Dodge/Ram Trucks

NDwalleyes

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I'm at the point where I need to be looking for a new truck. Always been a Ford guy and had good luck with them and will absolutely not buy a Chevy. Currently have an 2004 F150 with 125,000 on it that will get passed on to one of my boys.

I'm amazed at the prices of Ford and Chevy trucks and due to the price difference I would consider looking at a Ram. Would be considering a 2015 1500 in a V8. I know nothing about their reliability or how long I could expect one to hold up. My father-in-law drives one and seems to be happy with it.

Pros and Cons on dodge trucks.....GO!
 


martinslanding

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Dodge has made significant strides in the truck market. ..their interiors are pretty plush...and their fuel economy is right up there with the others. ..however if you are looking at a straight up 1/2 ton with 4 doors and a 5.5 ft box is not an issue then I would get a Tundra...Nothing against Dodge but I feel Tundra is the best 1/2 ton on the market
 

MathewsZman

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Been looking at the Dodge as well , but seeing everyone over two years old with the wheel wells rusted out makes me wonder .
 

NDwalleyes

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Dodge has made significant strides in the truck market. ..their interiors are pretty plush...and their fuel economy is right up there with the others. ..however if you are looking at a straight up 1/2 ton with 4 doors and a 5.5 ft box is not an issue then I would get a Tundra...Nothing against Dodge but I feel Tundra is the best 1/2 ton on the market

I totally agree. If I wasn't such a titewad the Tundra would be my first choice. I just can't get myself to pay 40,000+ for a damn vehicle...no matter what the make.

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Been looking at the Dodge as well , but seeing everyone over two years old with the wheel wells rusted out makes me wonder .

That's just it. I'm one that keeps a vehicle until it doesn't pay to fix it any longer. I know nothing about how long a Dodge will last. Thanks.
 

martinslanding

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Used ones are tough to find with low miles but they are out there...and with used Fords flooding the market the overall prices have come down on the other brands
 


FishReaper

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What cab/bed are you looking for? Half ton?? I just sold my 2005 F150 and got a 2012 F150. World of difference. I love my new truck. Ford crew cabs are very roomy and I was able to get a 6.5 box.
 

all4eyes

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My only complaint about dodge would be if you pull a heavy trailer or fifth wheel. The coil spring suspension is made for grocerie getters not pulling. Have had buddies dump their dodge trucks and move into fords mainly because of suspension. One had 2 rams with electrical gremlins, dodge replaced with a new one and had same issues, he now drives a ford. The new 5.0 pulls as well or better then the 5.7 Hemi I had in my 05 ram. Dodge builds a nice truck just can't pull squat.
 

badland mule

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Just out of curiosity, why won't you buy a chevy? I know a guy with the new half ton dodge ecodiesels. He get"s great milage but hates pretty much everything else about the pickup. He had to put airbag suspension in it in order to pull a trailer. Imho there is a reason dodge"s are cheaper. If faced with the option between ford and dodge i would choose ford.
 

NDwalleyes

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Just out of curiosity, why won't you buy a chevy? I know a guy with the new half ton dodge ecodiesels. He get"s great milage but hates pretty much everything else about the pickup. He had to put airbag suspension in it in order to pull a trailer. Imho there is a reason dodge"s are cheaper. If faced with the option between ford and dodge i would choose ford.

First brand new truck I ever bought, at age 23, was a Chevy. Truck burned oil from day 2, ended up in a lemon-law lawsuit and I pretty much took it in the colon on the deal. It came down to who had more money to put towards legal fees. The whole thing got nasty, but I learned a lot about Chevrolet's corporate commitment to their customers, there isn't any.
 

raider

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i have a 14 2500 with a 6.4... have pulled thousands of miles with up to 16k on trailers with the rear coils... rides like a 3/4 ton empty, but like a dream with some weight in the box, or a trailer hooked up... don't get the coil problem myself... love mine, and there're hundreds of them in the oil patch with few issues i've heard of...

wife and daughter both have 14 1/2's... a laramie and a laramie limited (air suspension and softer interior + better leather), both with the 5.7's... 20+ mpg running from 70 to 80... interiors and ride are awesome... couldn't get either one of them out of theirs with a crow bar...

fwiw... i've been looking for a company that builds trucks that don't need service departments... i've never found one...

best advice... drive one...
 


NDwalleyes

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i have a 14 2500 with a 6.4... have pulled thousands of miles with up to 16k on trailers with the rear coils... rides like a 3/4 ton empty, but like a dream with some weight in the box, or a trailer hooked up... don't get the coil problem myself... love mine, and there're hundreds of them in the oil patch with few issues i've heard of...

wife and daughter both have 14 1/2's... a laramie and a laramie limited (air suspension and softer interior + better leather), both with the 5.7's... 20+ mpg running from 70 to 80... interiors and ride are awesome... couldn't get either one of them out of theirs with a crow bar...

fwiw... i've been looking for a company that builds trucks that don't need service departments... i've never found one...

best advice... drive one...

I have driven my in-laws on several occasions and it seems like a nice truck. I just don't know what to expect in terms of quality and longevity for the Dodges.
 

MSA

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I've been in the body business for over 10 years and unless dodge has drastically changed something in the last year, I wouldn't drive one if it was given to me. they start rusting the first time it rains, their parts are expensive, all the interior pieces and electrical components fall apart, and the transmissions are junk.

Now if you plan to lease or trade after its two years old, have at it, but don't plan on keeping one headache free for 100,000 miles.
 

martinslanding

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I've been in the body business for over 10 years and unless dodge has drastically changed something in the last year, I wouldn't drive one if it was given to me. they start rusting the first time it rains, their parts are expensive, all the interior pieces and electrical components fall apart, and the transmissions are junk.

Now if you plan to lease or trade after its two years old, have at it, but don't plan on keeping one headache free for 100,000 miles.

I was once told something similar by a body shop…they said if a Dodge truck and a Ford/Chevy truck got in the exact same front end accident the Dodge would have 2-3 times as much damage and cost twice as much to fix, this was 8-9 years ago so not sure if it is still relevant…
 

DirtyMike

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If you do decide to buy dodge, be sure to call the dealership in aberdeen (i think). They'll beat ryan dodge and deliver it to bismarck.
 


NDwalleyes

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This is exactly the first hand response I was looking for. Thanks.

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I've been in the body business for over 10 years and unless dodge has drastically changed something in the last year, I wouldn't drive one if it was given to me. they start rusting the first time it rains, their parts are expensive, all the interior pieces and electrical components fall apart, and the transmissions are junk.

Now if you plan to lease or trade after its two years old, have at it, but don't plan on keeping one headache free for 100,000 miles.


Thanks.
 

eyexer

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I've been running a Dodge 3/4 ton for work for a bit now. It's a decent truck but not a Ford that's for sure.
 

guywhofishes

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210,000 miles on a 99 ram I bought new. No headaches. Rusted out but very few probs.

Just bought a 2014 crewcab hemi longbed with 4 corner suspension. Very pleased.

I may upgrade to ecodiesel when they come down in price.
 

Wild and Free

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I laugh when I read about rust on certain makes of vehicles, I call BS, I have had numerous vehicles and have run several past 300K miles and have never had any rust on a single one. I call BS on the rust issue on Dodge alone, comes down to people being lazy about washing their vehicle, if people think the car wash is going to get you clean enough in the areas like inner fenders then you all will have rusty vehicles no matter the make.

Get a Dodge I have had many of them and the new Hemi is as bullet proof and tested an engine as far as longevity and durability as any. I am on Dodge pickup #5. Had a 95 1/2 ton with 360, wanted bigger better and went with a 99 2500 V10 had that for only a year and wanted a diesel after buying too much for gas for that hog then traded for an 02 Cummins and along the way added an 05 cummins and when diesel was over 4 bucks a gallon for so long I sold the 02 as I couldn't justify driving 2 diesels as daily drivers and I then bought a 2010 1500Hemi. Loved them all except for the V10 option, never a single issue with any of them still have the 05 cummins. Had a 95 Neon that we put 310K miles on, wife bought it new drove it 11 years, after we sold it we saw it running around Bismarck for a couple more years, Would like to know how many miles were on it when it was retired?

I am a heavy diesel tech and worked at a truck shop in Bismarck years ago and used to get many pickups through the doors and I can say the only brand we saw on a regular basis with between 500k to one with 1.1 million miles on it were Dodge Cummins. Never saw a Ford or Chevy with more than 300-400K ever in the shop.

They all have their strong and week points but after working on them all, Chevy is at the bottom of my list overall for durability of a Pickup. I grew up hard core chevy and couldn't be swayed until I got older and sick of working on every one I have ever owned and when Dodge came out with the new 2nd generation body in 94 I knew I wanted one and got a 95 and have not looked back, been awesome for me and I am rather hard on vehicles and use them hard, well maintained and cared for but used very hard.

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Oh yeah did I say I was hard on my pickups lol.
Here is a bit of what I used to do with my 02, Had 560 hp and 980 Tq at the rear wheel on the dyno, I power pulled for several years, daily drove it and did a couple drag races with it, best time was in an 1/8 mile run did it in 7.89 seconds can't remember the speed I think it was high 80's Weighing in @ around 7800lbs. and not a single issue in 155K miles even with the abuse I dished out to it.

 

FishReaper

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Wild I will agree to a point but certain vehicles and body ranges are more prone to rust than others. If one is OCD about cleaning out gravel and salt/sand you can help a lot. But how many people stick a hose under their fenders that much to wash out the debri that starts rust. A Under coating goes a fair way to help as well but its only so much. Right now, At least IMO Dodge has very cheap bodies and it shows in a few years, where as a Ford or Chevy will stay put up with more abuse.
 


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