RAM 3500 Diesel Owners - Still Like Your Truck?

[Bill001]

Hi,
I've owned a Ford truck, and a GMC diesel. My son has owned a Ford diesel.

I'm looking at a Ram 3500 4x4 dually diesel for the 5th wheel (30' 10,000lb unit).

My question is for Ram 3500 owners: Are you still happy with your late model Ram 3500 purchase?

Suggestions for when shopping?

Thanks and enjoy the Summer,
Bill

[Rancher_Will]

Just three weeks ago purchased my new 2016 RAM 3500HD 4X4 dually flatbed with three B&W hitches, added to the ones that I still own. Have used Dodge-RAM trucks since 1960 with satisfaction for every one. The oldest one that i still own is a 1999 RAM 3500 Diesel Dually with over 300,000 miles, still going strong.

I have never had a Cummins wear our on any of our RAM or Semi trucks since 1960. R3egular maintenance and repairs is the key.

Concerning Bio Diesel fuel. We have learned that using the product "Diesel Kleen", made by Power Service Company, is the key for using Bio Diesel. Bio Diesel, as sold at Truck Stops, without the additive results in poor MPG, loss of power, increased fuel filter cost and more maintenance.

[CGXterra]

I love mine, but man, the recalls are killing me. If it weren't for the awesome service I got at my local Dodge dealer in Huntington Beach CA, I would be seriously bummed at Dodge. They always hooked me up with a nice loaner. Reboots of the computer, airbag wiring harness, tie rods, TPMS system...things are going well at the moment, but I dread checking my emails.

Aside from that, I've towed my 15K FW from Virginia to Cali, all over the west Coast for 2 years, then from Cali to Fla via Oregon with no troubles at all.

I'm one of those "I can't even tell it's back there" types. The rig has never fishtailed, not even with strong crosswinds, 18 wheelers over taking me, or having to take evasive maneuvers to avoid the random stupid-ness that you encounter from time to time.

All that said, I love my truck. I probably won't eve buy another black one, but that's not Dodge's fault. 😄

[NC_Hauler]

Yep, love mine... Towed my 19K GVW MS, all through the mountains of NC, TN, VA and WV very easily. Several 7% grades to boot!:)


Jim

[lonewolf64]

I've owned 2 Ford Powerstrokes and the last one 2001 was a huge disappointment. The first 3 months we loved it, then it started having issues. We purchased it in 2002 and when the tranny went out at 125,000 miles and $5,000.00 later we told ourselves this is not the truck for us. Five years later we got rid of it and purchased a 2011 Ram 3500 dually 6 speed diesel with 34,000 miles on it, we found what we needed. We have a 29 foot 5th wheel and we also have a 4 horse slant horse trailer my wife hauls around. This truck has all the power we need and then some. I was never a Dodge person, this is our second Dodge in 2 years (van and the truck) and we love them both and we may just become a Dodge family instead of what we were, a Ford family.

[Dutch___Di]

Add us to the list of satisfied Dodge Owners. Our 96 pulled our Carriage for 17 yearseverywhere we wanted to go for 341,700 miles. She was still OK but we wanted one more new truck and we absolutely love our 2015 Ram 3500 dually & just turned 21K yesterday. I think I'll be a "Dodge girl" forever. Hugs, Di

[Cummins12V98]

blofgren wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Be sure to change the rear axle fluid at 15K per the manual if towing heavy. I mistook the 24km for miles, oops!

At about 20K+ on take off turning I would get a bit of a grabbing feeling when towing. Made it home from our long trip and changed the lube at 24K and sent an oil analysis with Blackstone. The two Viscosity tests showed the lube was below the minimum.

Did the fluid change take away that grabbing feeling? I noticed it on our summer vacation while starting from a stop while towing too.

I have not towed yet. I wil report when I do.

[blofgren]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Be sure to change the rear axle fluid at 15K per the manual if towing heavy. I mistook the 24km for miles, oops!

At about 20K+ on take off turning I would get a bit of a grabbing feeling when towing. Made it home from our long trip and changed the lube at 24K and sent an oil analysis with Blackstone. The two Viscosity tests showed the lube was below the minimum.

Did the fluid change take away that grabbing feeling? I noticed it on our summer vacation while starting from a stop while towing too.

[Cummins12V98]

Be sure to change the rear axle fluid at 15K per the manual if towing heavy. I mistook the 24km for miles, oops!

At about 20K+ on take off turning I would get a bit of a grabbing feeling when towing. Made it home from our long trip and changed the lube at 24K and sent an oil analysis with Blackstone. The two Viscosity tests showed the lube was below the minimum.

[IdaD]

Bill001 wrote:
Thanks! Idaho: just in the right spot

Agree wholeheartedly.

[Bill001]

Thanks! Idaho: just in the right spot

[jmtandem]

I'm starting to configure the 3500 options and looking for dealers at this time

Spend some time on Dennis Dillion's webpages. They will give you a good ball park number on what you can purchase a Ram 3500 for and you can then use that number to deal with any dealer's prices. They are in Boise.

[Bill001]

Thanks all for the good info.

I'm starting to configure the 3500 options and looking for dealers at this time

[otrfun]

Just finished the first leg of our 5000 mile nearly coast-to-coast trip with our new '16 Ram 3500 Cummins. We took 6 days towing our 5th wheel (almost 13k loaded) from AZ to to the FL Keys (2400 miles).

We've made this trip several times before with our previous truck, a '12 5.7 Tundra. Although the Tundra has arguably one of the most refined drivetrains around, just have to say the Cummins made this trip way more enjoyable and effortless . . . even while towing almost twice as much weight (13k vs. 7k).

We towed with tow/haul on, exhaust brake in "auto", cruise on (off in heavy traffic), and the tranny in 5th. On the flats it had no problem towing in 6th. However, we typically drive a tad over 60 MPH which has the Cummins pulling around 1400-1500 RPM in 6th---a bit low for my tastes. Much prefer the feel of 1700-1800 in 5th. Noticed no drop in MPG's. It did downshift to 4th a few times while tackling some passes in AZ. After leaving AZ it downshifted to 4th one more time while going up one big ole bridge somewhere in LA.

And, yes, the exhaust brake (in "auto" mode) was AWESOME! It maintained 60 MPH perfectly down a number of 7 percent grades. Never had to touch the brake or accelerator. At times the Cummins was producing upwards of 130 HP of exhaust braking.

There were a number of situations where we had to get up to speed very quickly on some very short on-ramps---in where else, but good ole Texas---lol! Pleasantly surprised just how fast that Cummins would get 13k moving from 25-60 MPH. Didn't take long with 30-35 PSI of turbo boost.

Lastly, the MPG's for this leg of the trip was icing on the cake. We averaged 10.8 MPG (hand calculated; EVIC showed 11.5 MPG). The Tundra averaged 8.5 - 9 MPG pulling a trailer that weighed almost 6k less.

So far, so good!

[bigredcherokee]

We got a 2011 Ram 2500 CrewCab which we pull our 31' TT. Just took a trip from shreveport to Colorado to Mesa Verda. 200.00 each way in diesel the power that the truck has is crazy. Going down hills the exhaust brake and trans worked flawlessly. We did go up one pass with out the trailer and it started to snow I thought we were gonna have issue since its a 2wd but the locker in the back prove to work great!

[IdaD]

I just got home from a 2100 mile trip, with 1800 of that towing our fifth wheel. The truck is simply amazing. It stayed in fifth or sixth nearly all the time at highway speeds, only occasionally needing fourth. It'll pull any speed you want on any hill, and going down is even more of a revelation. That big hill on 395 in the Owens Valley, I think called the Sherwin Grade, involved no more than setting the speed I wanted with the exhaust brake in auto and cruising on down without touching my brakes aside from slowing for corners.

I did burn more DEF than I expected but that's not a material cost in the scheme of things. Overall the truck is really impressive. It's a comfortable daily driver/commuter truck, it's great on family trips with the Softopper making for a huge trunk, and driving with the fifth wheel is a non-issue from a driving stress standpoint.