Best new 3/4 ton gasser?

[davinski]

I'm looking to replace my 2015 Ram 2500 hemi. I was on here last year asking for suspension upgrades, thank you to all who commented. I ordered a Carli suspension system in January. It's still backordered today in August. Between needing new tires and my transmission giving me a couple red flags, I decided to just cancel my Carli order and look around for new rig altogether. Yes, it's a disaster out there looking for inventory but I might as well start the process. Used trucks are even more ridiculously-priced than new, at least around me. I work in just about all the mountain and pacific time zone states so wouldn't really mind a trip if the numbers are fair.

I don't have any brand loyalty, not really a car guy, I just need something for towing about 10x per year so I don't need a diesel. My main complaint was the rough ride that I know is not really going away with a stock 3/4 ton of any brand. Based on my current Ram transmission paranoia and knowing GM's still have a split front end, I'm leaning toward a Chevy 2500. GMC's are even less available than Chevy, plus it seems you're paying about $5k+ for the GMC bling on the same exact vehicle. I could live with another Ram, no real valid complaints. I haven't owned a Ford this century but I'm not opposed.

Plan B is just to put new tires on my '15 and suck it up and quit whining.

Any advice?

 

[wolfpup]

Plan B would be my choice, mostly because I am cheap.... not that the new shoes aren't expensive but the idea of buying new right now just won't pay off in the long run.

Not sure if you need a crew cab, but Chevy/ GM are super hard to get out of the back seat unless you are a kid. Not sure if that is even an issue for you but it sticks in my craw every time I ride in my buddies Chevy.

 

[KB_]

that new chevy 2500 with the 6.6l is interesting. 17mpg is pretty dang impressive for a truck that size. I priced out a WT trim with all the off road upgrades and came out to 48k. HOly smokes is that expensive but compared to the other brands with the same upgrades its a grand cheaper.

 

[noharleyyet]

Plan B at least until new inventories stabilize. I just went through the transmission decision on a 2014 half ton Ram company truck one of our key men drives.

 

[davinski]

Yeah, my ram trans threw a code in June and wouldn't shift a couple high RPM times when I needed it. 80k miles. 6.4L hemi. Turns out it needed a new internal pressure solenoid (or something like that). I got the bill with a comma in it and the local dealership tech said "we opened it up, there were metal shavings inside, we replaced the {widget}, put it all back together, it seems to run ok without throwing a code." I asked several times why they did not call when it was opened up and they saw metal shavings because that didn't sound like a solenoid to me. Crickets.

Now I'm overly paranoid and didn't like the way it kept hunting between 1 and 2 going up Rabbit Ears Pass last weekend pulling a trailer.

Also, yes, I need another crew cab between the family and all my crap.

 

[Addicting]

Plan B would be my choice, mostly because I am cheap.... not that the new shoes aren't expensive but the idea of buying new right now just won't pay off in the long run.

Not sure if you need a crew cab, but Chevy/ GM are super hard to get out of the back seat unless you are a kid. Not sure if that is even an issue for you but it sticks in my craw every time I ride in my buddies Chevy.

Not sure what your experiencing but it sure isn’t hard for my 76 year old mother to step down, out, and step to her walker! Not really that hard to open a full size door and step out?

 

[JLS]

What’s your power train warranty on your Ram?

 

[davinski]

What’s your power train warranty on your Ram?

60 months or 100,000 miles so I think it was up last year, unfortunately.

 

[JLS]

60 months or 100,000 miles so I think it was up last year, unfortunately.

Dump the tranny fluid and take a look at it. Fill it back up and see how it shifts. I’d disconnect the cooler line and do a complete drains and fill.

 

[huntin24/7]

We traded our 5.7 2500 ram in March for a 6.4 2500 ram tradesman, both gas. Never thought I’d ever buy a new truck. It’s the first new vehicle of any type I’ve owned. Ours was getting up in miles and trade in prices are great. We really like it. It pulls our camper and boat great and gets better mileage than the 5.7. I’m glad we bought when we did because the price of that truck has gone up $7000 just since March. . Tuff call now. You’ll get great trade in value but pay out the ass to replace it most likely.

 

[come2elmo]

Buying off the lot is gonna cost you for sure. If you have time you might hop on a truck forum or two and see if you can nail down a high volume dealer who will custom order you one. You will definitely get a better deal through the right dealer. I just ordered a Jeep and it is coming in around 13% below msrp. I gotta go to TN to get it but used Jeep’s are going for 5k over msrp and new ones are at least msrp off the lot.

 

[marksjeep]

Plan B. I just rebuilt the front end in my '03 Chevy 3/4 ton for the second time, as well as doing rear brakes and axle seals. Plan B all the way. Need to get another 2 years out of her to facilitate some other projects. By then hopefully the truck market is not this crazy.

You got to do the detour, eh? It's a blast towing with all the traffic, especially through downtown streamboat.

 

[Mudranger1]

Just my opinion and it has been wrong...once. lol I'm not sure why anyone would think truck prices are going anywhere but up ...may stabilize where it's at for a few years but I dont see them coming down without a total economic collapse

 

[mtmuley]

Just my opinion and it has been wrong...once. lol I'm not sure why anyone would think truck prices are going anywhere but up ...may stabilize where it's at for a few years but I dont see them coming down without a total economic collapse

A new one is way out of my budget. I framed my house 14 years ago for less cost than some of the new trucks. I like my old ones anyway. mtmuley

 

[elkduds]

Your used Ram will never be worth more for sale than it is now.

 

[mtmuley]

Yeah, my ram trans threw a code in June and wouldn't shift a couple high RPM times when I needed it. 80k miles. 6.4L hemi. Turns out it needed a new internal pressure solenoid (or something like that). I got the bill with a comma in it and the local dealership tech said "we opened it up, there were metal shavings inside, we replaced the {widget}, put it all back together, it seems to run ok without throwing a code." I asked several times why they did not call when it was opened up and they saw metal shavings because that didn't sound like a solenoid to me. Crickets.

Now I'm overly paranoid and didn't like the way it kept hunting between 1 and 2 going up Rabbit Ears Pass last weekend pulling a trailer.

Also, yes, I need another crew cab between the family and all my crap.

Once auto transmissions start having issues, it rarely gets better. mtmuley

 

[turbobrick]

IMHO the Ram Power Wagon is the best heavy truck on the market, they haven't seemed to be in quite as high of demand as most of the 1/2 ton stuff. I'm really loving mine, it is the ideal hunting rig for my purposes.

 

[davinski]

Thanks, all. Great info all through here. I will keep checking out options. You're not kidding about trade-in value if kbb is to be believed. I really like my Ram and figured I'd keep it for years more, probably won't write off a new Ram just yet. Those power wagons are indeed purdy. But, honestly, the prospect of dealing any more with the local Chrysler dealership's shop is a huge negative. I might call the Chev dealer in Glenwood Springs...they're cut off from the beautiful people and their checkbooks up Vail valley right now and for the foreseeable future. A guy can hope, anyway.

@marksjeep Yeah we drug the camper up to the YMCA of the Rockies resort near Fraser to camp with a bunch of family. I had no idea how nice that place was. We all had a blast. Rabbit Ears Pass is no joke pulling anything. There's always at least one rig on either side either smoking out of the engine or the brakes. Steamboat was fun with that chip seal project and no lines...just kind of a free-for-all all the way through town. Am I in a turn lane? Am I in a through lane? Nobody really knew. And the number of gas stations in Craig set up for long trailers is exactly zero.

I'm bummed about the lack of Carli parts, I was really looking forward to how that would ride.

 

[Mudranger1]

Thanks, all. Great info all through here. I will keep checking out options. You're not kidding about trade-in value if kbb is to be believed. I really like my Ram and figured I'd keep it for years more, probably won't write off a new Ram just yet. Those power wagons are indeed purdy. But, honestly, the prospect of dealing any more with the local Chrysler dealership's shop is a huge negative. I might call the Chev dealer in Glenwood Springs...they're cut off from the beautiful people and their checkbooks up Vail valley right now and for the foreseeable future. A guy can hope, anyway.

@marksjeep Yeah we drug the camper up to the YMCA of the Rockies resort near Fraser to camp with a bunch of family. I had no idea how nice that place was. We all had a blast. Rabbit Ears Pass is no joke pulling anything. There's always at least one rig on either side either smoking out of the engine or the brakes. Steamboat was fun with that chip seal project and no lines...just kind of a free-for-all all the way through town. Am I in a turn lane? Am I in a through lane? Nobody really knew. And the number of gas stations in Craig set up for long trailers is exactly zero.

I'm bummed about the lack of Carli parts, I was really looking forward to how that would ride.

What were you getting? I had 1 on order last year and there was a 3 month wait turned into 4 then 5 and I went ahead and cancelled...at least till I run these tires dry. Might need to think about getting back on the order jist so I can have when I want it

 

[davinski]

What were you getting? I had 1 on order last year and there was a 3 month wait turned into 4 then 5 and I went ahead and cancelled...at least till I run these tires dry. Might need to think about getting back on the order jist so I can have when I want it

I'd get on the list if you're at all considering it. I ordered through my local off road shop and they are just as frustrated as me. They said new orders, right now, are told they have a yearlong wait. I tried to get their ram backcountry package, it looks and sounds just right. But it's all just pixels for the foreseeable future. They're pretty tightlipped about what components they are struggling to get, I'm sure it's not the whole package. I begged my guy to just get as much as he could and jerry rig the rest but they wouldn't play ball. So to hell with 'em. A few months I can understand. Eight months crossed my threshold of irritation.