What do you mean a swap? So no buckets on Limited and Longhorn even if I order? No wonder I can’t find it!
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Payload issue on RAM 2500 Laramie Diesel - worth it?
- Thread starter LoveMT
- Start date
I'm confused.
You said you needed a bench seat.
Bench is available up to Laramie.
Buckets only for Limited, Longhorn Limited. period, no option for a becnh.
By swap, I mean that you could theoretically spend money on a Laramie or Limited with buckets and work out a seat swap with a lower trim owner.
Best bet if you have the time is order the truck you want. 21 prices seem high right now, an order will probably get you a better deal as well.
Have you gone through the options on each trim level on the build and price site? There's also a brochure available online.
RAM 2020 Heavy Duty
mydigimag.rrd.com
Thanks. Yes I’ve built them online but I was always choosing Laramie trim so I didn’t realize bench wasn’t an option beyond Laramie. I’m fine with Laramie and don’t really need to go beyond. I saw one in person at a dealer and the seat material was fine. Not real leather like you said but i thought it looked good. Then I started looking on dealers websites for their inventory and that’s when I came across the higher trims and noticed they were all bucket. I found a couple of Big Horns with benches but no Laramies at all. But I suppose if I’m going to order then it’s not an issue. I was hoping to find one but I can wait. I’m glad I’m going through this exercise because I also realized I should go for the mega cab.
Gotcha,
The Mega will certainly give you much more room and way better 2nd row seating and storage. Just stuck with the short bed. Not a deal killer for most unless towing a fifth wheel.
I also did notice the bighorn 2nd row isn't available as a split bench.
A Mega 3500 SO Diesel should give you a very respectable payload close to 4K.
Brewbud
Brewmeister Meisterbrew
The 2500 drives better around town but you mentioned you may step up to a bigger trailer. If so, go 3500. I would still suggest you go diesel because of the exhaust brake.
My 2500 Laramie with the Cummins has a payload of 2200lbs. I have found it more than capable for my needs, but if I was going to pull a big trailer I would get a 3500 to remain legal.
My 2500 Laramie with the Cummins has a payload of 2200lbs. I have found it more than capable for my needs, but if I was going to pull a big trailer I would get a 3500 to remain legal.
MEGA HO
Well-Known Member
As mentioned, go with '21 and order one the way you want it. You will love mega and your kids too. Payload on a 3500 SO will be around 4k# as mentioned.
If you're going to order, check this: compare the pricing on Laramie and a Bighorn with all the options that you want. Sometimes Ram's pricing doesn't make sense so you may want to go with one trim it the other depending on what price comes up (when I was ordering mine, equally optioned Laramie was a few thousands more expensive than the Limited so I went with Limited). Sure you can't have leather in Bighorn (plenty of aftermarket places that could change the upholstery for a real and nice looking leather) but you can set up the Bighorn with almost every option available on Limited.
If you're going to order, check this: compare the pricing on Laramie and a Bighorn with all the options that you want. Sometimes Ram's pricing doesn't make sense so you may want to go with one trim it the other depending on what price comes up (when I was ordering mine, equally optioned Laramie was a few thousands more expensive than the Limited so I went with Limited). Sure you can't have leather in Bighorn (plenty of aftermarket places that could change the upholstery for a real and nice looking leather) but you can set up the Bighorn with almost every option available on Limited.
He can't do Limited/Longhorn, said he needs 6-passenger seating (bench).
I ordered a 3500 Laramie Hemi. I too was worried about short trips in a diesel. (think 1 1/2 miles per trip twice a day commute).
hognuts1960
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Good decision... Congratulations!
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Well, that short trip is also not good for gas. When I was in LA, I was less than a mile from work. So I loaded my backpack and walked on the nice days. I lost 20 pounds and met new people.
I totally agree with not good for gas but defiantly worse for diesel. Wife will be driving the 1 1/2 miles to work every day. I am quite certain I won't even suggest she walks to work every day - LOL
In LA I made that decision for myself. I also hit a restaurant along the way with a huge breakfast burrito for $5. Carried it to work and ate that about 9ish.
While walking home, some strange folks (my friends) would stop and offer me a ride to the bar. Then the rumors started: that I was broke, walking to/from work because I had lost my license, wrecked my motorcycle, all sorts of things. It was hilarious. Until they stopped paying for my evening meals. I had it good with free food and drinks for a short while! LOL
Epsilon Plus
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GAWR. Tire weight rating.
Don't get so hung up on payload. Your use case is the exact reason they make the 2500.
Test drive the leaf sprung 3500 before you decide you want to have your teeth rattled out over every bump just in case you ever want a triple axle super 5er.
The 10,000 GVWR fee capped payload on my truck is 2,155. The real mechanical handling no BS payload on my 2500 diesel is 4,190. 6,000 front axle WR + 6,040 rear axle WR - 7,850 curb. The road cops will be concerned with GAWR and tire weight rating.
Now comes the part where someone says insurance won't cover you for going over the arbitrary 10k GVWR without any linkable evidence that it has ever happened.
Don't get so hung up on payload. Your use case is the exact reason they make the 2500.
Test drive the leaf sprung 3500 before you decide you want to have your teeth rattled out over every bump just in case you ever want a triple axle super 5er.
The 10,000 GVWR fee capped payload on my truck is 2,155. The real mechanical handling no BS payload on my 2500 diesel is 4,190. 6,000 front axle WR + 6,040 rear axle WR - 7,850 curb. The road cops will be concerned with GAWR and tire weight rating.
Now comes the part where someone says insurance won't cover you for going over the arbitrary 10k GVWR without any linkable evidence that it has ever happened.
Putting a 4190 load in the bed will put the rear axle at how much? Will the truck be riding on the bump stops? DOT regs will be concerned with axles weights and tires at roadside. With an RV, one would have to be obviously overloaded to get pulled over. We have all seen the trucks so overloaded that the front tires are barely usable for steering.
I know that a 11,500 pound toyhauler 5th wheel, with about 2200 of pin weight, was within 300 pounds of the 6000k rating of the 2013 RAM 2500 truck I owned. I had a payload of just under 2500 on that truck.
dragon_ram
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@LoveMT I feel your pain. I have a 2019 CTD 2500 Laramie. Front bench was a must-have, and in AZ I wanted ventilated seats. Bighorn = Laramie in price once I got the options I wanted, so Laramie was a no-brainer for the little extras it came with. Now, payload... kind of a letdown. As Epsilon said, the 10k GVWR is a big bummer, being that the diesel takes away almost 1k lbs from payload over an identical but Hemi-equipped 2500. I moved up from a Tundra but also picked up a Grand Design 3170BH, which is one of those rare birds that puts all 15% on the tongue from that 10-15% travel-trailer equation. This means I’ve got 1200 - 1300 lbs on the tongue, and leaves me a paltry 800-ish for passengers and gear in the bed. I hit that GVWR when loaded for long trips. Still under both GAWRs by a good margin by the way. I never expected to have upgraded to a 3/4 ton and pull a TT - not a 5er! - and be at my max #s. A Hemi would solve payload, but I’d never consider it - too many benefits to the CTD.
So now - after having this truck for 9 months, and with used prices so very high, and the CP4 threat, and the payload limit I play with - I’m very seriously considering trading this in for a 21 3500 Laramie Mega CTD. If that helps
So now - after having this truck for 9 months, and with used prices so very high, and the CP4 threat, and the payload limit I play with - I’m very seriously considering trading this in for a 21 3500 Laramie Mega CTD. If that helps
hognuts1960
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I had a 2018 2500 ctd and I tow a 40 ft fifth wheel. I know I was over so I went ahead and traded at 21,000 miles for a 2021 3500 dwr.
Best decision I ever made.
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Best decision I ever made.
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@LoveMT I feel your pain. I have a 2019 CTD 2500 Laramie. Front bench was a must-have, and in AZ I wanted ventilated seats. Bighorn = Laramie in price once I got the options I wanted, so Laramie was a no-brainer for the little extras it came with. Now, payload... kind of a letdown. As Epsilon said, the 10k GVWR is a big bummer, being that the diesel takes away almost 1k lbs from payload over an identical but Hemi-equipped 2500. I moved up from a Tundra but also picked up a Grand Design 3170BH, which is one of those rare birds that puts all 15% on the tongue from that 10-15% travel-trailer equation. This means I’ve got 1200 - 1300 lbs on the tongue, and leaves me a paltry 800-ish for passengers and gear in the bed. I hit that GVWR when loaded for long trips. Still under both GAWRs by a good margin by the way. I never expected to have upgraded to a 3/4 ton and pull a TT - not a 5er! - and be at my max #s. A Hemi would solve payload, but I’d never consider it - too many benefits to the CTD.
So now - after having this truck for 9 months, and with used prices so very high, and the CP4 threat, and the payload limit I play with - I’m very seriously considering trading this in for a 21 3500 Laramie Mega CTD. If that helps
For the longest time it was half ton prices going nuts, which is what prompted me to sell and get a 2500 CTD while those prices remained normal. We were trading my wife's car in last week and the salesman was telling me about the HD prices taking off and pulled some up...wow. I bought new in September with a decent discount and according to KBB I could turn a $7k profit if I sold private party. 2021's they had on the lot were running $15k to $20k more than I paid.
I sold my 1500 after 18 months and made out on the deal. Don't let only owning it 9 months influence your decision too much. If prices come back down like half tons have, you'll be waiting 5 years until the cost of ownership equation recovers to what it would be right now.