Dodge Ram Quad Cab

dustyk · July 2002

......in the two trucks was only one year and 4,646 miles. I might add that from the appearance of these two rental units, the Dodge probably had more real truck use since the box was fairly scarred up when I picked it up. The Ford had seen some use, but nowhere near the same level. The Ford had only a little more than 8000 miles on it, hardly time to "abuse" such a well engineered, quality assembled vehicle. It is impossible to judge how either vehicle had been driven or used, but that of course works both ways.

My purpose, by the way, was to get a reading on the two vehicles I'm considering after they have some miles on them. I would have liked to get a Dodge with more miles, but this was one of only two RAM QC available in the Rochester area, and I had to get on a waiting list for the date I needed. There were no 2002 SuperCrews available through my rental company in this area.

I had five SuperCrews to select from, this one the only 5.4 that was available in my time frame.

The comment about resale value is circumstantial at best. When I ran comparably equiped Ford and Dodge full size trucks through the Kelly Blue Book On-Line site, I got 11,330 and 11,025 respectively, a difference of $325 in favor of the Ford.

Since I don't know what the comparable initial list price is, the Ford could've been more expensive thereby washing that $325 or at least reducing it to something less. For people like me that keep a vehicle ten years or more, the difference of resale value at the end of term is almost a ridiculous notion anyways.

Then there's the "average actual price paid." From what I know and have been told, the Dodge is usually discounted more (you know, because nobody wants them). If this is true then the average actual price paid could be lower for the Dodge thus making the Ford-Dodge differential even less. This, too, is circumstantial since any one initial purchaser may pay more or less than somebody else.

Then there's the "local market prevails." I checked the dealer ads tonight and the Auto Trader. I found only a couple of really direct comparisons, but it looks like Dodge resale values are higher around here, at least judging from the asking price. Then there's market flood. Try to get a decent trade-in price on a Ford Explorer around here. And there are a lot of F150s around, too.

One more thing. If the Kelly-quoted $325 over a Dodge is impressive to a Ford guy, then how do they feel about the Chevy being $1870 more in resale value then the Ford?

Dusty

emale · July 2002

dusty, have you been over to pickuptruck.com? overall i'd say those guys seem fairly satisfied with their new dodge's, except for some paint and front end alignment problems there haven't been too many negative posts.

as for resale, chryslers in general aren't real good, but i think that will gradually change over time...especially with the permanent 7/70 warranty now in effect.

i've always liked dodge, but until they develop a decent sized crew cab that can also fit adults in back in comfort, i won't switch.

and frankly when i test drove a new '02 last fall, i was underwhelmed and saw little reason to trade...

twinscrew · July 2002

I drive an 02 quad ram 4x4 and wife drives an 02 2wd s'crew. My Dodge has close to 30K miles of hard use. No problems other than tires. Those 17 inchers aren't cheap.

My truck seems to ride more smooth and is more stable than wife's s'crew. I don't like the rear instability that her truck has. If you make a quick lane change, the rear end seems to still be loose after the front has stabilized. I know there is a technical term for that but I can't come up with it. I even took her truck out to the farm and lifted the rear off the ground to make sure something wasn't loose or missing. I bet a little tighter shock valving would help, but that would make the ride even rougher. Neighbor has a Ford similar to wife's and he runs his tire pressure at 30 psi to smooth out the ride. I bet a quick steering correction at speed in his truck could get interesting.

My 3/4 grown teenagers do like the back seat of her truck better than mine. I value the extra room in the bed more than their comfort. I don't haul them around very much anyway. Family trips are done in the Ford.

emale · July 2002

for those of you interested...the '03 heavy duties are now in production...here is a cut and paste from daimler media...

First Edition Dodge 2003 Heavy Duty Ram 2500 Built in Mexico
Auburn Hills, 07/19/2002 - The first edition of Dodges 2003 Heavy Duty Ram 2500 rolled off the assembly line in Saltillo, Mexico, last Friday. In a ceremony Plant Manager Alberto Gonzalez complimented the staff and the Jeep® and Truck Engineering team on a job well-done and challenged the plant staff to work for a number- one J.D. Power ranking. Production of the powerful new 5.7-liter Hemi® engine, which powers many of the big Ram 2500 trucks, was recently launched at the Saltillo Engine Plant complex.

b360 · July 2002

Re: sawdin...last year I towed a 24 ft deck boat 600mi round trip with no ill effects. 318 v8 auto 3.55 gear, NO towing package!

alexleebr · July 2002

This may seem like a silly question, but I'm just paranoid about dealers trying to pull one over on me. I'm looking at a 2002 Quad SLT and wanted to add the tow package. According to the dealer, this is something that they do there at the dealership. I can see possibly the tranny cooler being done there, but seems like to me something like anti-slip should be something factory installed. Thanks for your help.

tyfusleroy · July 2002

I have always had a Chevy until last week when I decided to buy a new Dodge. I couldn't resist the 20 inch wheels. It has a trailer/tow package and the 3.73 gear ratio. I was a little leary because I have just never been a Dodge fan, but the looks and features won me over. Right off, I had to tow a 25 foot pontoon boat with it and it pegged out at 62mph going on a very slight incline. I had the peddle to the floor and couldn't get any more juice. I couldn't believe it. The 5.9 litre motor didn't have near the power my 5.3 01 Chevy had. On top of that, when I stopped to get gas, it was only getting 7.5mpg with the boat behind it. I'm sick. I called the dealer after only having it for three days and they wouldn't let me bring it back. Can anyone offer any info on here that might help me get some confidence back in this truck? Any input would be helpful. Is there a chip available to increase power and/or mileage? Thanks Tyfusleroy

dustyk · July 2002

A couple of observations.

First, you only had the vehicle three days and in that time you couldn't have put too many miles on it. Although the owners manual may not proscribe against it, asking a new vehicle that's not broken in yet to match something that had 30, 40 or 50K on it is not a fair comparison, both in performance and fuel consumption.

Second, you might be surprised what the actual final drive ratio is with the 3.73 axle and 20-inch tires. Without doing the math I'd say your actual final ratio is lower than your previous truck.

You didn't state what the combined trailer and boat weight was.

You didn't state what configuration your previous truck was, other than it had the 5.3 motor. Was it a 4x4? Automatic? What axle ratio and tire size?

I occasionally drive a 2-wheel drive Silverado with the 5.3 motor. I think they're more than adequate, but I know it hasn't the torque or power of the 5.9 Dodge.

I'd give it some miles and recheck it again. I suspect you'll see a difference once it get broken in.

Good luck,
Dusty

emale · July 2002

actually i'm pretty sure the 5.3 chevy has more horsepower (around 285) than the 5.9l (245) but slightly less torque (325 lb/ft) vs 5.9l (345 lb/ft). from what i've read the 5.3l chevy is a damn decent motor...and consistently outdoes the competition from ford (5.4l) and dodge (5.9l) in comparison tests. hopefully the new hemi will eclipse both the 5.3l and 6.0l chevies in towing, acceleration and overall driveability and refinement.

dustyk · July 2002

Won't challenge the HP specs, but the Silverado I drive during hunting season doesn't seem any stronger than any 5.9 Dodge I've driven.

Maybe it's my "seat-of-the-pants" feel that's off!

Dusty

peppe1 · July 2002

The tow package does not include the limited slip rear end. So you are right that option should be done at the factory. The only thing the dealer will do is bolt on the hitch to the bumper and add a wiring harness. From the factory the same hitch is welded to the bumper mounts. The Tranny cooler is the same with or without the tow package. A bigger battery is also an upgrade with the tow package

pushplay · July 2002

As many of you already know the 02 Ram is by far the best half-ton truck on the planet. The Ford and Chevy may have more optional rear cab room, but that is all they have. This is the best engineered, built and assembled truck I have ever had "this is my sixth in 11 years". This truck is defenitly not under powerd with the 4.7. The other day I had to tow an old International 2 ton truck in two town. My father inlaw said that most of the time he was riding the brakes so that he would not hit me and it pulled it with out any problem.
I can not imagine how much power the new heavy duties will have with the hemi and high output Cummins.
I can simply not say enough about my Ram!!

emale · July 2002

nope, here would be the best half ton truck on the market...imo

dodge styling with s-crew interior room and king ranch or harley davidson interior package/detailing. s-crew overall length and hemi hooked up to the 4L80E gm tranny.

i'd take mine in BLACK!

trucktricks · July 2002

Yep, it all adds up. Sounds like your problem is a combination of several things. You are down 40 HP from the 5.3 Chevy out of the box, you have a stiff new vehicle (full break-in doesn't really happen until 5000 miles) - 10 HP, you have 4 wheel drive now and 2 wheel drive before? - 5 HP, and you may not be in the high rev range with the Dodge - 20 HP. All total you are off 75 HP which could easily amount to 15 MPH going up a 3-4% grade.

With time, you will get the 10 HP back and some improvement in fuel economy but the Chevy is rated at 15/19 city/hwy and the Dodge is rated at 11/15 city/hwy so you will always be using more fuel.

The 5.3 is a pretty good motor....

jkulp42757 · July 2002

Hi everyone. Finally got my truck I ordered !!!!

2002 Quad Cab SLT- Black with 20 inch wheels and sport package, trailor tow package, infinity stereo, dark slate premium cloth interior.

It rides really well, better than I thought it would with the 20's.

I have had it for 3 days and noticed that it goes off a little to the right at times down the highway. Should I get this checked out?

Also. A few times when I have it in reverse and the steering wheel locked(fully turned)it makes a clicking noise backing up...is this normal? It doesn't happen everytime, but it has a few. It has always been in 2Hi. I haven't had a full size 4WD truck before so I have no idea what the sound could be.

Thanks

dustyk · July 2002

While at my Chevy dealer recently I noticed 12 or 13 engine blocks sitting on the shop floor. These had apparently been removed from existing vehicles and some were tagged. I asked one of the tech's about them and he said they were returns, going back to reclaim. Questioned further he said they were all truck engines, most of them 5.3s. I think he said there was one 6.1.

Anyway, they were replaced for piston slap, according to him. I had a chance to examine a few and on one there was noticeable chatter marks on one cylinder. Couldn't see marks on others. Now my friends Silverado does make a little noise at start-up which I thought was noisy lifters at first, or wrist pin noise from low oil pressure. His uses about one quart of oil in 800 miles. He complained about it but they said anything over one quart in 400 miles was okay.

Dusty

P.S. There were a stack of about 20 used torque converters behind the parts counter, too.

emale · July 2002

dusty,

you sure make the rounds...visiting your chevy dealer...asking around at tranny shops about repairs...how do you find time to work??

themanx · July 2002

Sounds like you have the same truck I ordered! Took me 2 months to get my black 02 with the 20's!

I do not have any pulling or clicking. I have had mine for 2 months. My only complaint is I am only getting about 12 mpg's with my heavy foot. But man does it tow my 18 foot boat good!

Stan

obyone · July 2002

RE: your post

dustyk Jul 24, 2002 9:34pm

I know a GMC and a Chevy SM on a first name basis. They state that GM will not support replacement of the 4.8, 5.3, and 6.0 engines due to knock on startup. GM has issued a TSB no. 01-06-01-028 on 12/01 stating "GM Powertrain Engineering, and an analysis of engines with this condition, has confirmed that the noise is not detrimental to the performance, reliability or durability of the engine.

THIS NOISE DOES NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE LONGEVITY OF ANY OF THE ENGINE COMPONENTS"

Could you post the name of the dealership that you visited as I'm curious to know how they convinced GM to R/R these motors. If you rather not post the name, you will find my email address under my profile. Thanks.

dustyk · July 2002

........I have occasion to get there for parts.

The dealer is Doyle Chevrolet, Webster, New York.

When I said recently, this was back in March, I believe.

I'm surprised to hear about the GM position on this. I know of one person who did get an engine replacement about 6 or 7 months ago, but in all honesty I'm not sure I remember what it was replaced for.

Dusty

peppe1 · July 2002

I think this is a dodge board.

alexleebr · July 2002

I'd like to get some input on a truck I'm considering...There is a big push by Houston Dealers to sell 2002 Lonestar Edition Quads, which include 5.9, auto, SLT, CD at $ 20,399, which is to me, a pretty incredible price. Was wondering about the reliablity/durability about the 5.9, mainly because I will be pulling a 2 horse trailer with it. The best the local dealers here in Baton Rouge can do is $21,495 on a 4.7 SLT. Thanks.

jcmdie · July 2002

The 5.9 has been around a long time and is very reliable. It does consume more than its fair share of gas, however.

redramqc · July 2002

I had both those problems. The clunking noise was found to be the lower control arms binding against the frame. According to my printout from the dealer, the fix was to remove and properly re-install. They also replaced the rack & pinion and rotated and balanced the tires. It took two visits to the shop, and over a week of downtime, but it's fixed.

wwhite2 · July 2002

The horsepower/torque diesel war continue 305-555ft. lbs.. I wonder if dodge auto transmissions are up to the task. They need an Allison unit now .

jkulp42757 · July 2002

Thanks for the reply, I'll get it checked out!

b360 · July 2002

Baton Rouge to Houston is along ways to go to save a thousand just my opinion.

gunship68 · July 2002

I was at my local dealer Sat. looking at the 2002 1500 quad. The salesman and I were talking about engines and what is new in 2003 for the 2500 and 3500. He mentioned that he thinks that the Hemi will be an option for the 2003 1500 (out in Oct.) Has anyone heard this? While I am on the topic of the Hemi, the only thing I know about it is that it means hemispherical combustion. Can someone explain that to me and why it is good/bad..(or point me to a discussion or link).

Also, the 20 in wheels are great except they are a little to "stylish" I think the front end is a bold enough statement. I don't suppose you can get a different style of 20 in wheel from the factory??

Thanks

themanx · July 2002

I have the 20's on my Black 02, QC with the sport package.. all black but the 20's do make the truck look great.

At first I did not like them, but the more I looked at all the rims that I could get, (I ordered my truck), the 20's are a clear choice.

Not only do they ride good, but the stopping power of those tires are super.

Stan

obyone · July 2002

to replace those 20's?

jkulp42757 · July 2002

Tirerack.com has the 275/60/R20 for $130 per tire.

whotheman · July 2002

And you can get a stick with it! That will be the perfect truck! 20" wheels, 345HP Hemi engine, and a manual tranny. My prayers have been answered!

gunship68 · July 2002

Is that a more efficient engine...ie better gas mileage??

dustyk · August 2002

On paper the hemi will produce just over 1 HP per cubic inch, and slightly more torque than a non-hemispherical combustion chambered motor. However, that is only one form of efficiency. Producing that much horsepower has a price. If they reduce RPMs through lower numerical axle ratios, then maybe it could produce better fuel consumption in a vehicle platform.

But 345 HP versus a 245 of the old 360 would sort of lead me to believe that it's going to burn more fuel.

What kind of fuel consumption do the 300+ Ford and GM trucks deliver? I'd expect the new hemi to be somewhere in the neighborhood.

Dusty

emale · August 2002

according to a dodge press release on the new heavy duties, dodge expects the hemi to gain 1 mpg over the old 360 cube. they didn't specify whether that would be city/highway or both. and it only applies to the 3/4 ton or heavier trucks. i would presume that with more torque and hp (therefore less strain on the engine to move said truck), and a 5 speed automatic that the hemi powered truck should do better than the old and stale 5.9l motor. only time will tell but i certain hope its highway mileage is better than the 15 mpg that the 5.9l quad is rated at!!!

tacitus · August 2002

I'll be getting a 2500 Quad Cab SLT to tow a 5th wheel RV (28-foot) that will weight 10,000 - 11,000. With all the talk about the new hemi and the 5-speed manual, I'm thinking about waiting and getting a 2003 edition. I'm interested in comments on the ability of the drive train to handle the load and suggestions on wheel size, rear end ratio, etc.

vmaam · August 2002

Hello All: I've narrowed down my choices to either a V8 Toyota Tundra Access cab or a 2003 Dodge quad cab. I like the new Dodge and all the room but the reliability of the Tundra is pulling me also. Should I take a chance on the Dodge? The price difference is small.

I will be driving about an 80 mile commute but from what I see there's only a difference of 1 mpg between the two.

Thoughts?

jkulp42757 · August 2002

Funny you should narrow it down to those two.

Four Wheeler magazine had those two 1 & 2 (Toyota #2, Dodge #1) in their 2002 Pickup Truck of the Year Competition.

I also like, and test drove the Tundra. However, I ultimately went with the Dodge for the following reasons:

1. I went with the new 4.7 engine and new transmission to ease the reliability issues.

2. Tons more storage space and room in the Dodge, especially in the rear seats.

3. 4 doors that fully open. Just so much better than the suicide type doors on the Tundra.

4. 20 inch wheels baby !!

Have you read the article in Four Wheeler mag? If not, let me know your email address and I can send it to you.

sparky477 · August 2002

I have a 2001 Quad Cab, 5.9l 4-sp auto.... As for towing, I pull a 23' boat and gear, (approx 5k) without a problem, I usually pull at about 60-62mph. Power with the 5.9l has never been a problem, and so far, the only steep grade that has ever slowed me down was the 241 toll road off the 91 here in So. Cal.... Even then, the truck pulled down to 2nd, and pulled just fine. Mileage averages about 8-9 towing, and 12-15 city/highway... I have pulled the same boat with a friends Chevy, and besides a noticible lack of power, we got about 5-7 mpg with his 5.3l. So far, I have about 70k on the truck with no major problems, just the usual stuff like brakes and maintenance...

vmaam · August 2002

Thanks JKULP, I was able to get hold of the article. Good review. I am going to use the truck to commute around 80 miles per day and park in a parking deck so I'm really torn. I think maybe the Toyota would be better for my purposes but the Dodge is really impressive.

I also want to keep the truck until it falls apart. What to do? What to do?

bcd99 · August 2002

Go to allpar.com Not affiliated with Mopar or DC but that site is good for anything and everything Mopar related, cars,trucks engines, etc.

whotheman · August 2002

That the new Ram is the best. MT said it was the Silverado.

And the July C&C says the Silverado is the best large Pick-up, after it got WHUPPED in the C&D comparison? I wrote them a letter on that!

Looks and style definitely go to the Ram. Quality and Resale go to the 'Yota!

The New Hemi would make me go Dodge! That engine is best-in-class, easily!

rudedog1 · August 2002

Just a thought... This new 5.7 Hemi Magnum engine seems to get it's higher 345 HP at 5600 RPM's... Not your average cruising area. The 5.9l has 245HP at 4000 RPMs Let's compare apples to apples... what kind of HP will this new Hemi have at 4000 RPMs and does anyone know about the gas mileage. If you need to rev higher to get this power, that is going to affect the mileage.

jkulp42757 · August 2002

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/roadtest/69028/article.html

jkulp42757 · August 2002

I thought they scored it a little low myself with a 6 (I am guessing 10 is the best, I'm not sure what their grading scale is).

They did mention this:

"One minor distraction, though: There was a rattle in the driver-side door when the sound was turned up."

I have the infinity system and this happens on mine also, even with the bass low and volume pretty low. Turn up the volume and bass and it goes away (or just can't hear it because of the higher volume). It is very annoying to me though...does anyone know how to fix this?

Thanks

jkulp42757 · August 2002

Hi everyone,

I love my 20 inch wheels, my only complaint is that I wish the tires were a little more aggressive. They are definitely a street tread.

Now that Dodge has 20 inch factory wheels/tires, does anyone think that other manufacturers will come out with some different tires, such as an A/T?

Only tires available right now are the Wrangler HPs.
Thanks

themanx · August 2002

I have the 7 speaker Infinity system in my 02 QC and I also get rattles when the bass and volume are up.. kinda sucks when I want to jam, I get noise out of the door and dash panels.

stan

peppe1 · August 2002

Here is a link to the TSB for the door speakers in the 2002 1500 infinity speaker.

http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2002/08-006-02.htm

This should help.

themanx · August 2002

Curious if anyone has performed this TSB on their
QC's and if it worked for them?

thanks!
stan

gunship68 · August 2002

OK I'm not much of an audiophile but what exactly are the protective covers protecting against?....and if they are now cut out there is nothing to "protect" the speaker cone! So there is a short term solution that may turn into a longer term problem, probably after the warranty expires. Is this a problem in all of the Infinity door speakers or just the door speakers in the Ram? Am I making a fuss over nothing?

Dodge Ram Quad Cab

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles