Do you know if there are plans to bring out a crew cab. I got tired of waiting and hearing promises from the dealer that I just bought a GMC 2500HD crew cab. I would trade it, with a loss, in a heartbeat for a dodge crew cab. I already miss my 98 quad cab!
The 2500 and 3500 series will be redone in 2003. From everything that I have read , the body will be identical to the 1500. I do know that the rear seat is much larger and has thier own doors that open conventionally. The 5.7 hemi will be out as the standard engine in the 2500 and 3500 next year.
The ram's "Quad Cab" is almost the size of a Crew Cab. I saw a premie model a few months back, and there's enough room back there for average sized adults. Rear doors about 3/4 the size of the front. I was about to do the same thing you did and get that Chevy Avalanche, but the Ram looks too damn good. And the Hemi will be available in MY 04.
If the dealer is interested in selling one to you, have them call you. I have my salesguy have me on his Dbase.
Is your dealer taking orders yet? Are you ordering one before you are actually able to drive one? You said in an earlier post that the launch date is Sept 15th - does this mean that they will be showing up on the dealer's lots at that time? I am still wavering between the Avalanche and the new 4 dr Dodge Pickup. I drove the Ave and they are quite impressive to drive - not only that but you can't see how ugly they are when you are sitting inside! It seems that the Dodge will be priced a lot less than the Ave - however I have yet to see any detailed pricing for the 2002 Dodge trucks on Edmunds or anywhere else for that matter. When is the detailed pricing info going to be showing up? Thanks for any info you have.
If you know of a large Dodge Dealer, they will get them by the end of the month. You cannot make orders until the end of the month because they have not been released from the factory as "for sale". My dealer, Cerritos Dodge, says that they will have them by AUg. 31, and he will call me then.
However, September 15th will be opening season. ("wabbit season, duck season"). According to my postcard, there will be selected dealers that will have them for display.and yes, orders can be taken then. Here is an estimate of pricing from one site:
Usually these guy's facts are exact(they were on the nose with everything about the Jeep Liberty.)
I spoke with Dodge CS and the rep said that actual pricing will not be out until the end of the month, but it will be barely above the '01 pricing, if not exact. My dealer is also trying to persuade me to get an 01 model. $7000 off sticker of a loaded SLT+ is not bad but not good enough
Thanks for the info. Guess I'll just have to wait for the detailed pricing. I have seen the article at the URL you posted before. Gives you a general feel for the pricing - which as you say seems to be in line with the current pricing for the Dodge Rams. The points I am most interested in with the new Rams are (1) pricing versus the Ave (2) amount of backseat room versus the Ave, and (3) quality of ride versus the Ave. The ride in the Ave that I drove was very commendable and the backseat is great. The high price and the looks are the two drawbacks. Let me know when you actually get to see one and drive it. Thanks again!
have you tried the f150 supercrew? i have one and really like it...and i'm not even a traditional ford man. i too will be looking at the '02 quad, but from pictures, the back seat room looks scrunched compared to the s-crew. only time will tell...
As in Invitation to test drive a new 2002 Ram Quad at a Special Showing in Madison, Wisconsin on Sept 15. But as luck has it, bow season in WI opens that day and I'll be no where near that city. So I did the next best thing, signed up my wife and kid to go test drive it. They will let me know if it's a possibility or not.
DAmmit, people, some dealerships are already taking orders according to Truckville Headquarters (DODGE Customer Service). (877) MEET-MAYOR http://www.meetthemayor.com/ bowhuntwi, I have that postcard, too. Sept. 15 is just a preview day. You can drive it, on and off road, and show people how to tow (to demonstrate the towing abilities). I signed up. And of course, if you want to make deals and buy, Chrysler Financial will be there.
you can now go to http://www.4adodge.com and build an '02 ram! unfortunately it looks like dodge has made some options tough to get. for instance, you can't get the 20 inch wheels on any truck other than an slt+ (the most expensive one). also, you can't get the high tech 4.7l v/8 and 45rfe tranny on the slt+ plus version. that is just plain stupid!
emale, I seriously believe that if you go to the dealer and want those 20's, they'll install them for you (and will be under dodge's warranty). What the factory does not do (in terms of detailing and accessories) the dealer will gladly take care of.
yeah, but they couldn't install the 4.7l/45rfe in an slt+ without a serious financial setback on my part. like i've said before, i can't wait to test drive one. however, i'm not gonna hold my breath. the new quad just looks too small in pictures. plus, altho the 4.7l is a good motor, it will have a tough time propelling the heavy 4x4 version with vigor. and i won't settle for the archaic 5.9l/46re powertrain. when you pay 35k for a truck you should get some powertrain sophistication, which you don't get with that engine tranny combo. if indeed a test drive of the new quad turns out well, and i like it, then i guess i'll have to wait until next fall for the new hemi powertrain. and for those of you who don't think the new quad and ford supercrew are competitors, think again. the pricing of the quad when eqipped similarly to the screw is about the same. looks like i'll probably be sticking with my s-crew for the time being.
emale, i am not arguing with you on that. The Ram Quad starts under $23K, STRIPPED. Ford Screw (S-Crew) starts at around $28, right? But it is no where near stripped. All of those typical options will put up to the price of a supercrew, but will still come under a Chevy Avalanche (Supercrew's main competitor), which starts @ $31K. For me, I'm getting a stripper truck because it will be for play and play only. I don't tow much, and an ATV will be the heaviest thing that will ever be in the bed, so the hemi won't be needed...for now. The ram is the better looking of the bunch, so it's the winner. IF the S-crew came as a stripper, I would have consider that a while back.
If you want an SLT+ you have to get the 5.9 in, I have the 4.7 in my Durango, even though some don't beleive, in my opinion 4.7 will do fine in this truck, it's no longer then an Ext. Cab. I agree they could push more horses out of it. If you equip it with the 3.92 rear end you will be able to pull anything except going heavy duty. I myself from looking over the differant packages would like to swap out more options then they are allowing. Right now, I have a 2YK Ford SD CC with 5.4 and 4.10 LS rear end. It suits my purpose, the V10 was an option but I didn't need it and the diesel was 5 grand more which I also didn't need. Even though Ford and I have had our disagreements, I haven't test drove any that has compared with what I have got. The HD chevy/gmc has cheap looking interior, cardboard sunvisors, narrow buckets, and the list goes on....Dodge doesn't have a crew cab........and this new quad, they are limiting the configurations, so I'll probably stay with my Ford.
I saw another "covered up" Ram this morning on my way to work. This time is was a black HD dualie. It appeared to be a crew cab to the full tilt. This guys refused to acknowledge that i was looking at his tester. i knew it was the ram because of the interior, the door handles, and the location of the model label (which was also covered up.)
Like I said, the quad cab is not as roomy as a s-crew or the gm twins crew cabs, but it is far larger than the xtended cab versions of the competition. However, the HD had rear doors that appeared larger than the QC's rear doors.
it's unfortunate that dodge won't be making a true crew cab for the half ton market! gm and ford totally have this market to themselves. and from what i can tell, ford is selling alot of supercrews, there are everywhere around here!
emale, like you and i said, you have to see the dodge ram QC in person and test it. pictures do no justice. the first 02 ram i saw a few months ago, 1500, it looked like a crew cab. The interior is quite roomy. those pictures you see on the websites are computer generated, not photos. what GM 1/2 ton pickup is crew cab? the avalanche? That plastic coated truck is marketed as an suv. yeah, ford has that market sewn up. i see a supercrew every ten minutes.
The new truck looks much nicer in person than in pictures. No one could answer technical questions and they did not even know that pricing had been released. Rear axle looks like corporate 9.25" + disc. Front suspension looks nicely done but difficult to lift if so inclined. Interior is sharp and there is definitely enough room in back seat for adults. Nice tie downs (like marine cleats) in truck bed. Very solid tailgate. I'm not sure how common this is with modern vehicles but the engine is not centered (a little to the right) in the vehicle so the driveshaft has a compound angle. I don't know if this will effect longevity of u-joints.
On Road Course
I compared with a Chevy Silverado but it was not apples to apples. I believe all the trucks were supposed to be in 4 wheel drive but the Dodge I drove was not and it also did not have ABS which the Chevy did. The instructor gave some lame excuse about the lack of ABS which did not really make sense because part of the course was a swerve and stop accident avoidance drill. The Chevy stopped better but the Dodge handled better and felt more solid. The standard rear wheel only ABS is as bad as ever on the Dodge.
Off Road Course
Got to drive by yourself. Short course but tough. Muddy and extremely rutted great showcase for a very solid chassis and properly working suspension. The truck had regular all-season tires and if had not seen the truck get through the course I would have been skeptical. Also the 4.7 liter engine is very refined. Powerful and quiet.
Tower of Power/Tug of War
I am not an expert and this was likely designed for entertainment but I am a little suspicous. They hooked up the Dodge back to back with each of the following F150, Silverado, Tundra. All trucks were in 4 Lo and had a tug of war. Naturally the Dodge won all the pulls. The announcer was touting power and torque but it seems to me that traction was the key. None of the trucks were power limited, all slowly spun their tires during the pull. The Dodge less than the rest. The surface was concrete and the tires all looked fairly standard. Maybe the Dodge was weighted down somehow to give it a traction advantage?
The Tower Of Power was supposed to be showing towing capacity and implied that the Dodge could lift 8,650 lbs straight up. I don't doubt that any modern truck has the hp/torque to lift that kind of weight but I am not so sure of the traction needed
Spiel
Lots of touting Safety, Style and Value. Unfortunately the neglected to say why 4 whl ABS and side air bags are expensive options. Gave away silly dogtags with Ram on them. A fairly useless gimmick from a marketing perspective since no one would ever wear them. Small pamphlet on truck was available but no real brochures.
thanks gkappel I don't go until September 15th in Alamitos, CA. They can keep them dog tags. I'm looking forward to it, even though now i know what to expect. When i went to DC's Jeep 101 event and test drove and off roaded the Jeep Liberty, they didn't know squat, either.
GM has this same thing called autoshow in motion. their off road course sucks, however. did they feed ? If they don't, i can forget about bringing the family.
Received my new Motor Trend yesterday and it contained an article on the 2002 Dodge Ram trucks. I read it late last night when I was real tired - but the overall impression that it gave me was that the new trucks are a step-up from the previous but no great shakes to get excited over. I will re-read it when I get a chance and perhaps post some thoughts. Anybody else have any comments? Like most of what you read, it will probably have to be tempered by an acutal test drive to really know how well you like the truck.
Well, by the usual postees (wfbarto, emale, bowhuntwi, and myself), we all show great interest, but all have our reasons to be skeptical until we take it for a spin. Most being about the rear seating configuration, horsepower. It looks great in person that's for sure. When I first saw it on the web, i said that's cool looking, but leery. When I saw it in person, I put it on my shopping list. When I priced it on the net, I became back leery. When I test drive it, that is my decision to buy. Now that i found out that at the base price for a quad cab barely comes with the seats and everything is an option, that puts me in skepticsim. Yeah, I agree, it really does not give much ummmph. How can it? After the supercrew, avalanche, heavy duties, and even the toyota tundra (which all made big press news) it doesn't have much to offer that will make it stand out over that. OPTIONAL side Air bags, OPTIONAL 20 inchers and a redo on the shnozz is not enough. But it is enough for me..
i must admit, i'd be much more interested in the truck if dodge had gotten the new hemi powertrain ready in time for '02. i just read at motortrend that the hemi may be delayed until '04! that would not be good!!
and the fact that dodge has been lagging behind the other in the last three years, you would think that DC would put that extra something in the new ram to put it back on top. The last thing they did grand that the others didn't was made a quad cab when the others didn't even have rear doors!
Dodge may speed up the process and put the hemi in just for you, emale.
emale - I agree. If the new hemi was available, the choice would be made without even a test drive! Whatever happened to the V10? How come that isn't being offered in the new trucks?
the only hemi hope is that there has been conficting info about that motors intro. some publications say it will join the engine lineup for '03...other '04 and yet some say it will be available mid '02. only dc knows for sure...and they ain't fessin' up yet!
wfbarto,
the v10 has always only been availabe in the 3/4ton or heavier trucks...never in the 1/2 ton.
Guys. We are close to $2.00 gallon for gas. Dealers can't give away V-10s. If the new Hemi doesn't sip gas, its going to be for people who can afford anything they want or who live in their pickup because that's all they have. The real race is for the new hybrid vehicles or fuel cells that generate hydrogen. I put on a lot miles hauling building materials because I have an older fixer house. I only tow heavy loads a few times a year and then I have the option of using a friend's old 3/4 ton Dodge tank. I would like to drive a pickup as my daily vehicle if it doesn't cost me my whole paycheck to feed it. 10-12 mpg doesn't turn my crank with $2 gas or $2 diesel. The Hemi was god when gas was $.25 a gallon. A Hemi that only gets 10-12 mpg that you can only afford to roll out only on weekends to wax is not how I want to spend the next $27,000.00 for a vehicle. DC if you're listening - Teach the Hemi to sip gas, or start bolting a hybrid engine into the new Ram so that those of us with mortgages and teenagers can still afford to buy and drive a Ram truck!
I too would love to have a Ram as my everyday vehicle, but with a 40 mile round trip to work, I can't do it with gas this high. I have several co-workers who do have Rams or Durangos as everyday vehicles, and they love them...while spending a fortune on gas. If DCX or anyone else could ever massage 16 to 17 miles a gallon out of a V-8, they could not make enough trucks if they wanted to. I will be at the head of that line!
Well, people, one of the "highlights" of the new ram is the "all new" engines that they have. The 3.7 V6, optional on the Jeep Liberty, will be the ram's base engine. It cranks out 210 hp, and is supposed to be about 25% more fuel efficient than the 3.9 pushrod it replaces. The 4.7 V8, optional in the Jeep Grand Cherokee, is another that is supposed to provide more gas mileage, as well. But then again, that engine is in the Durango and the Dakota, and they drink gas like alcoholics.
I also commute 35-40 round trip daily, and that will also be a problem for me, too. The best combination would be of course a regular cab v6 with a 5-speed for us commuters. Apparently NONE of us wants that.
I couldn't agree with you more. A 4x4 regular cab would be great if I had the luxury of just commuting, but I need my vehicle for other things as well. If I have my wife and three year old with me (with airbag off of course) there is no room for anything else. I am sorry to see DCX kill the Club Cabs; they have just enough room for a child in the back or some cargo. The new Quad with full size doors offers much more space, but at a higher price and higher fuel consumption. I guess there are always trade offs in life. You could say that the 5.9 (and the 4.7 too) inhale gas the way a whale inhales plankton. If we really lose our minds, we can take a shot at the V10. The sad reality is that until there are some major technological (spelling?) advances, pick-up owners are going to have pay a WHOLE lot for gas.
hopefully the advent of new cylinder deactivation technology on pickups will help fuel efficiency. i know the new hemi is supposed to contain such techno wizzardry. also, gm is going to this technology in most of the their gasoline truck engines in a year or so.
...in the future, but it ain't gonna do me any good right now.
I believe 2003 will introduce a hybrid Durango. I think that will be a tester to see whether if it sells or if it is durable enough.
At least the great thing about the pickups is that they still can take regular gas. My SUV and car doesn't require the high octane, it DEMANDS it. Here in LA, regular gas is averaging $1.55.
Last month here in WI. regular gas went from 1.39 to 1.93, still at 1.89, but I have seen it at 1.79, with hip hoppin prices in the midwest, I'd be happy at 1.55.
yeah bowhuntwi, I would have to use my Texaco gas credit card to feed the big rig. Of all of the gas brands,Texaco is about the best gas you can get, but it ain't cheap.
gas is around 1.85 for regular in south dakota. so, be happy tavgrad! btw, do you really think there is much difference in the quality of gas from one major distributor to another? i don't subscribe to that school of thought...
About the only difference between the different brands of gasoline are the additives. At least that is the case up here in Alaska. All of our gas comes from the same refinery up here does not matter if it is Texaco or Tesoro, or BP/Williams. I was talking to a manager of the Texaco and he says that all they do is add some detergents to the gas to make their System 3 concoction.
Tav, if somoebody asked you which city would have higher gas, Detroit or L.A., you'd probably guess L.A. and you would be wrong. 87 octane in Detroit is as high as $1.79; I found some for $1.67. How can gas go up .20 overnight? Isn't the gas in the ground already paid for? The crazy thing is, I still want to buy my Ram. I'm 6 foot and 240 and I just like the extra space you get in a truck cab. We have talking computers, cloning of lab animals and instant data transmission all over the world, but we can't figure a way to get 20 miles a gallon out of a truck.
The cab room was a major factor in deciding on my Ram as I have a similar build. 20mpg may be tough, but the GM 5.3 seems to get 17 pretty regular. A friend of mine has one and that's what he gets.
Since I already drive the King of the Crew Cabs, there is no other Crew Cab on the market that has the interior room as the Ford Super Duty has. If you don't believe me, compare the stats. At this time I'm undecided, I'll wait and test drive the new ram, the two varmints on my shoulders are fighting on whether I should trade or not, good sense tells me I should wait until at least late 2002 for the 03's. Gm may have their engine problems figured out by then, the new HD Dodge will be out and I hear Ford will revamp the Super Duties. After next week the wait will be over for this new Dodge, they will spring up everywhere, watch the deals come out for the AV & Supercrews.
In terms of the Gas additives, I'm just going by my vehicles. Lets just say I put 87 octane of Texaco versus 87 octane of Arco. I've squeezed an extra five per gallon, and in commuting, that five per gallon counts. I would have to use 91 or higher of Arco to get the same results. Most of the Major distributors (Texaco/Shell, Mobil, BP) costs more because of the added detergents. THAT is what I heard. tason67, the average pricing of gas varies from sections to cities. LA Airport (LAX) prices are about $1.85-2 bills. Mid LA areas average $1.55. Valley areas are $1.40 BEverly Hills, believe it or not, I saw a Mobil Station last week at $1.40. Tip on squeezing an extra few miles: the bed absorbs some of the aerodynamic wind. Put a tonneau cover over the bed or take the rear gate off when not using the bed. that reminds me. bowhuntwi, I just received a solicited call from a Ford dealer offering me a great program on a supercrew lariat 4x2, and chevy already has been sending me "coupons" for $1000 off towards a 1500 2001 Silverado. They are already trying to make deals. if i were you, i woul wait until 2003, bowhuntwi. I already saw a half covered up "preemie tester" heavyduty ram and it had a crew cab.
emale, well, it works for my toyota...when i put 92 octane in Texaco versus 92 octane of Arco (i don't think you guys have arco), i was able to get about 20-25 extra miles a week (both freeway and innercity driving combined), no joke. Arco is some cheap a** gas. I know that i won't get the same with a 5000+lb v8 equipped full sizer. Anyway, my saleslady from Dodge dealer just called me and told me that they will get about 15 rams between monday and wednesday. After visting the truckville thing, I'll make my decision and place an order, or move on to something else.
Saw a black quad cab with the sport package on it at a local dealer's lot today. They were closed so I just looked at it from the outside and in the windows. To tell the truth, I was a little disappointed. The back seat is noticeably smaller that the Avalanche and the Screw. The interior of the vehicle did not seem to receive much of a re-design and the plastic and trim looked kind of cheap. The rear-end suspension caused the nose to be pointed downward which made the vehicle stance look funny. This was not a loaded vehicle by an stretch - 2wd, cloth seats, no cd, just the sport package. It stickered at $27,500 or so! Had the 4.7 liter and the EPA rating was 14 City and 19 Highway. Overall it took a little wind out of my sails but I will reserve final judgment until after I get inside one and drive it.
i have yet to see one in person. however, i've always been of the opinion that 2wd trucks always look weak/wimpy compared to 4x4s. web pictures of the ram support my opinion.
Comments
And the Hemi will be available in MY 04.
If the dealer is interested in selling one to you, have them call you. I have my salesguy have me on his Dbase.
If you know of a large Dodge Dealer, they will get them by the end of the month. You cannot make orders until the end of the month because they have not been released from the factory as "for sale". My dealer, Cerritos Dodge, says that they will have them by AUg. 31, and he will call me then.
However, September 15th will be opening season. ("wabbit season, duck season"). According to my postcard, there will be selected dealers that will have them for display.and yes, orders can be taken then.
Here is an estimate of pricing from one site:
http://www.car-truck.com/chryed/buzz/b080101.htm
Usually these guy's facts are exact(they were on the nose with everything about the Jeep Liberty.)
I spoke with Dodge CS and the rep said that actual pricing will not be out until the end of the month, but it will be barely above the '01 pricing, if not exact.
My dealer is also trying to persuade me to get an 01 model. $7000 off sticker of a loaded SLT+ is not bad but not good enough
Thanks for the info. Guess I'll just have to wait for the detailed pricing. I have seen the article at the URL you posted before. Gives you a general feel for the pricing - which as you say seems to be in line with the current pricing for the Dodge Rams. The points I am most interested in with the new Rams are (1) pricing versus the Ave (2) amount of backseat room versus the Ave, and (3) quality of ride versus the Ave. The ride in the Ave that I drove was very commendable and the backseat is great. The high price and the looks are the two drawbacks. Let me know when you actually get to see one and drive it. Thanks again!
have you tried the f150 supercrew? i have one and really like it...and i'm not even a traditional ford man. i too will be looking at the '02 quad, but from pictures, the back seat room looks scrunched compared to the s-crew. only time will tell...
(877) MEET-MAYOR
http://www.meetthemayor.com/
bowhuntwi, I have that postcard, too. Sept. 15 is just a preview day. You can drive it, on and off road, and show people how to tow (to demonstrate the towing abilities). I signed up.
And of course, if you want to make deals and buy, Chrysler Financial will be there.
you can now go to http://www.4adodge.com and build an '02 ram! unfortunately it looks like dodge has made some options tough to get. for instance, you can't get the 20 inch wheels on any truck other than an slt+ (the most expensive one). also, you can't get the high tech 4.7l v/8 and 45rfe tranny on the slt+ plus version. that is just plain stupid!
The Ram Quad starts under $23K, STRIPPED. Ford Screw (S-Crew) starts at around $28, right? But it is no where near stripped. All of those typical options will put up to the price of a supercrew, but will still come under a Chevy Avalanche (Supercrew's main competitor), which starts @ $31K.
For me, I'm getting a stripper truck because it will be for play and play only. I don't tow much, and an ATV will be the heaviest thing that will ever be in the bed, so the hemi won't be needed...for now. The ram is the better looking of the bunch, so it's the winner. IF the S-crew came as a stripper, I would have consider that a while back.
Even though Ford and I have had our disagreements, I haven't test drove any that has compared with what I have got. The HD chevy/gmc has cheap looking interior, cardboard sunvisors, narrow buckets, and the list goes on....Dodge doesn't have a crew cab........and this new quad, they are limiting the configurations, so I'll probably stay with my Ford.
I saw another "covered up" Ram this morning on my way to work. This time is was a black HD dualie. It appeared to be a crew cab to the full tilt. This guys refused to acknowledge that i was looking at his tester. i knew it was the ram because of the interior, the door handles, and the location of the model label (which was also covered up.)
Like I said, the quad cab is not as roomy as a s-crew or the gm twins crew cabs, but it is far larger than the xtended cab versions of the competition. However, the HD had rear doors that appeared larger than the QC's rear doors.
like you and i said, you have to see the dodge ram QC in person and test it. pictures do no justice. the first 02 ram i saw a few months ago, 1500, it looked like a crew cab. The interior is quite roomy. those pictures you see on the websites are computer generated, not photos.
what GM 1/2 ton pickup is crew cab? the avalanche? That plastic coated truck is marketed as an suv.
yeah, ford has that market sewn up. i see a supercrew every ten minutes.
gm just started making a heavy-half ton crew cab. intially they were only producing heavy duty crews and of course the gawd awefull avalanche!
Definitely interesting and fun.
The Truck
The new truck looks much nicer in person than in pictures. No one could answer technical questions and they did not even know that pricing had been released. Rear axle looks like corporate 9.25" + disc. Front suspension looks nicely done but difficult to lift if so inclined. Interior is sharp and there is definitely enough room in back seat for adults. Nice tie downs (like marine cleats) in truck bed. Very solid tailgate. I'm not sure how common this is with modern vehicles but the engine is not centered (a little to the right) in the vehicle so the driveshaft has a compound angle. I don't know if this will effect longevity of u-joints.
On Road Course
I compared with a Chevy Silverado but it was not apples to apples. I believe all the trucks were supposed to be in 4 wheel drive but the Dodge I drove was not and it also did not have ABS which the Chevy did. The instructor gave some lame excuse about the lack of ABS which did not really make sense because part of the course was a swerve and stop accident avoidance drill. The Chevy stopped better but the Dodge handled better and felt more solid. The standard rear wheel only ABS is as bad as ever on the Dodge.
Off Road Course
Got to drive by yourself. Short course but tough. Muddy and extremely rutted great showcase for a very solid chassis and properly working suspension. The truck had regular all-season tires and if had not seen the truck get through the course I would have been skeptical. Also the 4.7 liter engine is very refined. Powerful and quiet.
Tower of Power/Tug of War
I am not an expert and this was likely designed for entertainment but I am a little suspicous. They hooked up the Dodge back to back with each of the following F150, Silverado, Tundra. All trucks were in 4 Lo and had a tug of war. Naturally the Dodge won all the pulls. The announcer was touting power and torque but it seems to me that traction was the key. None of the trucks were power limited, all slowly spun their tires during the pull. The Dodge less than the rest. The surface was concrete and the tires all looked fairly standard. Maybe the Dodge was weighted down somehow to give it a traction advantage?
The Tower Of Power was supposed to be showing towing capacity and implied that the Dodge could lift 8,650 lbs straight up. I don't doubt that any modern truck has the hp/torque to lift that kind of weight but I am not so sure of the traction needed
Spiel
Lots of touting Safety, Style and Value. Unfortunately the neglected to say why 4 whl ABS and side air bags are expensive options. Gave away silly dogtags with Ram on them. A fairly useless gimmick from a marketing perspective since no one would ever wear them. Small pamphlet on truck was available but no real brochures.
I don't go until September 15th in Alamitos, CA. They can keep them dog tags. I'm looking forward to it, even though now i know what to expect.
When i went to DC's Jeep 101 event and test drove and off roaded the Jeep Liberty, they didn't know squat, either.
GM has this same thing called autoshow in motion. their off road course sucks, however.
did they feed ? If they don't, i can forget about bringing the family.
When I first saw it on the web, i said that's cool looking, but leery. When I saw it in person, I put it on my shopping list. When I priced it on the net, I became back leery. When I test drive it, that is my decision to buy.
Now that i found out that at the base price for a
quad cab barely comes with the seats and everything is an option, that puts me in skepticsim.
Yeah, I agree, it really does not give much ummmph. How can it? After the supercrew, avalanche, heavy duties, and even the toyota tundra (which all made big press news) it doesn't have much to offer that will make it stand out over that.
OPTIONAL side Air bags, OPTIONAL 20 inchers and a redo on the shnozz is not enough.
But it is enough for me..
Dodge may speed up the process and put the hemi in just for you, emale.
the only hemi hope is that there has been conficting info about that motors intro. some publications say it will join the engine lineup for '03...other '04 and yet some say it will be available mid '02. only dc knows for sure...and they ain't fessin' up yet!
wfbarto,
the v10 has always only been availabe in the 3/4ton or heavier trucks...never in the 1/2 ton.
The real race is for the new hybrid vehicles or fuel cells that generate hydrogen. I put on a lot miles hauling building materials because I have an older fixer house. I only tow heavy loads a few times a year and then I have the option of using a friend's old 3/4 ton Dodge tank. I would like to drive a pickup as my daily vehicle if it doesn't cost me my whole paycheck to feed it. 10-12 mpg doesn't turn my crank with $2 gas or $2 diesel.
The Hemi was god when gas was $.25 a gallon. A Hemi that only gets 10-12 mpg that you can only afford to roll out only on weekends to wax is not how I want to spend the next $27,000.00 for a vehicle.
DC if you're listening - Teach the Hemi to sip gas, or start bolting a hybrid engine into the new Ram so that those of us with mortgages and teenagers can still afford to buy and drive a Ram truck!
I also commute 35-40 round trip daily, and that will also be a problem for me, too. The best combination would be of course a regular cab v6 with a 5-speed for us commuters.
Apparently NONE of us wants that.
i didn't no alcoholics drink gas...well, maybe ethanol blends?
They guzzle down gas like a college frat downing a brew. Is that better?
I believe 2003 will introduce a hybrid Durango. I think that will be a tester to see whether if it sells or if it is durable enough.
At least the great thing about the pickups is that they still can take regular gas. My SUV and car doesn't require the high octane, it DEMANDS it. Here in LA, regular gas is averaging $1.55.
tason67, the average pricing of gas varies from sections to cities. LA Airport (LAX) prices are about $1.85-2 bills. Mid LA areas average $1.55. Valley areas are $1.40 BEverly Hills, believe it or not, I saw a Mobil Station last week at $1.40.
Tip on squeezing an extra few miles: the bed absorbs some of the aerodynamic wind. Put a tonneau cover over the bed or take the rear gate off when not using the bed.
that reminds me. bowhuntwi, I just received a solicited call from a Ford dealer offering me a great program on a supercrew lariat 4x2, and chevy already has been sending me "coupons" for $1000 off towards a 1500 2001 Silverado. They are already trying to make deals.
if i were you, i woul wait until 2003, bowhuntwi. I already saw a half covered up "preemie tester" heavyduty ram and it had a crew cab.
well, it works for my toyota...when i put 92 octane in Texaco versus 92 octane of Arco (i don't think you guys have arco), i was able to get about 20-25 extra miles a week (both freeway and innercity driving combined), no joke. Arco is some cheap a** gas.
I know that i won't get the same with a 5000+lb v8 equipped full sizer.
Anyway, my saleslady from Dodge dealer just called me and told me that they will get about 15 rams between monday and wednesday. After visting the truckville thing, I'll make my decision and place an order, or move on to something else.