The 2003 Ram brochure contains hardly any credible information about the durability of automatic transmissions available for the new heavy duties. Here's all they say about the HO auto: "Now, a 4-speed automatic transmission is available..." Are there no new features and benefits? More space is devoted to adjustable peddles and woodgrain trim, things I care nothing about. I'm buying a truck, not a car. If the new 2500 is as rugged as DC wants us to believe, how come they don't have much to say about automatics available with CTD's? Are you listening Dieter and Jurgen?

 

If you are buying a TRUCK then get a TRUCK transmission....6 spd with that pesky 3rd pedal..... <br>Mebbe DC knows their autos are junk and WANT people to get a good reliable trans. Driving a CTD with an auto is like driving a garbage truck

 

Spots, you have got to quit holding back. Tell us how you really feel. ;D

 

If I order a new truck it will be with the HO and 6-speed. However, I find it odd there is no 6 speed for the standard CTD. The reason I started this topic forum is because I think DC should be providing more technical info on various transmissions available for the HD Ram. For the amount of money they want us to fork over I think we are entitled to more details on features and benefits of the various key components. I'm not expecting as many details as they publish in the Freightliner brochure, but I think DC devotes too much space to appearance characteristics. Also in years past Dodge Ram brochures contained dimensions of various body styles. This info is missing in the 36-page 2003 brochure I picked up at the dealer.

 

mrb321us,<br> I will completely agree with you concerning the 2003 Dodge Ram brochure. When I was doing my research for a new truck, I found in very lacking compared to the F**d brochure . I had to depend on this forum and other sources for specific info on the truck. That being said, I sure hope you don't make your decision based on who has the best marketing department.<br><br>The Boss Hog<br>(10,000 trouble free)

 

Dodge has one of the poorest brochures I've ever seen. The GMC brochure, on the other hand, was very informative. Kind of funny. The best truck has the poorest brochure. If I would have known how great the new Dodge was going to be, I would have gotten rid of the GMC earlier.<br><br>Bob

 

Yeah the brouchere is not so hot. But if you sit down with a &quot;good&quot; salesman, he will have a book as thick as the phone book and it will tell you what you want to know. Also, check Dodges web site, it's fairly informative.<br><br>If your basing your purchase on the brouchere then by all means get a Chevy or Ford. If you want a good truck then get one of our CTD. Ford and chevy have to publish outstanding literature, it's the only way they can sell inferior trucks.

 

It appears that D-C put their development money into the truck instead of their brochures about the truck...I'll take the engineering to marketing any day. Yes, it means I have to do more research on my own to get good information about which to buy, but that also produces a good feeling about having made a good decision based on facts. Maybe their brochure will catch up for the next model year?

 

Some of the above replies -- which seem silly -- come from people who seem to have blind faith in DC and/or a bias against automatics. For years automatic transmissions -- both gas and diesel -- have been Ram's weakest link, and it appears these problems have yet to be addressed as far as the CTD is concerned. Whether you like autos or not is not the issue. reliable heavy duty diesel transmissions are available and currently used in city buses and UPS package cars. Therefore, DC could be offering a beefed up auto for it's diesel applications, but it isn't. That's why there is so little information about transmissions in the brochure. If you don't care to use a brochure to help making a buying decision that's your opinion. However from a marketing standpoint the brochure should provide enough features and benefits information to convince the average customer. If the Ram had a heavy-duty automatic to match the performance of the CTD -- both versions -- Dodge could easily gain on Ford's SuperDuty sales stats once guys heard Ram had a reliable and beefed up auto trans.