2013 Ram Heavy Duty

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Available Aisin Six-speed auto and 385 HP 850 LB-FT of torque combination. I think this will make the ram an even more competitive truck. What's everyone's thoughts? The power output by all of them is getting a little crazy...but Cummins + Aisin should equal a very durable combination
 
My thoughts:
The RAM has NEVER had a good automatic.. I talked to a guy that runs a Sterling and has issues with the Aisin.. Power looks good though.. Will Dodge EVER be able to build a body that holds up reasonably well?
Dodge should get an Allison 2500 series or a Torqueshift in the trucks and quit [censored] footing around.
Verdict: UNIMPRESSED.
I'd take a GM 3500 DRW at this point.. and I'm a FORD guy. The GM is proven for the most part. not so much with the Ford diesel or the Dodge Autobox.
 
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I've had such awful luck with Chrysler products, including a Dodge truck, that it would take an act of god to convince me of their reliability. That being said, I'm of the opinion that Cummins the best engine choice as far as pickups go. Perhaps Dodge teaming with a transmission builder will help with some of their issues.

There are older GM and Ford trucks on the road where I live, but the Dodge vehicles just don't seem to last, whether it be rust or mechanical failure.

Wouldn't it be great if you could order pickup trucks like a heavy truck? I'd like to get a Chevrolet 3500 with a Cummins and Allison AT. Oh well. Maybe someday.
 
Originally Posted By: DrDusty86
My thoughts:
The RAM has NEVER had a good automatic.. I talked to a guy that runs a Sterling and has issues with the Aisin.. Power looks good though.. Will Dodge EVER be able to build a body that holds up reasonably well?
Dodge should get an Allison 2500 series or a Torqueshift in the trucks and quit [censored] footing around.
Verdict: UNIMPRESSED.
I'd take a GM 3500 DRW at this point.. and I'm a FORD guy. The GM is proven for the most part. not so much with the Ford diesel or the Dodge Autobox.


I'm a ford guy too but the Duramax/Allison is the best proven powertrain combo on the market right imho. The scorpion is a good engine but hasnt been out long enough for me to give an opinion. The Cummins is a good engine but like others have mentioned the auto transmission has been the weak spot for years.
 
The last 15 years Chrysler has made nothing but garbage products. Unreliable transmissions, electronics, engines.

The Ram with a cummins is a good engine with a [censored] truck wrapped around it.
 
I would take an old 1980s Dodge Ram 350/360v8 /a727,or 1978 F350 460v8/C6 over any new truck today.While the new ones are nice,powerful and fancy,they are electronic nightmares.If you get 5 years of good service you are lucky.To last 25-30 years? Isnt going to happen.
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
The last 15 years Chrysler has made nothing but garbage products. Unreliable transmissions, electronics, engines.

The Ram with a cummins is a good engine with a [censored] truck wrapped around it.


There is a reaon the bottom 4 in JD Powers dependability are: Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, and Ram. Note that is in no particular order.

There's also a reason Ford outsells Ram over 2:1 and GM 1.5:1....

Dodge/Ram has always made junky pickups wrapped up in decent styling and gimmicks...
 
Nothing against the Dodge crowd, but my cousin had a '98 Dodge truck and it seemed like he was always working on it. Once the last mechanical issue popped up, he basically was done with it because alot of the truck body was falling apart on top of everything else wrong. MPG's were always in the toilet too. Think it had 165,000 miles on it. He has a 1 ton dually Ford crewcab now. Very pleased with it so far. From what I've seen around here, alot of the newer Dodges (Rams) have huge chrome rims and fancy paintjobs on them. Chevys and Fords are much more common on the road, and they are not pimped out like the Rams tend to be. Aren't they planning on having an 8 or 9 speed in their V8 trucks? Too many speeds for me. The four speed transmission in my Silverado is enough gears for my needs.
 
It does look like the appearance and especially the interiors of the new RAMS look really nice. I would still rather have a Duramax atleast for now.
 
They keep trying to crank a million HP out of all these diesel trucks. The only guys that really benefit are the ones lugging monster campers around.

I'd be more happy with a less powerful version that gets better mileage.

Also the problem with Dodge is that the Cummins is the best part of the entire truck. Their is a good reason Dodge is fighting it out with Toyota at the bottom of the full size truck heap.
 
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Oh BTW, the new GM's are coming out next year. So lets wait and see how the new Dodge compares against the new not the current GM lineup.
 
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
I would take an old 1980s Dodge Ram 350/360v8 /a727,or 1978 F350 460v8/C6 over any new truck today.While the new ones are nice,powerful and fancy,they are electronic nightmares.If you get 5 years of good service you are lucky.To last 25-30 years? Isnt going to happen.

I disagree. What is an electronic nightmare about them?
OBD II came out in the later part of 1995, as far as GM goes the new trucks use the same basic sensors and electronic controls for the transmission. Same goes for Mopar and Ford. They have only gotten better, easier to troubleshoot and almost bullet proof.

My 80's Trubo Dodges were an electronic nightmare.

Look at my 3/4 ton truck with a Gas 6.0 and a 4L80E. Plenty of those with over 300,000 miles on them. Goes for most modern trucks. Ford 5.4/4.6, Mopar 4.7/5.7, Toyota 5.7 and Nissan 5.6. I had a 1989 GMC 1 ton for a lot of years. Never let me down but new trucks are much better and will last longer.

Diesels are different, but from what I have read on the RV boards and talking to guys I camp with, the auto Cummins trucks after 07 seem to do just fine even when towing heavy. The ones before that with the Cummins would tear up the auto transmissions even at stock power levels.

Aisin makes a pretty good unit. Time will tell how it holds up to the power. They make transmissions for everyone to include Toyota and GM.

If you get an older 5.9 12 valve or 24 valve Cummins it is best to get the NV4500. Pretty much a bullet proof 5 speed.

Having said that, I like the look of the New Dodge. I am confident that the HD trucks will do well.

If I had to a have Diesel right now, for what they cost, I would find a nice used MDT or HDT and use that to tow my trailer.

4794982235_8be8376e7b.jpg

Guy on the RV board just picked up something similar to this with low miles for 34,000 dollars.

Look at this beauty.
smile.gif



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

380,000 miles on a CAT Diesel not even broken in 25,000 bucks.
 
Typical "Internet Amplification" on Dodge. Same folks spouting their same bias. They know what they read on the net and we all know it's true!

No sense in trying to change their minds. Besides, it keeps the used prices low!
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Typical "Internet Amplification" on Dodge. Same folks spouting their same bias. They know what they read on the net and we all know it's true!

No sense in trying to change their minds. Besides, it keeps the used prices low!


Well said.

I have had nothing but excellent service from the Dodge trucks I have owned. The couple Chevy's were good too. All trucks from the big 3 are good overall and they ALL have their issues.
 
Bravo^^^in total agreement there.

I had a 98 or 99 Ram 5.2 and it was not the world's best truck. But I have also had a bad one from GM, too. Buy enough of ANY brand and they'll make you a lemon. My current Chrysler is without exception my best new car ever purchased in over 40 years, nearly perfect.

Plus there's the stealership side of this. Many folks who have bad experiences could have been really helped by a little SERVICE from the stealer. Most times they just get run around a lot!
 
Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Typical "Internet Amplification" on Dodge. Same folks spouting their same bias. They know what they read on the net and we all know it's true!

No sense in trying to change their minds. Besides, it keeps the used prices low!


Well said.

I have had nothing but excellent service from the Dodge trucks I have owned. The couple Chevy's were good too. All trucks from the big 3 are good overall and they ALL have their issues.


I third it. Reading this thread would not have changed my mind last weekend.
 
Well Dodge lost me as a customer many years ago due to two different trucks that were lemons, and lemon is a word I am using lightly. They were both riddled with problems, electrical and mechanical too numerous to mention. The Cummins powerplant is far from bulletproof as many would like you to believe.

My dad has been a Dodge guy as long as I can remember, as was my grandpa. My dad has an '03 & '06, and while he still swears by them I would like to have the fuel money he spent taking them back and forth to the dealer while they were under warranty.

Heres a short list of his '06
crankcase full of fuel
waterpump
power steering pump
clutch
driveshaft/u-joints
rear-end/ shipped from the factory DRY
tail lights fill with water
blend door in hvac system broke (defroster won't work)
exaust system fell apart
wheel bearings

And while there is more, I think you are getting the point. His '03 hasn't had all of the same issues, it has its own impressive list.
My parents are retired and travel with a 5th wheel, both of these trucks are 3500 dual rear end. The comical part of all of this is that there is another couple they used to travel with, and they had a Ford. Every time something happened to the Ford on one of there travels that was the highlight of his updates to me, until I had to remind him of his own book of Dodge pitfalls, the subject always changed.

To the OP,
You can make your own mind up, but as I have mentioned they lost me as a customer years ago and I will never buy another.
 
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