Ordering a ‘23 Powerstroke

4x4ord wrote:
Being able to choose between 35 mph or 55 mph is good. If we were travelling together I think I’d want you behind me.

I can tell you that you absolutely do not want to go down many of the mountain passes here in BC while fully loaded at 55 mph.....

Bionic Man wrote:

FishOnOne wrote:
The last Ike test pull with 30k lbs had the Ram with zero brake applications, the Ford 5 brake applications and the GM had 9 brake applications.

We know the Ford yielded the best fuel economy and IMO that's the best attribute with todays diesel prices.

Having said that I would take the best fuel economy with the best towing performance with 5 brake applications all day long. BTW I tow in flat land so exhaust braking performance for me is not a high priority.

I tow Eisenhower a half dozen (maybe more) times a year. I don’t understand people getting hung up on the brake applications. In all the times I’ve towed it, I’ve never thought to myself “wow, that’s too many brake applications”.

Even when towing with the EcoBoost, which does great going up, but has minimal engine braking, I’ve never felt unsafe.

And as far as choosing “best towing performance” what does that even mean? I’d bet that you can’t tell a difference in towing with any of the Big 3 by the seat of your pants - you would have to do some sort of timing to know any difference.

I’d agree that MPG would be a good way to differentiate, but again, I doubt there is a significant difference there either.

Buy the one you like. No need to make feeble excuses to defend how you choose to spend your own money.

I believe the difference between myself and others here is I state what I would purchase and why, but don't try to convince others what to purchase. The only time I might get close to that slippery slope is when I notify buyers that one particular brand of truck is "Made in Mexico" and corporate control is now in Europe. Two attributes I completely despise!

4x4ord wrote:
If I was offered $80k US for my ‘22 F350 Platinum I’m not sure what I’d do. The way it looks it might be getting close to 2024 before I see a ‘23 in my driveway. I think I’d have to pass on that offer.

I sold my 2019 F450 for $82k at a ford dealer recently. I really wanted an F550 but with the trim options being limited to level 1 lariat, I deciced to grab a new Ram 5500 Laramie. My only regret is the steering is a lot looser than my rock solid F450. I think the adaptive steering had a lot to do with that. Other than requiring more steering input, its comfortable and powerful.

I might take it in and have it aligned. I took it to two ram dealers and neither would put it on an alignment machine saying it was too big for their equipment. One is a fleet dealer. Don't be surprised if I swap it for a 2024 F550 if they start offering upper trims.

FishOnOne wrote:
The last Ike test pull with 30k lbs had the Ram with zero brake applications, the Ford 5 brake applications and the GM had 9 brake applications.

We know the Ford yielded the best fuel economy and IMO that's the best attribute with todays diesel prices.

Having said that I would take the best fuel economy with the best towing performance with 5 brake applications all day long. BTW I tow in flat land so exhaust braking performance for me is not a high priority.

I tow Eisenhower a half dozen (maybe more) times a year. I don’t understand people getting hung up on the brake applications. In all the times I’ve towed it, I’ve never thought to myself “wow, that’s too many brake applications”.

Even when towing with the EcoBoost, which does great going up, but has minimal engine braking, I’ve never felt unsafe.

And as far as choosing “best towing performance” what does that even mean? I’d bet that you can’t tell a difference in towing with any of the Big 3 by the seat of your pants - you would have to do some sort of timing to know any difference.

I’d agree that MPG would be a good way to differentiate, but again, I doubt there is a significant difference there either.

Buy the one you like. No need to make feeble excuses to defend how you choose to spend your own money.

Being able to choose between 35 mph or 55 mph is good. If we were travelling together I think I’d want you behind me.

4x4ord wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Never had that situation. I have held back on miles of 14% in 2nd 30-35mph. Ashland pass coming into Oregon from CA I use 3rd 50-55 and I do hit the brakes on a couple 50mph corners it just seems like you are going faster when you are descending and coming into a corner.

Keep coming up with reasons not to get a RAM, I think you will cave sometime.

Why do you go so slow down the 14% grades ... why not go 40 to 45 mph?

Well this LONG 14% grade had lots of curves so it was not safe to go faster.

The last Ike test pull with 30k lbs had the Ram with zero brake applications, the Ford 5 brake applications and the GM had 9 brake applications.

We know the Ford yielded the best fuel economy and IMO that's the best attribute with todays diesel prices.

Having said that I would take the best fuel economy with the best towing performance with 5 brake applications all day long. BTW I tow in flat land so exhaust braking performance for me is not a high priority.

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Never had that situation. I have held back on miles of 14% in 2nd 30-35mph. Ashland pass coming into Oregon from CA I use 3rd 50-55 and I do hit the brakes on a couple 50mph corners it just seems like you are going faster when you are descending and coming into a corner.

Keep coming up with reasons not to get a RAM, I think you will cave sometime.

Why do you go so slow down the 14% grades ... why not go 40 to 45 mph?

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Never had that situation. I have held back on miles of 14% in 2nd 30-35mph. Ashland pass coming into Oregon from CA I use 3rd 50-55 and I do hit the brakes on a couple 50mph corners it just seems like you are going faster when you are descending and coming into a corner.

Keep coming up with reasons not to get a RAM, I think you will cave sometime.

The only remaining reason left is Rams reluctance to catch up with the competition on transmissions….
For a company as a whole (with several different owners over the past few decades) who consistently has generally offered the least competitive and/or least reliable transmissions, they finally pulled their heads out of… somewhere about 8 years ago and found a great trans for their rwd cars and light duty trucks/suvs.
Yet they still suffer from cranial rectal syndrome with HD diesels. The Aisin was a good/great move 10 years ago even though they are still pumping out more sub-par 68rfe units than would seem imaginable. But they got left in the dust a few years ago again even with the Aisin in the fleet.

Never had that situation. I have held back on miles of 14% in 2nd 30-35mph. Ashland pass coming into Oregon from CA I use 3rd 50-55 and I do hit the brakes on a couple 50mph corners it just seems like you are going faster when you are descending and coming into a corner.

Keep coming up with reasons not to get a RAM, I think you will cave sometime.