Any dodge ram 1500 3.6 Penstar owners here?

[oilpsi2high]

Get a midsize if you're not going to tow anything but still want a truck. Honestly full size trucks are tanks. I park next to a 2500 Silverado at work and it makes my Dakota look like a toy in comparison, and the Dak isn't small.

With that being said, I'd go for the V8 in that truck. It's going to be a dog with the 3.6 and you'll wish you spent the extra for the Hemi. Also, mileage might even be better with the V8 because it's working less to move that thing around.

If you're deadset on the V6, then the Pentastar is a good motor from what I've heard. I believe it was on Ward's 10 best as well.

My .02.

 

[AVB]

The 3.6 in a 1500 is not a dog. It will smoke the old 4.7 v8. The new transmissions deserve some of the credit, but it still has around 60 more hp than a 4.7.

 

[supton]

The 3.6 has a nice flat torque curve, might only be 269 ft-lb but still 305hp.

Really cool thing about 8 speed transmissions is that there is a gear for every condition. Lug down on flat ground, or wind out in the hills, or every step between. Nothing like bad old 4AT days where steps were huge and range was limited. Fuelly indicates 19mpg on the 3.6 while 16 for the 4.7 and 5.7.

 

[stenerson]

Originally Posted By: AVB
Did you ask what was different about the black truck? They should be able to get you one just like it in any color for the same price.


He said one of the discounts (the 2500 dollar one) was only for the one in inventory posted on the website.

 

[AVB]

Unless they are just trying to move that truck for some reason, or that is the only truck they have equipped that way, that sounds like [censored].

 

[Billy_D]

As long as you get an extended warranty you should be fine.

On my van with the 3.6 engine I was not lucky. The engine was fixed under warranty within the first 10k Miles of ownership. Vehicles equipped with the 3.6 engine and 160 A Alternator from 2011-2014 have been experiencing rapid failure of the alternator. My alternator needed to be replaced out of warranty. Dodge is not recalling the alternators in vans because the engine is transversely mounted. They are only replacing them in vehicles with easy access to the alternator(engines longitudinally mounted).

 

[Billy_D]

Originally Posted By: AVB
I would strongly consider getting the max care lifetime warranty if you plan on keeping it long term....


+1

 

[panthermike]

I was actually really impressed with a 3.6 Ram that we rented in Colorado, which was a mile above sea level. Even did the Mt Evans drive and it performed very well.

It's too bad you're in NH, there's a dealer here that has great prices on Rams( where I bought mine).

 

[stenerson]

Yeah, the one I looked at was in my small home town Dodge dealer. Just noticed that a much larger one an hour from here in the City has large inventory, all the colors and better prices. Will take a trip there Saturday.

 

[stenerson]

Old thread but just wanted to update. I bought the truck back in May 2018. 57k miles now. Love this truck.
Great ride, excellent mileage (especially after driving my old 3rd gen Ram/Hemi for 14 years ) . I get about the
same mileage as my wife's little Sonata. Oil changes are easy. Gonna wait till next summer for first tranny service.

 

[Skippy722]

My brother in law bought a v6 big horn shortly after I bought my v8 Tradesman, I still maintain the idea that the v6 feels better under ~2500rpm than the 5.7 does. Glad you like it!

 

[demarpaint]

Nice choice, great engine. Long time Ford fan here, I'd pick a Ram over anything Ford or GM has to offer.

 

[The Critic]

Old thread but just wanted to update. I bought the truck back in May 2018. 57k miles now. Love this truck.
Great ride, excellent mileage (especially after driving my old 3rd gen Ram/Hemi for 14 years ) . I get about the
same mileage as my wife's little Sonata. Oil changes are easy. Gonna wait till next summer for first tranny service.

Ram classic or the new body style?

 

[MacManus99]

Nice choice, great engine. Long time Ford fan here, I'd pick a Ram over anything Ford or GM has to offer.

Long time GM fan here, and I feel the same way. The GM is actually the last truck I would buy at the moment.

@stenerson Thanks for the update, and nice truck!

 

[JTK]

Old thread but just wanted to update. I bought the truck back in May 2018. 57k miles now. Love this truck.
Great ride, excellent mileage (especially after driving my old 3rd gen Ram/Hemi for 14 years ) . I get about the
same mileage as my wife's little Sonata. Oil changes are easy. Gonna wait till next summer for first tranny service.

Nice! I had just under 60K miles on my 2017 Ram 1500 quad cab 4x4 pentastar when I traded it for a 2019 crew cab with a hemi this July. Did the trade because I wanted the larger cab for my family. I would have gotten another pentastar, but they're hard to find in crew cab flavor.

I know people balk about a V6 in a full sized pickup truck, but the pentastar and 8spd combo really are amazing power and economy wise. You can't compare them to 6cyl full sized pickups of years ago. Sure the F150 with the 4.9L inline 6 would tow all day long and last forever, but you weren't getting anywhere fast and you better not venture far from a gas station.

I found the 4.3L V6 full sized chevys to not be too bad in all accounts, but they certainly wouldn't move you along like a pentastar powered Ram 1500 will. Would they last longer? I don't think you'd get 600K miles out of one.

 

[stenerson]

Ram classic or the new body style?

The 2018 model, last year of the 4th gen. Here's what it looks like.

 

[panthermike]

It's a good motor in my opinion, especially later years when some kinks were worked out! I have a '19 Classic 4x4 with 3.21 gears. It surprises me how it moves out, i'm sure the 3.55 is even better. My mpg has been impressive to; 18-19 mostly city driving, 23-26mpg on highway runs. Awesome little engine.

 

[captno4]

Wife and I have the 3.6L engine paired with the 8 speed auto in our 2019 Wrangler. Little thing will scoot. As long as the long-term reliability equals the performance, I will be thrilled!