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Which One Could I Afford? - 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Long-Term Road Test
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Which One Could I Afford? - 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Long-Term Road Test
Our 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel is a wonderful truck that hardly puts a foot wrong. But it comes at a price that puts it out of reach of many buyers. What other alternatives are there?
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Can't justify such an expense unless it is absolutely necessary for your living.
Working in the trades, farming, etc.
Meanwhile, last year I pulled the trigger on the exact truck the writer briefly fantasized about, single cab Ram 1500 short bed Tradesman. 22.5k out the door. I've since dropped another grand and a half and added the 8.4" factory head unit, leather steering wheel with audio controls, backup camera as well as turn signal and front cameras, and the Laramie chrome grill. Sa-wheat ride.
The Double Cab isn't a limo, but there's room for 5. Plus you get the 6.5 ft bed standard.
This applies to all brands. C'mon.
Whatever.
As for comparing the Tundra to the Ram, fair enough. You can get plenty of bang for the buck in the low 30 grandish range if you want four doors from all the brands. Personally I think such trucks are pretty boring, the truck world equivalent of the 90s mini van, but millions of people buy and enjoy them and that's okay.
Did you read the story to which my comment was directed? The writer was bemoaning the cost and size of modern pickups. My response was a suggestion on how to deal with the issues.
Lighten up, Francis.
Your "suggestion" was to impose your worldview about automobiles on the writer. If only he'd buy into how you see reality everything would be fine. Trouble is millions and millions of people don't think trucks are "limited purpose" vehicles, and aren't interested in GTIs. In fact it wasn't a suggestion at all, you used lots of nice absolute words like, "should", "expect", "Don't", "then" and a "shouldn't" to top it off. Sounds like marching orders to me.
Also, where did the writer "bemoan" the size of modern pickups? Don't see it.
Cost was the factor the writer wrestled with, and yes top of the line trucks cost a lot. We all make choices with our money, this writer is more inclined to spend 50k on a premium brand vehicle than a pickup, that's fine, whatever. You come in and tell him that your way is right, that trucks are still to be seen as old time hauling devices and nothing more. Sorry, that's not gospel, that's merely your opinion and you need to state it as such.
He wouldn't buy the vehicle without having a rear camera. Why? Cause...size.
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Anyways, to say that the authors comment about popping for the rear view camera option is "bemoaning" the size of modern trucks is reading into it. Cars were significantly larger for decades than they are now, larger than my truck in fact, and people drove them successfully in all our urban areas.
No matter.
As for the prices of modern trucks, I recently owned a 1972 F250, single cab long bed, which was fully loaded for the time. I also had the price sheet. The truck sold new for $5,838 dollars. Now converted into modern money, using the westegg inflation calculator, it was equivalent to $32,589 now. A new Ford F250 single cab long bed starts at $32,385. But that modern base level truck includes everything that cost extra on my 72', and is a far better truck.
So I'd argue, using these facts, that modern trucks are roughly the same cost they have been for at least the last four decades, when adjusted for inflation. I'd also argue that the four door versions of modern trucks, which double as family car, are actually a bargain compared to the prices in the past when trucks were rougher tools and not family friendly. In 1972 you'd have to have a separate car for family duty, but not now. Seen with this historical perspective trucks are a good deal these days, for those who are into them.
Yet it still cost the equivalent of a little over 32 grand when new. The AM/FM push button radio was worth $848 in our money. Ouch. And that 5.9L V-8 had 215 net horsepower, laughable in today's market.
But, and here's the difference you speak of, if you were willing to forgo the option list in 72' you could walk out the door with a new base model pickup for around $16,000 in today's money. That can't be done today. Perhaps that's why people always seem to be bellyaching about how much new trucks cost, they recall the stripper base models of the past which were quite the bargain.
To me it's remarkable that Ford can sell you the modern version of my 72' F250 for the same money, that's amazing given the huge advances in tech and design that the new truck is loaded with.
And yes my 14' Ram has the bench seat, so I missed out on the coffee enema and hot stone massage option, which would have added only $13,232.87 to the overall price of the truck but also included automatic opening glove box doors and real leather stitching on the sunvisors.
Not quite as expensive as the $40k, $50k or even $60k and up luxury trucks, but if you pay anywhere close to sticker for anything other than a limited production specialty model (e.g. Raptor) you're doing something wrong and not doing your job as a consumer. I ended up paying a tick over $19k for my truck which was about 33% off sticker. Granted this was a no-profit, advertising special at one of the largest dealers in the country but Chrysler was offering and has continued to offer substantial discounts in recent years.
Same thing with GM and even Ford. After the last major refresh GM saw sales slide somewhat and I'd regularly see $7500+ in rebates on the hoods of their full size offerings. Ford with their new, in demand aluminum body and EcoBoost models probably won't have quite as extensive rebates but you could pick up the outgoing last-gen models for a ton of money off and even on their newest trucks I've seen some small incentives.
If you're a one or two vehicle family then something like this EcoDiesel Ram might make a good choice if the overall ownership cost favors the diesel and your driving style and usage requirements. Even though they've been very popular here in SoCal, a few weeks ago I saw at a local dealer and saw some stripper crew cab EcoDiesels on sale for $28-30k for rear drive models. If I was in the market and could score a 4x4 for a couple grand more it would be very tempting as even the base model ones have decent equipment and interior for something designed to work and tow.
Like most vehicles there are always deals to be had if you're flexible on trim levels, options and not in a hurry to buy. Sure, you could order a new truck and pay around sticker to get exactly what you want but a little smart shopping can save a massive amount on these overpriced trucks.