How do you like your Ram truck?

Dusty Gesinger wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>big_g wrote:</div>
Yeah, being a Service Manager for 18 years, I don’t see much. What was your last new truck you bought ? How did it work out for you ? He asked about new Rams and I thought you realized you didn’t have any first hand knowledge, but rather a friend with a 3 year old truck and nothing specific about cheap parts from some mechanics ?

You definitely make me not want a ram, but good luck with the forceful tactics.

So a guy asks about a new truck… and the responses are “you should wait 5 or 6 years, to see if they are junk” ? I don’t think any manufacturer making “junk” would last past 5 years. You should buy the Ridgeline and stay in your safe space, you couldn’t handle a RAM or an F150 for that matter.

What forceful tactic. I answered honestly, skip the Air ride, more trouble than what they are worth when it gets below zero. Being a Service Manager, if crappies mechanics have insight for me, I will take it… in these times, my mechanics need all the work they can get, Warranty or not.

buckybadger wrote:

In my opinion, the newest Rams haven’t been around long enough to test the longevity. To me, trading off a truck or swapping it within the first 5-6 years since it was manufactured really isn’t putting them to the test. In today’s world, most trucks really don’t start to show “what they’re made of” until you roll 100k and put them through a lot of different scenarios.

The 5.7 liter Hemi has been around since 2003, and I’ve personally never heard of people having issues with it (although I’m sure someone’s wife’s cousins uncles co-worker did). The transmissions have changed, but again you don’t hear of rampant issues on the newer models (like there had been late 90’s I think).

I drive a 2013 RAM 1500, Hemi with the six speed , wish i had the 8 speed for non towing highway travel. 110,000 miles. It has never seen the dealer except for some recalls. I do all of my own preventative maintenance at recommended intervals. Synthetic oil in everything, brakes factory brakes gave up at 70,000, only on its second set of tires, will need new by this fall. I was a GM only guy, until I bought a RAM.

Love my Ram. I’ve had two. The first was a 2014 Regular cab, Express edition. Loved that truck but I traded it in for a backseat and more features. Currently truck is a 2016 1500 Laramie Longhorn. Truck has air suspension & Ram boxes. Zero issues in 2 years with the Express.

I LOVE the 5.7. I’ve also had no issues with the 8-speed transmission that was in both trucks.

Had manifold bolts break on the 2016, which was fixed under the powertrain warranty. Fit & finish on the Longhorn is amazing. Puts anything from Ford or Chevy to shame, if that matters to you.

Mixed feelings on the Ram boxes. Auto-leveling with the air ride is awesome for towing.

2013 Ram 1500 8 speed hemi. The ruck has been fine. I have had nothing but issues with my headlights and Now rust. the truck has a mysterious electrical problem that shorts my headlights, eventually blowing the lamp. To replace the lamp you need to remove your entire front grill and headlight assembly. this has been happening since the trucks 3rd year. I have to replace the lamps about every 3-4 months!

Next and more concerning is rust, started just over a year ago so the truck was 5-6 years old. I bought it as a year end carry over. I have rust bubbling my paint in a 6″ diameter circle on the top of my front passenger quarter panel and now just above the wheel well on the passenger side.

The truck has been kept as clean as possible for Minnesota, the truck looks like new aside from the rust. The rust is not emanating from any paint chips or exposed metal from the painted side, it is coming from behind sealed paint.

To be honest, I was very worried about electrical and rust when I bought the truck. My previous Durango basically turned into dust from rust. I was hoping to keep this one for some time. My worst fears have come true. I love the truck engine and power train but since Ram cannot seem to get electrical or paint issues solved I wont buy an other.

The electrical headlamp thing is not common, an electrical tech needs to crawl through that harnass and find the rub through I am guessing…. the rust however in them years and prior were an issue, we fixed a ton of them. It was not specific to Rams, all manufacturer’s had the issue. The issue was road salts and gravel got past splash shields and settled in the crevice, above the rear wheels. It sits in there and as you said, corrodes from the inside out…Ram has since added another wheelhouse splash guard, to alleviate the issue. Time will tell.

My last couple of trucks have been f-350s, I didn’t add that because the op only asked about ram, but when anyone criticizes your precious ram, you badger them about it, ram has never been an option for me with all of the transmission, motor, and rust issues my family members have experienced with them. When I am in the market again, it will continue to not include ram, especially because of a certain service manager. I will be looking at Toyota, Ford, or GM’s, sadly not sure if anyone makes a full size box with a crew cab in a half ton anymore. Hopefully I can find something. But that is another thread, I think Toyota has an option with the double cab and Ford has an option with extended cab, but not sure how well carseats fit. Good luck to the OP with your decision.

Don’t know how we will survive….

Copy my badgering here, before you started badgering me.

Love my 2015 big horn. Just about 100k miles now without a single issue and it doesn’t get babied. Dad got the new Ram when they first came out and he also loves it. Only thing that I don’t like is they put a new safety feature in that doesn’t allow you to drive with the door open. Mainly a pain when trying to backup a trailer and having the truck slam into park when you forget…

Had a 2015, crew, 5.7, 100,000 mi, no major issues. Now have a 2019 (new body style) love this thing, especially the air ride!

@ wormdunker I am not trying to make fun of your headlight issue as I’m sure it is very frustrating but I just happened to have to work on a 17 ram (seems like the same body style as your 13) and I needed to take the headlight out. It only took about 5 mins and you can see in the picture I was able to leave the grille in. Just loosen it up and pull it away enough to get at the 2 bolts then go through the splash shield access and trip the retaining clip. Now if you had this issue with a newer Chevy and had to pull the light that might be cause to sell the truck lol. I believe book time is 2hrs to replace a headlight bulb on a Chevy Pickup.

Attachments:

1. 

   7E911568-665B-45BC-9D7F-F3DD3ACB7F62.jpeg
   

Thanks for all the replies. Some good information was offered. Can’t find anything on the “lifetime powertrain” warranty for F150 though. Is that a specific dealer offering? Planning now to wait until the 2021 models come out to see what’s new with Ford and Ram or if better deals on 2020 models. Running a 2003 Suburban that I bought new and is in great shape and only 115,000 on it so don’t need to do anything in a hurry.

Fall can be a great time to shop for year end clearance, not sure how the covid incentives will effect this fall or the programs going on now. But I would think there will still be extra trucks on the lots.

big_g wrote:

The electrical headlamp thing is not common, an electrical tech needs to crawl through that harnass and find the rub through I am guessing…. the rust however in them years and prior were an issue, we fixed a ton of them. It was not specific to Rams, all manufacturer’s had the issue. The issue was road salts and gravel got past splash shields and settled in the crevice, above the rear wheels. It sits in there and as you said, corrodes from the inside out…Ram has since added another wheelhouse splash guard, to alleviate the issue. Time will tell.

Do a search IT is VERY common, VERY! took me no time on Ram forums to find it si a common problem. but i will add not necessarily only on Ram. The new headlamps run too hot for OEM nylon connectors. They melt and unseat the bulb, then short.
I am going to replace the headlight connectors with oem ceramic if I keep the truck.

Maybe, maybe not. They shutdown the assembly lines too… we haven’t received a new vehicle in over 2 months. The lots are depleted some, as we still sold about 50% of what we normally would have. It really depends on how fast they can crank up. New models typically come out in the fall, so we will see if that is pushed back also.

big_g wrote:

The electrical headlamp thing is not common, an electrical tech needs to crawl through that harnass and find the rub through I am guessing…. the rust however in them years and prior were an issue, we fixed a ton of them. It was not specific to Rams, all manufacturer’s had the issue. The issue was road salts and gravel got past splash shields and settled in the crevice, above the rear wheels. It sits in there and as you said, corrodes from the inside out…Ram has since added another wheelhouse splash guard, to alleviate the issue. Time will tell.

So my big issue is Front splash well and well above the fender well, almost to the top of the fender where it curves atop the fender. I too have the shields you are referencing. There is a small spot on my rear well that may be what you are referring to. All you have to do is look at Rams when you walk through parking lots, 5 years and older WILL have rust. I have done it. These trucks should NOT rust that soon.

Like i said, nice trucks but therd is a reason they are less expensive than others.

i think the lots will be empty this fall with the incentives going on now and having to shutdown for a good period of time.

Stanley wrote:

@ wormdunker I am not trying to make fun of your headlight issue as I’m sure it is very frustrating but I just happened to have to work on a 17 ram (seems like the same body style as your 13) and I needed to take the headlight out. It only took about 5 mins and you can see in the picture I was able to leave the grille in. Just loosen it up and pull it away enough to get at the 2 bolts then go through the splash shield access and trip the retaining clip. Now if you had this issue with a newer Chevy and had to pull the light that might be cause to sell the truck lol. I believe book time is 2hrs to replace a headlight bulb on a Chevy Pickup.

Nope not the same, removing the Grill is not the end of the world, It is 4 screws and a few compression posts that pop in and out. There is no way to remove the headlamp assembly with out the grill in my case. You just have to be really careful when removing Not to scratch your color patch bumper skin like i did the first time I had to change it. Is what it is every brand has its issues just have to weigh which mean the most to the buyer.

wormdunker wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>big_g wrote:</div>
The electrical headlamp thing is not common, an electrical tech needs to crawl through that harnass and find the rub through I am guessing…. the rust however in them years and prior were an issue, we fixed a ton of them. It was not specific to Rams, all manufacturer’s had the issue. The issue was road salts and gravel got past splash shields and settled in the crevice, above the rear wheels. It sits in there and as you said, corrodes from the inside out…Ram has since added another wheelhouse splash guard, to alleviate the issue. Time will tell.

Do a search IT is VERY common, VERY! took me no time on Ram forums to find it si a common problem. but i will add not necessarily only on Ram. The new headlamps run too hot for OEM nylon connectors. They melt and unseat the bulb, then short.
I am going to replace the headlight connectors with oem ceramic if I keep the truck.

OK, I guess I read that yours has a short and blows the headlamp… not the overheating. Most manufacturers had issues with bulbs getting too hot and have since replaced them with others, including RAM.

I’ve heard that in the past RAMs had an issue with water getting inside the fenders, causing them to rust from the inside out. Does anyone know if that is still an issue? Really the only thing that is making me a little hesitant to get a RAM.

That was definitely an issue, in the saltbelt states. Make sure the new truck has Rear Wheelhouse Liners… it is a $195 option. It’s mostly sand/salt that sit above the wheel wells, not so much water, that corrodes them from the inside out.