2021 RAM Laramie Sport, transmission

[rkelz1]

So I just bought 1st RAM, 2021 Laramie Sport, just love the bad *** look, strangely I was always a 4Runner man had 3 and still the last, NEVER any problems

Love the look of the RAM and Hemi has some giddy up but I really miss 4runner slapstick which I used all the time rather than dummy D, have got as much as 90k on original oem brakes, truly unbelievable

RAM dial-a-gear takes getting used to but I'm not at all sure I like RAMS gearing and auto ****, hate engine shutdown at stops with lurch, realize it can be turned off but thus far it seems you have to this at every start, maybe someone can tell me otherwise

My main gripe is strange gearing like car want to run show rather than driver, anyone else feel that way? This was like $54k truck wish I had no complaints, but auto trans feels a bit weird to me as multi decade 4Runner man

But I do love smoking tires, reminds be of my 20s when I has 1986 Buick Regal T-type, then fastest production car in America, what a blast that was, miss those days!

 

[Snofire]

auto start/stop feature is on a lot of new vehicles. My 17 JGC has it. Not sure understand what exactly you are talking about the dial-a-gear or what exactly what you mean. Can you explain?

 

[PaulieWalnutz]

I think he’s talking of the dial shifter . . And the shifts are normally pretty smooth.. maybe throttle lag?

 

[piening2150]

Welcome! I get that the dial shifter might take some getting used to (I think it's fine), but even with the 3.21 gears I have no problems with acceleration or shift logic. The ZF 8-speed is one of the best automatics out there. My only gripe is when you don't come to a complete stop (like rolling a stop sign) it does seem to get a little 'lost' for a second when you get back on the gas. The Etorque Hemi stop/start is the smoothest system I've ever experienced. In fact, it's the only stop/start I don't immediately deactivate when driving. It's not perfect, but it's very good relative to other systems. And yes, if you don't like it you'll have to push the button every time you start it (but I believe there are plug in devices to defeat it).

However, increasing wear and tear on the engine/trans to save wear on the much less expensive brake pads/rotors doesn't make much sense to me. I used to do it ALL THE TIME in my 392 Charger, but that was only to hear the engine roar down thru the gears, lol! To each their own I suppose.

 

[CMil527]

Welcome!

 

[rkelz1]

auto start/stop feature is on a lot of new vehicles. My 17 JGC has it. Not sure understand what exactly you are talking about the dial-a-gear or what exactly what you mean. Can you explain?

Thx, I mean the gear knob i kind of like a center console shifter and am missing slapstick in 4Runner

 

[rkelz1]

Welcome! I get that the dial shifter might take some getting used to (I think it's fine), but even with the 3.21 gears I have no problems with acceleration or shift logic. The ZF 8-speed is one of the best automatics out there. My only gripe is when you don't come to a complete stop (like rolling a stop sign) it does seem to get a little 'lost' for a second when you get back on the gas. The Etorque Hemi stop/start is the smoothest system I've ever experienced. In fact, it's the only stop/start I don't immediately deactivate when driving. It's not perfect, but it's very good relative to other systems. And yes, if you don't like it you'll have to push the button every time you start it (but I believe there are plug in devices to defeat it).

However, increasing wear and tear on the engine/trans to save wear on the much less expensive brake pads/rotors doesn't make much sense to me. I used to do it ALL THE TIME in my 392 Charger, but that was only to hear the engine roar down thru the gears, lol! To each their own I suppose.

Thx for this. I am getting used to RAM, I do love the power but it seems to me to need to rev up to really get rolling, a bit strange at low end from what I'm used to, also while only 980 miles my avg gas mileage has been 11 but almost all city, limited freeway but then get up 17 don't know whey get away with saying 17/21

 

[Snofire]

MPG is going to be lower with Winter gas. There are many things that lower the mpg that aren't tested. I don't think anyone knows if the MPG rating is on a 4wd w/ the 5.7 or what not.

 

[piening2150]

Gas mileage will get better as the engine breaks in and we get away from the winter blend. Don't expect miracles though. I'm at about 15.5 right now (lots of idling and remote starts) and in spring/summer it goes up to about 17-18 average. I just turned over 10k. Lots of fuel economy threads here and you can also see others Ram trucks stats on Fuely.