Pros: Trouble-free, power, interior space, smooth ride
Cons: Alpine sound should be better, ease of parking, mediocre MPG (to be expected)
We purchased our new 2012 Ram 1500 Crew Cab 4x4 Outdoorsman 1 year and 11,000 miles ago. The color is Sagebrush Pearl Metallic. We wanted this color, and the 2012s were getting slim on the lots. We found this one ~200 miles South of us – in Claremore, OK. It was a small town dealer – on Route 66, and I was very pleased them. We traded a 2010 Lincoln MKZ AWD. It was a great car, but I often have the need for a truck. We did all the paperwork online, and were out of the dealer in less than an hour after we arrived.
In the first year of ownership, it has been back to a dealer 0 times. We haven’t had any issues what-so-ever. The power and acceleration from the Hemi with 3.92 LSD is great. Key features include skid plates, backup camera, Navigation/DVD/40GB media center, Uconnect, remote start, electric driver’s seat, tow package, etc. It came with 17” GY Silent Armor ProGrade LT tires, which are excellent. It also came with the Mossy Oak package. I would have rather had RamBoxes, but this color was hard to find, and it had the Mossy Oak package. The Mossy Oak package may not be for everyone, but we like it. It makes it quite rare, as I have not seen another one in live form. I have seen a couple others on the forums. It has some Mossy Oak accents inside and out. The ride is great for a truck. It’s very smooth on the highway. The interior is huge, and much larger than anything we have had. This makes it nice for extended trips –as our kids like to bring a lot of “stuff”.
A review wouldn’t be complete without a few negatives. It’s rated 13 city/19 Highway. I average 14 (summer) in my daily commute – which is mostly city. Last winter, it was tough to get out of the 12s – when it was brand new. I’m quite sure we have our winter blend here in KC, and it’s currently making 13.5. We averaged 18.5 on a 350 mi. trip this summer – which was mostly 2-lane roads at low speeds. I guess that’s not terrible – considering my old 4.0 Explorers with 230 less HP, and much less weight made roughly the same (but that was 13 years ago). I know it would be better with LRR tires – as opposed to the heavy LT A/T tires. The Chrysler Alpine sound system pales in comparison to the Lincoln THXII system. It’s poor in sound quality when comparing the two. Compared to 4-speaker Ford system, it’s good. Either way, it should be a lot better. Alpine should be ashamed to put their name on it. It’s also a major pain to upgrade. Size can also be a hindrance, but that’s the case with any full-size truck. It barely fits in my garage – with only room to walk on 1 side, and front. It’s also a bear to park. You can’t see the lines at all – when pulling into a spot. It’s honestly easier to back in – using the rear camera. I usually park in the back 40.
It’s currently running 7 quarts of M1 5w20 with Napa Gold filter. I plan to run mostly PP or M1 for 6 month intervals. I could probably get by with dino or synblend, but the extra $10-15 won’t kill me every 6 months. Some report louder Hemi tick with M1. I haven’t noticed that.
I’ve added a Truxedo tonneau cover, front tint, Mopar Bedrug, GoRhino oval step bars, S&B intake, Magnaflow muffler, DeeZee tailgate assist, audio upgrades to name a few. A BT catch-can and billet shift knob is on the way.
That’s about it. I don’t want to write a book.
Some pics:
Cons: Alpine sound should be better, ease of parking, mediocre MPG (to be expected)
We purchased our new 2012 Ram 1500 Crew Cab 4x4 Outdoorsman 1 year and 11,000 miles ago. The color is Sagebrush Pearl Metallic. We wanted this color, and the 2012s were getting slim on the lots. We found this one ~200 miles South of us – in Claremore, OK. It was a small town dealer – on Route 66, and I was very pleased them. We traded a 2010 Lincoln MKZ AWD. It was a great car, but I often have the need for a truck. We did all the paperwork online, and were out of the dealer in less than an hour after we arrived.
In the first year of ownership, it has been back to a dealer 0 times. We haven’t had any issues what-so-ever. The power and acceleration from the Hemi with 3.92 LSD is great. Key features include skid plates, backup camera, Navigation/DVD/40GB media center, Uconnect, remote start, electric driver’s seat, tow package, etc. It came with 17” GY Silent Armor ProGrade LT tires, which are excellent. It also came with the Mossy Oak package. I would have rather had RamBoxes, but this color was hard to find, and it had the Mossy Oak package. The Mossy Oak package may not be for everyone, but we like it. It makes it quite rare, as I have not seen another one in live form. I have seen a couple others on the forums. It has some Mossy Oak accents inside and out. The ride is great for a truck. It’s very smooth on the highway. The interior is huge, and much larger than anything we have had. This makes it nice for extended trips –as our kids like to bring a lot of “stuff”.
A review wouldn’t be complete without a few negatives. It’s rated 13 city/19 Highway. I average 14 (summer) in my daily commute – which is mostly city. Last winter, it was tough to get out of the 12s – when it was brand new. I’m quite sure we have our winter blend here in KC, and it’s currently making 13.5. We averaged 18.5 on a 350 mi. trip this summer – which was mostly 2-lane roads at low speeds. I guess that’s not terrible – considering my old 4.0 Explorers with 230 less HP, and much less weight made roughly the same (but that was 13 years ago). I know it would be better with LRR tires – as opposed to the heavy LT A/T tires. The Chrysler Alpine sound system pales in comparison to the Lincoln THXII system. It’s poor in sound quality when comparing the two. Compared to 4-speaker Ford system, it’s good. Either way, it should be a lot better. Alpine should be ashamed to put their name on it. It’s also a major pain to upgrade. Size can also be a hindrance, but that’s the case with any full-size truck. It barely fits in my garage – with only room to walk on 1 side, and front. It’s also a bear to park. You can’t see the lines at all – when pulling into a spot. It’s honestly easier to back in – using the rear camera. I usually park in the back 40.
It’s currently running 7 quarts of M1 5w20 with Napa Gold filter. I plan to run mostly PP or M1 for 6 month intervals. I could probably get by with dino or synblend, but the extra $10-15 won’t kill me every 6 months. Some report louder Hemi tick with M1. I haven’t noticed that.
I’ve added a Truxedo tonneau cover, front tint, Mopar Bedrug, GoRhino oval step bars, S&B intake, Magnaflow muffler, DeeZee tailgate assist, audio upgrades to name a few. A BT catch-can and billet shift knob is on the way.
That’s about it. I don’t want to write a book.
Some pics:
