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End of the Line - 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.comEdmunds.com Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 10,315
edited December 2015 in Ram
imageEnd of the Line - 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Long-Term Road Test

Bike towing all over Los Angeles is easy in the Edmunds 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel

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  • daryleasondaryleason Member Posts: 501
    I don't know if I agree that the Ram is better than other full-size trucks. I think the argument could be made that considering the whole "vehicle died and refused to start, had to be flat-towed to a dealer but they didn't know why either" article would make a strong case that it's not better. What I can agree with is that the Ram EcoDiesel is winning on the fuel economy front, at least in MPG. Although I'm not certain if the increased cost of the diesel at purchase, with the additional cost of diesel over gasoline, and the cost of the DEF & increased service requirements, will make up for the lower purchase price of a gasoline engine. Plus, I know that Ram has had multiple recalls for the Crew cabs, diesels, etc.

    I will agree that I think the Ram does well for towing. My company has a 2500 with the "big" diesel that's performed as expected. I'm still not convinced that the Ford's Ecoboost F-150 is the way to go. I have a 2013 F-150 with the steel body and the 5.0 V8 that gets better fuel economy than the 2015 that y'all have with the Aluminum Body & Ecoboost V6.

    Right now, if I were buying a truck, I'd look seriously at the Colorado/Canyon twins, with a second look at the Silverado/Sierra possibly being a better value.
  • bankerdannybankerdanny Member Posts: 1,021
    edited December 2015
    You know, I saw the ' died on an on-ramp" comment coming as as soon as I saw Mark's comment on best truck.

    It happened with 25.5k miles on the truck, which had been trouble free, and since then it has another 20k miles, also trouble free. I haven't seen any reports of this happening to other Ram Diesels, so it seems like a one-off event that everyone really should let go of in terms of commenting on overall reliability.
  • nate001nate001 Member Posts: 102
    I agree about the it being a one off event and this truck has been very reliable since and Ram took it seriously when it had an issue and made sure to follow up with what they found.

    If I were looking to replace my current vehicle The Ram EcoDiesel would #1 and the Diesel Colorado/Canyon twins would be a close 2nd and it would probably come down to price and driving dynamics to decide.
  • nagantnagant Member Posts: 176
    I can kind of see a reason for the Ram ED but the GM twins?? Not even close. I guess if somebody wanted to tow a big load at slow speeds then it would be ok but with so little HP the GM diesel is very underpowered. In the MT TOTY tests the 4WD sample towing a full load could not even hit 60 MPH in the 1/4 mile.....I dont think cars and trucks need to be hot rods but a modern truck should be able to safely pull into freeway traffic and maintain that speed. As a coffee shop truck that rarely pulls or hauls much and for somebody that wants good MPGs the RAM ED is a good, if not great choice.......at current gas prices diesel is just not going to make much economic sense in much under a decade of ownership. The standard V6 is most trucks is a far better choice for light duty hauling and towing.
  • desmoliciousdesmolicious Member Posts: 671
    So Mark, interesting that you would haul your bike all the way across the LA basin to Glendale, when Bartels HD in Marina Del Rey would have been just a short push away..
    ;)
  • nate001nate001 Member Posts: 102
    edited December 2015
    @nagant The 2016 Chevrolet Colorado Diesel is the MT TOTY for 2016 and it was praised for its power. while it maybe under powered when towing 7,600-lbs, most people will not be towing that much anyway. Around town and on the highway in day to day use it sounds like a great little truck for a homeowner who just needs a truck to haul remodeling waste to the dump, or move a couch or mulch or what ever else. The rest of the time its a comfortable daily driver to commute to work.
  • g35bufg35buf Member Posts: 89
    I drove ALL the half tons - even the Tundra - when I bought my RAM and there is simply a major difference between leaf springs and the coil spring rear of the RAM. I wasn't just me...My son - a fellow test driver - noticed the big improvement in ride and in handling. I thought the new F-150 was decent but back to back with a RAM, no real world ride comparison.

    I have a 2015 RAM EcoD in almost the exact config as Edmunds long termer and get almost exactly their mpg results (overall Fuelly numbers are 22.4 mpg). I've had 1,000 lbs of demolished dock in the bed, 500-600 lbs of tongue weight from my boat trailer and the RAM rides nearly the same as empty I'm just surprised the other mfrs haven't taken the next step in suspension like RAM has.
  • jmsm2000jmsm2000 Member Posts: 2
    I assume Edmunds' Ram hasn't gotten the P020EE SCR malfunction code yet. I have a 2014 ED Laramie that I love and haven't had any problems with. UNTIL NOW. The check engine light came on at 18,500 miles, and when I took it to the dealer, he told me it needs a new SCR (selective catalytic converter), and the parts are on backorder for a MONTH. In the meantime, the dealer won't let me have my truck back because they had to code the problem as VOR (vehicle off road) since Chrysler doesn't recommend driving it with this problem. The dealer was very nice (gave me a loaner car for a month), but now I'm without my truck. Thankfully, I only *need* it to tow my camper and that is stored for the winter, but what if it happened in the summer when I am towing with it? What if I needed this truck for work? It's ridiculous that it takes the manufacturer a month to fix a problem that causes the vehicle to be un-drivable. Also, what if this happened when it wasn't under warranty? The dealer told me this "would cost you several thousand dollars". I don't think this is a one-off problem either, as it appears as though Chrysler has released a service bulletin recognizing the problem, and the forums are full of others who have had the same issue. If I wouldn't lose so much on the trade, I would seriously consider getting the 2.7 liter F150 instead.
  • gslippygslippy Member Posts: 514
    @jmsm2000: My friend's '14 ED has been in the shop about five times for emissions-related issues, including one time when it had to be flat-bedded from his driveway. He has had 3 O2 sensors replaced, the ECU reflashed, and a catalytic converter replacement (probably the code you're referring to). Like you, his vehicle was out of service a long time, and the dealer had difficulty getting parts - not to mention trouble diagnosing it to begin with.

    I wanted to like this truck & engine (small diesel) combination, but the trouble people have with them seems not worth it.
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