Anyone order an AEV?

[Enve46]

Hopefully this is the right section... but the title is pretty self explanatory. I am looking to see if anyone ordered from Mark Dodge or any other forum sponsor and had an AEV XL Prospector done? I love my PW, probably more so than any other truck Ive owned yet but I am exploring the option of getting a base model trademan diesel and sending it off for AEV treatment. Reason for this is I have a job change, potentially, that will involve some travel within the state and would like to have a diesel for that AND doing more exploring as a family. I feel a diesel would be better fit for range- yes I realize putting 40s on anything will negatively effect fuel economy but itll be better than my PW with 37s thats in the 9s.

So who's done it? What recommendations do yall have? Maybe buy a used one? I kind of like the idea of a base model with black grill, but open to suggestions.

 

[flan]

The only forum member I know that had a vehicle done at aev is @ramblinChet

Several members have done aev bumpers, rims, snorkels etc and you don’t hear nothing bad said about them. Quality products for sure. Give them a call!

 

[Enve46]

The only forum member I know that had a vehicle done at aev is @ramblinChet

Several members have done aev bumpers, rims, snorkels etc and you don’t hear nothing bad said about them. Quality products for sure. Give them a call!

Yea I’ve dealt with AEV few times and I spoke with Anthony at Mark Dodge, can’t recommend him enough. I feel pretty good about the process just unsure on what model to order. Ram really sticks it to you if you want little things and you can’t get remote start in a tradesman?!? Almost makes more sense buying a used one with more options then to order a base and upfit it. Rams option list is super frustrating. A guy just wants a tradesman with remote start, heated seats and blind spot, maybe the 8.4 screen.

 

[flan]

The good thing is you can add most if not all of that stuff to the tradesman with a little bit of research and alfaobd.

 

[Enve46]

The good thing is you can add most if not all of that stuff to the tradesman with a little bit of research and alfaobd.

Yea I know I just like to spend my time these days south the little ones and not fixing Rams terrible option lists. First world problems hahaha we will see. I love my PW so if I can’t make something work the way I want it I’ll keep what I have

 

[DeltaMobile]

I love my Prospector XL

 

[Enve46]

I love my Prospector XL

Did you order it or buy off the lot? I’ve found quite a few new ones on lots but they’re a little out of my range

 

[DeltaMobile]

I ordered it. My local RAM dealer is an AEV dealer. I would recommend that you order it and then you get exactly what you want. The truck was made at the factory in Mexico and then shipped to Detroit by rail. It was at AEV for about three weeks and then delivered to my local dealer. When you do it this way everything is under warranty. If you have problems you will need to go to a RAM/AEV dealer. The Diesel gives it plenty of power and acceleration. I live in the mountains and the performance is amazing. We got snow last night and this picture is from this morning.

 

[Enve46]

I ordered it. My local RAM dealer is an AEV dealer. I would recommend that you order it and then you get exactly what you want. The truck was made at the factory in Mexico and then shipped to Detroit by rail. It was at AEV for about three weeks and then delivered to my local dealer. When you do it this way everything is under warranty. If you have problems you will need to go to a RAM/AEV dealer. The Diesel gives it plenty of power and acceleration. I live in the mountains and the performance is amazing. We got snow last night and this picture is from this morning.

I am leaning this way. And forgetting some of the basic options

 

[ramblinChet]

Thanks @flan!

My tradesman was built at AEV up in Michigan and I flew in there to pick it up once they were complete. I am part way through a 1,300+ mile trail passing through remote areas so I may have intermittent connectivity - what sorts of questions do you have?

 

[Enve46]

Thanks @flan!

My tradesman was built at AEV up in Michigan and I flew in there to pick it up once they were complete. I am part way through a 1,300+ mile trail passing through remote areas so I may have intermittent connectivity - what sorts of questions do you have?

I love your thread on your journey, it’s inspired me to build one to travel with my family!

What was the timeline from AEV receiving to completion? Are you happy you went with a tradesman vs spending a little more for a big horn?

 

[ramblinChet]

I love your thread on your journey, it’s inspired me to build one to travel with my family!

What was the timeline from AEV receiving to completion? Are you happy you went with a tradesman vs spending a little more for a big horn?

Thank you for your kind words and I have much respect for men who take their family outdoors for adventure. Well done!

Keep in mind this was nearly three years ago but AEV estimated they would have my truck completed in approximately eight weeks. Since mine arrived brand new with a Four Wheel Camper already installed they took an interest in the rig and pulled it into the shop to examine it. Lucky for me, once it was pulled into the shop it left complete a few weeks later. It is my opinion that if you are planning to own the vehicle for an extended amount of time, I believe AEV in Michigan is the best place to have the work done. If it's just going to be a toy for a few years I guess having it built by an AEV certified dealer would be fine. I am picky though.

Tradesman versus Big Horn - that is a great question. I guess for me, I am really happy with the Tradesman but it's really a personal choice so there is no right or wrong. Prior to purchasing this truck I have owned Jeeps since the early 90s so I have always been a fan of keeping thins relatively simple. I see value in a rubber floor when compared to a carpet one but that is me. My "Work Grade" seats are durable and firm, not stylish and somewhat softer as others may prefer. I also intended to take this truck into places few full size trucks go so spending less makes it hurt less when I receive dents or dings.

As I grow older the way I approach things is simple - if I am even thinking I might want it, I buy it and never look back. Sure, it may cost $10-15k more but would you rather have the truck you have always wanted, or are you willing to look at your rig every time and wish you had spent the extra few dollars. Again, it's a very personal decision and there is no right or wrong. But one thing is for sure, the regret we feel for becoming a little crazy hurts much less compared to the regret we feel for never even taking a chance.

 

[Enve46]

Thank you for your kind words and I have much respect for men who take their family outdoors for adventure. Well done!

Keep in mind this was nearly three years ago but AEV estimated they would have my truck completed in approximately eight weeks. Since mine arrived brand new with a Four Wheel Camper already installed they took an interest in the rig and pulled it into the shop to examine it. Lucky for me, once it was pulled into the shop it left complete a few weeks later. It is my opinion that if you are planning to own the vehicle for an extended amount of time, I believe AEV in Michigan is the best place to have the work done. If it's just going to be a toy for a few years I guess having it built by an AEV certified dealer would be fine. I am picky though.

Tradesman versus Big Horn - that is a great question. I guess for me, I am really happy with the Tradesman but it's really a personal choice so there is no right or wrong. Prior to purchasing this truck I have owned Jeeps since the early 90s so I have always been a fan of keeping thins relatively simple. I see value in a rubber floor when compared to a carpet one but that is me. My "Work Grade" seats are durable and firm, not stylish and somewhat softer as others may prefer. I also intended to take this truck into places few full size trucks go so spending less makes it hurt less when I receive dents or dings.

As I grow older the way I approach things is simple - if I am even thinking I might want it, I buy it and never look back. Sure, it may cost $10-15k more but would you rather have the truck you have always wanted, or are you willing to look at your rig every time and wish you had spent the extra few dollars. Again, it's a very personal decision and there is no right or wrong. But one thing is for sure, the regret we feel for becoming a little crazy hurts much less compared to the regret we feel for never even taking a chance.

Thank you for the thorough response!

While I do love the tech at times I also miss when things were simpler. I couldn’t always afford the nice new vehicles with the fancy stuff and got on just fine. So since I’ve been able to afford the nice things I’m more in agreement with you, don’t live with regret. I’m going to call AEV today with some option questions I have so I won’t bombard you with those but I may send a PM for some guidance. Also I do plan on having AEV do the upfit, I don’t know many dealers who can beat mark dodge price and upfit it

 

[UglyViking]

If I was going to do the full AEV build, I'd strongly consider having it done by AEV. Certified installer is def an option if the installer is quality, but you have to know what you're looking at while doing a walkthrough or looking at other vehicle examples. Similar to what Chet said, if you're doing it for the long haul, I'd just go through AEV.

I've got a 2019 Laramie, and I'll tell you there are def a few nice pieces of tech in there, but overall I don't know any of them are strictly "necessary". I think the 8.4" screen is a nice balance, and until the 12" supports full screen android auto I see no value in losing physical buttons. Carpeted floor is nice I guess, I've never had vinyl flooring, but it's nice the floor mats don't slide around or make noise. I like mats because it makes cleaning them out a breeze. I used to strip the carpet in my jeeps though and just spray them out with a hose a few times a year.

As others have said, most of these items can be added piecemeal after the fact, so I would prob see the time and cost to add the things I want and go from there. I actively dislike anything that is going to affect the driving of the truck (ie. lane keep, auto-adjust cruise control, etc.) just because I don't trust that tech enough and it interacts with the driving.

I'd strongly consider what you're wanting to do with the vehicle before throwing the cash at a PXL tho. They are amazing rigs from the looks department for sure, but I'm not sure I understand the balance you're trying to trade here. You're talking that you're getting 9mpg on a hemi with 37s (honestly, this sounds low even for a PW, I'd have more questions to the accuracy of this), so you're gonna spend tens of thousands to jump to a truck that gets, idk, 15mpg? It's like 50% better for sure, but with the added cost of tires, diesel fuel, and maintenance cost, is this really worth it to you? I'm saying this as a die hard Cummins guy. I love my Cummins, so much, and if I was starting from a blank slate I'd strongly consider it, but idk if it makes sense to trade, unless this is purely a desire thing. In which case, if you've got the funds by all means, they are dope.

 

[Enve46]

If I was going to do the full AEV build, I'd strongly consider having it done by AEV. Certified installer is def an option if the installer is quality, but you have to know what you're looking at while doing a walkthrough or looking at other vehicle examples. Similar to what Chet said, if you're doing it for the long haul, I'd just go through AEV.

I've got a 2019 Laramie, and I'll tell you there are def a few nice pieces of tech in there, but overall I don't know any of them are strictly "necessary". I think the 8.4" screen is a nice balance, and until the 12" supports full screen android auto I see no value in losing physical buttons. Carpeted floor is nice I guess, I've never had vinyl flooring, but it's nice the floor mats don't slide around or make noise. I like mats because it makes cleaning them out a breeze. I used to strip the carpet in my jeeps though and just spray them out with a hose a few times a year.

As others have said, most of these items can be added piecemeal after the fact, so I would prob see the time and cost to add the things I want and go from there. I actively dislike anything that is going to affect the driving of the truck (ie. lane keep, auto-adjust cruise control, etc.) just because I don't trust that tech enough and it interacts with the driving.

I'd strongly consider what you're wanting to do with the vehicle before throwing the cash at a PXL tho. They are amazing rigs from the looks department for sure, but I'm not sure I understand the balance you're trying to trade here. You're talking that you're getting 9mpg on a hemi with 37s (honestly, this sounds low even for a PW, I'd have more questions to the accuracy of this), so you're gonna spend tens of thousands to jump to a truck that gets, idk, 15mpg? It's like 50% better for sure, but with the added cost of tires, diesel fuel, and maintenance cost, is this really worth it to you? I'm saying this as a die hard Cummins guy. I love my Cummins, so much, and if I was starting from a blank slate I'd strongly consider it, but idk if it makes sense to trade, unless this is purely a desire thing. In which case, if you've got the funds by all means, they are dope.

You're not wrong, an XL probably far exceeds my needs. But Im also the type if Im going to spend the money AEV demands, Id rather do it the way I like. Im also considering just switching to a Rebel diesel since its readily available, the price point has dropped SIGNIFICANTLY and will easily meet my needs.

As far as mpg, Ive been hand calculating for 2 months now and with my driving 9mpg is about all itll do. I dont care SO much about the number itself and I LOVE my truck, seriously impressive. But this potential career change is going to have me on the interstate a few times per month. A 75% increase in fuel economy is quite a bit when you're considering the amount of miles I can rack up. I gave up my diesels cause I didn't need them and working from home and short trips to kiddos schools, were doing more harm than good. Now our new house is about 15-20 minutes out in the country, that alone has me considering switching back. My 2019 on 37s would do high teens on the highway at 80mph no problem but it was also deleted. I fully expect a PXL to be mildly better daily but 50-75% better on longer commutes. I also want to get my family out to explore this beautiful country more. @ramblinChet thread has inspired me to start. My plan is to have a truck that'll exceed my needs so Im not in a situation where "I wish I would have..." and lets be honest, an PXL just looks fantastic. I have this thing about exclusivity as well, you just dont see them around much and in a sea of every truck being "night edition on 20s and 37s" I have a huge urge for being different. And Im a bit of a child when it comes to my vehicles hahaha I drove a 69 Camaro with a 500 hp, hydraulic roller cam 427 big block, to the office every day in South Florida heat wearing slacks, shirt and a tie, just cause.

Regarding options, Ive had a Limited mega cab with every imaginable option and Ive had a few in-between trucks. The only tech that is useful to me is blind spot simply because people around me have no clue how to drive next to people AND I have had a few motorcycles that Ive almost killed cause they rode in my blind spot. Having that little orange light is helpful to avoid someone else's lack of judgment. If I order, Ill be doing the 8.4 screen as I think its a happy medium between necessary and excessive.

Ultimately, I am unsure of what the outcome will be. I have some questions for AEV that I will get answered, look at this job situation and compare my options. A diesel Rebel would be the easiest switch, the cheapest switch and I would sacrifice really nothing except a front locker. From a logical standpoint, it'd probably be the "right" move but its not quite "exactly" what I want. Although it could be over time.

 

[UglyViking]

At the end of the day, assuming your finances are able, then get what you want, otherwise you're just gonna keep taking half steps towards it wishing you had it. I really want to do AEV flares in 41-42s, but I'm unwilling to deal with the mods and downsides required to scratch the itch. For me, that means staying around 39" max, which I'm ok with personally. Keep in mind that due to the negative offset of the wheels required to clear 40+ tires, your turning radius is going to take a negative hit. I don't know exactly how much, but it will be there, and likely noticible.

According to a C&D review of the PXL, they averages about 15mpg on 75mph highway test. I presume that is out west on mostly flat stretches of highway on "summer" fuel. Mountain use, or places with any amount of elevation change are going to lower that number, but not sure how much. For what it's worth, my 19 SO on 37" Falken AT3Ws averaged about 19-20 mpg during stretches between Myrtle Beach and DC.

I'd do some hand calculations for highway MPG with your current PW and see how far you are off, my guess is that highway driving brings that number up to around 12-14, call it 13mpg. That's really splitting hairs between PW and PXL. Again, it really depends on use and desire.

I will say, if you're going all the way on this build, I'd strongly advise you to look into a 3500. Your aftermarket spring options are going to be severely limited with the custom spacers AEV uses for their lift, so your front springs are going to need to stay stock most likely. You may have some additional options with the rear coils, because I think their lift uses more traditional spacers for the rear spring, but even still, if you're planning weight in the rear, and presuming you don't care about huge flex numbers since you're going with the AEV kit, the 3500 is likely going to be a much better base, and you should be able to swap different softer leafs in the rear to help with comfort or flex.

The Rebel is def a nice option, and you could use the PW front e-locker with it in theory since they all use the same 9.25" front AAM axle. The downside being that the OEM lockers seem to leave much to be desired. They may work if you're not hard use, in which case they are nice.

Either way, keep us updated on what you do. Assuming you don't spend any time in southern cali or around certain areas of montana or colorado, you may not ever see another PXL, so that's kinda cool.

 

[Enve46]

At the end of the day, assuming your finances are able, then get what you want, otherwise you're just gonna keep taking half steps towards it wishing you had it. I really want to do AEV flares in 41-42s, but I'm unwilling to deal with the mods and downsides required to scratch the itch. For me, that means staying around 39" max, which I'm ok with personally. Keep in mind that due to the negative offset of the wheels required to clear 40+ tires, your turning radius is going to take a negative hit. I don't know exactly how much, but it will be there, and likely noticible.

According to a C&D review of the PXL, they averages about 15mpg on 75mph highway test. I presume that is out west on mostly flat stretches of highway on "summer" fuel. Mountain use, or places with any amount of elevation change are going to lower that number, but not sure how much. For what it's worth, my 19 SO on 37" Falken AT3Ws averaged about 19-20 mpg during stretches between Myrtle Beach and DC.

I'd do some hand calculations for highway MPG with your current PW and see how far you are off, my guess is that highway driving brings that number up to around 12-14, call it 13mpg. That's really splitting hairs between PW and PXL. Again, it really depends on use and desire.

I will say, if you're going all the way on this build, I'd strongly advise you to look into a 3500. Your aftermarket spring options are going to be severely limited with the custom spacers AEV uses for their lift, so your front springs are going to need to stay stock most likely. You may have some additional options with the rear coils, because I think their lift uses more traditional spacers for the rear spring, but even still, if you're planning weight in the rear, and presuming you don't care about huge flex numbers since you're going with the AEV kit, the 3500 is likely going to be a much better base, and you should be able to swap different softer leafs in the rear to help with comfort or flex.

The Rebel is def a nice option, and you could use the PW front e-locker with it in theory since they all use the same 9.25" front AAM axle. The downside being that the OEM lockers seem to leave much to be desired. They may work if you're not hard use, in which case they are nice.

Either way, keep us updated on what you do. Assuming you don't spend any time in southern cali or around certain areas of montana or colorado, you may not ever see another PXL, so that's kinda cool.

The 3500 has a spot on my list of building my own PW/Rebel and going with Thuren/Carli stuff but with a long bed cause who doesn't love a base model, long bed 3500?! All options are being considered at this point and when I hear back from AEV, I'll have a good idea of what to do. I even asked Anthony at Mark Dodge is Ram has allowed a Rebel package on the tradesman diesel like they do with the PW, which I think would be perfection.

 

[UglyViking]

There have been long conversations on this forum and others about suspension. I've not been shy about sharing my opinion around the suspension AEV uses on these trucks. You can read all about it here and other places, but I'll at least plant the seed that if you're even toying with upgrading the suspension beyond what AEV offers then do not go with an AEV build. Once you go AEV suspension it's half impossible to revert to OEM due to the required cut on the (I believe) drivers side lower coil mount. You will get a lot of different takes on this, so do your research.

I'm a big proponent of Thuren and Carli products, but as with everything, there is no free lunch. If you want a softer ride, or you want additional flex, you're giving up stock payload capability, so if you're going to tow heavy, or really load down the bed, you're going to need to supplement with bags, or run the more HD Carli R2 rear coils.

If you want the full AEV build, I recommend going with it direct from AEV so you get the numbered plates and all that. It will help with resell value should you ever consider it and you can know the job was done to a high standard. If you're looking at changing out the suspension, then save your headache and just part out the stuff you want from AEV (Flares, Bumpers, Snorkel, etc.) and get it done at a reputable shop so you have the option to do Thuren/Carli suspension.

Without knowing what type of use this is for, or what capabilities you want, it's really hard to give any sort of accurate feedback. Please let me know if I can be of any help, but past that I'll leave you to it so I don't get overly opinionated on your thread.

 

[Enve46]

There have been long conversations on this forum and others about suspension. I've not been shy about sharing my opinion around the suspension AEV uses on these trucks. You can read all about it here and other places, but I'll at least plant the seed that if you're even toying with upgrading the suspension beyond what AEV offers then do not go with an AEV build. Once you go AEV suspension it's half impossible to revert to OEM due to the required cut on the (I believe) drivers side lower coil mount. You will get a lot of different takes on this, so do your research.

I'm a big proponent of Thuren and Carli products, but as with everything, there is no free lunch. If you want a softer ride, or you want additional flex, you're giving up stock payload capability, so if you're going to tow heavy, or really load down the bed, you're going to need to supplement with bags, or run the more HD Carli R2 rear coils.

If you want the full AEV build, I recommend going with it direct from AEV so you get the numbered plates and all that. It will help with resell value should you ever consider it and you can know the job was done to a high standard. If you're looking at changing out the suspension, then save your headache and just part out the stuff you want from AEV (Flares, Bumpers, Snorkel, etc.) and get it done at a reputable shop so you have the option to do Thuren/Carli suspension.

Without knowing what type of use this is for, or what capabilities you want, it's really hard to give any sort of accurate feedback. Please let me know if I can be of any help, but past that I'll leave you to it so I don't get overly opinionated on your thread.

Love it. And listen, I value everyone's opinion and don't take offense to it. If this thread helps me itll help others make their decision. Everyone has to read and research and live with their decisions, so carry on with your opinion, its valued even if there's something I may not agree with!! Ive done a lot of research previously for no other reason than being curious and am aware of the AEV suspension leaving much to be desired, especially on the PW side. Had great luck with two trucks on Thuren's suspension and am a big fan of their parts. The numbered plaque and resale are one of the main reasons Id consider paying the premium for an AEV truck, they do very well in retaining value, at least until recently. Ive seen several trucks for sale for months but think thats more of a Ram thing than AEV.

My intended use will be primarily daily duties with weekend exploring and off-roading. I dont want a commuter car as I plan to get another classic muscle car as a second car and the wife wouldn't want to hear my excuse for three cars. My wife and I both miss my Jeeps so the PW was a great choice to allow us to do some off-roading while being a great daily, minus fuel economy which lets be honest it is what it is when you have an HD truck and add 37s and other ****. Inspired by @ramblinChet Ive been looking more and more into camping, exploring and fun trips with my young kids, 2 and 5, to show them more to life than whats around us. I am not sure how deep we will go and how much weight we will have in the bed but if an AEV build doesn't happen, thats why I thought a 3500 would be a safe bet here. At minimum, R2 coils in the rear if 2500, add bags if need be. I wont be towing heavy, for now at least and hauling will be whatever things a typical home owner would do that a tacoma could happily do so no worries there. Maybe one day we will get into exploring this beautiful country to have a trailer or something but for now, I have to ease my wife and kids into my male desires of exploration so I have a feeling itll be campgrounds with cabins until they're ready for the next step.

Im open to your suggestions. This forum is great for it and Im fully aware there may be things I NEED to hear that others may say. So carry on!

 

[Enve46]

Well, I ended up moving forward with a used Prospector XL. Found one for an incredible deal which is what pushed me to buy it. I was looking at 3 different 3500 long beds and decided to search for 2500s one last time and I’m glad I did. 2020 with 46k on it. Loaded Laramie truck which I wasn’t looking for… Now let’s see about this AEV suspension fiasco hahahaha