6th Gen Wish List

[grimreefer]

I do really miss the larger sliding rear window that my '12 Titan CC had.

 

[Fatherof3]

I understand the gripe about payload. But exactly what do you really expect them to do. The 1994 Ram 1500 had a GVWR of 6400lbs. They now have 7100 even 7200 with ecoDiesel.

Back the 2500 in 1994 had an available GVWR of 7500 or 8800 depending on light or heavy duty.

And these 1500 trucks do have 2000lbs of payload if you equip it right. But a Limited...well it is limited.

And in 8 ish years when the 6th Gen comes out...i have one wish...a pick up would go back to being a pick up...but that isnt going to happen.

It will be awesome if we still have V8 or diesel trucks.

Just a wish list that’s all .

 

[devildodge]

Just a wish list that’s all .

I get that. Just curious.

 

[NoMoFoMoCo]

I lost count on what number the list is on...

- Fix the Instrument Cluster non-dimming issue
- Make bigger gas tanks standard for 6ft+ beds
- Tighten the turn radius on these trucks
- How about more interior colors?
- Front camera and parking sensors as stand- alone options
- On chrome mirrors, don't put chrome on the exterior wall that faces the cab. Headlights from oncoming traffic reflect into the cabin at certain angles.
- Higher quality key fobs... mine are already losing paint
- Higher quality plastic on the tailgate cap.
- HEPA cabin filters
- Fix the A/C issue
- Increase the interior fan strength

**1 more for the list: A way to turn off the auto-braking when reversing, useless "safety" feature!!
**2nd for the list: A way to turn the truck completely dark! No accent lights!! I don't understand why when I turn the lights to the "Off" position, the accent ring is BRIGHTER then when I have the Parking Lights on! I've been camping a few times and had to put empty sand bags over the lights to keep from lighting up the camp ground. I'm so annoyed with RAM'S lighting engineers....

 

[FYRSTIX]

Don't understand why anyone would want the shifter on the column. Those just get in the way. Modern shifting is all electronic, so shift linkage on the column would only be duplicating what a knob does, activating switches.

I think the shift knob is great. My only issue is it's a bit too close and a bit too similar to the volume knob.

The 2021 F-150, now that's how to really screw up a shifter.

As for the other items I've seen listed, yes on better Hemi mileage and the bigger tank should just come with the Hemi.

 

[jimchi]

There are features that are rumored to be included, or features competitors have (or have had) that would make for a great truck. Some realistic, some wishful:

1. Turbo straight 6
2. Full Hybrid option
3. Full Electric option
4. Aluminum body panels (grater payload and efficiency)
5. AUX switches available on the 1500
6. Level 2 self-driving (GM Supercruise, Tesla Autopilot)
7. Quadrasteer (turning radius, towing stability)
8. Nivomat dampers with steel springs (rear load leveling shocks, like on GC or Durango)
9. Magneride dampers with air springs

 

[grimreefer]

Don't understand why anyone would want the shifter on the column. Those just get in the way. Modern shifting is all electronic, so shift linkage on the column would only be duplicating what a knob does, activating switches.

I used to prefer console shifters but have grown to like The Knob™. The rental Silverado I'm driving has a column shifter and I absolutely hate it's... clunkiness.

 

[flyfingers]

Personally I like the old school column shifter. I like the clunk clunk as it hits each indent and goes firmly into each gear. I like to be able to look over my shoulder while backing up a trailer and intuitively be able to move my left hand off the top of the steering wheel to the shift lever to move it back into neutral (w/o the damn electronic e-brake activating but that's a whole other topic) or even into reverse. The indents between each gear on the rotary are simply too weak feeling for me as well. It just feels kinda wimpy I guess.

The column shifter just feels more intuitive to me as that's the way I've driven a truck for 40 yrs. The whole turning of a knob or even worse the electronic push button GMC is apparently coming out with is just too car like. I get it, I'm old and most are thinking "get out of the way old man" and I understand. In general, the younger generations are definitely more comfortable with electronics than my generation.

Not looking to start a argument over shifters that's for sure. Want to argue go over to the catch can or fuel cap thread. Simply responding as to why I prefer the column shifter. Bottom line, personal preference but not enough so that I wouldn't buy a RAM.

 

[Willwork4truck]

I get that. Just curious.

Maybe a “super classic 1500” that hearkens back to, say, 1972 or something when you had a truck with a v8, 4 speed, ps, pb, manual windows and locks, a base vinyl seat and rubber floormats. Oh wait, that describes my 1972 F100 that I still miss... The truck was 2 years old when I bought it (1974, cost $2,400!) for going to college, but then I’m not “old” like flyfingers is. (This was in Sausalito, Ca as well...)

 

[Ramjeep]

I'm against the dial shifter. I have had the truck for a year and got use to it but if the Sierra had a nicer interior I would have had the GMC. Now they are going to push button shifter maybe it's better that I did get the RAM lol.

 

[Willwork4truck]

Yeah, real “new” tech there, push buttons:

Automotive History: The Mysterious Disappearance of the Chrysler Pushbutton Automatic - A Government Conspiracy? - Curbside Classic

(first posted 12/8/2017) The sudden disappearance of the pushbutton transmission on Chrysler Corporation vehicles at the end of the 1964 model year has resulted in a lot of […]

www.curbsideclassic.com

(please ignore the conspiracy crap in the link subject)
Begin copied portion of article:

The sudden disappearance of the pushbutton transmission on Chrysler Corporation vehicles at the end of the 1964 model year has resulted in a lot of speculation over the years. Was it simple market pressure? Or were they outlawed by the government? That question has been batted about here on CC for several years now. But as we are in a debunking of old wives’ tales kind of mood lately, the time has come to tackle this one.

Before 1964, the regulation of equipment on private cars and trucks was a patchwork of state laws with a little federal law thrown in for some spice. But in the years following the creation of interstate highways, accidents were happening at higher speeds and were claiming more lives. The pressure to “do something” was growing.

On August 30, 1964, Congress passed Public Law 88-514, entitled “AN ACT to require passenger-carrying motor vehicles purchased for use by the Federal Government to meet certain passenger safety standards.” That act stated that the Government could not buy a vehicle for its own use that did not comply with reasonable passenger safety devices “as the Administrator of General Services shall require.”

The law’s following section gave the Administrator of General Services one year to publish a set of standards. The entire statute is a short one and can be read in full right here: STATUTE-78-Pg696

On January 26, 1965 the GSA’s standards appeared in the Federal Register at pages 797-801. Among them was (on page 800) Standard no. 515/11, entitled “Standard Gear Quadrant (PRNDL) For Automotive Vehicles Equipped With Automatic Transmissions.” The rule stated:

“The order of selection of the gear quadrant shall be park, reverse, neutral, forward drive, and low forward drive (P R N D L). Neutral shall be positioned between reverse and forward drive. In no case shall reverse be positioned adjacent to a forward drive. Reverse, forward drive and low forward drive may be modified to permit various gear ratios in these positions at the option of the manufacturer. Lowest forward gear selected position shall provide a braking effect for downhill driving and the lowest selected gear shall be locked in at 25 miles per hour and under.”

The rule concluded by stating that it was to take effect one year and ninety days after publication (or April 26, 1966). The Federal Register for that date can be perused here. FedRegJan1965
(end of copied article portion)

The following taken from from automobilemag.com:
“Where Chrysler didn't innovate, it often improved. Packard and Cadillacintroduced air conditioning in 1940 and 1941, respectively, but Chrysler's 1954 Airtemp system was a huge improvement. It was mechanically simpler, more efficient, cooled more quickly, and used outside air rather than recycling air from the cabin. Chrysler introduced the push-button transmission in 1956 and the torsion-bar suspension in 1957. Compared to conventional coil springs, torsion bars saved weight and allowed the steering linkage to be reconfigured for less kick-back.” End of copied portion of article

 

[millerbjm]

I understand the desire for higher payload but that is why they make the 2500 and 3500. We grew up calling them 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks because that was the payload. Now we have 1/2 trucks like my bighorn with more than 3/4 ton payloads. It is pretty amazing g to have this kind of payload and still have ride quality - I recall a 95' 3500 I had for a work truck and driving it without a load was like bronco racing - a real workout for sure.

 

[Willwork4truck]

I understand the desire for higher payload but that is why they make the 2500 and 3500. We grew up calling them 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks because that was the payload. Now we have 1/2 trucks like my bighorn with more than 3/4 ton payloads. It is pretty amazing g to have this kind of payload and still have ride quality - I recall a 95' 3500 I had for a work truck and driving it without a load was like bronco racing - a real workout for sure.

Yes agree however it wasn't so many years ago a truck camper could easily be carried on a 3/4 yet today, with slides and all, you need a 3500 or 4500 to carry these fancy ones. I'm talking over 4K dry weight for a Lance camper. Their 1172 model has a dry weight of 4174# and costs $53K retail. Now nobody will be ponying up retail but they all will have to carry that beast... Wet weight was listed as 5,213 allowing for full tanks, propane, 2 batteries and 500# of contents. What truck carries 5,213# plus the driver and fuel? That's why payloads have to rise across the board.

Even the "cheapo" $25,762 MSRP 650 model which is a hard side, non-slide wet bath has a wet weight of 2,469 lbs. Granted a wet bath is overload for a 1500 yet it is designed for a short bed truck.
To quote Pres. Joe, "C'mon man..."

That's from truckcampermagazine.com for 2021 Lance models.

 

[cj7]

No column shifter here, ever again. The knob is fine, good compromise from console shifter (my fav) that frees up space. The highly polished forged bare metal and embossed leather on my AMG wagon console shifter is just a sensuous thing, truely a pleasure, hard to keep my hands off her, I mean, it...

And I don’t need a digital dash either. Not until they stop trying to replicate mechanical instruments, at least. And when I can configure it to eliminate some of the annoyances. Seen so many tach replicas than just suck...

otherwise, lots of good ideas so far...

 

[RC Turner]

QUALITY.

Get some employees on the line in QC who know what they hell they are doing. There are a couple vids on Youtube showing the Ram manufacturing process in Sterling Heights. You can see towards the end the QC personnel lazily walking around the vehicle and touching it here/there. Fire their *** and get a group of QC inspectors that give a damn. If the paint is orange peel, reject it. If the doors don't close correctly, reject it. If the interior dash trim doesn't line up, reject it. Our Rams have worked mechanically perfect from day one but my eye can see quality issues which should have been caught at the factory.

You completely misunderstand who controls quality. The requirements are defined by engineers/marketing/etc. Manufacturing is tasked to make the product so that it meets the requirements as defined. Quality is only tasked to verify that the requirements defined by engineering/marketing/etc have been met by the production process. This includes labor, tooling, etc. If you are getting poor quality look for the real issue. It isn't quality, likely isn't manufacturing, probably something to do with upper management or bean counters.

 

[cj7]

Deming couldn’t have said it better...

 

[NorthStar]

You are partially correct however I have two cousins on the assembly line in Sterling Heights. Both have said the same thing numerous times. Both have pointed out quality issues to supervisors who noted and took care of the issue but once it gets to QC they pass them on with the attitude “They’re built and as long as they drive off the line then the dealership can take care of “minor” issues.”

I agree quality starts at the top but QC is critical to the feedback loop. I have never bought the BS that quality responsibility lies on at the top. It is like saying safety is the responsibility of the HSE Manager but not the employees.

 

[Willwork4truck]

You are partially correct however I have two cousins on the assembly line in Sterling Heights. Both have said the same thing numerous times. Both have pointed out quality issues to supervisors who noted and took care of the issue but once it gets to QC they pass them on with the attitude “They’re built and as long as they drive off the line then the dealership can take care of “minor” issues.”

I agree quality starts at the top but QC is critical to the feedback loop. I have never bought the BS that quality responsibility lies on at the top. It is like saying safety is the responsibility of the HSE Manager but not the employees.

Agree. Its often easier to fix/adjust something right when you see it but human nature being what it is and without employee ownership/a stake in the business, too often it's a "not my problem, f it" attitude.

 

[Swicago]

Full digital tacho/evic as someone else mention, but also add the automatic blind spot left/right cameras that display in that display. Like the Hyundai Palisade has.

Turn on passenger seat heater, if last state of passenger seat heater was ON and a passenger is detected. Currently only works for driver, can't see why it can't be done for the passenger. Same for ventilated seats in summer, remember last state if passenger present.

 

[stevj]

1. A little indicator on the cluster, maybe as part of the trans temp gauge display, that tells you when your torque converter is locked up. For those that tow.
2. A "maneuvering" mode for the 360* display that keeps the display on while you shift from reverse to drive and back again, so you can keep an eye on your position relative to reference points on the ground while positioning the truck.
3. Those two thumbwheels that control lighting: Make left one for instrument cluster, active all the time. Make right one for the center display, active all the time. Quit forcing us to be distracted from the task of safely operating a motor vehicle merely to adjust brightness of a display with menu options.

Steve