Any new Dodge Ram owners here?

Steelie Steve · 10-02-2003, 12:22 PM

I bought a Dodge Dakota Quad Cab 4WD two years ago with the 4.7L V8. I love my truck.

Before that I owned a Toyota so this was a huge step up. Lots of room, lots of power, and very comfortable.

Enjoy the new truck. Welcome to the "Dodge Ownership Club"

Steve

CATCH AND EAT · 10-02-2003, 12:35 PM

Say it ain't so? :depressed: A DODGE!!!!!! :shocked: Henry Ford is rolling over in his grave.

Really, I was impressed with the dodge 5.7 hemi. Cool sound and it was a decent truck. the Cummins engine is superbly quiet now. Lot of power. Dislike the interior though. Hard and kind pasty. Other than that they are a fine rig.

Still like the Ford better.

Bounty Hunter · 10-02-2003, 12:37 PM

Sorry to add a bad note to this thread, but I have been depressed about this for two days now.

I just got $950 worth of work done on my 1998 V6 5-speed 4X4 Dodge Dakota's rear end. The bearings, pinion and ring gears and carrier pin all needed to be replaced. I have 60,000 miles on her some of which was towing a heavy fiberglass boat. Apparently the Dakota rear ends have cronic problems. They don't have the Dana differentials that the full size pickups do. They will start to make noise, then whine and get progressively louder, especially if you tow a lot.

Check out http://www.dodgedakotas.com if you want to learn anything about Dodge Dakotas.

I still love my Dodge truck and plan on using it a long time. I guess either need to step up to an aluminum boat, get a full sized Dodge, or plan on paying $1000 to do this again in another 50,000 miles...

[ 10-02-2003, 01:38 PM: Message edited by: Bounty Hunter ]

Killertraylor · 10-02-2003, 11:06 PM

Well, since I was born, I've always been a Ford guy. A good friend of mine owns an auto dealership that sells both Ford and Dodge. He's always told me Dodge is the better truck and I've always continued to buy Fords - until today.

He called me and told me about some great new rebates that have come out, low financing, etc. and asked me to at least stop by on the way home and drive a Dodge. My first thought (having long been a Dodge despiser) was to stop by my house first to get some grungy clothes so I didn't get my good work clothes all buggered up in a stinky new Dodge.

I drove the 5.7 Hemi - all 345 Horses and it was nice, but not as powerful as I thought it might be. Then I drove the 2500 Quad Cab with the 5.7 High Output Cummins.

Now that's an engine!

Went home did the internet research (2003 Motor Trend Truck of the year, yada, yada, yada - tows my house uphil without downshifting, yada, yada, yada...)All the Dodge forum guys like their trucks and don't complain about them....

So, to make a long story short, I just called him and tomorrow (after the spray in bedliner is added) I'll be a new Dodge owner (that hurt just to write it

)

Any other new Dodge owners here who can tell me how much they love their trucks to make me feel better? I hate to admit it, but I REALLY liked the truck and it was just too good of a deal to pass up. Best part is I sat down with the owner to pencil it out - no salespeople to deal with!

Cool Texan · 10-02-2003, 11:08 PM

I have had a Dodge Durango for 5.5 years now, and love it. Never had one problem with it...except for dismal gas mileage. Welcome to the family.

Nalu · 10-03-2003, 01:16 PM

2003 Dodge Quad Cab 4x4 with the Cummins.

Pulled 10K lbs of boat back from San Diego like a champ.

My 2000 F150 had the pinion bearing go out of the rear end at 42K. All the rest of the bearings in the rear were Timkin, 'cept the pinion, which was an import for some reason. (Common problem I later found out)

I bought the truck for the engine, and I'm really happy with it.

tailchaser · 10-03-2003, 01:38 PM

I have a '02 Quadcab cummins and love it. Got it early this year and love the power, gas mileage (avg. 20), and how quiet it is on the open road. However, one thing I don't like is the fact every gas station I pull up to wants to put UNLEADED in my gas tank. :whazzup: It still amazes me and last weekend when I went inside to pay I recieved 8 gallons of UNLEADED in my tank. [img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img] Even after the guy asked me what kind of fuel.

Anyhow that was an expensive bill for the gas company, but other than that I love it.

tc

roundbelly · 10-03-2003, 02:39 PM

i run a 02 1 ton 4x4 cummins automatic package with the locker in the rear end. quad cab, is a real nice rig. pulls a heavy load, both goose neck and bumper pull, with no problems and gets good milage. it runs up the rockies with no problem. love the turbo power. i went with a card lock system. no problem getting fuel in middle of the night at a one horse town.

Killertraylor · 10-03-2003, 07:51 PM

roundbelly - I just signed up for cardlock also -CFN has stations everywhere and at 1.49 a gallon for diesel I think I'll do o.k.

I picked up the truck today and already love it. Still can't believe I'm saying that about a Dodge, but it's awesome - the turning radius and size of my F-150 Supercrew with the power to pull 13000 plus! What a great rig! I had a Ford F-250 with the 7.3 Powerstroke and this Dodge just drives so much better and has so much more power!

Thanks, all for the replies. Tailchaser - do you know you can pump your own diesel anywhere? The law that says you can't pump your own gas in Oregon only applies to gasoline, not diesel. I always pump my own (or at least I used to when I had my Ford F-250 diesel) to prevent accidents like yours.

blackdog · 10-06-2003, 01:05 PM

Although I can't afford to consider any of the new rigs, I did just convert from an older '94 Dodge standard cab to a '00 Ford 1 ton CREWCAB and absolutely love it. It's a huge improvement over my old rig, better mileage, power, and room. Quad Cab? Doesn't compare to a true crew cab. I will admit though, after test driving a new dodge just for the heck of it, I was truly impressed with the way it drove and how quiet it was. Step outside though and it still look like a Dodge.