(Different) New Truck Questions

See if you can PM Perrysburg Dodge Boy (Don), he works for FCA and may have additional insight on those specifics.

Makes sense living near Dave Smith.
The clear film is great but after having it on my dodge since new, it has only eliminated a small % of the rock chips. Still have to touch up paint chips regularly.
You can buy pre cut kits from Clear Bra prolly much cheaper than a dealer option and they are easy to apply. They don't yellow and stay put well as long as you don't hit them from the wrong angle with a good pressure washer.

BillyW wrote:
Thank you all for the feedback! We were sold on leather about 20 years ago. I'm not sure it wears any better, but it is definitely more resilient and cleanable. I haven't experienced them yet, but I'm sure I'll be smitten with the ventilated seats. I don't mind a little vinyl thrown in if lasts better than the stuff of yore. So far the dash and door sills on all my vehicles for the last 20 or 30 years have held up quite well.

You get a Limited or a Longhorn, there won't be any vinyl in the seats.

Thank you all for the feedback! We were sold on leather about 20 years ago. I'm not sure it wears any better, but it is definitely more resilient and cleanable. I haven't experienced them yet, but I'm sure I'll be smitten with the ventilated seats. I don't mind a little vinyl thrown in if lasts better than the stuff of yore. So far the dash and door sills on all my vehicles for the last 20 or 30 years have held up quite well.

I have had three Rams with leather. My 2012 3500 Laramie had leather vented seats. They are perforated and allow air to blow through. Where you sit is leather in the front. The console is vinyl or whatever the industry term is for it. Same with the back seats however very nicely done. My 2014 is a Laramie Longhorn which has leather seats as well as a leather console. Wood grain on dash, console and steering wheel. This is real wood. Seats are also vented. Both interiors are nice the Longhorn and the Longhorn limited just have more leather. Oh and a higher price. If you like to sit on leather then you can do that with the Laramie. If you want full leather then the Longhorn and the Limited are the ones. I will admit I like leather and have not anything else for years in either my cars or trucks.

Calicajun wrote:
On the Ram trucks the seats are leather in the center perforated area and a vinyl on the sides. Ram has two levels of leather in their tucks. The Limited has the higher quality (my 2014 Ram 1500 Limited EcoDiesel had the better material} leather. The Laramie and down have a little less quality in the seat material. The lower levels of seats have a tendency to wriggle, not stay flat. A problem we are having in our 2015 Ram 2500 Laramie. That seems to be the only difference in the interior we have noticed so far with the truck. Other than it tows so much nicer than the 1500 towed.

The Longhorn also has the same higher quality grade leather as the Limited and entire seat is leather, not just in the middle part of the seat. I have the Laramie and now the Longhorn and there is quite a bit of difference in quality of the material used between the two, with Limited's and Longhorns having genuine leather upholstery.

On the Ram trucks the seats are leather in the center perforated area and a vinyl on the sides. Ram has two levels of leather in their tucks. The Limited has the higher quality (my 2014 Ram 1500 Limited EcoDiesel had the better material} leather. The Laramie and down have a little less quality in the seat material. The lower levels of seats have a tendency to wrinkle, not stay flat. A problem we are having in our 2015 Ram 2500 Laramie. That seems to be the only difference in the interior we have noticed so far with the truck. Other than it tows so much nicer than the 1500 towed.

Yes, I'm very close to Dave Smith, but have NO problem traveling to Boise to save that kind of moolah!

BillyW wrote:
It looks like, locally, I can get much more Ram than GM or Ford for the money

This is definitely the case in Idaho. Check Dave Smith's price against Dennis Dillon. The best price I could get out of Dave Smith was about $4000 higher than Dillon, and Dillon was real straightforward to deal with.

Modern Mylar-type applications don't really yellow all that much. What makes it obvious is if you don't maintain the rest of the paint around it. The paint under the mylar will retain its shine and color, while the paint without the mylar may be dulled by scratches and such over the years. Keep the vehicle waxed and you'll be good for many years.


As for the RAM's interior, I believe it's a difference of bonded versus 100 pure leather. I believe the fancy stuff demands saddle soap and other leather specific care items to be done. The bonded leather is treated and only requires a damp cloth for upkeep (I believe this is the same with a Ford King Ranch trim level versus the other trim levels with leather interior).