sport package w/ 17" (by the way, the difference in the ride is amazing. In my opinion, the 20" inch ride is much better, and not near as rough as the magazines and others might think), but anyway, in all 3 the passenger window seemed to take forever to come down. Not sure if this is a defect or what, but it can definitely be annoying.
Has anyone had a sunroof installed on their 02 Ram??? If so, how much should I expect to pay to have the dealer do it? Well, actually to have them have a shop do it, how much should I expect? Does anyone know if it would be better for me to have it done myself by a shop?
I just picked up an 02 SLT short bed V8 5speed last night and boy o boy is this a nice truck!!!!! I traded in an 01 Ranger which was a nice truck but this Dodge blows it away. I got the Dodge for invoice minus the $1500 rebate and they gave me only $900 less for the Ranger than what I paid for it new 8 months ago!!!! They actually allowed me the RETAIL value, in excellent condition, according to Kelly Blue Book!!!!!They claim they were behind on their Ram quota for the month and this last sale would get them over the top. They happened to have just taken this truck off the transport truck and it is just what I was looking for; love the 5 speed V8. I must admit; I am VERY impressed with the build quality of this truck. I have been in Hondas for the past 20 years (my other car is a Honda S2000) and haven't ever had any warranty repairs and have found the workmanship and quality of these cars to be up to my exacting standards, well, so is this Dodge. You can believe the ads about "There being a new mayor in truckville".
I currently own a 93 Chevy Blazer with 135,000 miles on it. I am seriously considering a new Ram QC 4x4. I have heard stories of owners having tranny and transfer case problems on the old design and I am wondering if those problems have been resolved for the new 02 Ram. I haven't had the chance to drive a new one yet, but will certainly cherish the moment. Any info will be very helpful.
the new quads with the 4.7l engine contain different trannies/transfer cases vs the previous generation. however, the 5.9l equipped quads still sport the same old tranny/transfer case. if you want my two cents...i'd either get the 4.7l powertrain, or wait for the hemi this fall. the hemi is coming with new trannies/transfer cases when it debutes...
Thanks, Is the 4.7l enough engine or should I wait for the 5.7l for the fall? I think that I may have to buy sooner. I don't do much towing and the horsepower/torque aren't that much less according the the brochure. The big advantage is the gas mileage from what I can read on the postings.
that in the next 30 day's the rebates will disappear. The economy looks to be getting better and the auto manufactures are starting to complain about smaller profits due to incentives, but who knows for sure what they will do.
Thanks for the infor and support. I am not too worried about the rebates. My friend is a salesman at the local dealership. He will get me the dealer price for the truck. I am just waiting until the spring comes. I have a personal rule about not buying vehicles during the winter months. Our roads are poorly plowed where I live and it is almost impossible to fully assess the ride quality on our winter roads.
if you are looking at a 4wd quad, i'd wait for the hemi. that truck is mighty heavy and isn't even propelled that well by the current 5.9l (per test drive experience). i'm afraid the 4.7l will be overwhelmed by such a heavy truck. especially at interstate speeds...jmo. of course someone here with that combo could give you more detail.
it has no lack of power. If you have driven one you know. A co-worker has a 2001 quad 5.9 and after driving mine he said that he would go with the 4.7 if he was buying because unless you are pulling something besides the occasional 16ft. utility trailer their is no reason for the added cost. He said it was quicker than his 5.9.
Drive a 4.7 and you will see! Mine is rated at 240hp.
how does your truck do with the cruise set to 75 mph on the interstate? does the tranny kick down on every little hill, or is the 4.7l able to hold sufficient speed? just wondering...thanks.
I've got a 4.7 in a quad 4x4. If down shifting bothers you, you might want to get a bigger engine. Personally, I don't mind it. I always thought that a transmission was used to match engine speed and power with vehicle speed and load. Neat concept. I like better the ability to pass a few more gas stations. My truck has over 10K of hard use so far. Not even a single minor complaint. I've towed over 10K# farm implements (slowly), and it handles them fine. My boat weighs over 5K and it will run it up to 70mph if I choose. 70mph into a 30mph head wind going uphill might be another story. Haven't faced that yet. If that happened, it would be infrequent at worst. If I wanted to match my truck to my worst case load scenario, maybe I should have bought a single axle Peterbuilt equipped with 500hp N14 Cummins. Bet that baby doesn't down shift too often. I've heard they are kind of pricey, ride rough, and don't have much rear seat leg room though. Real pain in the [non-permissible content removed] to park too.
i despise driving a vehicle that has to downshift out of overdrive to make it up every little hill when traveling at interstate speeds. that to me is very annoying. therefore, yes, i do like to have a bigger engine that allows me to travel at 75-80 mph without the need for excessive downshifts when traversing every ant hill...that's just the way i like it. and i don't see anything wrong with that given that the larger engine will probably end up getting comparable mpg (vs smaller engine)since it is more relaxed at said speed.
Just picked up my special ordered Quad last week. 200 Ohhhh so smooooth miles. 4.7L Quad 4x4 5sp man has enough power for me. May not be enough for some. 392 gears help with starts and keeps the downshifting to a minimum. If you're going 4.7 I'd say shorter gears are a must.
Agree with you about the personal preference thing. To each his own. Don't agree with your statement about the larger engine getting better gas mileage at those speeds because it is more "relaxed". The big one might get better mileage going up your hill that the small engine has to downshift on. But, the other 99% of the time, the small one (provided it is not overloaded) will do better. As long as an engine will accelerate without downshifting, it is not overloaded. My truck weighs in at about 6k with 1.5 people on board (ought to see that one), full fuel, large set of tools, and other misc. work related items. It has no trouble accelerating from 60 to 70 mph on flat ground (lot of that in SE TX) without downshifting. I guess if someone was chasing me or I was in a race, it would downshift. Just don't drive like that any more. I gave up trying to make a pickup truck haul [non-permissible content removed] many years ago. Another personal preference thing I guess.
words right out of my mouth Twinscrew. E-Mail has not driven a 4.7 to my knowledge so how can he be source of information of this issue? I have another friend how bought a 02 with the 5.9 and he is crying about the gas mileage already at 8,000mi. Maybe the new hemi will get better than the 5.9, but with the kind of HP it is going to have I'm sure it won't be much.
If you think you just have to have a bunch of extra HP under the hood that is going to cost many extra $$$ fine. Everybody their own, but I'm very satisfied with the 4.7 it will run 70-80 mph with out any problem and pull anything I want to pull and get reasonable gas mi. the 95% of the time I'm just driving to work and running around town.
I'm looking at an 02 QC 4X4 with this list of opts: 4.7, Sport package w/ 20" wheels, protection group, trailer tow group, security group, 4wheel antilock brakes, side airbags, rear sliding window, engine heater, infinity stereo, steering wheel audio controls, power pedals, (these came with the sport package, actually saw it on the window sticker) antislip & 3.92 rear. Okay, MSRP showed up as $34,995.00. It's a DEMO and here's the kicker, it's got 4200 miles on it already!!! The "deal" they're giving me is $32+!! I walked away, but they're calling me wanting a deal, asking what I'm willing to pay. With that many miles, any suggestions on what I should pay????
I recommend you tell that dealer to keep his used vehicle. I just bought my 02 Quad 4X2 SLT from Randall Noe in Terrell, TX. I live in Alabama. I picked it up yesterday. The sticker was $27K. I paid $21,200. Not sure where you live but the 625 mile drive home was worth it and very enjoyable. This is the first new vehicle I have purchased in which I am close, if not positive, with regard to equity after day one.
This truck is put together. It handles and rides like a dream. I cannot recommend it highly enough. The dealership in Terrell is also top shelf. I have never seen so many new cars. Talk about high volume. Stack em deep and sell em cheap. They don't have time to screw with the normal give and take the hucks at the local dealerships here do. They quote it, you buy it. When you call, ask for Kelli Ann. She will FAX you the invoice, the sticker, anything else you need. Just be ready to give her the details like options and colors. I assure you, it is in stock. Tell her Lamar told you to call. Questions? JLamar@knology.net.
Don't waste your time on that kind of deal! You should be able to get at least 5 grand off the sticker with the current rebate. Plus I would think twice about buying a demo that has been driven by several young careless kids and who knows with the other joy rides! You should look at the Quad-Cab thread and the Fuel economy thread to get a better picture of what people are paying. Good luck, I hope this keeps you from getting screwed by that dealer.
i always drive 4x4s, and i simply don't think the 4.7l would have enough guts for me if placed in a 4x4 quad. i did drive a 5.9l equipped quad, and was completely underwhelmed with that motor. i can only imagine how the 4.7l would do in such a heavy 4x4 truck, especially when you are pushing it a little. i know dodge has done a good job of selecting decent ratios for the 45rfe automatic, but gas mileage defintely seems to have suffered. for comparison the 4.7l quad is actually rated worse mpg overall than my 5.4l 4x4 s-crew. dodge 13/17 highway, s-crew 14/17 highway. this alone makes me really wonder if the 4.7l is overburdened by the heft of the 4x4 quad. i could be wrong but i have my doubts...
btw, what rpms do your guys' trucks run at 80 mph?? just interested as my s-crew turns over 2100...(3.55 rear end).
Anyone up north looking at paying close to sticker come to Houston and get a great deal. We have Texas sized dealers with acres of trucks. Use the yahoo yellopages for houston and call around or fax a list of what you're looking for and ask for best price, I know a guy who did that and eliminated all bickering.
I wish you lived around the corner from me so we could meet at the stop light for a friendly drag race. My dad has a f-150 4X4 5.4 ext. cab and it does not impress me at all. You better not challenge any 4.7's unless you are ready to eat crow and for mileage my 4.7 is rated 14/19 and my father does not brag at all about his mileage. It is funny to me that everyone that has a 4.7 say's they have plenty of power. While you say they don't and you haven't been around one. One can read a lot of bull s#$#.
The dodge is longer wider and taller. I'm guessing that it may weigh more also. Could that have something to do with the slight mileage diff? My dodge turns 2350 @80mph with 3.55 rear and 275X17 tires. Your ford must have more over in it's overdrive. BTW: wife likes the ford s'crew better than my dodge. Says the dodge is too big. Looks like we will be getting her one soon. They are so much cheaper than a comparable SUV that she's agreed to drive a s'crew instead of a tahoe/suburban. $21,900 + TTL for an XLT 2wd.
my s-crew is an '02 which has the second generation 5.4l and it "goes" very well thank you. btw, based on your mpg, your truck must be the 2wd version, which i'm sure the 4.7l handles just fine. i'm talking specifically about the 4x4 versions. as for racing, your 2wd might beat my 4wd, but you are comparing apples to oranges...
twinscrew,
sitting in a quad, you can tell it's a little wider than an screw. but lack of rear seat comfort, and the absence of a new, modern large v/8 powertrain kept me from buying the quad. it was a nice driving and riding truck, just weren't enough goodies to offset the shortcomings, imo.
Thanks for the advice everyone!! I'm up here in Denver, CO, and I still can't believe that dealer wouldn't budge on the price. I'm having the absolute hardest time up here finding the truck I want!! It's actually amazing how little dealers know about the new Ram! I keep hearing "Well, you can't get the Sport package with 20" wheels and the 4.7. It only comes with the 5.9." Can you believe that???? I've walked out of 4 dealerships already because they honestly don't have a clue, or they're trying to put me in a 5.9. Maybe I will fly down to Texas, buy the truck there and bring it back up here. Trying to get a deal here in CO is turning out to be pointless to say the least.
The features inside the Ram (too long to list here) are the main reason my wife and I chose the Ram over the F150. Correct, the backseat isn't too comfortable for long-haul trips, but then we only plan to put the little ones back there (occaisionally the mother-in-law too) so it fit's out purposes 100%.
OK Folks, how often do you put people (or your mother-n-law) in the rear seat of a supercrew/quad cab? It would be interesting to see how often people use this on a regular basis.
All the time, I use my SCrew for trips to Northern Wisc. 4.5 hours up and 4.5 hours back, trips around town. We also have a 01 durango, wife says the SCrew is more comfortable on trips, son is always in the backseat, hunting buddies sit back there too. Why even buy a truck with 4 useable doors if your not going to use the back seat. And why buy one if you know the back seat is not comfortable.
The list your talking about that is too long to mention.... I have a pretty loaded SCrew XLT and I have stuff on that, that isn't even available on even the SLT PLUS of a ram quad. Plus I would even ride in my backseat myself for any distance, unlike yourself, you save that uncomfortable seat for the kids and mother-in-law.
You talk about the backseat, lets add to that and ask how many people actually use the box on the truck fulltime. I know that the 5 1/2 foot box is plenty of enough room for me. The bigger the box you have, the more stuff you will take on a trip that you will never use and still will have to unpack when you get home.
sure why you Ford guy's are posting on the Dodge board. It looks as if to justify buying a cheap car that looks like a truck!! The only truck Ford has is the heavy duty. Sure you have extra room, but so does most cars.
you should read the march '02 motortrend article that compares 4x4 versions of the quad, s-crew, tundra and gm 1500. it is an interesting read, except for the obvious errors about the ford engine size and tranny...
give it a lookie loo...it basically comfirmed my suspicions about the 4.7l in a heavy 4x4 truck...
btw, you'd be hard pressed to find many cars with as much overall interior volume as a quad or s-crew.
you go again. Still have not answered my question and you actually beleive the Avalanche is the truck of the year? Give me a break and go get with your Ford buddies and leave the real truck owners alone.
Does the XLT have a comparment under the middle of the front seat..no. Does the XLT have storage under the rear seat ..no. Does the XLT have fold out platform to store large items in the rear area..no. Does the XLT have storage areas in the doors that are usable...no. Does the XLT have a trip computer that shows you your actual mpg, distance to empty,etc ...no. Does the XLT have side curtain airbags..no. Does the SLT have a rear entertainment console...no.
Of course I don't use the rear seat, I'm driving. I do like the Silverado 1500 HD backseat, but that's a whole-lotta-truck. The F150 Screw rear seat IS more comfortable than the Dodge but isn't the best either, esp. if you have long legs.
I have the bench seat, it does have a storage in the center seat back or you can get the available bucket seats with center console (dodge doesn't offer buckets) also has room for storing items under the rear seat and storage compartments behind the seat.
I went on line and built a bare bones XLT Screw, that listed MSRP of $30,395 and then I tried a bare bones ST which listed as $26,265 and it was no comparison, I then set out to equip an slt to get up to the bare bones xlt and that listed out at $30,985. Minor differances Dodge- trip computer, heated mirrors,rear underseat storage Ford-rear power point, storage compartments behind rear seat, lockable tailgate,electronic shift on the fly, split bench rear seat with fold flat feature, maximum payload is a 135 lbs more. After going thru this I can see that the SCrew is in a Class by its self. Sure Dodge can offer a cheaper vehicle, but you get what you pay for. I wish you well with your Quad and may the vehicle Gods bless you so that it runs and lasts to your expectations.
Comments
I had a liner that came with my truck, but Rhino's are good. Quality depends on the installer more than anything. Disadvantage is difficulty in removing if you have a wreck and need to repair an area, potential fading of color, but they are very nice IMHO.
Just remember the part time 4x4 can be a pain in snow - you have to switch back and forth on clear streets and snow covered areas. I did a road trip to Maine to snowboard one year and was shifting the transfer case like a manual transmission, and the driving got fun when you hit some slick stuff in 2wd - lots of oversteer with my limited slip rear.
If you go with a tonno cover, get the kind wiht the bolt on rails so you don't have to drill your new Ram's bed to attach.
one thing about trucks, there are lots of accessory options.
Perhaps someone with more accurate information can tell us what the revolutions per mile are for these two as that will be the true determining factor between them, other than aesthetics.
265 70 17 = 31.6
I traded in an 01 Ranger which was a nice truck but this Dodge blows it away. I got the Dodge for invoice minus the $1500 rebate and they gave me only $900 less for the Ranger than what I paid for it new 8 months ago!!!! They actually allowed me the RETAIL value, in excellent condition, according to Kelly Blue Book!!!!!They claim they were behind on their Ram quota for the month and this last sale would get them over the top. They happened to have just taken this truck off the transport truck and it is just what I was looking for; love the 5 speed V8. I must admit; I am VERY impressed with the build quality of this truck. I have been in Hondas for the past 20 years (my other car is a Honda S2000) and haven't ever had any warranty repairs and have found the workmanship and quality of these cars to be up to my exacting standards, well, so is this Dodge. You can believe the ads about "There being a new mayor in truckville".
Bob
Congratulations!!
I'm wondering about the performance of the 5spd/4.7 combo. Keep us up to date!
Good Luck and enjoy
I had six new GMC's and Chevy's they simply are not the mayor!!
the new quads with the 4.7l engine contain different trannies/transfer cases vs the previous generation. however, the 5.9l equipped quads still sport the same old tranny/transfer case. if you want my two cents...i'd either get the 4.7l powertrain, or wait for the hemi this fall. the hemi is coming with new trannies/transfer cases when it debutes...
if you are looking at a 4wd quad, i'd wait for the hemi. that truck is mighty heavy and isn't even propelled that well by the current 5.9l (per test drive experience). i'm afraid the 4.7l will be overwhelmed by such a heavy truck. especially at interstate speeds...jmo. of course someone here with that combo could give you more detail.
Drive a 4.7 and you will see! Mine is rated at 240hp.
how does your truck do with the cruise set to 75 mph on the interstate? does the tranny kick down on every little hill, or is the 4.7l able to hold sufficient speed? just wondering...thanks.
i despise driving a vehicle that has to downshift out of overdrive to make it up every little hill when traveling at interstate speeds. that to me is very annoying. therefore, yes, i do like to have a bigger engine that allows me to travel at 75-80 mph without the need for excessive downshifts when traversing every ant hill...that's just the way i like it. and i don't see anything wrong with that given that the larger engine will probably end up getting comparable mpg (vs smaller engine)since it is more relaxed at said speed.
200 Ohhhh so smooooth miles. 4.7L Quad 4x4 5sp man has enough power for me. May not be enough for some. 392 gears help with starts and keeps the downshifting to a minimum. If you're going 4.7 I'd say shorter gears are a must.
E-Mail has not driven a 4.7 to my knowledge so how can he be source of information of this issue? I have another friend how bought a 02 with the 5.9 and he is crying about the gas mileage already at 8,000mi. Maybe the new hemi will get better than the 5.9, but with the kind of HP it is going to have I'm sure it won't be much.
If you think you just have to have a bunch of extra HP under the hood that is going to cost many extra $$$ fine. Everybody their own, but I'm very satisfied with the 4.7 it will run 70-80 mph with out any problem and pull anything I want to pull and get reasonable gas mi. the 95% of the time I'm just driving to work and running around town.
This truck is put together. It handles and rides like a dream. I cannot recommend it highly enough. The dealership in Terrell is also top shelf. I have never seen so many new cars. Talk about high volume. Stack em deep and sell em cheap. They don't have time to screw with the normal give and take the hucks at the local dealerships here do. They quote it, you buy it. When you call, ask for Kelli Ann. She will FAX you the invoice, the sticker, anything else you need. Just be ready to give her the details like options and colors. I assure you, it is in stock. Tell her Lamar told you to call. Questions? JLamar@knology.net.
i always drive 4x4s, and i simply don't think the 4.7l would have enough guts for me if placed in a 4x4 quad. i did drive a 5.9l equipped quad, and was completely underwhelmed with that motor. i can only imagine how the 4.7l would do in such a heavy 4x4 truck, especially when you are pushing it a little. i know dodge has done a good job of selecting decent ratios for the 45rfe automatic, but gas mileage defintely seems to have suffered. for comparison the 4.7l quad is actually rated worse mpg overall than my 5.4l 4x4 s-crew. dodge 13/17 highway, s-crew 14/17 highway. this alone makes me really wonder if the 4.7l is overburdened by the heft of the 4x4 quad. i could be wrong but i have my doubts...
btw, what rpms do your guys' trucks run at 80 mph?? just interested as my s-crew turns over 2100...(3.55 rear end).
my s-crew is an '02 which has the second generation 5.4l and it "goes" very well thank you. btw, based on your mpg, your truck must be the 2wd version, which i'm sure the 4.7l handles just fine. i'm talking specifically about the 4x4 versions. as for racing, your 2wd might beat my 4wd, but you are comparing apples to oranges...
twinscrew,
sitting in a quad, you can tell it's a little wider than an screw. but lack of rear seat comfort, and the absence of a new, modern large v/8 powertrain kept me from buying the quad. it was a nice driving and riding truck, just weren't enough goodies to offset the shortcomings, imo.
OK Folks, how often do you put people (or your mother-n-law) in the rear seat of a supercrew/quad cab? It would be interesting to see how often people use this on a regular basis.
Paul
The list your talking about that is too long to mention.... I have a pretty loaded SCrew XLT and I have stuff on that, that isn't even available on even the SLT PLUS of a ram quad. Plus I would even ride in my backseat myself for any distance, unlike yourself, you save that uncomfortable seat for the kids and mother-in-law.
You talk about the backseat, lets add to that and ask how many people actually use the box on the truck fulltime. I know that the 5 1/2 foot box is plenty of enough room for me. The bigger the box you have, the more stuff you will take on a trip that you will never use and still will have to unpack when you get home.
you should read the march '02 motortrend article that compares 4x4 versions of the quad, s-crew, tundra and gm 1500. it is an interesting read, except for the obvious errors about the ford engine size and tranny...
give it a lookie loo...it basically comfirmed my suspicions about the 4.7l in a heavy 4x4 truck...
btw, you'd be hard pressed to find many cars with as much overall interior volume as a quad or s-crew.
what in the heck are u talkin' about?? what question??
Of course I don't use the rear seat, I'm driving.
I do like the Silverado 1500 HD backseat, but that's a whole-lotta-truck. The F150 Screw rear seat IS more comfortable than the Dodge but isn't the best either, esp. if you have long legs.
I went on line and built a bare bones XLT Screw, that listed MSRP of $30,395 and then I tried a bare bones ST which listed as $26,265 and it was no comparison, I then set out to equip an slt to get up to the bare bones xlt and that listed out at $30,985. Minor differances Dodge- trip computer, heated mirrors,rear underseat storage Ford-rear power point, storage compartments behind rear seat, lockable tailgate,electronic shift on the fly, split bench rear seat with fold flat feature, maximum payload is a 135 lbs more. After going thru this I can see that the SCrew is in a Class by its self. Sure Dodge can offer a cheaper vehicle, but you get what you pay for. I wish you well with your Quad and may the vehicle Gods bless you so that it runs and lasts to your expectations.