Patrick Campbell

Hi all.

I am a newbie to Rams. I have a 98 Jeep Cherokee heavily modified on 32" superswampers and an 02 Golf turbodiesel. I am thinking about selling both of them for a 2003 Ram 1500. I would love a 2500/3500 with a cummins but I can't afford it. My price range is going to be around $30K. I want to know what to look for and what not to look for in a Ram. I want to know what options are a must have and which are not so important. And also want to know what I should be looking to actually pay (definitely NOT MSRP!)

So far, I've chosen a SLT 1500 quad cab, 4x4, long wheel base with the HEMI engine, which automatically choses 5-45RE and 4 wheel ABS. Other packages I have chosen include:

LSD, 3.92 gears
HD cooling package
skid plates
tow hooks
275/70/15 AT tires

tow group which includes:
Battery - 700 Amp Maintenance Free
Class IV Hitch Receiver
Seven-Pin Wiring Harness

and finally rear window defroster and block heater.

Please let me know your thoughts. Looking forward to getting into a real nice truck.

wick

My Ram. 2500 Quad Cab, 4x4, SO Cummins, SLT, towing, infinity stereo, towing pkg, snow plow prep, premium cloth, sliding rear window, auto, posi, off-road tires, air-dam, cast wheels.. I got all this out the door with a extended warranty and alarm system w/ remote start. <br>$34850... Sticker is $38275. U should talk to the dealer before u make a decision. <br>If I was u. Delete the rear window.. its driving me f'n crazy...<br><br>The Hemi is nice though... but u cant beat the crackle of the Cummins

Patrick Campbell

[quote author=wick link=board=17;threadid=12123;start=0#114701 date=1047436345]<br>My Ram. 2500 Quad Cab, 4x4, SO Cummins, SLT, towing, infinity stereo, towing pkg, snow plow prep, premium cloth, sliding rear window, auto, posi, off-road tires, air-dam, cast wheels.. I got all this out the door with a extended warranty and alarm system w/ remote start. <br>$34850... Sticker is $38275. U should talk to the dealer before u make a decision. <br>If I was u. Delete the rear window.. its driving me f'n crazy...<br><br>The Hemi is nice though... but u cant beat the crackle of the Cummins<br>[/quote]<br><br>What is &quot;SO&quot; cummins? is that the regular or HO? i'd MUCH rather have a cummins than a gaser. I love my turbodiesel. <br><br>I see what you are saying and it looks like I could get a 2500 with cummins with the same options as above for around 33K invoice... how did you get such a good price. I heard that if I am a business owner (which I am) I can talk to the fleet manager and get a good deal. I am also a repeat DC customer as I currently own a Jeep which is good for $500.<br><br>I'd probably want to do a 36 month finance, but would consider a 60 month peoplefirst.com at 5.5% (DC offers 4.9% at 60 months) in order to knock off another $1500 from the price.

Vaughn MacKenzie

njoverkill, if you have a $30K budget you are pretty close to a Ram 2500 with the HO Cummins. Shop around, many are getting deals for UNDER invoice, then getting $2000 back and even $500 more on top of that with a Farm Bureau or Business rebate.


For example the following truck invoices around $34,200, before deducting the incentives:

Ram 2500 SLT 4x4 quadcab shortbed
HO Cummins 6-speed
3.73 axle
Premium Cloth seats
Protection Group (skid plate, tow hooks)
Fog lights
Flat folding rear storage
Aluminum wheels
Rear window defroster
Security group (keyless entry &amp; alarm)

Join a Farm Bureau (usually under $20), and get the $2000 cash back and you could be out the door for around $31,700. And with a truck that will have much greater resale a few years down the road the Cummins TD will be a better investment. Also there is fuel savings, although $1700 can buy a lot of extra gas. If the Cummins does 5mpg better and diesel costs about $2 a gallon, it will take about 90,000 miles to eat up $1700 worth of fuel difference if gas is $1.80 a gallon.

Just hang around with us, we'll have you thinking Cummins diesel power in no time. All it takes is one ride in a BOMBed Cummins. . . it will make that Hemi feel like a slug anyway

Vaughn

Mexstan

I checked multiple dealers in five states on the internet. Played one against the other. Ended up with a 5 star dealer in the middle of nowhere that promised the lowest price, and they were. They really worked with me. See below for what I have and more not listed. Out the door, taxes, tags, Rhino liner, all extras, everything was $33,286.15.<br>So for $30K you are close to a 2500 with a HO Cummins.

Patrick Campbell

[quote author=Mexstan link=board=17;threadid=12123;start=0#114755 date=1047440739]<br>I checked multiple dealers in five states on the internet. Played one against the other. Ended up with a 5 star dealer in the middle of nowhere that promised the lowest price, and they were. They really worked with me. See below for what I have and more not listed. Out the door, taxes, tags, Rhino liner, all extras, everything was $33,286.15.<br>So for $30K you are close to a 2500 with a HO Cummins.<br>[/quote]<br><br>I think you guys have me convinced. I didn't realize that the difference between the two were so little (or maybe I merely didn't realize that there is such a price discrepancy from MSRP to the actual sale price). I will be looking more into this as I figure things out (first step is selling my 2 current vehicles).<br><br>I notice that most of you all have SWB. Is there a reason why not get the LWB for just a few bucks more?<br><br>Thanks again!

Mexstan

For me the LWB makes parking a super pain as most parking spaces where I live are made for small cars. Also the LWB in my area is hard to get around some of the tight corners.

Patrick Campbell

What exactly is the &quot;FLAT FOLDING LOAD FLOOR STORAGE&quot; ?

Mexstan

This is a rather neat idea from Dodge that I use a lot. The rear seats fold up and underneath them is a folded steel floor. You unfold the this and end up with a ribbed steel floor that will support a lot of weight. The brochure illustrates this option. Under that is storage.

GrandpasRam

Njoverkill, I used my business license to get the Ebrake for $299 ($500 off retail), and got $2000 cash back, which made my truck (see signature) $33500. I could have gone with an ST instead of SLT and save about $1500, and if you don't need 4 wheel drive you can chop another $2000, which should put you at $30K. I prefer the LWB for hauling furniture, lumber, firewood, etc., and needed it anyway for the 5th wheel hitch for my 5th wheel trailer. I have not found this to be a pain in handling, but for some folks it could be - just depends on your own perspective. You will be much happierr with the Cummins turbo diesel, so get it if you can. Hope this helps. Enjoy whatever you decide.

wick

[quote author=njoverkill link=board=17;threadid=12123;start=0#114789 date=1047445084]<br>What exactly is the &quot;FLAT FOLDING LOAD FLOOR STORAGE&quot; ?<br>[/quote]<br><br>If you do not buy this up front then its like a $1000 option to put it on aftermarket. I wish I would of gotten mine. <br>I am in Chicago. Its easy to drive the truck, but I have no use for a Long Bed. I mostly use the truck to off-road or tow a race car. Rarely every use the bed. <br><br>If u would like to come to chicago. I would be more than happy to take u to meet my salesman. He has put a couple friends in trucks for the same price. Put a friends in a Dually with the Hemi for $29k.. If u are close and want to make the trip. Let me know.

soundbrz

I bought a 2002 1500 quad cab, albeit with the 4.7, and simply was unsatisfied. Grew up in a Ford family, and learned to drive in an F-250 460 manual 4 speed. Had a couple of little trucks (think datsun), which were fine for what they were, but my first real truck was a 1990 F-250 with the 460 gas hog. Compared to that, the 4.7 was to say the least - wimpy. Last august, with the incentives, i paid $1800 below invoice for the 1500. But I turned it back in and ponied up for the HO in my signature. I paid 31K for it.<br><br>I love this truck - - get one - you won't be sorry. It is 4K more than a comparably equipped hemi, but worth every last penny and then some.

trailblazenyj

ditto on all of the above. If you are going to tow anything or put more than 10k miles per year you should have the diesel. I couldn't beleive how much better it was when I bought my first one.<br>Also, if you like to tinker there are lots of things to do, kind of hard to play with a gas engine any more.

dealseeker

Njoverkill, I was hung up for a while on whether to get a 2500 with the Hemi or the Cummins. My signature tells you which way I went and I have zero regrets. It's my first diesel of any type. $145 per month extra for the term of my loan (36 months). I may not make that up in fuel cost alone, but at resale time it'll all balance out. In the meantime you get to drive a superior vehicle. <br>P.S. Definitely get the fold flat floor. It's even a 60/40 split, it's terrific.<br>

LonCray

I was in a similar situation - I knew I wanted the CTD but had to convince my wife of same. Once she heard a new one at the dealer and found out how quiet it was, all was well. It's like having my own personal Saturn V booster in the bed, and it's paid for itself this winter - I love being able to go anyplace no matter what the snow conditions. And I echo the comments of others on the fold-flat load floor - best invention in a pickup since the heated tailgate on Ferds - so you don't freeze your hands pushing it.