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New Tradesman vs 2022 Power Wagon

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stickshifter

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Hi folks,

I've gone through all the obvious pros & cons, but I was wondering if folks have any thoughts on this...

All 2023 Power Wagons are coming with the 12-inch screen, which I do not want. No offense intended to those who like the 12-inch screen, its just not for me. So I'm cross-shopping a used 2022 PW with 7,500 miles on it (Level 1, heated seats & steering wheel, LED headlights, cloth seats) with a new 2023 Tradesman with the PW Package (convenience group, bed utility group, dual alternators).

2022 PW: $61,000
2023 Tradesman: $63,000

If I go 2022 PW, I'd get LineX for the bed ($700), and I wouldn't have the dual alternators (I'm going to get dual batteries either way, and don't have to have dual alternators).

If I go Tradesman, the things I will miss are the LED headlights, and the heated seats & steering wheel. I would either add driving lights to the Tradesman, or replace the headlights, and I would do Katzkin heated leather seats. These mods will add an additional $3,000 to the price difference between the Tradesman and the 2022 PW. There isn't a good way to add a heated steering wheel - which is something I want - so that's a bummer. I live at 8,500 feet, and it is often 40 to 50 degrees below freezing in the morning.

Lastly, could people take a look at the photo below, and tell me if the bracket looks bent. This is a photo from the used 2022 PW, front driver's side.

Thanks!

Bracket_0.jpg

And just for kicks, a typical winter morning, 57 degrees F below freezing:

cold.jpg
 
That’s not a big price difference between new and used. People with the smaller screens upgrade to bigger, maybe it’s possible you can go from large to small?
 
I have neither of the trucks you're considering but I would personally go with a used PW. Not sure about the bracket in your picture though.
Going with Tradesman with PW package will not make it a PW, you won't get all the PW options AFAIK.
 
flan said:
That’s not a big price difference between new and used. People with the smaller screens upgrade to bigger, maybe it’s possible you can go from large to small?
Click to expand...
Hadn't thought of swapping the screens. I think it would be complicated to install the physical controls on the dash after removing the 12-inch screen - but I'll ask around. Thanks for your reply!
 
MEGA HO 3500 said:
I have neither of the trucks you're considering but I would personally go with a used PW. Not sure about the bracket in your picture though.
Going with Tradesman with PW package will not make it a PW, you won't get all the PW options AFAIK.
Click to expand...
Any specific reason? Thanks for your reply!
 
stickshifter said:
Any specific reason? Thanks for your reply!
Click to expand...
As I added in the 2nd part of my post, Tradesman with PW package will not be a true PW, you will still miss some PW options, I may be wrong as my knowledge is a little outdated.
Also 7500 miles is not even broken in truck, beats buying a new and trying to add all the options that you want.
 
Does the PW package on the tradesmen come with lockers and sway bar disconnect? That’s the only reason I I could see getting a power wagon instead of buying a different model and upgrading components.
 
MEGA HO 3500 said:
I have neither of the trucks you're considering but I would personally go with a used PW. Not sure about the bracket in your picture though.
Going with Tradesman with PW package will not make it a PW, you won't get all the PW options AFAIK.
Click to expand...

Tradesman PW has all the mechanical goodies as a regular PW (springs, shocks, articulink radius arms, lockers, swaybar disconnect, etc)…and reduced payload
 
I finally found a brand new PW to compare the bracket. I think the two brackets are identical - what do you guys think?

The new 2023 PW is the first photo, with the bracket circled in green.

The 2022 PW is in the second photo, with the bracket circled in red.

Bracket_New.jpg
Bracket_0.jpg
 
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VanMeatsauce said:
Does the PW package on the tradesmen come with lockers and sway bar disconnect? That’s the only reason I I could see getting a power wagon instead of buying a different model and upgrading components.
Click to expand...
The PW package on the Tradesman comes with all the off-road / mechanical features of the PW: 4:10 gears, locking front and rear differentials, sway bar disconnect, lower control arms with the articulink suspension, the PW springs, Bilstein shocks, winch, PW bumpers, and a manual lever for the transfer case (unless you order the electronic version). It is not available with interior features like leather seats, heated seats, heated steering wheel, and some other stuff than doesn't matter much to me. It is also not available with LED headlights. The Tradesman comes with a different front grill than the PW - not the "mustache" grill.

Photo of Tradesman grill (note: this is not a Tradesman with the PW package):

Tradesman.jpg
 
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stickshifter said:
The PW package on the Tradesman comes with all the off-road / mechanical features of the PW: 4:10 gears, locking front and rear differentials, sway bar disconnect, lower control arms with the articulink suspension, the PW springs, Bilstein shocks, and a manual lever for the transfer case (unless you order the electronic version). It is not available with interior features like leather seats, heated seats, heated steering wheel, and some other stuff than doesn't matter much to me. It is also not available with LED headlights. The Tradesman comes with a different front grill than the PW - not the "mustache" grill.

Photo of Tradesman grill (note: this is not a Tradesman with the PW package):

View attachment 54736
Click to expand...

Right on, I had no idea ram offered that package. Does it also include the winch?
I don’t know if i could justify the price increase just to be able to have a smaller screen and lose other features that I want. I’d probably just deal with the center console, but i actually like having it. Just my 2¢
 
VanMeatsauce said:
Right on, I had no idea ram offered that package. Does it also include the winch?
I don’t know if i could justify the price increase just to be able to have a smaller screen and lose other features that I want. I’d probably just deal with the center console, but i actually like having it. Just my 2¢
Click to expand...
Yes - also comes with winch and PW bumpers. I just added that to my previous post. Thanks for your reply!
 
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I have a 2022 tradesman without the PW package, because I bought off the lot instead of ordering.
I was also looking at a 2021 PW when I bought mine.
What I would say is to check on how often you will use the lockers vs how often you will use the payload. I had assumed I could add an Arb or similar later, and prioritized the payload. So far I've been able to add everything I have wanted except for the lockers. I think I have even seen a thread on adding the heated steering wheel, but the 2019+ or at least 2022, have different splines in the axle shafts, so I haven't yet found a locker for the 2022. If I were buying today, I'd probably look at the rebel to get the payload and locker, (and maybe winch). But if everything else is the same, the tradesman with PW package looks good to me. I went without the PW package or the PW so I could get payload, and all of the local dealers here had a ~$30k upcharge on the PW. If my memory is right, the sticker was $62k and asking price was $95k.
 
dantex said:
I have a 2022 tradesman without the PW package, because I bought off the lot instead of ordering.
I was also looking at a 2021 PW when I bought mine.
What I would say is to check on how often you will use the lockers vs how often you will use the payload. I had assumed I could add an Arb or similar later, and prioritized the payload. So far I've been able to add everything I have wanted except for the lockers. I think I have even seen a thread on adding the heated steering wheel, but the 2019+ or at least 2022, have different splines in the axle shafts, so I haven't yet found a locker for the 2022. If I were buying today, I'd probably look at the rebel to get the payload and locker, (and maybe winch). But if everything else is the same, the tradesman with PW package looks good to me. I went without the PW package or the PW so I could get payload, and all of the local dealers here had a ~$30k upcharge on the PW. If my memory is right, the sticker was $62k and asking price was $95k.
Click to expand...
You are correct: there are no aftermarket lockers or gears for the 2019-current 2500/3500 Ram axles - at least, not yet.
 
I’m surprised there aren’t yet…we are in the 4th model year for the 4.5 Gen and while things are different (ie the old parts don’t fit) it wasn’t a completely new design
 
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