Complaints by others are ruining my excitement.

[Tap-it-up]

Hello everyone. Hate for my first post to be a rant, but here I go. On December 27th I ordered a 2020 Laramie Longhorn 1500. I decided to finally retire my 03 Ram 2500 which has been a good truck for me. With the truck being a lot more sophisticated that what I’m used to, I joined this Forum to get help with some of the features, and get an idea of accessories that I would like to get. So far I’ve been overwhelmed by all the negative posts about these trucks. (Rambox sucks, U connect sucks, wind noise sucks, window seals crack, etorque sucks, leather peels, white pain yellows, tires suck, sunroof leaks, HK stereo sucks and isn’t loud..etc etc)In almost every category 90% of the comments are problems people are having with their truck or criticizing FCA. Im hoping I didn’t make a mistake. I keep telling myself that forum members are few compared to of the Tens of thousands of owners. I’m excited for the truck and trying to stay optimistic that it will be everything I hoped it would be. If nothing else all the bad comments will be things for me to double check when I finally do take delivery. My hope is that the problems will ultimately get taken care of and people including me will get back to being excited about their 65000 trucks. Thanks

 

[iamtheav8r]

The internet is full of crap. Most people on these forums are here to complain about something. The percentage of actual owners here is likely single digits. That doesn't mean 90% of Ram owners have no trouble...they just don't know about these forums or aren't spending their time here. It's a decent way to look at what trends there are with these. You can see things like vibration, water leaks, etc. going back a decade with Ram and other brands. You also get to see that FCA doesn't really take most issues seriously and isn't likely to be of much help should you have a big issue. Good luck. I like my 2020, but every time I drive it I wonder when I'll have a problem. It's really diminished the experience for me.

 

[1JK]

I purchased a 2020 Ltd ED. Have owned numerous trucks and manufacturers prior to this one. Im very pleased with my new RAM. Maybe many only post problems they are having because they don't need help being happy.

 

[Dr. Jim]

I have owned my 2019 Ram for just over a year. It runs beautifully. Cold A/C, Harman Kardon sounds fantastic. no brake squeal, no humming or wind noise, fit and finish is great. It is everything I would have expected in purchasing this truck. So not everyone has complaints. Hopefully your new Laramie Longhorn will be as good as my Ram. The factory can build them right!

 

[PorBoy]

I always suggest that just like life you take the forum with a grain of salt. Are some of these issues warranted, heck yes. Does that mean you are going to have these issues, well sadly it’s a crap shoot. But if you can guarantee me one manufacturer that has NOT one single issue, that’s a vehicle I would purchase next week. Again prices don’t always indicate quality build. Also OP, welcome to the 5th gen forum.

 

[SpeedyV]

Hello everyone. Hate for my first post to be a rant, but here I go. On December 27th I ordered a 2020 Laramie Longhorn 1500. I decided to finally retire my 03 Ram 2500 which has been a good truck for me. With the truck being a lot more sophisticated that what I’m used to, I joined this Forum to get help with some of the features, and get an idea of accessories that I would like to get. So far I’ve been overwhelmed by all the negative posts about these trucks. (Rambox sucks, U connect sucks, wind noise sucks, window seals crack, etorque sucks, leather peels, white pain yellows, tires suck, sunroof leaks, HK stereo sucks and isn’t loud..etc etc)In almost every category 90% of the comments are problems people are having with their truck or criticizing FCA. Im hoping I didn’t make a mistake. I keep telling myself that forum members are few compared to of the Tens of thousands of owners. I’m excited for the truck and trying to stay optimistic that it will be everything I hoped it would be. If nothing else all the bad comments will be things for me to double check when I finally do take delivery. My hope is that the problems will ultimately get taken care of and people including me will get back to being excited about their 65000 trucks. Thanks

I joined this forum not long after @Jared B started the site. In May 2018, I custom-ordered an early-build 2019 Longhorn with everything on it, having finally seen a truck that impressed me enough to retire my much-loved but aging 2003 GMC Sierra 1500HD SLT Quadrasteer. My Ram was built in July '18 and delivered that September, which was very early for a truck with all options (e.g. eTorque, RamBoxes, Off-Road Group, Air Suspension, etc...see signature below). I'm now a little over 16 months and 10K miles into ownership.

I've had a few (minor) recalls and a handful of TSBs performed, along with one or two other fixes (e.g. rear seat recline mechanisms). Most of these were on combined visits...it's not like I visit my dealership every month. I've had zero drivetrain issues (eTorque or otherwise), no significant UConnect issues, no leather issues, my RamBoxes aren't warped enough for anyone but me to notice, the H/K system is very good (loud enough that I get complaints after the amp update), Falken tires have been great, and the air suspension has been flawless. Knowing what I know now, I don't think I'd order it any differently if I did it again. To be fair, I hedged my bets when I bought the truck and purchased a Mopar Lifetime MaxCare warranty before they were discontinued.

I do still have a light rear brake squeal pop up between 20-50 mph when the temps are warmer, so I'll have homework for the dealership this spring. But that's okay. We'll get it sorted out, and (in my opinion) I'll have a very solid truck.

There are a few specific threads on here where members talk about their "problem-free" / "trouble-free" trucks. Of course, most folks are here to talk about modifications, accessories, and issues/problems. So you have to dig for the "my truck is awesome" threads.

Welcome aboard!

 

[RiskReward]

Forums have a sampling bias. Not representative of the overall population since it’s going to be your “enthusiasts” making up your small portion of volume posters and your “complainers” making up a large volume of the negative posts with more limited engagement. Then there’s the haters/trolls and those looking for help with a single issue.

Put it all together and you’re going to perceive a lot more negativity in the real world because your typical (and happy) driver isn’t coming anywhere near these forums.

I’m with you though, I joined the forum after buying the truck and had some of the same leery feelings. I actually joined and didn’t post for awhile. The majority of owners are happy and silent, I just figured I’d try to contribute to a community I’m benefiting greatly from. Will help once I’ve been able to mod more or when I (heaven forbid) run into an issue and can hopefully help with a resolution.

Hope you love your truck as much as I love mine and let’s all hope we avoid what is definitely a crapshoot (as with any Truck or Car brand).

 

[RJS]

Yup! Terrible mistake, I'll give you 1/2 price and add it to my garage where my 19 Laramie resides. Mine had a couple of initial issues but trouble free since the first week. Just trying to help a new member out. Put some miles on it before you drive it away from the dealer for good and enjoy the ride.

 

[green68mustang_2002]

If you didnt know, every manufacturer has its good and bad. Buy the truck you want and drive it. If it has an issue, back to the dealership you go.

 

[Biga]

I've had my 2019 for a year and a half and overall I am very happy with the truck. Had a few recalls done, a leaking third brake light replaced, squeeky brake pedal fixed but no major issues on this first year model.

 

[MValdez]

I joined this site on October 30th 2018 after getting my 2019 longhorn and first thing I would like to say is I completely agree with you, This site is flooded with negativity & complaints. However I can say first hand with my experience is that this site has been the most helpful resource with everything Ram for me. I mean let's be honest, spending 65K on a vehicle only to experience issues (some more severe than others) can leave one with angry and upset. I experienced the "Front End Clunk" issue from 200 - 1,000 miles and my dealership service department was down right horrible and worthless in trying to help resolve the issue. But through other users on this site experiencing the same issue I was able to get it fixed after taking some advice. I will say once you get past the mast of negative posts and complaints you will find a slew of helpful/inspiring posts that will have you coming back to this site on a daily basis to see what's new and to interact with others. I LOVE my Ram and am grateful to be so fortunate to own one. I wish you the best

 

[v_eight]

I have had a 2019 Big Horn and a 2019 Rebel. Have had no problems with either truck. I came from a Toyota Tundra, and before that a GMC Sierra. The 2019+ Ram is the best truck I have ever owned. Take the negativity with a grain of salt. Most people don't talk about the part of the story that potentially caused their issue, but only that a part spontaneously combusted and no longer works.

 

[z0n3]

Take everything you see on here with a grain of salt. Not everyone is going to have that same awful experience as the owner fighting to get a lemon law ruling. If you have issues with yours just know you can come here and find someone else who had it and how they fixed it. I’ve had a couple of problems with mine and was able to find possible causes on here and determined the issue before it went to the dealership. Helps the expedite the repair process. However, if you are enjoying the truck and not having problems then there’s no reason to be concerned about what’s happened to other peoples trucks.

 

[Goody]

I think it is fallacious thinking to expect a modern vehicle to be problem free. However, to alleviate those fears, the manufacturers provide warranties with the sale. Taking into consideration the sheer complexity of the systems that must all integrate into the design and eventual manufacturing of a vehicle I am somewhat shocked that they operate as well as they do. Extended warranties at times might well need to be figured into the total cost of vehicle ownership. This can allow us a maximum return on our purchases.
In an attempt to garner more market share manufacturers are adding some new innovations into their products, along with the other tried-and-true design principles. The innovation is what determines what happens in the future at times because when it works great and is trouble-free it may stay around much longer or even become standard equipment. Unpopular or problematic designs that don't work well typically get relegated to obsolescence much faster.
We all know that no manufacturer is without problems with their products. We as consumers just have to hope that the systems that we opt for work as intended for the life of the vehicle. We also benefit from the proliferation of modern social media resources such as this site that informs us of the good and bad. This comes at a cost of course since the information is not easily validated. So that must also factor into our own personal analysis. Like most things on the web, don't believe everything you read. Enjoy the new vehicle when it arrives regardless of what other posts you may read.

 

[jimk hunt]

Well you left out the AC issues! I don't consider those raising issues to be complainers, mostly others trying to help the Ram community. The chances of anyone having all of these issues is slim but you may encounter one or two. That's life. If anything be glad that there is a great resource in this site to help you with any issue that might come up. This community knows more about Rams than any dealer sales or service department. Also many of these issues were early production and have been resolved. My Ram has been trouble free except for the AC but you got months before you have to worry about that.

Love my truck and would buy another one over any of the current competition. Enjoy your new ride and congrats.

 

[Trooper4]

Hello everyone. Hate for my first post to be a rant, but here I go. On December 27th I ordered a 2020 Laramie Longhorn 1500. I decided to finally retire my 03 Ram 2500 which has been a good truck for me. With the truck being a lot more sophisticated that what I’m used to, I joined this Forum to get help with some of the features, and get an idea of accessories that I would like to get. So far I’ve been overwhelmed by all the negative posts about these trucks. (Rambox sucks, U connect sucks, wind noise sucks, window seals crack, etorque sucks, leather peels, white pain yellows, tires suck, sunroof leaks, HK stereo sucks and isn’t loud..etc etc)In almost every category 90% of the comments are problems people are having with their truck or criticizing FCA. Im hoping I didn’t make a mistake. I keep telling myself that forum members are few compared to of the Tens of thousands of owners. I’m excited for the truck and trying to stay optimistic that it will be everything I hoped it would be. If nothing else all the bad comments will be things for me to double check when I finally do take delivery. My hope is that the problems will ultimately get taken care of and people including me will get back to being excited about their 65000 trucks. Thanks

Take all this negative cr@p with a grain of salt. I am one year in and 18000 miles and have not had a problem yet and love the truck. I read the posts here to see what to look out for and to give a little advice(although worth what you pay for it) and to see some of the awesome changes made to some of these rides. Don't focus on the negative and enjoy your truck. A few things will happen, or not, and life goes on. Carpe-diem.

 

[Billy James]

Well, I have been a complainer. Personally, I think my truck has had more than its share of problems: front brakes, rear brakes, UConnect, body isolators, bump on downshifts, misaligned panels, etc... I have the cracked rear window frame now too. However, Like others have said; that is what the warranty is for. Fortunately, my dealership has been very helpful resolving my issues. Now, on the bright side: I just took my truck on its first long trip (2,000 miles) and it was wonderful. I got adequate MPG on the highway and everything worked as it should. Most importantly, I was extremely comfortable for the entire trip. I love driving this truck everyday despite some initial quality flaws. The only other truck that I considered was a 2019 Silverado; I'm glad I bought a RAM instead. Every manufacturer has problems. My 2018 Chevy Malibu has a water leak and left me stranded going into limp mode while pulling out on a highway. And to date, the absolute worst vehicle that I have ever owned was a Toyota; which everyone claims to be the best make. So, take it for what it is. Get the truck, enjoy the truck, and address any problems as they arise. Its still a great looking truck with a lot of comfort and probably the best riding truck out there.

 

[Bootleg]

I bought my 2019 Ram 1500 Limited back in May '19. It's been an amazing truck for me and my family. This is the first vehicle I've owned since a teenager that has really had me excited of ownership. With anything we buy, there's always a chance something can go wrong. I see this site as a way to inform myself of any potential issues, learn more about the mechanics and systems, as well as creative ways to make my truck even more mine.

Welcome to the site, and I do hope you enjoy your new truck as well.

 

[Jako]

I'm happy, comfortable and relaxed in my 2019 Ram and believe it was one of the best things I have done for myself (vs family). The vehicle is more complex than previous years which increases potential issues. I had concerns buying a new model and my experience so far is it was well worth the risk. I still have my 2001 Dodge 1500 SLT (80,000+ miles) which I thought of restoring to it's former glory. That would have been a huge mistake.
Anybody who has been in my Ram loves the ride experience. I found there is a "learning curve" from my other vehicles. Owners of more current model years and technologically advanced vehicles maybe not so much.

Wish you the best and keep us posted.

 

[Grayfuji]

I ordered my 2019 Ram in August 2018 and took delivery in October 2018, I have almost 14k miles. I did have the break squeak for a while... I have had the few recalls and TSBs done, which fixed my complaints about the sound of the stereo, and improved the shifting of the transmission. I am a little disappointed with the performance of the Navigation system, and thought the mpg would be a bit better but so far love my truck. Hopefully as others have said you will take the stories and complaints with a grain of salt and enjoy the hell out of your truck!!
Cheers!