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Dodge Ram Quad Cab
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Comments
I do not like the idea of cutting off the protective cover...it's got to be there for a reason right?
Thanks in advance.
The manual used in the 1500 is NOT a heavy duty unit, nor is one available. The heavy duty manuals are used in the 2500 and 3500. In most cases, the automatic is the stronger tow in 1/2-tons, while the manual is the better dragger in 3/4 and 1-tons.
kcram
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The difference in mileage will be negligible at best.
http://www.investmentforum.net/ram.html
Let us know what you think.
in it.
I am interested in that cold air induction. My boss just put one in his Suburban.
stan
Due to some back problems I swapped my rental Stratus for a rental Quad Cab on a recent trip. It was an SLT, 4.7/automatic, 2WD with about 8K on it. I rented it in Florida. Running back and forth to the beach with A/C on and hitting 65-70MPH it returned 17-19MPG consistently which pleased me. Overall mileage during the mix of city/"highway" was about 15. I was quite pleased with that. I still vacillate about the value of/need for 4WD vs. 2WD. While I do reside in the northeast and it would enhance resale value, there's no denying the amount of options you can buy for the difference in 2 and 4WD... Ah well...more to ponder..
Dusty
I would not worry about it because sometimes it is better to leave things alone, however there are only four bolts(SWB) that hold it to the frame. The service manual is misprinted on the page that tells you the gap measurements for that area of the truck!!
Maybe it was misprinted on purpose!!
Of the 11 they had on the lot I'm not sure that I was seeing any misalignment. And I do have a pretty good eye for such things. If I'd had a straight edge it would've been fairly easy to tell. There might have been a very, very slight bias on a couple, but if so they were sure awfully close to being on the money.
There was a used 2002 Explorer 4-door pick-up there that I thought had way too wide of a gap between the cab and box, although it appeared even on both sides. Maybe that's the way they're supposed to be.
It looks like RAM Quad Cabs are begining to be less plentiful then they were earlier in the year.
I might be holding off until next spring since I can't seem to find one with just the right equipment. And anyways, I'd like to put a little more down. RAM stock around here is starting to dwindle and when the inventory is high dealers are more apt to deal without having to hold one of their family members hostage.
The local paper had an article some weeks back that said Dodge trucks were 27% ahead of last years sales in Western New York state. Ford was down about 9% but GM was off by 35%. Toyota was up slightly.
I might give the Dakota Quad another look, too.
Dusty
The manual states a cab to box on a Quad Cab to be over flush 5.0 mm+/- 2.5mm. The manual has the wrong headings but the right measurements(pg. 23-94).
Anyway... can anyone point me in the right direction for doing some real research on this issue?
The admonition against putting small children in the front seat of a vehicle is mostly derived from the concerns over the air bag, which is probably as dangerous, if not more so, to such a passenger.
In my opinion one of the best vehicles to safely transport a small child, if you couldn't afford to drive around in a retired M-34 Sherman, is a conventional cab pick up.
In reality the placement of the passenger in any vehicle is problematic. The most repeated recommendation for children is to place them in the rear seat of a two-seat vehicle. This is based on the statistical assumption that the vehicle they are in will more likely be involved in a head-on or side-impact collision. However, when the vehicle is rear-ended the injury and death rate goes up for children significantly.
It's just like wearing a seat belt. In some instances the wearing of the belt will cause death. But since none of us will ever know what type of accident will occur the safety experts base their recommendations on statistical data.
Dusty
anyhoo, imo, they were overly harsh. i've only driven one quad and while i was admittedly underwhelmed with the experience...i didn't find it nearly as bad as CR did. so, what do you think...does CR have a bias against anything chrysler? sure seems that way after reading there reviews about cars and trucks.
I was pulling into the driveway, backing up in reverse and it just died. It started right back up though. It hasn't done this before, I have about 1800 miles and the 4.7L engine.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
All the other mags I have seen reviews in put the Quad Cab well ahead of the SuperCrew, and ahead of the Avalanche in most.
These are also REAL truck magazines. Not dishwasher rating magazines!!!
Tip to Consumer Reports: Stick to appliances.
It appears they planned on driving a Bentley...I cannot believe how negative this review is.
They are clearly trying to grade a TRUCK on the same level as a LUXURY CAR. YOU CANNOT DO THAT!!!
ConsumerReports.org - Dodge Ram Review
Highs: Bed size, frontal-offset crash-test result.
Lows: Ride, noise, access, rear seat, fuel economy.
Body style: Regular cab; crew cab
Drive wheels: Rear or part-time 4WD
Trim lines: ST, SLT, SLT Plus
Engines & transmissions: 3.7-liter V6 (215 hp), 4.7-liter V8 (240 hp), 5.9-liter V8 (245 hp); 5-speed man., 4-speed auto.
Base price range: $17,620 to $34,345
Tested: SLT crew cab 4WD, 4.7-liter V8, 4-speed automatic
While the new Ram is better than the old one, it breaks no new ground. By contemporary standards it has a punishing ride, noisy cabin, and tight rear seat. It’s tough to climb in or out, and the V8 gulps fuel without delivering much performance. Its 75-inch bed length, however, is about 9 inches longer than the F-150’s and 14 inches longer than the Avalanche’s (with the midgate closed).
THE DRIVING EXPERIENCE
The Ram rides stiffly and busily on just about all roads. The rear hops sideways on sharp bumps. Rough roads constantly jolt the occupants, and the cabin suffers from wind and road noise.
On the whole, handling is clumsy. The steering feels quick at first but then becomes vague and light. The Ram proved ungainly but secure enough when pushed to its cornering limits. Its sheer bulk made the truck hard to coax through our avoidance-maneuver course.
The 240-hp, 4.7-liter V8 was easily the slowest and thirstiest of the group, with a wretched 12 mpg overall on regular fuel. The four-speed automatic shifts smoothly. The 4WD system is part-time only. The Ram performed competently on our off-road and rock-hill courses, and took 24.7 seconds to pull a 6,150-pound trailer to 60 mph--slowest of the group. Braking performance was no more than adequate, with long stops on wet pavement.
INSIDE THE CABIN
The Ram is so tall that even our taller testers had a hard time seeing over the hood. Furnishings are hard plastics, some of which feel flimsy. The front seats are very large and reasonably supportive. The rear is wide enough for three adults, but the seats are uncomfortable and leg room is tight.
OUT OF SIGHT The two small storage compartments beneath the lower cushion of the Ram’s rear seat provide a place to conceal valuables. We found the rear seat too tight and upright to be comfortable, and it lacks head restraints.
The gauges can be hard to read at dusk, and audio and climate controls are a long reach for some. The climate-control system lacks ducts for the rear. Many pockets, trays, and bins offer ample cabin storage. The front has two sturdy and versatile cup holders; the rear has a simpler pair. You can fold the rear-seat cushion up against the back, creating a cargo space with an uneven, stepped floor. Payload capacity is 1,350 pounds.
SAFETY AND RELIABILITY
Available options include side-curtain air bags ($490), ABS ($495), and adjustable pedals ($120). The front has two head restraints that are sufficiently tall even when lowered. The center seats lack head restraints.
Driving with kids: Infant seats may need extra padding to install correctly, and rear-facing convertible seats can be difficult to secure. Front-facing seats should secure easily. Strap routing for a top tether can be confusing. LATCH anchors will be required on vehicles built after Sept. 1, 2002.
Reliability: Our Ram had two minor sample defects. This model is too new to predict reliability.
Again, I cannot believe this review...it's crazy in my mind. I think my Ram rides nice, handling is good, and it's really not noisy at highway speeds. What was Consumer Reports thinking??
Steve
I went on the market for a 2002 Quad Cab. In Pennsylvania their offering 0.0% financing for 60 months or 2000 cash back. I got an OK offer on the Quad Cab but a poor trade in offer. So I'm dickering. Unfortunately I went to another Dodge dealer and they had a 2003 Quad Cab (the dealer was closed). They went to a 5 speed automatic with the 4.7 for 2003. It's one mpg better on city and highway. DAMMIT! I'd prefer the 5 speed auto. Oh well.. keep me informed. Anyone else in the market for a leftover 2002, what kind of deals are you seeing?
did you get the trep in the breakup? was that what you were trading in? anyhoo, yeah it is "interesting" how every other road test of the quad has been mostly favorable - and then comes CR. anyhoo, don't sweat the 5 speed in the '03s. it is the same tranny as that in the '02s only it eeks out one more overdrive ratio for slightly better highway economy. in all other respects it's the same as the so-called multi-speed tranny in the '02s (of course i'm talking about the tranny behind the 3.7l and 4.7l engines only, not the 5.9l)
i'm gonna test drive a new hemi when they show up. i'm not sure it'll be enough to sway me back to dodge but i'll give er a whirl and see what happens. good luck!!
http://www.investmentforum.net/ram.html
Are they $89 each or per pair?
Thanks
Thanks in advance
FG
Anyway, ugly or not RAM sales in the month of August 2002 were 44% above the same month in 2001, while Ford was up 4.7% and GM was up 6.8%.
RAM is up 13.7% YTD, while Ford is down 4% and GM is down 1.7%.
Dusty
BTW, someone was mentioning high mileage rams a few posts back. My uncle went looking for a cheaper pickup just to use for local hauling and came across a '97 2wd Reg. Cab 5.9L with 295,000 miles. It has all the papers and the guy was very maticulous about maintenance and taking care of the truck. It honestly looks new except for some stone chips here and there. He had the following repairs: starter 155K, water-pump 190K, fuel pump 210K, rebuilt tranny 250K. The guy bought an identical truck, but an '02 model. My uncle decided to buy the truck because it was so nice even though he was shopping for a beater. I also checked out a '98 1-ton cummins box truck with 580K miles. Cummins was rebuilt at 400K but that was the only thing listed on the auction sticker. Looked like it had 580K miles but really wasn't too bad. I thought about buying it to haul hay, but it was too hot and the auction was going way to slow:)
Dusty
upswing in ram sales in the past month or so based just on his inventory...
Gee, that thing was long!
Dusty
This new generation of motors will have a number of versions as they will show up in the next generation of LH models codenamed LX (ie: 300M, Intrepid, Concorde - renamed the New Yorker). These cars will be available with the 3.5L V6, 4.7L V8 and in some instances the 5.7L HEMI (ie: the new 300M). These cars will be rear drive and will have some Mercedes parts incl. transmissions, stability aids, electronics...
As an aside: the old generation of Magnum engines (3.9L/5.2L/5.9L) will still be offered on the Dodge Ram Vans and Wagons until the vehicles are eliminated sometime next year; the old 3.9L V6 and 5.9L V8 will still be offered on the Dakota until it's redesign in a year or so.
http://www.autonews.com/files/prodchangeover.pdf
Dusty
kcram
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From a product marketing standpoint, it probably doesn't hurt to increase the market appeal to women since they do buy a fair amount of automobiles, including trucks. Actually, I know two other ladies that have commented positively on that color. And now that I think about it, of the women that I know or know of that own trucks, half (6) are driving Dakotas!
Dusty
The total factory invoice price is $28,985.
This would be a cash deal, no trade.
Thanks in advance,
Dusty
kcram
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