Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Max towing number released

I tow a 5500 pound trailer to the mountains a lot with my Hemi. It does well but screams. I don't need a 2500 so the low end torque will be great for me I'm thinking.

N-Trouble wrote:

BillyW wrote:

N-Trouble wrote:
THe lack of any real payload is why a 1/2 ton diesel just doesn't make sense to me. The current top of the line gas offerings can all easily handle whatever you can "safely" tow with these trucks. You buy a diesel because you need/want the pulling power but when the severly lacking 1/2 ton chassis becomes the weak link I can see why not everybody is jumping onboard with offering 1/2 ton diesels. Maybe Dodge knows something we dont, but I doubt it. Still trying to understand the logic behind a 1/2 ton diesel...

I could see myself as a typical 1/2 ton diesel driver. I commute about 50 miles a day and don't have room for a separate commuter car and tow vehicle. It's all about the MPGs. I would like to see more payload, but could make 1500 lbs work.

But the mileage increase will never pay for itself when you figure in the additional upfront cost, maintenance costs and recent price of diesel vs gas. Here in Cali diesel has been running the same as mid-grade for some time now. Not to mention how much are you going to loose on your gasser when you trade it in. STill doesn't make sense.

I'm pretty sure it would easily pay for itself in my case. Trade in value is useless to a guy like me. At this moment my newest vehicle is 16 years old with well over 200,000 miles on it. In 10 years or so when/if I'm ready to upgrade it, I'm sure the diesel will have paid for itself. I drive and tow in the mountains a lot too, which should also improve the equation.

bmanning wrote:
snip....


You should get a prize for pointing this out; no one ever considers these type of things when the conversation goes "green."

I love the people that frown upon large SUVs as symbols of excess and gluttony; what are you supposed to do if you have 3 or 4 (or more) kids? Drive 2 hybrid sedans instead of 1 SUV?

I believe protecting the environment is very important but you can't just throw logic out the window.

Rant and hijack over.

As far as the Ram 1500 diesel, I think it has the potential to be a big hit but as with all things, time will tell.

Generally speaking, I don't like most folks who own/drive SUV's and
Pickups from a fashion statement point of view. This coming from one
with a 3/4 ton Suburban, but often I do fill most of the seat belts

When still married, soon to be 'ex' decided to join our church women's
axillary

Signed me up to bus a few gals to a function...all the way over they
gave me a bad time about my gas hog...

Didn't come back to pick them up and heard they were miffed having to
bum rides from other members. Most of them have Honda's and Toyota's
Grinned huge...as most of those gals outweighed me by over 100lbs and
the thought of them squeezing into an econo box was funny beyond...

Back on power and that carbon or green footprint...

If it provides energy, it pollutes in some fashion.

An all electric vehicle has to get it from the grid, which has coal
fired and other sourced energy. Huge polluters

Even if solar cells providing electrical power, the food chain of making
solar cells is no different than a computer chip and all of the haz mat
chemicals involved

Ditto wind power and geothermal (I've designed geothermal generators
out in Gyserville Calif and know that food chain

Even my bicycling's food chain has a carbon and green footprint...the
bicycle itself has a food chain filled with carbon based and the food
also has a carbon footprint (even organically grown)

ib516 wrote:

N-Trouble wrote:
THe lack of any real payload is why a 1/2 ton diesel just doesn't make sense to me. The current top of the line gas offerings can all easily handle whatever you can "safely" tow with these trucks. You buy a diesel because you need/want the pulling power but when the severly lacking 1/2 ton chassis becomes the weak link I can see why not everybody is jumping onboard with offering 1/2 ton diesels. Maybe Dodge knows something we dont, but I doubt it. Still trying to understand the logic behind a 1/2 ton diesel...

You're looking at it from an RVer's perspective, but most 1500 series truck buyers are not RVers. It also depends on where you live. With diesel being about 10% cheaper than regular unleaded here (Canada), and most people using their 1500 series trucks as the family car here, I think it'll sell like hot cakes.

Diesel cheaper than reg gas?


Where?

not any wheres in Atlantic Canada.

It is the same problem with most diesels. The cost of initial ownership will never be returned with fuel savings with normal driving. Hybrids are under the same umbrella. it takes a really long time to recoup the costs of the technology and that is thrown out the window if there are mechanical failures as they tend to be 3-4 times more expensive than gas.

The biggest problem I see with this "baby" diesel is exactly that, it is a "baby" diesel. it may become a big joke sitting beside the Cummins. Guys generally don't like being snickered at. The Hemi will have as much power and sound a lot better doing it at a lower price. And don't you dare say you dont care about the sound.

Doug

N-Trouble wrote:
Rant on: Would all the big three manufacturers PLEASE stop using the term "Eco" in naming your motors. FIrst it was Ford with the EcoBoost, then GM with their new EcoTech line of motors and now Dodge with their EcoDiesel.

THere is nothing "Eco" about driving a 6K lb+ brick down the road so please stop trying to polish a turd by calling it Eco... IF you want somethign "Eco" friendly then go by a Prius... Rant off

Abbreviation for ECHO of which they all are doing...echo'ing that
abbreviation... :B

And that they all use the same/similar demographics company that
says the herd loves marketing verbiage over real numbers and ratings... :S

carringb wrote:

N-Trouble wrote:

THere is nothing "Eco" about driving a 6K lb+ brick down the road so please stop trying to polish a turd by calling it Eco... IF you want somethign "Eco" friendly then go by a Prius... Rant off

There is nothing Eco about replacing a functioning older vehicle with new Prius when you factor in production impacts and natural resources used.

You should get a prize for pointing this out; no one ever considers these type of things when the conversation goes "green."

I love the people that frown upon large SUVs as symbols of excess and gluttony; what are you supposed to do if you have 3 or 4 (or more) kids? Drive 2 hybrid sedans instead of 1 SUV?

I believe protecting the environment is very important but you can't just throw logic out the window.

Rant and hijack over.

As far as the Ram 1500 diesel, I think it has the potential to be a big hit but as with all things, time will tell.

BillyW wrote:

N-Trouble wrote:
THe lack of any real payload is why a 1/2 ton diesel just doesn't make sense to me. The current top of the line gas offerings can all easily handle whatever you can "safely" tow with these trucks. You buy a diesel because you need/want the pulling power but when the severly lacking 1/2 ton chassis becomes the weak link I can see why not everybody is jumping onboard with offering 1/2 ton diesels. Maybe Dodge knows something we dont, but I doubt it. Still trying to understand the logic behind a 1/2 ton diesel...

I could see myself as a typical 1/2 ton diesel driver. I commute about 50 miles a day and don't have room for a separate commuter car and tow vehicle. It's all about the MPGs. I would like to see more payload, but could make 1500 lbs work.

But the mileage increase will never pay for itself when you figure in the additional upfront cost, maintenance costs and recent price of diesel vs gas. Here in Cali diesel has been running the same as mid-grade for some time now. Not to mention how much are you going to loose on your gasser when you trade it in. STill doesn't make sense.

N-Trouble wrote:
THe lack of any real payload is why a 1/2 ton diesel just doesn't make sense to me. The current top of the line gas offerings can all easily handle whatever you can "safely" tow with these trucks. You buy a diesel because you need/want the pulling power but when the severly lacking 1/2 ton chassis becomes the weak link I can see why not everybody is jumping onboard with offering 1/2 ton diesels. Maybe Dodge knows something we dont, but I doubt it. Still trying to understand the logic behind a 1/2 ton diesel...

I could see myself as a typical 1/2 ton diesel driver. I commute about 50 miles a day and don't have room for a separate commuter car and tow vehicle. It's all about the MPGs. I would like to see more payload, but could make 1500 lbs work.

spoon059 wrote:

docnascar wrote:

downtheroad wrote:
Impressive numbers...I would also like to see Payload info on it.

2014 Diesel Supplement Manual shows Max Payload: 1,520 lbs

pg 58.

Wow, that is a HUGE bummer. I'm sure their are some people for whom this is a good truck, but I'm not impressed at all. My Tundra has more payload AND tow rating. Gas mileage won't be as good, but its not worth the upgrade price to get lower payload and lower tow rating for a couple better mpg's. Any word on a price yet? Still seems to me that a base model 3/4 ton is a better option...

That 1500# payload is right in line with every other 1500 series truck, other than the HD F150 with the 8200# GVWR package. No bummer at all.

On price, they have said the diesel will be ~$2800 over the Hemi IIRC.

N-Trouble wrote:
THe lack of any real payload is why a 1/2 ton diesel just doesn't make sense to me. The current top of the line gas offerings can all easily handle whatever you can "safely" tow with these trucks. You buy a diesel because you need/want the pulling power but when the severly lacking 1/2 ton chassis becomes the weak link I can see why not everybody is jumping onboard with offering 1/2 ton diesels. Maybe Dodge knows something we dont, but I doubt it. Still trying to understand the logic behind a 1/2 ton diesel...

You're looking at it from an RVer's perspective, but most 1500 series truck buyers are not RVers. It also depends on where you live. With diesel being about 10% cheaper than regular unleaded here (Canada), and most people using their 1500 series trucks as the family car here, I think it'll sell like hot cakes.