I hope this will give other self-proclaimed car guys insight into what its like to own a RAM HD pickup. 1st, I like my RAM and do not regret the purchase. I purchased a used mint condition 2019 Ram 3500 HO, Long Horn, Mega Cab SRW with 40K miles. I decided on the RAM from watching lots of TFL truck and hoovies garage 1 million mile dodge and several test drives of other trucks. The RAM replaces my previous tow vehicle which I traded in; a 2011 BMW X5M that had an unsolvable problem that caused it to sometimes go into limp mode while towing. We plan to use the truck as a tow vehicle for work and trips as well as put a truck camper on it for when we go to Alaska. This is my first Ram pickup (or FCA product); I am not a pickup guy but a right tool for the job guy. I do not daily drive the RAM and instead daily a BMW 550i sedan. I also own a 2000 Ford F-450 7.3 DRW service body/bucket truck.
Things I like
* Drivers Seat is very comfortable one of the most comfortable I've owned and I like the cloth.
* Like having Car Play and the ability to use siri to dictate texts
* Interior is very quiet
* Alpine speakers sound pretty good
* Tows my trailer very well I give it an 8.5/10 on towing comfort, and makes 700 miles days easy even in high winds.
* Most things on the truck seem to just work as one would expect
* Like the range while towing especially after adding a 50 gallon gas tank
* like the mirrors for towing, and like the back seat for pets/stuff when I'm working
* So far its been totally reliable with no check engine lights, intermittent problems, emissions issues and etc. I like that!
Observations but these don't bother me
* Hood does flutter in wind
* Truck is extremely heavy, cat scales weigh in at 8660lbs, no driver, full DEF/Diesel (have a 50 gallon after market tank), and a bed topper. Payload as it sits is 3640lbs, we're getting a truck camper, so payload is important.
* There is a general lack of precision in the controls, especially steering, brakes, gear selector, and etc. but its comparable to other pickups I've driven, so its not a problem.
* Driving the ram you immediately notice it isn't that maneuverable in traffic so you feel like its difficult to avoid an accident. With the site lines out you feel like everyone messing with their phone drifting in their lane near you maybe a potential unavoidable accident, makes my wife nervous to ride as a passenger in it with heavy traffic. We do not feel that way in the F-450 or other vehciles.
Con's
* A/C is just okay, blows tepid air when idling, does better when moving.
* The bed is hard to get into and out of without a step and I can't reach over the side and grab something out of the bed.
* Site lines out of the truck are less than ideal, makes maneuvering in tight places tricky without a spotter.
* The diesel is laggy (its my 3rd diesel), it takes a good couple of seconds to build boost even at highway speeds, which makes cut and thrust through Houston traffic not always an option.
* ride is fine unloaded on smooth roads, though it can be bouncy/rough on certain concrete freeways like in Colorado. I do have 20s. Wish I had the rear air suspension and 18s.
* I paid over 60K for this truck, and its missing a ton of features I would expect in a 40K Toyota or hyundai, like automatic climate control, HID/LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, wireless car play, keyless entry, automated emergency braking, and etc. Not even surround view cameras..
* RAM dealers do not know how to treat owners of 60-100K vehicles yet, for the money you do not get the same treatment you would as a luxury car owner of the same price.
Overall don't read too much into the con's, they are a certain amount personal preference, climate, and use case. I do like the truck and have been very happy with it so far, and we are looking forward to our camping trips and future trip to Alaska! I'm sure some careful mods could address many of the con's.
Things I like
* Drivers Seat is very comfortable one of the most comfortable I've owned and I like the cloth.
* Like having Car Play and the ability to use siri to dictate texts
* Interior is very quiet
* Alpine speakers sound pretty good
* Tows my trailer very well I give it an 8.5/10 on towing comfort, and makes 700 miles days easy even in high winds.
* Most things on the truck seem to just work as one would expect
* Like the range while towing especially after adding a 50 gallon gas tank
* like the mirrors for towing, and like the back seat for pets/stuff when I'm working
* So far its been totally reliable with no check engine lights, intermittent problems, emissions issues and etc. I like that!
Observations but these don't bother me
* Hood does flutter in wind
* Truck is extremely heavy, cat scales weigh in at 8660lbs, no driver, full DEF/Diesel (have a 50 gallon after market tank), and a bed topper. Payload as it sits is 3640lbs, we're getting a truck camper, so payload is important.
* There is a general lack of precision in the controls, especially steering, brakes, gear selector, and etc. but its comparable to other pickups I've driven, so its not a problem.
* Driving the ram you immediately notice it isn't that maneuverable in traffic so you feel like its difficult to avoid an accident. With the site lines out you feel like everyone messing with their phone drifting in their lane near you maybe a potential unavoidable accident, makes my wife nervous to ride as a passenger in it with heavy traffic. We do not feel that way in the F-450 or other vehciles.
Con's
* A/C is just okay, blows tepid air when idling, does better when moving.
* The bed is hard to get into and out of without a step and I can't reach over the side and grab something out of the bed.
* Site lines out of the truck are less than ideal, makes maneuvering in tight places tricky without a spotter.
* The diesel is laggy (its my 3rd diesel), it takes a good couple of seconds to build boost even at highway speeds, which makes cut and thrust through Houston traffic not always an option.
* ride is fine unloaded on smooth roads, though it can be bouncy/rough on certain concrete freeways like in Colorado. I do have 20s. Wish I had the rear air suspension and 18s.
* I paid over 60K for this truck, and its missing a ton of features I would expect in a 40K Toyota or hyundai, like automatic climate control, HID/LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, wireless car play, keyless entry, automated emergency braking, and etc. Not even surround view cameras..
* RAM dealers do not know how to treat owners of 60-100K vehicles yet, for the money you do not get the same treatment you would as a luxury car owner of the same price.
Overall don't read too much into the con's, they are a certain amount personal preference, climate, and use case. I do like the truck and have been very happy with it so far, and we are looking forward to our camping trips and future trip to Alaska! I'm sure some careful mods could address many of the con's.
