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Greene728's avatar
Greene728
Explorer
Dec 06, 2015

New Ram 3500 first road trip!

Well I finally got the new truck out on the highway this weekend. Took a short trip (424 miles round trip) to the in-laws in Clayton GA. I'm beyond excited to post my complete and utter satisfaction with this truck! Up till this point my driving has just been my normal use and commuting. I had been averaging between 16.2 and 17.8 mpg and that's including pulling the fiver on a short test run once hitch came in and the gooseneck with the tractor a couple of times. First, the towing power is more than I even hoped for. My fifth wasn't "completely camp ready loaded" but was only lacking food and clothing. It towed it effortlessly on my short 20 mile trial run. The gooseneck with my tractor is around 7500#'s and it's like nothing is there. Honestly! My exhaust brake use hasn't been much but it's awesome! Love the sound too! Now for this weekend. When we left the fuel average was showing 16.9. Upon arriving home it's 20.8 and was still slowly climbing. I ran the speed limits most entire time at 65-70. The ride and handling of this truck considering it's a one ton is outstanding! Fuel economy, power, and again, riding and handling is just great! The only thing I'm watching is that the DEF gauge still reads full and hasn't budged with 1600 miles. Is that normal to what you other 2015 Cummins owners are seeing? There's a ton of brand bashing going on right now. Here and other forums I visit as well. I drove every single one of the big three's trucks out there. Both 3/4 and 1 tons and gas and diesel engines. I am not brand loyal at all, but have always kind of favored Ford. I firmly believe each one has their strong points and weak ones to boot. Anybody who thinks otherwise is foolish to me. I extensively looked, researched, test drove, asked owners, etc, etc, etc, till I was blue in the face. And now I am proud and happy to say, I truly believe I have the truck for me! And that's all I care a dog gone thing about!

And before anyone asks, I have hand calculated the fuel also. And on 2 tanks its been within .2 to .3 mpg of what the lie o meter had. Just wanted to go ahead and clear that up as I'm sure that question was sure to come.

Thanks all!
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  • cummins2014's avatar
    cummins2014
    Explorer
    Dec 09, 2015
    FLY 4 FUN wrote:
    I wont be in the market for a new truck til 2017 or 2018, but its nice to hear some actual feedback on the newer trucks. I was initially not a fan of the DEF system so I bought a 12 before it became standard. Hopefully after several years of use there will be an established track record. For now mine is doing an amazing job and no need to go shopping (knocks on wood)

    Daryll




    Thats when I will be looking at the new Ford, and MAYBE the Rams, but with six recalls in 20 months on the 2014 Ram its becoming a bit redundant .
  • FLY_4_FUN's avatar
    FLY_4_FUN
    Explorer
    Dec 08, 2015
    I wont be in the market for a new truck til 2017 or 2018, but its nice to hear some actual feedback on the newer trucks. I was initially not a fan of the DEF system so I bought a 12 before it became standard. Hopefully after several years of use there will be an established track record. For now mine is doing an amazing job and no need to go shopping (knocks on wood)

    Daryll
  • cummins2014's avatar
    cummins2014
    Explorer
    Dec 08, 2015
    Cummins12V98 wrote:
    45Ricochet wrote:
    LOL
    I'd like to see some of those CAT scale tickets. Your gaining weight monthly it seems per posts listed.
    32K combo for a fiver is, well, kind of hard to believe. 9K lb truck means a trailer weight of 23K well over most GVWR of any fivers I've seen.
    But again I haven't seen them all.


    I am guessing you are talking about me?

    No CAT scale but I have used several WA State DOT scales and they are all very close. My combined weight sabot the same as I posted last summer on our first trip to E WA. Truck without hitch, tool box, 2000 gen and tools with us and 7/8 tank fuel weighed 9K. So I am at least 9,500# solo. So RV is at or near 23K. No one said it was not over GVWR.

    Sorry it's " kind of hard to believe" but that is da facts.

    Op great choice on the 3500!!! Too many don't get enough truck. Then they have to start having to add Band Aids.



    And the OEM air bags on your truck are what if not a bandaid. Added at the factory instead of you adding them :S

    I added airbags to my 3500 Ram, bandaids you say. I wanted to keep more level. What is your airbags doing. :h
  • transamz9's avatar
    transamz9
    Explorer
    Dec 08, 2015
    campingken wrote:
    The Rams have really improved over the years. We have a 2003 3500 Quad cab 4x4 5.9 that we bought new. It has a GVW of 9900. It is not the HO model (235 HP and 460 pounds of torque) yet the best we get empty on the freeway at about 65 mpg is 20 -21 mpg.

    The new trucks have more payload, torque, HP, creature comforts, better MPG,and can tow more then the older Dodges.


    I've gotten 27 out of my 2005 on a trip that was 60MPH for 150 miles or so but who drives 60. I also hand calculated a 591 mile trip once that returned 22.5 and there was so stop and go on each end and also some idle time while we were out of the truck site seeing. Also for the record as they are at the moment the 2005 2500 will out tow my 2013 3500 any day of the week and twice on Sunday but it's not an Apples to Apples comparison either. ;)
  • Me_Again's avatar
    Me_Again
    Explorer III
    Dec 08, 2015
    campingken wrote:
    The Rams have really improved over the years. We have a 2003 3500 Quad cab 4x4 5.9 that we bought new. It has a GVW of 9900. It is not the HO model (235 HP and 460 pounds of torque) yet the best we get empty on the freeway at about 65 mpg is 20 -21 mpg.

    The new trucks have more payload, torque, HP, creature comforts, better MPG,and can tow more then the older Dodges.


    Come on Ken!!! List both your trucks in your sig line. :B :B :B
  • rhagfo's avatar
    rhagfo
    Explorer III
    Dec 08, 2015
    campingken wrote:
    The Rams have really improved over the years. We have a 2003 3500 Quad cab 4x4 5.9 that we bought new. It has a GVW of 9900. It is not the HO model (235 HP and 460 pounds of torque) yet the best we get empty on the freeway at about 65 mpg is 20 -21 mpg.

    The new trucks have more payload, torque, HP, creature comforts, better MPG,and can tow more then the older Dodges.


    Well I never complain about 18 to 20 on the highway or even 14 in town. My last two Fords were both 460's and the BEST they got was 10 mpg, and as low as 5 mpg.
    Now I get between 11 and 12 towing, Thanksgiving left for the Coast on a partial tank of fuel (reading about 3/4 to 7/8), just about 200 miles round trip, no need to fuel up with standard tank.
  • campingken's avatar
    campingken
    Explorer
    Dec 08, 2015
    The Rams have really improved over the years. We have a 2003 3500 Quad cab 4x4 5.9 that we bought new. It has a GVW of 9900. It is not the HO model (235 HP and 460 pounds of torque) yet the best we get empty on the freeway at about 65 mpg is 20 -21 mpg.

    The new trucks have more payload, torque, HP, creature comforts, better MPG,and can tow more then the older Dodges.
  • IdaD's avatar
    IdaD
    Explorer
    Dec 08, 2015
    Me Again wrote:
    Greene728 wrote:


    Thanks IdaD! Your mileage is dead in line with mine.
    I'm still curious what he meant by "entertaining" and "surprised"?
    Not real sure about " snow flake " either. That one went over my head.


    That mileage matches mine also. Snow flake? Got me also, given who used the term it was not intended to be positive, but the mods give him a free ride! Guess he would have to explain the "we all know" part first and then flake part.

    Anytime there is a positive post about the new RAMs he shows up knowing someone's friend of an uncle's drinking buddies wife's boy friends cousin's father that had XYZ problem. It gets a bit old!


    I had to run out to an off-site location for work today and I checked my fuel economy when I got back just for kicks. Speeds ranged from 60-70 with just a little city mixed in last night after I filled up and again this morning when I got back (about 140 miles). EVIC was 21.9 and hand calculated was 22.1. That's better than I do in my general around town driving and I did cap my top speed at about 70 on the freeway, but even so that's fantastic for a big diesel in a heavy duty 4wd truck. Color me impressed.

    I just turned over 7000 miles last week and I've had the truck about six months. It still makes me smile. :B
  • Cummins12V98's avatar
    Cummins12V98
    Explorer III
    Dec 08, 2015
    45Ricochet wrote:
    LOL
    I'd like to see some of those CAT scale tickets. Your gaining weight monthly it seems per posts listed.
    32K combo for a fiver is, well, kind of hard to believe. 9K lb truck means a trailer weight of 23K well over most GVWR of any fivers I've seen.
    But again I haven't seen them all.


    I am guessing you are talking about me?

    No CAT scale but I have used several WA State DOT scales and they are all very close. My combined weight sabot the same as I posted last summer on our first trip to E WA. Truck without hitch, tool box, 2000 gen and tools with us and 7/8 tank fuel weighed 9K. So I am at least 9,500# solo. So RV is at or near 23K. No one said it was not over GVWR.

    Sorry it's " kind of hard to believe" but that is da facts.

    Op great choice on the 3500!!! Too many don't get enough truck. Then they have to start having to add Band Aids.

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