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Dodge Ram
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Comments
I too would like to use something made for that purpose. Considering that a lot of people have toppers and would probably like to keep the back reasonably clean, I was quite supprised that the gap was not weatherstripped from the factory.
Two years ago I was ripped off by my local Ford dealer. Although I was upset at the time, I didn't know until now the full extent of it. When it came time to close the lease on the truck I got from him, he again gave me a line of BS and actually got angry with me when I told him I was looking at Dodge. I got the name of another Ford dealer from AutoVantage and called them, but they never returned my call. Two thumbs down for Ford, with an extra boot in the pants for Licardi Ford, Watchung, NJ. I will be sure to wave at them as I drive by in my shiny new Dodge Ram!
I did the route 22 Ford dealers years ago - and I never left with a new one. The Fords I did have were obtained elsewhere, and after the last F-series, you'd have to give me a Ford free to get me to drive one again. And I certainly won't shop ANY dealer on 22...
You are so right! I hit every dealer on Rt. 22 and came up empty. Besides the above mentioned Ford dealer, the so-called Chevy dealer only had ONE truck on the entire lot, and the Dodge dealer pulled the "what do we have to do to get you in a new truck today?" schpiel. This kid was greener than the truck he was trying to sell me. The GM dealer acted like he was wasting his time and wanted to know why such a "little lady" needed such a big truck.
I ended up at Linden Motors (thru AutoVantage) and they have been princes!
Matt D
Cheer up, you aren't missing anything...New Jersey is still the armpit of the nation!!
Please excuse my ignorance if this is a silly question.
Not a silly question at all:
Truck Trend's current newsstand issue has a test of 4x4 extended cab short-bed half-tons, so expect it on their website (www.trucktrend.com) soon.
Motort Trend has a compariosn of two wheel drive trucks at
http://www.motortrend.com/august98/trux/trux_f.html
A fairly lame road test can be found at
http://www.fourwheeler.com/newtrucks/ptoty/98/dodge.html
Ever sincew I-78 was finished, route 22 just hasn't been the same
No one has tested a 99 Ram 1500 yet, because outside of the Sport model trim changes, there's nothing really to test. Expect plenty of tests in 2000 when the 4.7L oHC V8 replaces the 318, as well as the rumored Quad Cab changes (Trex reports in his topic #486 that the Quad may be enlarhged next year).
Thanks, kcram. I, too, was looking for info on the 99 Ram 1500. I assumed there weren't any road tests done because it's not "new".
You will be very hard-pressed to get a rebate on a 3500 unless you qualify for Farm Bureau or commercial discounts. I have a 96 3500 Club, and it was ordered and delivered at the negotiated price. Many Dodge dealers will be reluctant to do much else, simply because the 3500 is such a low-demand truck, especially when customer-ordered. If you back out of the deal, they may have trouble selling it off the lot.
Tolleyack, look into a business rebate. You can also save more money on the back end (finance rates) then what you can do on the front). Go and set up a home business, make sure that you get your tax ID#. Use this for your rebate, (If we still have them on Business). This may allow you to have a deduct for the I.R.S.
I'M NOT A C.P.A. OR A LAWYER, HENCE, I AM NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE LEGAL OR TAX ADVISE OF ANY KIND.
Matt D
http://members.xoom.com/99overNvoice/Index.htm
Love your website. Too bad I don't live near Albuquerque. Unfortunately, the trip out there would negate any savings I might get from you! You wouldn't consider moving back to Jersey......?
Just an update on my truck - I'm waiting for a call back with the build/delivery dates. I feel like such a pest calling these guys so much, but OH! the waiting is a killer!
How many miles do you have on your truck now?
Thinking of trading my reg cab for a quad. Do you have any clearance problems with your 5th wheel and the cab when turning? How sharp a turn can you make? Do you have an extended kingpin? We'll planning a trip to Disney World in June.
Take care,
Ron
Watch for it and then let us know what you think!
Bonnie Rick
Town Hall Community Manager, edmunds.com
Disney World sounds great. Let me know how it goes there. I want to do that one in the next year or so.
Good to hear from you...Mike
I know it's only been 3 weeks since the order was placed, but shouldn't they at least have some info by now? Is it true that small dealerships are a lot slower getting delivery? When I ordered the truck I explained to the sales manager that I only had until the end of March to keep my old truck.
Anyone have any experience with Ram orders?
----------------
Ok, I just read the Edmund's Road Test, Bonnie mentioned above, and I'll try not to get too wordy
1) It's Cummins, not CumminGs - those of us who own one can always tell when a "newbie" got hold of one with this misspelling.
2) The active redline of the engine is just 3200 rpm, and the idle redline is 3500. If Mr. Brauer really did get his truck up to 4000, I'm sure someone at Cummins would like to speak to him. The torque rating is only 460 lb-ft, according to both Cummins and Dodge, not 480.
3) The brakes were functioning properly (unfortunately); one must remember how much that engine weighs. The Cummins makes the Ram extremely nose-heavy, reducing the contribution by the rear brakes. Despite it's much smaller displacement, the Cummins weighs some 300 pounds more than the V10, and you can feel it as you drive empty. As a clue, look at it this way - just one cylinder of the Cummins is the approximate displacement of the entire three cyliner Geo/Chevy Metro engine.
4) The cupholders on Rams with automatic transmissions is completely different than the floor scoops in the manual trans console. They can just about hold a Thermos steady.
Ram 2500s are more often sought by people who regulalrly pull a trailer, and are more interested in strength than a luxury car ride. The 1500 is a much better "car replacement," offering excellent performing V8s and softer springs.
Now, on the plus side:
Rams DO turn heads. I have had appreciative glances and comments over nearly 3 years from little kids to professional truckers. I had a guy in a Benz roll down his window in traffic to tell me what a beautiful truck I had - at the time, it was in serious need of a bath (my Ram is solid black), so to me, it was nothing to look at.
The purchase price of the Cummins is all relative. Yes, you pay approximately 4 grand more than a V10, but after 32 months of service, my Ram still wholesales at $2000 more than the V10, so I'm already almost even in terms of fuel savings alone. Of course, diesel and regular unleaded have to be close in price where you are to make quick work of that discrepancy.
The rear seat is much roomier than it looks. After years of Ford Super Cabs, I found the Ram's back seat room like night and day in comparison.
Overall, I give the road test an "ok". It promoted the car-like features more than its towing and hauling abilities, thus the truck's purpose seems to be lost in the report.
I wonder if we'll ever see a review of the new corvette with 'When hooked up to my 37' 5th wheel, this car had almost no power and sank tremendously in the back.'?
I plan to try to be there when the wheels touch ground at the dealer. Mine will look something like the one in the Edmund's 2500 review - same color, chrome wheels, cab clearance lights - but mine has the long bed and no sport package. I like the chrome grill better than the color match. I'm getting chrome sidesteps put on, and a high-top cap with lots of windows. Also getting the bug shield and window guards - I have them on my old truck and love them.
I can't wait!! Something tells me I'll be getting plenty of attention with this new truck - it's gonna be a beaut!
If it's still on a newsstand near you, grab the Winter issue of Open Road. They tested a Ram 2500 Cummins against an F250 Powerstroke. And guess what - they actually pulled boats through the mountains! In fact, it was the OR test of the Ram Club Cab Cummins back in 1995 that sealed my decision on buying one. In that report, they wedged some small trees and a wooden picnic table (with benches) in the bed from a local nursery, and said the Cummins didn't even notice. The writers fully understand they're driving TRUCKS, and they don't bore you with how well it does or doesn't do on the Rubicon like the off-road/4x4 mags. OR is put out by Road & Track, and unfortunately only comes out 4 times a year with no subscriptions (yet). When they do allow subs, that will be the first truck mag I will have subscribed to in almot 20 years.
Brawny, did you expect good mileage with a 3500 QC and 410 rear? What do you want to know about it? my 1500 QC w/ 355 rear end get about 10-12mpg city and 13-15 mpg hwy. If you are somewhere in this vicinity, I would say you are doing really well for your truck setup.
is Here. Enjoy!
What engine do you have? if you have the 5.9, i would expect about 12mpg. if you have the v10, i would expect 8-10 mpg.
Congradulations on your new Dodge Ram. Hope it comes in time for valentines day.
Maybe he considers Missouri "up north." I don't know - I didn't ask him where it was built. When I find out, I'll let you know.
My friends are already sick of hearing me talk about my new baby, so I figured I'd bore you guys with all the details. Stay tuned for more mind-numbing junk! :-)
Thank you. You are a gentleman and a breath of fresh air in this sometimes-antagonistic truck debate.
The truck I'm trading in is an F150 4x4 extended cab, and I absolutely LOVED it. The reasons I went with Dodge were: a) The Ford dealership kept trying to screw me, and; b) The Dodge dealer treated me like family. Besides, Dodge makes a good truck.
I rejected Chevy mostly because they left the 4th door off their new truck. I'm also not crazy about the look of the Chevy - boring.
So here's the details on the truck of my dreams:
Ram 1500 Quad Cab SLT 4x4 long bed
5.2 automatic
Intense blue w/mist grey interior
Travel convenience group
Rear underseat compartment
Sliding rear window
Remote keyless entry
Cab clearance lamps
Fog lamps
AM/FM stereo w/CD, cassette and equalizer
Steering wheel mounted audio controls
Chrome wheels
Bedliner, high-top cap, chrome sidesteps,
window guards and bug deflector
The only options I dropped were the 8-way power seats and the upgraded tires. Other than that, it's loaded.
Two more weeks and it's mine, mine, all mine!!
(Sorry, got carried away {*_*} )
Sounds like you have one heck of a truck coming your way, and I hope you enjoy it for years to come. When you order a vehicle, you might as well get it exactly the way you want it.
And, ladyblue, it's O.K. to get excited, I would worry if you didn't.
I hope everyone is driving their new trucks, whatever make they may be, real soon.
Here's how to find out your Ram's birthplace. If you have your VIN already, if it's a St. Louis product, the first digit will be 1. If your Ram speaks Spanish like mine, the first digit will be a 3.
I found out that my truck is coming from Mexico. Guess the salesman didn't know that when he said it was coming from "up north."
Seems there was also some confusion regarding the bedliner and steps - I thought they were going to give me a break on these items, but I found out today that it will cost me MORE to have the dealer install them than if I look elsewhere. Oh well, miscommunication and all that.
Any advice on truck accessory places in NJ? I know of a couple, but I want to compare prices.
Truck accsessory places in NJ:
Meyers Speed shop on RTE 33 in Mercerville
Sand and Hill on RTE 130 in New Brunswick (expensive)
Rich (Fellow Ram Owner 98 4x4 1500 Club Cab)
Thanks for the leads. Here's what I did - I called both places you gave me and got prices from them. I also called Monmouth Truck Accessories, and they had the lowest price. Then I called Suburban Cap in Oldbridge (where I'd ordered my cap). Originally, Suburban was too high, but when I told them what I wanted and what their competitors were asking, they came down in price. They were still $20 higher than Monmouth but I'm getting better quality products and the convenience of having it all done in one place. I'm one happy trucker!!!
I ordered a 99 QC Cummins with 6 speed manual at the beginning of Jan. Dealer originally said available Jan. 5. Dealer says it is not on hold. The www.wheels.com site shows it on hold until Jan 25 now. Also shows limited slip on hold until March. Looks like Lady Blue will get her truck before I do.
Ed
Sorry to hear about your hold up. Mine's probably coming in so soon because it's just the "baby" 1500 5.2 automatic. Seems like those who order bigger have to wait longer. Hang in there.