Its been a full year now since I made the switch from Cummins to Hemi power in my daily driver/RV hauler.I have no regrets. It performs well, hasn't had a single issue, and suits my needs perfectly.I'm at a whopping 10,000 miles (I know, not many).I certainly did have some mixed feelings making the switch - mostly concerns with towing ability, an unproven engine, and an unproven rear suspension set up. I'm happy to say all 3 are no longer concerns. All I have done so far are 2 oil changes and a tire rotation. There was some programming update for the keyless entry they did one day when it was in for service. I'm happy with it! :)

I was just thinking of the same thing as I'm about a month longer in to mine. I'm at about 21K and have no regrets. It's funny, towing I notice much less of a difference than as a daily driver. My towing experience with the 6.4 is nearly identical to the Duramax I came out of. As a daily driver the 6.4 is definitely a step slower than the Duramax (yes, it was completely stock). That diesel had just crazy "secondary" power. Meaning, it could accelerate off the line okay but when you really laid into it, could just flat out haul. The Hemi has power but just not as much. It's okay.... it's about time I grow up and stop racing everyone from stop lights :)Overall, the Hemi is a great truck and I'm super happy with my purchase.

Just a quick note to add a voice to the chorus.I've got fewer miles so far, but I've been absolutely satisfied with my 6.4L 2500. It tows like a champ, just almost effortless, even on the hills. Not that my trailer is a challenge for it, to be fair. As a daily driver, it's been great. Better gas mileage than the half ton it replaced, towing or alone. And it rides well enough that my wife doesn't complain. THAT was a surprise.It hasn't been back to the dealer for anything yet. Although I do have an outstanding recall for something in the gauge cluster. Haven't scheduled that yet. But no problems at all. Just an oil change so far. Tire rotation next time.I'd buy the same truck all over again, if I needed one. It doesn't hurt that my Ram dealer is awesome, where the local Ford and Chevy dealers would charge me for blinker fluid and muffler bearings if they could get away with it. "Market adjustment" and "Advertising adjustment" markup, my a**. Hope to have this truck for many, many years. And the first year is a good start towards it.

Great report guys. Another thumbs up for the current gassers being built.

spud1957 wrote:Great report guys. Another thumbs up for the current gassers being built.X2....I have always waited, not buying a first year model/engine. I am glad the 6.4 has turned out to be another good one!! The 5.7 Hemi is great, and it seems the 6.4 is similar, with improvements!:)Jerry

One year update on my 6.4L Hemi | Good Sam Community

56 Replies

milo
Explorer II
May 19, 2015
Impressive!!! Great news bout the 6.4. Good to hear that it's a great engine and truck that serves your purpose. Really impressed with the chest pounding... strutting their stuff bout going up over that little hill passing everything but a gas station. WOW!
ib516
Explorer II
May 16, 2015
Nice!
Yamaki
Explorer
May 16, 2015
I just recently purchased a 2014 Ram 2500 with the 6.4L and the Big Horn option package.

I am doing the math on what I can tow and this thread has been vary valuable to me, especially the info from all you 6.4L owners who tow with it.

The brand name, 1/2T vs. 3/4T, up the hill and down the hill BS wasn't helpful but I'm sure in some ways it was inevitable. :R

Here's the truck. It only has a bit over 1100 miles on it but I can already tell this is gonna be much more of a truck than my 5.7L equipped MegaCab.
ib516
Explorer II
May 11, 2015
Mmaxed wrote:
Thanks to reports from ib516 and others, I have a 3500 with a 6.4 on order. It is to replace my '08 Ford with the V10 that has towed a 14k toy hauler for 6 years. We tow in the mountains and wind here in MT. Does the V10 pull with the diesels? Nope. Do I expect the 6.4 to? Nope. But these rigs are my daily drivers. A diesel may not get fully warmed up for weeks of short runs. I know too many people that have had trouble with the newer diesels with this kind of use, so it's a gasser for me.

When I first decided to trade I was planning on another Ford. A couple of locals told me to look at the Ram. After driving several of each rig there was no way I was staying with Ford. Liked the Ram much better almost all the way around. Time will tell the story, but I am hoping for the best.

Thanks for sharing. I think you'll be happy with the Ram 6.4L.
Mmaxed
Explorer II
May 11, 2015
Thanks to reports from ib516 and others, I have a 3500 with a 6.4 on order. It is to replace my '08 Ford with the V10 that has towed a 14k toy hauler for 6 years. We tow in the mountains and wind here in MT. Does the V10 pull with the diesels? Nope. Do I expect the 6.4 to? Nope. But these rigs are my daily drivers. A diesel may not get fully warmed up for weeks of short runs. I know too many people that have had trouble with the newer diesels with this kind of use, so it's a gasser for me.

When I first decided to trade I was planning on another Ford. A couple of locals told me to look at the Ram. After driving several of each rig there was no way I was staying with Ford. Liked the Ram much better almost all the way around. Time will tell the story, but I am hoping for the best.
SCcampers
Explorer
May 10, 2015
I know I was enjoying the info on the 6.4 before the BS calling out started. I was very seriously looking into a gasser 2500 till I got a great deal on my 2015 2500 Cummins.

From what I'm reading that 6.4 is very impressive!

I just got in from our first camping trip with the Cummins pulling. It far out classed my old 2004 Excursion that had the 6.0 (the motor blew at 60,000 miles)

I'll keep tabs on this thread hoping it doesn't get too far off topic...
ib516
Explorer II
May 10, 2015
Maybe someone might be interested in reading about the topic instead of brand war BS.
hitnderoad
Explorer
May 09, 2015
4X4Dodger wrote:
On my recent trip from ND to AZ and Back going thru Colorado on I70 up and over Loveland Pass at more than 11,000 feet my Ram 5.7 4x4 crew cab passed every chevy diesel pulling similar length trailers to mine like they were standing still. I was not pushing it. (I didnt notice any Fords on that part of the road pulling trailers)

These were new or newer Chevy's and this surprised me. They were stuck in the slow lane with about the same speed as the tractor trailers.

I have owned a deisel before a 7.3L Ford in the 90's but that was long ago and many improvements have been made.

I am very happy with my 5.7 it pulls like crazy and is very powerful. I don't see any reason to go to diesel with the gas engines getting so much better.
It does get real windy in North Dakota. LOL!
mr61impala
Explorer
May 09, 2015
FishOnOne wrote:
4X4Dodger wrote:
On my recent trip from ND to AZ and Back going thru Colorado on I70 up and over Loveland Pass at more than 11,000 feet my Ram 5.7 4x4 crew cab passed every chevy diesel pulling similar length trailers to mine like they were standing still. I was not pushing it. (I didnt notice any Fords on that part of the road pulling trailers)

These were new or newer Chevy's and this surprised me. They were stuck in the slow lane with about the same speed as the tractor trailers.

I have owned a deisel before a 7.3L Ford in the 90's but that was long ago and many improvements have been made.

I am very happy with my 5.7 it pulls like crazy and is very powerful. I don't see any reason to go to diesel with the gas engines getting so much better.

BS... Cough.... Cough...

The Duramax you passed must have sucked another 1/2 ton Dodge into it's intake.

I'm not knocking 1/2 ton Dodges, I'm on my second one, but I have 2 friends with Duramax trucks and, IMHO, there is absolutely no comparison.
kw_00
Explorer
May 08, 2015
Well I like my GM built 6.0, and choose gas trucks for several reasons. That being said, my 6.0 wont pass up a newer Dmax or any other newer gen diesel pulling the same load up the same pass. I agree that gas engines are getting better, for sure. I am more then happy with the GM 6.0 engine/tranny combo. I have pulled with both gas and diesel engines in the hills. No doubt diesel holds better in the mountains, just my opinion.