2019 Laramie - Buyer's Remorse

[Jackham]

Well as I have posted somewhere here, 1300 trucks a day. Now how many negative posts are there? If we want these incredible machines then we have to partner with the company to make them what we want. I am driving a 2011 F 150 heavy duty half ton, very rare truck, one of the first ecoboosts and have had to endure nit wits that are always whining about F 150s on the forum. Most of these problems end up on the toes of the owners, though they are not about to post this when they find out their problem is the guy looking at them in the mirror. A lot of times after guys post on here they find out their "problem" is they don't understand their truck or have done insufficient reading. Don't get me wrong, for sure there are issues and FCA needs to jump all over them and come out admitting the issue right off to bat.

 

[Laramie81]

I absolutely love my truck. I’m only at 1300 miles, but I’ve had no issues at all. This is my fourth Ram and I’ve loved them all. I had a 14 Laramie that threw a rod at 1800 miles, but it was fixed immediately under warranty and had no more problems. Forums tend to be places where people seek answers when they’re having problems, so you won’t always see the positive experiences. My truck is perfect for me. I see no build quality or fitment issues and verything functions as it should. Congratulations on your new Ram!!

 

[bgmshrm]

I can't say too much to the RAM reliability over others (although I do recall that a 2500 model from a few years ago was ranked terribly), but you're probably going to find lots of issues posted about any vehicle in a forum. It's just a good place to ask for help.

As far as mileage, $4,500 buys a lot of gas. Assuming $2.50/gallon, that's 1,800 gallons. Even getting just 15 mpg, that covers your pump costs for 27,000 miles... Plus, I'm guessing the V-8 is a more powerful engine.

Sell it at the end of your warranty if it sucks?

2.50 a gallon ? I wish. 3.39 at the chevron down the street cash price. and going up.

 

[Granite5thgen]

I traded a 2015 F150 Lariat with 30k miles for my Ram a month ago. My F150 developed the problem with the integrated wheel ends vacuum leak and had it in 3 times in 9 months. They had it about a week each time. Last time I took it in I told myself if they can't find the problem I am done with it and moving on. Really enjoyed that truck but enough was enough.

Apples to apples comparison, my current mpg is about 3 less than the 3.5 ecoboost was this time of year. Getting about 14 in mixed driving. And that is with me being very purposeful trying to maximize it in the new Ram. I do have the off road package with all terrain tires etc, and I am hopeful that will get better as the drive train breaks in. Really enjoying it tho, and no issues so far.

Honestly I think babying it hurts mpgs. My first few tanks I was really easy on it. Well I liked to get to 60mph faster than 20 seconds, so I started to drive normal. Mpgs went up a bit and I got to my destination faster Haha. Give it a try for a tank or two and see how it compares. Also to the OP, I have 1200 miles on mine and have had 1 issue that's never happened again. Couldnt be happier. You couldnt give me an EcoBoost imo. I plan on keeping this a while and I dont trust the longevity of those boosted v6s

 

[jkratze1]

I have 9500 miles on my Laramie 4x4 and I am very happy so far. It is a May 2018 build. I have had the two recalls since I bought it, the power steering ground recall and the pedal recall, and both have been take care of by the dealer. My truck never had any symptoms or problems related to the recall. I do have the brake squeal sometimes that is posted on this forum but a new order like yours should not have this problem.

 

[Jeff270]

So I was in the same boat as the OP. I ordered a new Laramie a couple of weeks back, and am currently waiting impatiently for it to be built. In the interim, to kill time, I found this site. When I started reading, my heart skipped a beat. All I could thing about was how I just spent 45K on this POS?????? 80% of the posts seemed to be guys complaining about one thing or another. But when you start to look at the complaints, the vast majority are people that either haven't read the manual, or are doing something wrong. Once its explained, they tend to go away. Those that are left do have some legitimate complaints, but when you look at the numbers, they are a small minority. And lets face it, how many people write in a new forum to say how great something is? Not many! How many people call city hall to say how well their street was plowed or their trash was picked up? It doesn't happen! The only ones who make noise are those that are aggravated. So take the negative comments with a grain of salt. In retrospect, when you look at the number of folks who are on this forum, the number of real complaints are pretty small. Now if they would just hurry up and build my truck, the slackers!

 

[HeliPilot]

There is no other truck brand on the market that comes close to the refinement of mine. And as previously stated by me in other post, I came out of a 2017 Raptor. Turbo's are indeed quick, but they also come with "Peculiarities that require you to redefine driving habits in order to keep them smooth". I love being back in a V8 where I can hit the gas, then back off because the person in front of me slowed, and hitting the gas again without any turbo lag and slamming into acceleration suddenly. Every time I do this in my Ram, I prepare myself for the jolt, but alas...No Jolt, because no turbo lag. Everything in my truck works great, and I have had no buyers remorse. 6,700 miles to date.

 

[Biga]

I havn't had any issues with my 2019, had for almost 7 months and 7,000 miles. Very smooth and quiet ride.

 

[kbUSMC2012]

Reliability was a big thing for me. I had a Tacoma prior to my Ram solely for the reason that it was the most rock solid, longest lasting truck built today. But after a certain point, I decided the realiability wasn’t worth the trade off I made with interior comforts and ride quality. I did some anecdotal research (because I don’t trust “quality” reviews written on 1 year old trucks by the big sites) and what I found was that yes, Ram had some rough years, but after they split into their own entity the quality has improved tremendously. I decided to go with the Ram and I’m very happy with it. Plus, if I have issues during the first 3 years while it’s under warranty, I’ll make the determination if I’ll keep it or look for another brand closer to that time.

 

[cobrar97]

I'm in the exact same boat as you. I've always owned Ford trucks...for as long as I can remember. Due to 4x4 issues with the last TWO Fords I've had (a 2013 Platinum and then a 2016 Limited), I decided to look around a bit more instead of just going back to Ford as usual. I came across the Ram Limited, which I never thought I'd even consider a Ram, and I just loved the look of the truck and especially the amazing interior. As we all know, Ford's interior has simply fell behind. I have no doubt that their next revision will address all those issues (and probably very well), but for now, I just couldn't buy another Ford. I ordered my Ram in February, and it's in transit to the dealer as we speak.
I'm VERY nervous about this. I'm used to the 3.5 Ecoboost power (I had it tuned to the 450hp setup), and the thing is FAST. Additionally, I read all the negatives on the forums about the Ram (but most people will post about bad stuff that happens)...and I'm just hoping I didn't make a bad decision. I truly feel that I haven't, and with the Ford issues I've had; if there's a problem with the Ram...it'll just be more of what I'm used to. If there's no problems, then I'm ahead. There's always the option to sell it and get something different; it wouldn't be the end of the world...just a hassle.
So I hope you stick with me and we'll see what we get with these Rams. Hoping we both have a good experience.

 

[VectorZ]

I traded a 2015 F150 Lariat with 30k miles for my Ram a month ago. My F150 developed the problem with the integrated wheel ends vacuum leak and had it in 3 times in 9 months. They had it about a week each time. Last time I took it in I told myself if they can't find the problem I am done with it and moving on. Really enjoyed that truck but enough was enough.

Apples to apples comparison, my current mpg is about 3 less than the 3.5 ecoboost was this time of year. Getting about 14 in mixed driving. And that is with me being very purposeful trying to maximize it in the new Ram. I do have the off road package with all terrain tires etc, and I am hopeful that will get better as the drive train breaks in. Really enjoying it tho, and no issues so far.

This is what happened to me too. But my 2016 Platinum with the 3.5EB had only 15k miles. My truck was also plagued with the the "audio off" issue where the stereo would not work for minutes or hours at a time. It was awesome driving a $65k truck and having to play music on my phone!

I loved the engine in that truck, but I never really got over 16-17 mpg in mixed driving.

I've had my Limited since last August and it now has 5k miles on it. There were some minor issues, but overall I am very happy with my truck.

 

[JonEK9]

Reliability was a big thing for me. I had a Tacoma prior to my Ram solely for the reason that it was the most rock solid, longest lasting truck built today. But after a certain point, I decided the realiability wasn’t worth the trade off I made with interior comforts and ride quality. I did some anecdotal research (because I don’t trust “quality” reviews written on 1 year old trucks by the big sites) and what I found was that yes, Ram had some rough years, but after they split into their own entity the quality has improved tremendously. I decided to go with the Ram and I’m very happy with it. Plus, if I have issues during the first 3 years while it’s under warranty, I’ll make the determination if I’ll keep it or look for another brand closer to that time.

I am about to be in the same boat. I decided to trade in my perfect 2016 Tacoma Limited 4WD , for a 2019 Ram 1500 Big Horn North Edition crew cab, 4WD, 5"7 short bed with Ramboxes, 3.92 axle, Bed utility grp, Level 2 equip pack, trailer brake, Premium LED light pck, deluxe black seating, and am nervous about the initial quality issues versus the Tacoma after reading this forum. I am trading for the Rams space, luxuries, V8 and towing ability. Per Ram Customer service the truck should arrive 4/30/19... keep my fingers crossed on that eta.

 

[Creep0321]

I am about to be in the same boat. I decided to trade in my perfect 2016 Tacoma Limited 4WD , for a 2019 Ram 1500 Big Horn North Edition crew cab, 4WD, 5"7 short bed with Ramboxes, 3.92 axle, Bed utility grp, Level 2 equip pack, trailer brake, Premium LED light pck, deluxe black seating, and am nervous about the initial quality issues versus the Tacoma after reading this forum. I am trading for the Rams space, luxuries, V8 and towing ability. Per Ram Customer service the truck should arrive 4/30/19... keep my fingers crossed on that eta.

You won’t be disappointed

 

[Rick J]

OP. If you really want to feel better, go browse a Ford, Chevy, Harley Davidson, etc forum. You'll find the same thing. People bitching about their vehicle. The thousands of happy owners don't post, only the few unhappy ones do. I switched from Ford this time and I'm in the same boat as far as waiting for my new Limited. After I placed the order I found this site. Have enough experience with Forums that I'm not letting it bother me. It does give me information on things I should watch out for and if I have a problem I can probably find someone else that had the same problem and see what the resolution was. Keep the faith There's a reason the new RAM 1500 is everybody's truck of the year.

 

[Saints]

I am about to be in the same boat. I decided to trade in my perfect 2016 Tacoma Limited 4WD , for a 2019 Ram 1500 Big Horn North Edition crew cab, 4WD, 5"7 short bed with Ramboxes, 3.92 axle, Bed utility grp, Level 2 equip pack, trailer brake, Premium LED light pck, deluxe black seating, and am nervous about the initial quality issues versus the Tacoma after reading this forum. I am trading for the Rams space, luxuries, V8 and towing ability. Per Ram Customer service the truck should arrive 4/30/19... keep my fingers crossed on that eta.

Jon, I too had the same concerns coming from a Tundra that has been rock solid with no issues with 108k miles. I’ve had my Laramie for only a little over a week and have just over 300 miles on it as I haven’t been driving it much because I have been getting everything I want done to it to make it my work truck. I still have my Tundra as of now, but honestly all I want to do is drive that Ram. It is a very nice truck with a lot of technology and drives great.

Now having said that I have already had issues with it. The first night I drove it home I plugged in my phone to check out CarPlay and all of a sudden the blind spot lights on the mirrors came on and stayed on. I was able to get them to turn off by going into settings and disabling it but it was still not something I wanted to see on my first ride home. Then a few days later after programming my memory settings my NAV couldn’t tell where I was and the 12” screen would turn off after shifting out of reverse and I had to power on/off to get it to come back on. I have been able to fix these issues by disconnecting the negative cable on the battery and leaving it for a while then resetting it, but still, there are some bugs that need to be worked out on this truck. It’s still too early to tell what’s going to happen, but this is still a very nice truck to have. Just know that there may be some growing pains.

 

[dubasteins]

Hello, brand new to this forum... Today, I placed an order with my dealer for a 2019 Laramie 4x4 (build sheet attached). Upon congratulating me for my order, the dealer knew I was a bit hesitant on buying a Ram and he referred me to this site. Long story short, I've owned Ford trucks all my life with one exception.....that was a 2014 Ram 2500 Diesel and had nothing but problems with it. Owned that truck less than a year and went back to Ford....I'm not really brand loyal to Ford but I have never had an issue with my Ford trucks....I buy what works. I drive 25,000+ miles a year and decided to look at Ram again for the cabin comfort and additional interior space.....the 2019 Ram is a beautiful vehicle! I do find the F-150 a bit fatiguing to drive long distances. However, looking through this forum I see issues posted about the eTorque system, low MPG, 12" nav screens flickering, transmission problems, etc. Reading these issues, and a poor history with my last Ram truck, I'm starting to regret my decision today and thinking of canceling my order. MPG is probably my number one concern with the amount of miles I drive. The F-150 I currently own gets 21.9 MPG combined (hand calc, V6 ecoboost) and seeing Hemi's with 12-14MPG makes me cringe. The dealer sold me on the eTorque system to get better MPG. I pulled the trigger on this Ram truck primarily because I contracted the order for $13,340 off the MSRP ($8,090 in dealer incentives + $5,250 in rebates). The dealer also offered to "protect" me if the rebates went down between now and the time it was delivered so the price is locked in. An equivalent 2019 F-150 was $4,500 more, my neighbor, a loyal Ram owner said I was nuts if I didn't take this deal. I guess I'm looking for some reassurance here I know every manufacturer has "lemons" but I was surprised to see the number of posts with "issues" on the 2019 Ram given the glowing media reviews. Please tell me these problems are the exception and not the norm. Appreciate any comments on the build or advice overall....have 48 hours to cancel the order if I want, thinking long and hard about this. Probably won't sleep a wink tonight . Thanks again!

I owned a 2015 F-150 Lariat (fully loaded) but when I saw the changes and improved technology updates that Ram had in the 2019 Ram 1500, I was sold. Aside from the typical minor issues, I can't see myself going back to the Ford. This truck checks all of the boxes for me and is fun to drive every day. I am sure you'll love the truck once you take delivery, but as others have said, it's just a truck. There may be some things you miss about Ford, but I'm confident that the 2019 Ram more than makes up for whatever items you may miss with the improvements they've made to this model year.

 

[Jtc411]

All I know is I heavily researched both this forum and the F-150 forums(no Chevy, I don’t hate myself). F-150 forums were just as cluttered if not more with problem threads. Every vehicle comes with its issues. Buy it, drive it, and love every minute of it. You have a 3 year warranty for a reason.

 

[go-ram]

So I was in the same boat as the OP. I ordered a new Laramie a couple of weeks back, and am currently waiting impatiently for it to be built. In the interim, to kill time, I found this site. When I started reading, my heart skipped a beat. All I could thing about was how I just spent 45K on this POS?????? 80% of the posts seemed to be guys complaining about one thing or another. But when you start to look at the complaints, the vast majority are people that either haven't read the manual, or are doing something wrong. Once its explained, they tend to go away. Those that are left do have some legitimate complaints, but when you look at the numbers, they are a small minority. And lets face it, how many people write in a new forum to say how great something is? Not many! How many people call city hall to say how well their street was plowed or their trash was picked up? It doesn't happen! The only ones who make noise are those that are aggravated. So take the negative comments with a grain of salt. In retrospect, when you look at the number of folks who are on this forum, the number of real complaints are pretty small. Now if they would just hurry up and build my truck, the slackers!

In addition, Ford, Chevy & GMC have all had their share of recalls, even on their newest models. I honestly can't see much difference in the recall rate among the big three.

 

[Ramit392]

I am about to be in the same boat. I decided to trade in my perfect 2016 Tacoma Limited 4WD , for a 2019 Ram 1500 Big Horn North Edition crew cab, 4WD, 5"7 short bed with Ramboxes, 3.92 axle, Bed utility grp, Level 2 equip pack, trailer brake, Premium LED light pck, deluxe black seating, and am nervous about the initial quality issues versus the Tacoma after reading this forum. I am trading for the Rams space, luxuries, V8 and towing ability. Per Ram Customer service the truck should arrive 4/30/19... keep my fingers crossed on that eta.

I had a new Company provided Tacoma Truck loaded with full 100% personal use privileges every three years before I retired in 2016. I have owned Ram 1500's last 17 Years ( loaded) as my own personal trucks for towing larger loads. Tacoma let alone Tundras are no match to a Rams IMO. However I liked Tacoma over Super Cab XLT Ford Ranger Company trucks before the Toyota's for many years. Not saying nothing bad about Toyota's but Rams are by far a better truck in all aspects or at least the ones I have owned.

 

[cotonymopar]

As you can see, I am a long time ram owner... 97, 03, 12, and now my 19... have not had any real issues, I do my own maintenance, and thank you Ram for getting more space in the engine compartment... changing the 16 spark plugs was a bear. with the 03 and 12. My trucks are my daily drivers, they have moved me and my family multiple times, landscaping supplies, furniture, cars, shopping trips, etc... I love them, and even in a time in my life that I could have dropped down to a Charger, I decided I loved my Rams.... just have the maint done on them, and they will be fine..