10,000 Mile Rebel Review

[TimG]

Well, today at lunch I hit 10,000 miles, and figured I’d go ahead and write up a long-term review. So, here goes…

First, I couldn’t be happier with its overall performance. With the exception of the “Missing Compass/Truck thought it was always in Montana” issue, I have nothing to complain about. After working with the uConnect engineers and various Ram and dealer technicians, the problem was successfully resolved. (They never did tell me exactly what was wrong, or how they fixed it. Hopefully though their efforts have made it into a tech book somewhere and it is going to help prevent this from happening to anyone else in the future.)

Is it the smoothest riding vehicle out there, or the best in fuel economy? Of course not! But, having traversed the coulees and mud flats of eastern Montana, the highways of the central plains and mid-Atlantic, and now the daily traffic of Baltimore/DC, it is performing well above expectations. It handles smoothly on all terrain types, and has a lifetime fuel usage of 17.2 MPG. This includes off-roading in 4-Low, Driving 85 on the interstate, and getting stuck in stop and go traffic for hours at a shot.

All of the doors and windows, have maintained their proper alignment and closing tightness. I haven’t noticed any warping of the Ramboxes, nor has there been any unwanted water intrusion. The lights in the boxes themselves are much brighter and more functional that the last gen, and the outlet in the driver’s side box is surprisingly handy (as long as you remember to turn on the inverter under the steering wheel!)
No trim pieces or badging have rattled loose or been ripped off in the carwash. To include the Mopar bug/wind deflector. That was my biggest concern since it’s kinda jenky the way its engineered to be installed. But, through high winds, sub-zero temperatures, and snow/ice loading, it’s all still very secure.

The lighting on this thing is leaps and bounds above any other truck I’ve had. The LED’s really light it up and allow you to see a fair distance out to the front. In reverse, however, Ram really dropped the ball. I can’t see a dang thing in reverse as it stands right now. I’m in the process of getting all the pieces for the license plate reverse light mod. From everything other members on here have experienced, this seems to be the best solution. One thing of note, and this may just be me, but I don’t like the LED’s in the snow. The coolness of the light temperature seems to reflect off of the white of the snow and make it seem harder to see. Again, your results with that may vary.

I didn’t get running boards when I ordered this rig, but I should have. I have recently ordered a set of Westin Pro Traxx 4’s to throw on, hopefully sometime soon. Getting in and out isn’t that big of a deal for me right now, but I’m noticing that my driver’s seat will probably get worn out if I don’t add the intermediate step soon. My 20,000 mile update will have to reflect that.

For those of you that have the block heater, you already know that the cord is in the way wrong location, and ridiculously short. For those of you that are considering the block heater: prepare to buy various rerouting/extension cords. It’s pretty obvious that the designers of that part have never needed to use it.

E-Torque and Start/Stop is really unnoticeable, and that’s a really good thing as far as I can tell. I was iffy about jumping into technology that I wasn’t familiar with, especially on a daily driver, but so far it had worked consistently. The start/stops are still smooth and super quiet. Really don’t even notice it most of the time now that I’ve got used to it.

I guess that’s about it. If anyone would like to get any other info, Ill be glad to share it. Hope this helps anyone that may be on the fence about dropping some serious coin on a cool truck. Overall Ram really did go all in and produce a solid vehicle (well, mine is anyway!).

 

[SacRebel]

What's your estimated city/hwy driving pattern that got you 17 mpg? And what was it at 2,000 miles?

 

[Jackham]

Well, today at lunch I hit 10,000 miles, and figured I’d go ahead and write up a long-term review. So, here goes…

First, I couldn’t be happier with its overall performance. With the exception of the “Missing Compass/Truck thought it was always in Montana” issue, I have nothing to complain about. After working with the uConnect engineers and various Ram and dealer technicians, the problem was successfully resolved. (They never did tell me exactly what was wrong, or how they fixed it. Hopefully though their efforts have made it into a tech book somewhere and it is going to help prevent this from happening to anyone else in the future.)

Is it the smoothest riding vehicle out there, or the best in fuel economy? Of course not! But, having traversed the coulees and mud flats of eastern Montana, the highways of the central plains and mid-Atlantic, and now the daily traffic of Baltimore/DC, it is performing well above expectations. It handles smoothly on all terrain types, and has a lifetime fuel usage of 17.2 MPG. This includes off-roading in 4-Low, Driving 85 on the interstate, and getting stuck in stop and go traffic for hours at a shot.

All of the doors and windows, have maintained their proper alignment and closing tightness. I haven’t noticed any warping of the Ramboxes, nor has there been any unwanted water intrusion. The lights in the boxes themselves are much brighter and more functional that the last gen, and the outlet in the driver’s side box is surprisingly handy (as long as you remember to turn on the inverter under the steering wheel!)
No trim pieces or badging have rattled loose or been ripped off in the carwash. To include the Mopar bug/wind deflector. That was my biggest concern since it’s kinda jenky the way its engineered to be installed. But, through high winds, sub-zero temperatures, and snow/ice loading, it’s all still very secure.

The lighting on this thing is leaps and bounds above any other truck I’ve had. The LED’s really light it up and allow you to see a fair distance out to the front. In reverse, however, Ram really dropped the ball. I can’t see a dang thing in reverse as it stands right now. I’m in the process of getting all the pieces for the license plate reverse light mod. From everything other members on here have experienced, this seems to be the best solution. One thing of note, and this may just be me, but I don’t like the LED’s in the snow. The coolness of the light temperature seems to reflect off of the white of the snow and make it seem harder to see. Again, your results with that may vary.

I didn’t get running boards when I ordered this rig, but I should have. I have recently ordered a set of Westin Pro Traxx 4’s to throw on, hopefully sometime soon. Getting in and out isn’t that big of a deal for me right now, but I’m noticing that my driver’s seat will probably get worn out if I don’t add the intermediate step soon. My 20,000 mile update will have to reflect that.

For those of you that have the block heater, you already know that the cord is in the way wrong location, and ridiculously short. For those of you that are considering the block heater: prepare to buy various rerouting/extension cords. It’s pretty obvious that the designers of that part have never needed to use it.

E-Torque and Start/Stop is really unnoticeable, and that’s a really good thing as far as I can tell. I was iffy about jumping into technology that I wasn’t familiar with, especially on a daily driver, but so far it had worked consistently. The start/stops are still smooth and super quiet. Really don’t even notice it most of the time now that I’ve got used to it.

I guess that’s about it. If anyone would like to get any other info, Ill be glad to share it. Hope this helps anyone that may be on the fence about dropping some serious coin on a cool truck. Overall Ram really did go all in and produce a solid vehicle (well, mine is anyway!).

Just a suggestion. Use full synthetic. It makes a engine block heater completely superfluous.

 

[Patsy1099]

Thanks for taking the time to do a write-up!

 

[SpeedyV]

Well, today at lunch I hit 10,000 miles, and figured I’d go ahead and write up a long-term review. So, here goes…

First, I couldn’t be happier with its overall performance. With the exception of the “Missing Compass/Truck thought it was always in Montana” issue, I have nothing to complain about. After working with the uConnect engineers and various Ram and dealer technicians, the problem was successfully resolved. (They never did tell me exactly what was wrong, or how they fixed it. Hopefully though their efforts have made it into a tech book somewhere and it is going to help prevent this from happening to anyone else in the future.)

Is it the smoothest riding vehicle out there, or the best in fuel economy? Of course not! But, having traversed the coulees and mud flats of eastern Montana, the highways of the central plains and mid-Atlantic, and now the daily traffic of Baltimore/DC, it is performing well above expectations. It handles smoothly on all terrain types, and has a lifetime fuel usage of 17.2 MPG. This includes off-roading in 4-Low, Driving 85 on the interstate, and getting stuck in stop and go traffic for hours at a shot.

All of the doors and windows, have maintained their proper alignment and closing tightness. I haven’t noticed any warping of the Ramboxes, nor has there been any unwanted water intrusion. The lights in the boxes themselves are much brighter and more functional that the last gen, and the outlet in the driver’s side box is surprisingly handy (as long as you remember to turn on the inverter under the steering wheel!)
No trim pieces or badging have rattled loose or been ripped off in the carwash. To include the Mopar bug/wind deflector. That was my biggest concern since it’s kinda jenky the way its engineered to be installed. But, through high winds, sub-zero temperatures, and snow/ice loading, it’s all still very secure.

The lighting on this thing is leaps and bounds above any other truck I’ve had. The LED’s really light it up and allow you to see a fair distance out to the front. In reverse, however, Ram really dropped the ball. I can’t see a dang thing in reverse as it stands right now. I’m in the process of getting all the pieces for the license plate reverse light mod. From everything other members on here have experienced, this seems to be the best solution. One thing of note, and this may just be me, but I don’t like the LED’s in the snow. The coolness of the light temperature seems to reflect off of the white of the snow and make it seem harder to see. Again, your results with that may vary.

I didn’t get running boards when I ordered this rig, but I should have. I have recently ordered a set of Westin Pro Traxx 4’s to throw on, hopefully sometime soon. Getting in and out isn’t that big of a deal for me right now, but I’m noticing that my driver’s seat will probably get worn out if I don’t add the intermediate step soon. My 20,000 mile update will have to reflect that.

For those of you that have the block heater, you already know that the cord is in the way wrong location, and ridiculously short. For those of you that are considering the block heater: prepare to buy various rerouting/extension cords. It’s pretty obvious that the designers of that part have never needed to use it.

E-Torque and Start/Stop is really unnoticeable, and that’s a really good thing as far as I can tell. I was iffy about jumping into technology that I wasn’t familiar with, especially on a daily driver, but so far it had worked consistently. The start/stops are still smooth and super quiet. Really don’t even notice it most of the time now that I’ve got used to it.

I guess that’s about it. If anyone would like to get any other info, Ill be glad to share it. Hope this helps anyone that may be on the fence about dropping some serious coin on a cool truck. Overall Ram really did go all in and produce a solid vehicle (well, mine is anyway!).

Great write-up...thanks for sharing.

The comment about the LED light temperature got me thinking that either a color filter (i.e. film overlay) or one of those behind-the-grille LED light bars (in amber) might be useful in the winter months. Down here in north Texas, we had almost zero snow this winter, so I didn't have an opportunity to observe the lighting in those conditions.

 

[OuachitaAdventure]

Nice write up! I think you'll find you are in the minority with mpgs like that. I can't imagine that's hand calc'd numbers. I've found the trip computer to be more deceiving over long distances.

 

[TimG]

What's your estimated city/hwy driving pattern that got you 17 mpg? And what was it at 2,000 miles?

Believe it or not, my mileage improved since I started driving more stop and go traffic. On the trip from Montana to Maryland, I was around 16.5 mpg. I guess there's something to be said about the eTorque in that regard, but Im still not fully convinced though that the eT is solely responsible for that. I think it has more to do with staying below 2200 rpm for longer periods of time.
A for what it was at 2000 miles.... somewhere in the neighborhood of 15.5/16.

Just a suggestion. Use full synthetic. It makes a engine block heater completely superfluous.

I used to be a full believer in that method. But, when winter temps regularly get to negative 40, trust me, you need the block heater! Now that I wont be subjected to the brutal cold like that anymore, I may go back to that line of thought.

The comment about the LED light temperature got me thinking that either a color filter (i.e. film overlay) or one of those behind-the-grille LED light bars (in amber) might be useful in the winter months. Down here in north Texas, we had almost zero snow this winter, so I didn't have an opportunity to observe the lighting in those conditions.

An amber-colored "snow light" would probably make all the difference in the world!

I can't imagine that's hand calc'd numbers. I've found the trip computer to be more deceiving over long distances.

Correct. All numbers were taken straight from the lie-o-meter (trip computer). I'm too lazy to do math at the pump!

 

[devildodge]

I use the fuel mileage meter on both my 2015 392 Hemi and had used it in my 2013 Cummins.

When I fill up with gas I reset trip A, B, and the instantaneous one. I leave trip A alone for a month, trip B stays until I fill up again and the instantaneous one is reset when I want to check a particular driving scenerio.

I haven't rest trip A yet(on the 31st I will)

I have hand calculated and used trip B for a few fillups. The numbers have been within .1 mile per gallon (same results with the Cummins)

My worst tank has been 12.7/12.9 and my best has been 14.3/14.6 with trip/math, so in my case the trip meter has been conservative.

I set the instantaneous last night when we went to our favorite ice cream stand up the mountain. On the trip (45 miles through the hills of Central PA) the truck showed 16.2.

After running some errands last night and driving to work, it shows 15.3.

To say I am impressed with the 392 HEMI fuel mileage is an understatement.

I think you can trust the numbers using them this way. Trip A for long term, Trip B for fill up, and instantaneous for scientific experiments.

Thanks for the write up @t_george77

 

[SpeedyV]

I use the fuel mileage meter on both my 2015 392 Hemi and had used it in my 2013 Cummins.

When I fill up with gas I reset trip A, B, and the instantaneous one. I leave trip A alone for a month, trip B stays until I fill up again and the instantaneous one is reset when I want to check a particular driving scenerio.

I haven't rest trip A yet(on the 31st I will)

I have hand calculated and used trip B for a few fillups. The numbers have been within .1 mile per gallon (same results with the Cummins)

My worst tank has been 12.7/12.9 and my best has been 14.3/14.6 with trip/math, so in my case the trip meter has been conservative.

I set the instantaneous last night when we went to our favorite ice cream stand up the mountain. On the trip (45 miles through the hills of Central PA) the truck showed 16.2.

After running some errands last night and driving to work, it shows 15.3.

To say I am impressed with the 392 HEMI fuel mileage is an understatement.

I think you can trust the numbers using them this way. Trip A for long term, Trip B for fill up, and instantaneous for scientific experiments.

Thanks for the write up @t_george77

Appreciate you walking through your process. I reset my trip A and instantaneous readouts at every fill-up. I've never reset trip B. I also hand-check the mileage at every fill-up.

Unfortunately, my trip meter has always been optimistic, reading anywhere from 0.1 to more than 0.5 mpg too high. I would prefer it to be conservative, like yours.

 

[devildodge]

Appreciate you walking through your process. I reset my trip A and instantaneous readouts at every fill-up. I've never reset trip B. I also hand-check the mileage at every fill-up.

Unfortunately, my trip meter has always been optimistic, reading anywhere from 0.1 to more than 0.5 mpg too high. I would prefer it to be conservative, like yours.

It's the Heavy Duty. They do everything better. Lol. Much better than the 9.6465 my V10 was getting lol.

It is grea that we have members with some long term use checking in with their experience.

Towing season is here...cannot wait for even more real world experience with the 5th Gen, especially these Rebels.

 

[Jackham]

Believe it or not, my mileage improved since I started driving more stop and go traffic. On the trip from Montana to Maryland, I was around 16.5 mpg. I guess there's something to be said about the eTorque in that regard, but Im still not fully convinced though that the eT is solely responsible for that. I think it has more to do with staying below 2200 rpm for longer periods of time.
A for what it was at 2000 miles.... somewhere in the neighborhood of 15.5/16.


I used to be a full believer in that method. But, when winter temps regularly get to negative 40, trust me, you need the block heater! Now that I wont be subjected to the brutal cold like that anymore, I may go back to that line of thought.


An amber-colored "snow light" would probably make all the difference in the world!


Correct. All numbers were taken straight from the lie-o-meter (trip computer). I'm too lazy to do math at the pump!

I do drive in minus 40. And trust me. The science is the science. Now rubber belts and such, well what do you do. The synthetic does not change at that temp. But batteries do. Anyway plugging in won't help that. Just sayin.