Cross-Shopping Longhorn and Titan Pro-4X

[duracell24]

Hey all.
Potential Ram owner. Looking specifically at a 20/21 Longhorn with the Off-Road package or a 2021 Titan Pro-4X.

I know what I’m asking coming to a Ram Forum, but does anyone have any regrets picking up one of the 19+ Rams?

I know those are really different trucks. I’ve just tried to make myself like a Ram Rebel over and over but every time I get in one it just disappoints me. The Longhorn, on the other hand, pulls at my wannabe cowboy strings.

The new Titan really blew me away when I test drove it. I was shocked at how good it was. The only things I wasn’t thrilled with:
360 camera resolution is terrible, back seat isn’t flat and is a little cramped compared to the ram, the center console storage situation is ok but nothing great. I’m also slightly concerned about after market support should I want to give it some love later.

The Ram takes care of those small details but leaves me hangin in the exterior look (I hate chrome), off-road worthiness (I do some out West hunting), and reliability concerns.

Also, no matter how I slice it, the Ram will cost me $10k more. I can make both monthly payments work, but I’m not into just throwing $10k away for fun. Anything else I’m missing? Anything you guys/gals hate or love about your Rams I haven’t thought about? Thanks!!

 

[njt07]

I just bought my truck this last Saturday (5Dec), but I’ll be honest I never even looked at the Nissan. That truck has consistantly gotten bad reviews from the major review sites (Car and Driver, Motor Trend, JD Power etc) while the Ram has gotten the top spot the last few years . That may possibly change with the new F150 though, that generator is awesome.

Im very happy with my new truck, so far only minor complaint is not having a reference point on the rearview mirror camera but again, so very minor, cause I still love that camera view.

to address your chrome complaint, most dealerships can easily order the body color bumpers and many order non chrome, non-night trucks somehow. I’ve seen quite a few on the lots here in Texas.

 

[Scram1500]

The Sport package removes the chrome. As far as the Datsun, to each their own but you may find biased opinions here

 

[PaulieWalnutz]

Laramie sport or night edition with off-road package could save you some money. Laramies have pretty good discounts and incentive programs . Worth a look

 

[NorthStar]

I went shopping with a coworker and he wanted to look at the Nissans. I was unimpressed with the thinness of the seats as they were not as thick on the bottom pad as Ram. I also didn’t care for the way it was built as it just felt “less”. I can’t explain it but I was not impressed. He was trading in an old 1990s Chevrolet and didn’t like the current Chevys or Fords. He had other observations about the Nissans that he just didn’t like so we took off to other dealerships/brands.
He also looked at Toyota’s but decided against it as he said they just didn’t seem as advanced technologically as the Rams. One test drive of a Longhorn and he was sold...but ended up purchasing a Laramie as he felt it was a better value.
The massive back seat and comfort of it was what sold him over the Titan. Plus he said the Ram had far superior seats, infotainment electronics, and just felt more solid.

 

[Jako]

Ram owner for two years. I was looking at Fords and by chance took a test ride in the Ram. As per you "I was blown away" except it was the Ram. Ford didn't really do much for me and I felt the Ford rides like a truck vs the Ram's more car like ride.
Ram has issues and off the top of my head (based on the forum) it seems:
-The AC as being inadequate but Ram has just fessed up with a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB)
-Rear window surround, leaks repaired under warranty
-some had a leak front driver floor which required additional sealing
-issues with droning when in 4 cylinder mode, again a TSB
-back up assist being activated over aggressively, again a TSB
-battery dying out at 2 year mark or so and creating problems (I believe the battery issue is not Ram specific based on conversations with mechanics) My opinion is that the batteries are made to be replaced - job/market security?
-GPS problems
-Service/repair at dealerships leave something to be desired. In my "life experiences" I find this common in dealings. Reviewing some of my frustrating moments I realize there is a limit to what I can control and label these occurrences as "not my fault".

Vehicles today are big computers and sometimes it feels like you are dealing with "Windows 95" and they need patches and updates. My 1985 Toyota Corolla SR5 was bullet proof. Sat in my backyard since 2006 and recently gave it to a friend's friend who is going to restore it. The motor started up for him.

Recently my Ram would not come out of first gear (all good after sitting and no reoccurrence) and a few weeks later it would not start with other issues. My appointment took a few weeks to get and was at the dealership for a week. They replaced the battery and did a TSB update. Hopefully all good now and still have three TSBs that need to be addressed.

After 2 years of ownership I'm still "blown away" and have no regrets. Some problems - yeah, but no regrets.

Take your time and sort things out, it seems you have filtered out your concerns.

 

[RSConsulting]

Drove EVERYTHING a year ago. Except for the Titan.

Looked at one on the exterior, climbed in one to check out the interior - did ZERO FOR ME. Didn't even turn me on enough to do a test drive. And I did drive EVERYTHING OUT THERE - with the F-150 Platinum a close second to the RAM.

That being said - I'm shopping Yukons right now - as SUV's just meet my needs better than a truck bed.

But I did do a test run shopping again on pickups recently. For features & value - Ram still beats the others.

And the "list of common complaints" for the Ram - are going to be similar to ANY OTHER BRAND - if you go look on the forums for ANY OTHER BRAND. It's the extent the dealers and FCA are willing to stand behind their screwups and make them right (same with the others) that counts. HUMANS build these things, and HUMANS SCREW THEM UP...

Rick

 

[SpeedyV]

Drove EVERYTHING a year ago. Except for the Titan.

Looked at one on the exterior, climbed in one to check out the interior - did ZERO FOR ME. Didn't even turn me on enough to do a test drive. And I did drive EVERYTHING OUT THERE - with the F-150 Platinum a close second to the RAM.

I'm with you on all of this. When I was shopping in early 2018, I drove most trucks, but the Titan just didn't appeal to me at all. I considered the F-150 and F-250 Platinum and King Ranch (the 7.3L wasn't out yet, or I might have gone that route), the Silverado 2500HD Custom Sport, the Sierra Denali, and of course the "all-new" 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn. If price had been the driving factor, Ford and GM were throwing $10-14K at me when I walked in the door. But that Longhorn interior had me hooked (along with the air suspension, RamBoxes, 12" UConnect, eTorque, Off-Road Group, etc., etc.).

I ordered my Longhorn in May 2018 and took delivery that September. It's been a solid truck thus far, and we have no near-term plans to get rid of it. I even bought a Lifetime MaxCare warranty before they quit selling them. Here are some early pictures of the truck (it looks exactly the same today):

Delmonico Red / Saddle Longhorn

Now that the rain has let up, I've given our new Ram its first wash (now at 258 miles). Here are a few long-overdue exterior photos: :

5thgenrams.com

 

[WXman]

Before I leased my Ram, I went to a Nissan dealership. Didn't even test drive one. As soon as the sales team told me how bad the residual values are on Nissan trucks at 4 years I kindly thanked them and walked out the door. A Nissan truck is a disposable vehicle.

And, from prior experience having an Altima, Maxima, and Frontier in the driveway I can tell you that the paint is SUPER thin and they scratch and show wear easily, and there are lots of small mechanical parts on them that fail quickly in the first few years of ownership. Nissan vehicles are priced below the competition and there is a reason why.

 

[Rexx]

Before I bought my current Ram I seriously considered a Titan, I like the exterior look of them. The interior of them, from a comfort stand point and options/features could not touch the Ram.

You’re seeing a 10k difference point price difference between a Longhorn and a 4x Pro because you’re comparing a top of the line Ram trim to a mid level Titan trim.

Ultimately it’s your money so buy what makes you happy, but for me it was the Ram no question.

 

[mikeru82]

Hey all.
Potential Ram owner. Looking specifically at a 20/21 Longhorn with the Off-Road package or a 2021 Titan Pro-4X.

I know what I’m asking coming to a Ram Forum, but does anyone have any regrets picking up one of the 19+ Rams?

I know those are really different trucks. I’ve just tried to make myself like a Ram Rebel over and over but every time I get in one it just disappoints me. The Longhorn, on the other hand, pulls at my wannabe cowboy strings.

The new Titan really blew me away when I test drove it. I was shocked at how good it was. The only things I wasn’t thrilled with:
360 camera resolution is terrible, back seat isn’t flat and is a little cramped compared to the ram, the center console storage situation is ok but nothing great. I’m also slightly concerned about after market support should I want to give it some love later.

The Ram takes care of those small details but leaves me hangin in the exterior look (I hate chrome), off-road worthiness (I do some out West hunting), and reliability concerns.

Also, no matter how I slice it, the Ram will cost me $10k more. I can make both monthly payments work, but I’m not into just throwing $10k away for fun. Anything else I’m missing? Anything you guys/gals hate or love about your Rams I haven’t thought about? Thanks!!

I'm a little confused by your post. In one breath you said the Titan really blew you away, and in the next breath you talked about all the short-comings it has (360 camera, back seat not flat, cramped, lack of center console storage). What were you blown away by?

I have never even sat in a Titan so I can't compare. We don't even have a Nissan dealership in the area. All I have to go by is pictures. Judging by pictures I've seen of the new Titan, I'm not really impressed. It's an improvement over the previous gen, but more in line with 4th gen Rams IMHO. And not even in the same class as the 5th gen Rams in the trim levels you're looking at.

Rebels can have hugely different interiors and equipment. Displays range from 5 inch up to 12 inches. Did any of the Rebels you test drove have the Rebel 12 package with leather seats, or did they all have the standard vinyl/cloth interior? There is quite a difference in just that alone.

The Laramie and the Limited can be optioned with no chrome at all. The Longhorn can be optioned with body colored bumpers, but the badges and grille are always chrome as far as I can tell.

It's already been mentioned that every manufacturer will have common problems with their trucks. It's wise to be aware of them, but I wouldn't make my decision on what to buy based on that.

 

[brian42]

No regrets at all (and I'm coming from 20 years of Ford trucks in my driveway). Love my truck even after 7 warranty visits (mostly small things). I knew that going in, though, buying the first year of a new generation.

I can't give you any insight on the Titan as I never considered one. For personal reasons I will never buy a Nissan or a GM product. For me the considerations were Ford, Toyota, and RAM.

The Ford was uninspiring and the Toyota felt like a 10 year old truck.

The RAM had a great personality and felt like it was my style. Plus the coil spring rear with multi-link was sssooo much better than the leaf rear of the Ford and Toyota.

 

[nburd]

The Titan was one of my first choices as well. After really digging into it, we went with the Ram. Yes, I could have had a ‘19 fully loaded top of the line, leathered up titan crew platinum reserve with tutone, the bed storage package zero gravity seats and All options for $2000 more than my Big Horn level 2. Here were my findings:
1. Titans 1/2 tons have a some history of broken frames behind the cab. Just search it on google. Yes they were in towing duty, but any frame failures were a red flag to me.
2. the interior materials are not of the best quality. That beautiful leather cracks and falls apart very soon. There are many disappointed owners.
3. there is an engine knock issue on the 17-19’s. Was it fixed in 21? Also just have a look at the timing chain diagram....ouch.
4. Depreciation. The Titan drops like a rock from purchase price on. I was looking at a 2019 Pro 4x that was in the low 30’s used with 15k miles. The top of the line, all optioned, crew 4x4 I drove was priced at $16k under sticker and did not sell for months. This was in May 2020.
5. the ride was pretty stiff.
6. the rear seat comfort was very important for us and the titan was not As comfy as the ram In any way.
7. I could not find a Used 2019 without a ding or dent in it. The body panels are pretty thin (I am sure rams are too).
8. I found many 18’s and 19’s with bumpers rusting already.
9. The 360 cam was strange. I tried to park with it and could not, not as clear as Fords or Rams and the angles were strange (again 2019)
10. the truck felt High off the ground, like a 3/4 ton. Very limited visibility off the nose. My wife could not drive it.
11. No dual exhaust. I love the Ram exhaust through the bumper.
12 style, the Titan has some strange design features/lines on the body.
13 why was the Titan tow rating so much lower lower with those great specs?
14 My two boys, 22 and 19 both said “Dad do not get a Titan”. Buy a Ram, Ford or Chevy/GMC. They did not like it at all when we did the family test drive in the Titan. I know I made my 19 year old try to park it and he had issues with visibility In a parking lot.
15 I dare say the Titan was a blend of all trucks we drove and considered. The front doors are Ford, the dash, similar to Ram, leather “king ranch like“, rear seat similar to Chevy, Power similar to Ram.
16. I have had 3 hemis up to 148k with no mechanical or leak issues.

The good points:
Warranty 5/100k bumper to bumper is very Very good.
First cost, $62k All optioned ‘19 left over Platinum reserve truck for $46k was a bargain. Book value at that time was actually around low $40’s according to NADA.
Exclusivity, I do not see many Titans on the road in my area.

Before you buy either one, drive one a few years old with some miles on it as well and have a good look at how it’s holding up. Check Avis car sales, they have a fleet of Pro4x’s for sale. When I saw the leather issues on the 17-18’s and had a good look at resale and book values, it made me go to Ram. No regrets so far. I was paying about the same (But vastly different equipment) you are looking at a $10k spread.

I did a full 7 year book value analysis and found the Ram really holds it’s value and I was never upside down with it through my ownership period.

This is my opinion and observations only. These were the key points on why I went Ram. Essentially, buy what you like and what you will be happy with and do your research. I mean no criticism of Titans, I am sure there are many happy satisfied Owners out there.

I also looked at a ‘20 Chevy LTZ but the rusting frame, right on The dealer lot, changed my mind against that as well. It was $2k less than Ram.

Good luck shopping.

 

[PowerJrod]

Titan Pro4X....off road.
Longhorn....not off road.
Personally I like the Titan Pro 4X. I might've bought one if they weren't so expensive. The good thing about them is right now they have the best warranty of any truck out there.

 

[Fatherof3]

I’d really like to know what it is about the Rebel you didn’t like since it is the competition to the Pro4X . Anyway as has already been said you should have a look at the Laramie with the sport appearance package ( no chrome ) and a few thousand less than a Longhorn .

 

[Hydroblueguy]

Hey all.
Potential Ram owner. Looking specifically at a 20/21 Longhorn with the Off-Road package or a 2021 Titan Pro-4X.

I know what I’m asking coming to a Ram Forum, but does anyone have any regrets picking up one of the 19+ Rams?

I know those are really different trucks. I’ve just tried to make myself like a Ram Rebel over and over but every time I get in one it just disappoints me. The Longhorn, on the other hand, pulls at my wannabe cowboy strings.

The new Titan really blew me away when I test drove it. I was shocked at how good it was. The only things I wasn’t thrilled with:
360 camera resolution is terrible, back seat isn’t flat and is a little cramped compared to the ram, the center console storage situation is ok but nothing great. I’m also slightly concerned about after market support should I want to give it some love later.

The Ram takes care of those small details but leaves me hangin in the exterior look (I hate chrome), off-road worthiness (I do some out West hunting), and reliability concerns.

Also, no matter how I slice it, the Ram will cost me $10k more. I can make both monthly payments work, but I’m not into just throwing $10k away for fun. Anything else I’m missing? Anything you guys/gals hate or love about your Rams I haven’t thought about? Thanks!!

I have a 19 Laramie sport, no chrome as I don’t care for it either! I’ve had ongoing problems with mine over the last year, I’ve complained enough that ram is buying it back. With that being said I went and looked at all trucks and I found myself back to building a 2021 ram, I hope that wasn’t the wrong decision, however financially it was the best choice for me at this time. The Chevy interior is ugly, the 2020 F 150 needed updating, Toyota over priced for very few options compared to the ram. I also looked at and drove the Titan pro x4, my thoughts. Pros, The Titan looks sharp from the outside and the leather seats were very very nice. 5 year warranty is very good, the best. Those are the only pros I could see after driving my ram for a year! Now the Titan cons, small back seat area, felt like a big truck, steering was very stiff, it road rough. The knobs for the heated seat was as small as a pencil eraser, the 360 and review camera quality was very poor, the the Column shifter is garbage, it felt very cheep and loose, like a truck that been shifted in and out of gear thousands of times. Several fewer options for the same or more money. So even after my problems with my 19 ram, I’m getting a 2021 ram. I’ve driven many vehicles and the ram is by far had the best performance and pulls my little camper very nice. The gas milage is what you’d expect from any truck. I’m really not sure on the reliability of any of them anymore. I do know I will be trading my 2021 right before the warranty is up! I think you’d be happy with either truck, however after driving mine for a year it would have been very hard to go to that Titan! Good luck in whatever you decide!

 

[Boston]

Heavy titan refresh is coming. If not already at dealers.