Forum Discussion

PDX_Zs's avatar
PDX_Zs
Explorer
Nov 23, 2017

Really Important truck features. :-)

A totally silly, but all too real topic as we are looking at a new pick 'em up next year. Plus it's a slow thanksgiving.

Having the Ford vs Dodge discussion in my head. Solid axle only please and thanks. Both great trucks. Both will do what we need. So what's the big decision point?

Is it payload? No, they both have plenty.
Is it torque and POWER? No. Both will go faster than we need.
Is it style? Nope. I think they both look great.
Brand? Nah.
Reliability? Both draw even in my head. Plus there are lots of other threads about that.

So what is it? I'm almost embarrassed to tell, but it's the real deal... And it's going to swing the deal one way or the other.

It's the stupid radio. Or infotainment as it's now called.

Having been through a couple vehicles, with these things. One 2006, one 2011, and one 2013. One from each brand actually. I can state categorically that any factory installed infotainment thing has a shelf life.

Oh they will work fine. But the tech gets old fast. It's like having a cell phone from the last decade that you can't upgrade.

Our 2006 truck got a nice Sony upgrade, as did my 2015 Wrangler. (UConnect cannot suck enough by the way) Now here's where I bring it around, so stay with me.

As of right now, CarPlay and android auto are where it's at. So that's a must. Advantage Ford. But who knows what's happening in a few years. So Ford takes a piece of technology with a finite life and builds their whole **** truck around it.

That's right, the radio thing can't be swapped out for aftermarket. Totally stupid. Whoever approved that design should be punched in the neck.

Advantage Dodge? Not so fast. Their unit is replaceable, but requires MAJOR surgery and and aftermarket front dash replacement. Again, a punch in the neck should be mandatory here.


TL/DR:

Memo to OEMs infotainment is a short lived technology. Please make them easily upgradeble to aftermarket in the future.



Thanks for paging through the rant and have a great Thanksgiving.
Tow Vehicles
  • downtheroad's avatar
    downtheroad
    Explorer
    Nov 23, 2017
    Simple, get the one with the 8 track tape player.......:S
    And Happy Thanksgiving to you too.

  • spoon059's avatar
    spoon059
    Explorer II
    Nov 23, 2017
    PDX.Zs wrote:
    Advantage Dodge? Not so fast. Their unit is replaceable, but requires MAJOR surgery and and aftermarket front dash replacement. Again, a punch in the neck should be mandatory here.

    Not at all. Easy to disassemble the dash and there is simply a small and inconsequential metal bracing to remove (if you have the base radio) to allow a double din radio install. Super easy $16 install kit looks seamless. It takes 5 minutes.

    Now... this applies to the base model ra1 or mid grade ra2 radio. No major surgery, no "front dash replacement" unless you are installing some custom shape radio... Replacing the 8.4 radio is more convoluted because the climate control and other features are built in to the radio (poor design in my mind... especially outside of warranty!)

    For the newer Ford, I found this kit... https://pac-audio.com/catalog/radio-replacement/rpk4-fd2201 Looks like it replaces the 4.2" display with integrated climate control. More expensive and difficult... but at least an option.

    I agree that its annoying that manufacturers are make such integrated radio's that are so expensive and difficult to replace. All the more reason that I enjoy "base model" trucks. Less expensive gadgets to replace.
  • womps's avatar
    womps
    Explorer
    Nov 23, 2017
    If you want new technology you have to go Ford.
    1- Blind spot monitors
    2- Adaptive cruise control
    3- LED head lights
    4- Tail gate step
    5- 360 degree camera
    6- Messaging seats
    7- Power extending tow mirrors
    8- Full length sunroof.
    9- Power remote lowering tailgate.
    To my knowledge none of the above options are available on a Ram and if you don't have a need or desire for them it doesn't help your decision. Flat rear floor is also a nice feature as well as the front cut down windows. Good luck on your decision.
  • rightlaneonly's avatar
    rightlaneonly
    Explorer
    Nov 23, 2017
    Foe what its worth (not much) I have a 2004 (yes its old tech) with an after market radio that does all kinds of stuff I don't need or understand. I wish they had left the stock radio in it but then, I probably wouldn't understand it either:R
  • PDX_Zs's avatar
    PDX_Zs
    Explorer
    Nov 23, 2017
    spoon059 wrote:
    PDX.Zs wrote:
    Advantage Dodge? Not so fast. Their unit is replaceable, but requires MAJOR surgery and and aftermarket front dash replacement. Again, a punch in the neck should be mandatory here.

    Not at all. Easy to disassemble the dash and there is simply a small and inconsequential metal bracing to remove (if you have the base radio) to allow a double din radio install. Super easy $16 install kit looks seamless. It takes 5 minutes.

    Now... this applies to the base model ra1 or mid grade ra2 radio. No major surgery, no "front dash replacement" unless you are installing some custom shape radio... Replacing the 8.4 radio is more convoluted because the climate control and other features are built in to the radio (poor design in my mind... especially outside of warranty!)

    For the newer Ford, I found this kit... https://pac-audio.com/catalog/radio-replacement/rpk4-fd2201 Looks like it replaces the 4.2" display with integrated climate control. More expensive and difficult... but at least an option.

    I agree that its annoying that manufacturers are make such integrated radio's that are so expensive and difficult to replace. All the more reason that I enjoy "base model" trucks. Less expensive gadgets to replace.


    Ah yes... Thank you I hadn't seen the PAC unit for Ford. For the small screen only. $400 MSRP. Geez... But seems to do everything right. Now here's where the options game comes in, as I think, but am not sure, that the big screen comes with some other options like power heated seats, and the like, but let me check it out.

    I did the whole dash out thing twice last year. Even wired a new rear view camera on my daughters Expedition. Not hard or complex, but just s time.consuming pain in the butt. All that plastic is really designed for fast assembly once on the line. Not disassembly and reassembly in my garage.

    Cheers!
  • PDX_Zs's avatar
    PDX_Zs
    Explorer
    Nov 23, 2017
    Not bad boys. Perhaps even a record.

    Seven posts from a stupid radio thread to arguing about suspension tech.

    Good job. I knew you could do it.

    I love this place...

    ;-)
  • 996Pilot's avatar
    996Pilot
    Explorer
    Nov 23, 2017
    FWIW - just read an in-depth article the other day comparing all of the built-in systems of car/truck manufacturers and UConnect came out as the top system. Personally I'm pretty happy with my Uconnect 8.4AN system in my 2015 RAM as it does everything (and more) than I want or need it to do. This latest software upgrade gives it (full?) Apple Car Play integration. I know the easiest thing for me is just to hold the button and pull up SIRI (which I hate) and say " find this" or "send a text message to ..." or whatever the heck else SIRI does. That said, the Uconnect system will do whatever I need it to do that's truck related like set the drivers temperature or the passengers temperature or turn the seat coolers on/off or the seat heaters on/off all by voice commands (no fiddling with dash buttons or touch screens). Navigation is mostly all supplied by Garmin these days so it's a wash (updates not controlled by the Mfg. anymore). Nav in the RAM coupled with Sirius/XM for traffic is good enough that it actually does a better job of re-routing than Google or Waze (sometimes).
  • Bedlam's avatar
    Bedlam
    Moderator
    Nov 23, 2017
    My 2005 Ford was easy to open up and install a double DIN Pioneer AVIC Nav instead of the base radio. My 2015 Ram with the base UConnect 3.0 is worlds better than that 10 year older Ford radio, but even this one is a challenge to replace and still be able to use the remote ports and CD Player in the console that integrate with it.

    If you know you will be changing out the OEM, it makes no sense to pay for the higher end radios but higher trim lines may make it part of the mandatory package. As posted, the integration with other car systems then makes it increasingly harder to replace and often times requires making option changes within the ECU so unrelated systems continue to function properly or error codes are not produced. I keep my vehicles at least 10 years and prefer to limit the gadgetry because I know it will be costly to repair outside of warranty and definitely outdated by the time I am ready to replace the vehicle.
  • carringb's avatar
    carringb
    Explorer
    Nov 23, 2017
    Sync 3 has been great, to the point that I always disable Car Play whenever I get in a new work truck. I've had better luck with Sync traffic re-routes, because Google maps reroutes so many people, it clogs the reroute sometimes worse than the original route. And CarPlay sucks mostly because of Apple Maps. But it also causes an extra click or two in order to access some of the car functions.
  • PDX_Zs's avatar
    PDX_Zs
    Explorer
    Nov 23, 2017
    carringb wrote:
    . And CarPlay sucks mostly because of Apple Maps..


    Glad to know you are liking Sync.

    Agree on Apple Maps. Hate it so much, my next phone will be a droid to get Waze through AndroidAuto.

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