For all those flying to Mark Dodge and driving home with 2022 orders

[ABigBearRam]

I'm planning to fly to Houston and drive back to southern California. Any dos/don'ts are appreciated.

I’m doing the same. My truck arrived at Mark a few days ago, signed papers today. I plan on flying into Houston, renting a car and driving to Mark then surprising my daughter who lives in Austin just in time for Christmas then driving back to SoCal


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[Bigkeeper]

I’m doing the same. My truck arrived at Mark a few days ago, signed papers today. I plan on flying into Houston, renting a car and driving to Mark then surprising my daughter who lives in Austin just in time for Christmas then driving back to SoCal


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Won’t MD pick you up at Houston airport and drive you to dealership?

 

[ABigBearRam]

Won’t MD pick you up at Houston airport and drive you to dealership?

I know they offer to meet me in Houston with my new truck, but I would rather put the first miles on the truck myself. I haven’t asked about them picking me up and going back to the dealership.


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[Bigkeeper]

I know they offer to meet me in Houston with my new truck, but I would rather put the first miles on the truck myself. I haven’t asked about them picking me up and going back to the dealership.


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I’m with you I don’t want anyone else driving my truck and would expect that they would pick you up and take you to the dealership for pickup

 

[Linked4door]

Met rodney from Mark dodge this morning at around 830am in New Orleans. He put the first 190ish miles on my truck. I left the hotel after he dropped it off and just got home. 18hrs and 945 miles later. Ended up skipping all the stops due to the crazy traffic from the weather. Just focused on putting miles behind me.. Can't believer the truck is home and can't believe I made it in a single trip. Bigest takeaway I learned on this trip is how important a good co-pilot/navigator is.

 

[Linked4door]

Disclaimer: most of this applies to traveling in general and you may already know this. But I was not prepared for it, and not that it happed seems like it should have been common sense lol. Learn from my mistakes.


* Hotels
If anyone is having mark dodge meet them at a hotel and not at the airport i would recommend finding a hotel that offers a free shuttle service. I stayed at the Hilton at New Orleans Airport and this was supper convent as they make trips ever 15min. Its cheaper than a uber.

Also if you have a late arrival at the airport and don't checking to the hotel till after midnight make sure you call the hotel in advance so they don't give your room away. My plane didn't arrive till almost 2am and almost list my room.

* Convince
I bought a phone mount (bullet point) a while ago and took it with me in my carryon. I installed it when I picked up my truck in the hotel parking lot. It made life so much easier on the drive back then just having it flop around in a cup holder.

Bring a large external battery pack for charging your devices. Most of the ports in the airport or on the plane were either broken in use or so slow to charge they didn't help at all. I have a large one from anger that was able to keep my headphones, both cell phones and my laptop charged with out having to stand in line for a charge station or stress having to look for one like others.

*PAYING FOR STUFF
I had to make quite a few stops between coffee, food, and picking up my copilot from an airport at a different airport part way back to NC. After a few states my bank started declining transactions, so I switched to my other credit card through a different bank and the did the same. By the time I got to my home state I had no working card or a way to buy anything if if didn't have my copilot with me. I would strongly encourage anyone making the trip to contact your bank in advance so they don't start dealing possible fraud transactions. I would also recommend to carry some cash as a backup.

*FOOD
I had Google some places to stop and planned to stop at them. By the time I actually took the trip I either wasn't feeling the food I had picked, traffic was too bad, or I wast hungry.
Try to plan for lots of alternatives choices and locations along the way. Also calling or putting in a restaurant resoveration while you are enrolled is super helpful. Only had a 10 minuet wait at Texas roadhouse instead of 40min to an hour.

 

[tolym]

Disclaimer: most of this applies to traveling in general and you may already know this. But I was not prepared for it, and not that it happed seems like it should have been common sense lol. Learn from my mistakes.


* Hotels
If anyone is having mark dodge meet them at a hotel and not at the airport i would recommend finding a hotel that offers a free shuttle service. I stayed at the Hilton at New Orleans Airport and this was supper convent as they make trips ever 15min. Its cheaper than a uber.

Also if you have a late arrival at the airport and don't checking to the hotel till after midnight make sure you call the hotel in advance so they don't give your room away. My plane didn't arrive till almost 2am and almost list my room.

* Convince
I bought a phone mount (bullet point) a while ago and took it with me in my carryon. I installed it when I picked up my truck in the hotel parking lot. It made life so much easier on the drive back then just having it flop around in a cup holder.

Bring a large external battery pack for charging your devices. Most of the ports in the airport or on the plane were either broken in use or so slow to charge they didn't help at all. I have a large one from anger that was able to keep my headphones, both cell phones and my laptop charged with out having to stand in line for a charge station or stress having to look for one like others.

*PAYING FOR STUFF
I had to make quite a few stops between coffee, food, and picking up my copilot from an airport at a different airport part way back to NC. After a few states my bank started declining transactions, so I switched to my other credit card through a different bank and the did the same. By the time I got to my home state I had no working card or a way to buy anything if if didn't have my copilot with me. I would strongly encourage anyone making the trip to contact your bank in advance so they don't start dealing possible fraud transactions. I would also recommend to carry some cash as a backup.

*FOOD
I had Google some places to stop and planned to stop at them. By the time I actually took the trip I either wasn't feeling the food I had picked, traffic was too bad, or I wast hungry.
Try to plan for lots of alternatives choices and locations along the way. Also calling or putting in a restaurant resoveration while you are enrolled is super helpful. Only had a 10 minuet wait at Texas roadhouse instead of 40min to an hour.

All great points. Thank you for that.
The credit card declines are a big one. I used to get those all the time when I started traveling for work. Now I don’t get declined no matter where I go. Travel to Canada too.
Had to tell the banks to never turn off my card unless I call it in. Less secure but I need the cards to work lol.
Enjoy your truck and hope it treats you well.


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[tolym]

We’re going a different route with our trucks. We have 3 trucks to pick up. We’ll be getting a rental to drive up there for a day and then drive the new trucks back the following day.
We travel for a living so 600 miles each way isn’t a big deal. Saves us a ton of money on airfare too.


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[beckty85]

I hate flying and absolutely despise airlines. I booked with priceline and when i did there were "4" seats available. I booked a flight that arrived in houston at 120pm with a 1 hour layover in Phoenix. Just by chance I checked my flight today with Americans app and im on a totally different play with a 3 hour layover in Dallas and not getting to Houston until 4pm. Theres still seats on the United flight that lands at 140 in houston but Priceline can only help me with an American flight because that is what i originally booked. I know its a small 2-3 hour inconvenience but its a domino effect with the change to the travel home plans

 

[RamRoadWarrior]

I hate flying and absolutely despise airlines. I booked with priceline and when i did there were "4" seats available. I booked a flight that arrived in houston at 120pm with a 1 hour layover in Phoenix. Just by chance I checked my flight today with Americans app and im on a totally different play with a 3 hour layover in Dallas and not getting to Houston until 4pm. Theres still seats on the United flight that lands at 140 in houston but Priceline can only help me with an American flight because that is what i originally booked. I know its a small 2-3 hour inconvenience but its a domino effect with the change to the travel home plans

I would never use priceline for a flight. Book directly as priceline has the ability to move your flight due price changes to meet their agreement, not yours with the airline.

 

[tolym]

I would never use priceline for a flight. Book directly as priceline has the ability to move your flight due price changes to meet their agreement, not yours with the airline.

I used to do that when I didn’t fly often.
Now I realized direct from airline is usually only a few dollars more expensive then those scam websites like orbit, Priceline, Expedia etc.


*2012 Ram 2500 MegaCab Laramie, 2 Tone Black and Silver. Deleted at 109k miles, 240k miles already. No issues, all OEM under the hood. Original 68rfe with only one fluid change.

*2022 Ram 3500 HO MegaCab Laramie Patriot Blue. (Ordered 8/7. Still waiting)

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[JimKIII]

I used to do that when I didn’t fly often.
Now I realized direct from airline is usually only a few dollars more expensive then those scam websites like orbit, Priceline, Expedia etc.


*2012 Ram 2500 MegaCab Laramie, 2 Tone Black and Silver. Deleted at 109k miles, 240k miles already. No issues, all OEM under the hood. Original 68rfe with only one fluid change.

*2022 Ram 3500 HO MegaCab Laramie Patriot Blue. (Ordered 8/7. Still waiting)

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If I need to use a 3rd-party booking agent, I have had great results with Travelocity. I can't vouch for the others that have been mentioned. But, going directly with the airline has gotten lots better - until they aren't. A few months ago trying to book a flight thru United was impossible.

 

[Surf2snow1]

I hate flying and absolutely despise airlines. I booked with priceline and when i did there were "4" seats available. I booked a flight that arrived in houston at 120pm with a 1 hour layover in Phoenix. Just by chance I checked my flight today with Americans app and im on a totally different play with a 3 hour layover in Dallas and not getting to Houston until 4pm. Theres still seats on the United flight that lands at 140 in houston but Priceline can only help me with an American flight because that is what i originally booked. I know its a small 2-3 hour inconvenience but its a domino effect with the change to the travel home plans

I did a test flight last week. Wifey ordered a new embroidery machine in Austin. Not knowing when the truck would actually show up, I flew to Houston last Thursday and drove straight home. 3am wake up, 5:15am flight. Arrived in Houston at 8:40am. Got the rental car and headed to Austin. Then back to Phoenix. Got home at 4am, 1200 miles later.

Don’t want to do that this time. I want to take the kids to Carlsbad caverns on the way home

 

[delmonicodiesel69]

Any recommendations on where to meet up the driver from Mark Dodge in Houston? Will be driving in on the 10 East from California.

 

[Surf2snow1]

Any recommendations on where to meet up the driver from Mark Dodge in Houston? Will be driving in on the 10 East from California.

At the airport they’ll pick you up in your truck then shuttle you offsite for a couple signatures. Easy peasy. I gave them $30 to go get lunch since it was kinda early (flight arrived at 8:45, which means they probably left around 6am to make sure they were there on time).

 

[Surf2snow1]

Oh, and they prefer Hobby airport. Bush is kinda busy and the people are pushy/in a huge hurry to keep cars moving along.

 

[Linked4door]

Any recommendations on where to meet up the driver from Mark Dodge in Houston? Will be driving in on the 10 East from California.

They prefer rhe airport as others have mentioned. I had them meet me at my hotel. When I first contacted them, they said they can even meet at a mile marker on the highway. So basically pick your poison. I would recommend something easy to find, a good size parking lot and be distributive where on site to meet. Basically like buying something on Craigslist without the risk of getting murdered....well a much lower chance lol

 

[JimKIII]

Oh, and they prefer Hobby airport. Bush is kinda busy and the people are pushy/in a huge hurry to keep cars moving along.

MD will drive one's new truck 150 miles to Hobby airport and hand it off to the new owner? That's a pretty darn good deal unless the new owner wants to be the one to put the first serious miles on the truck. Now I've got something to ponder....hmmm....

 

[Linked4door]

MD will drive one's new truck 150 miles to Hobby airport and hand it off to the new owner? That's a pretty darn good deal unless the new owner wants to be the one to put the first serious miles on the truck. Now I've got something to ponder....hmmm....

Correct, as long as you are ok with them putting rhe first few mjkes on it. They will go 250miles from their dealership in Lake Charles. I had them meet me in New Orleans which was around 190 miles. They guy driving it got better fuel mileage then I did driving home. He must ha had a very light foot. Other then saving me time and money by having them drive it, they also cover damages that might happen while they drive it. Luckly mine didn't have any damage.

 

[Surf2snow1]

Correct, as long as you are ok with them putting rhe first few mjkes on it. They will go 250miles from their dealership in Lake Charles. I had them meet me in New Orleans which was around 190 miles. They guy driving it got better fuel mileage then I did driving home. He must ha had a very light foot. Other then saving me time and money by having them drive it, they also cover damages that might happen while they drive it. Luckly mine didn't have any damage.

I think I got the truck with about 17mpg on it. That dropped to 16.5 between Houston and Austin (part of it was a huge thunderstorm in Houston). From Austin to Fort Stockton, it got back to 17.5. Then hand calc from Fort Stockton to Phoenix was right at 20.2. Even saw some snow going through Fort Hancock.