Marusho
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LOADED LONGHORN ORDER - THE DEAL - PART 2 STARTING AT DAY 128 - UPDATEDDAY 168 - TRUCK DELIVERED
See Part 1 from June 22, 2018 under Members Trucks. Here’s a quick summary: I ordered my truck on May 10, 2018, with most of the Longhorn options, including Rambox and two-tone. I got caught in the Rambox fiasco of August, but when the Rambox-equipped trucks began being built, I became alarmed that only mine was being ignored. This is now more of a blog, or diary, as the saga of my delayed order stretches into the 5th month and beyond . . . .
Sept. 17, 2018 Day 130, D1 Status 93 days: I sent email to my salesman, who is out of the office until Sept. 19, asking him to do something. Posted same.
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Sept. 19, 2018 Day 132, D1 Status 95 days: Salesman Craig Brenner replied, said he’d inquire but suspected problem was eTorque. I replied with screenshot of spreadsheet, sorted by order date, showing 27 of 30 earliest orders were built (the exceptions being mine and two from late June or 47 days after I placed my order), and showing that 29 of the 30 included Rambox and most included eTorque.
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Sept. 20 2018 Day 133, D1 Status 96 days: I received an email from Jim Morrison in response to my letter of Sept. 6, which was received on Sept. 10. Here is the content:
“Ralph,
I just read your letter and wanted to thank you for reaching out to me and let you know that I am happy to communicate with you and earn your business.
You can reach me at 248-xxx-xxxx.
Jim"
As I review this today, October 2, 2018, I have no idea who runs Ram, after reading the forum featured story on the shakeup.
-----
Sept 20, 2018 Day 133, D1 Status 96 days: While out of town apparently a Mr. Dimitry, a brand manager for customer care called, asking me to call him to discuss the letter I had written to Morrison. He did include an apology in his voice message.
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Sept. 21, 2018 Day 134, D1 Status 97 days: Also while I was out of town I received an email from salesman Craig Benner dated this day. Here is the content:
“I finally heard back from my rep and he said exactly this; “This truck was ordered with Walnut brown two tone lower paint. The plant is not currently building this option and does not have a time table for when they will start.
Will you please reach out to Mr. Walker and see if he would like to remove this option so that his truck will get built or would like to leave it and wait with no time table?”
Let me know.”
There is no apology to me in this email.
Note: Previously I have been calling the Ram CS line every Friday but will no longer do so since I have joined the 5THGENRAMS forum tracking scheme.
-----
Sept. 24, 2018 Day 137, D1 Status 100 days: I returned from my travel and called Mr. Benner. We set up an appointment for the next day.
-----
Sept. 25, 2018 Day 138, D1 Status 101 days: The order had regressed to status D so it was not possible for Benner to modify the order, but only to relay the request to his rep at Ram, which he did. To wit, the Walnut Brown lower option and the Trailer Tow Option were deleted, lowering the truck cost by $501 to $60,009, and the total price with tax by $522.64 to $63,394.91. I was given a new copy of the “Sales Offer” and promised a copy of the Priced Order Confirmation (POC) by email as soon as Thursday Sept. 27, 2018.
-----
Sept. 27, 2018 Day 139, D1 Status 101 days: For my records, I used the Build and Price function to configure the same truck that I ordered on May 10, 2018, to see how much the MSRP had gone up. It is up from $68,880 to $70,845, or $1965 (2.85%). The cost of my modified order is now $70,395. My cost will be based on the May pricing.
-----
Sept. 28, 2018 Day 140, D1 Status 102 days: I left a message for Mr. Dimitry in the morning. I have prepared a 6-page list of items I wish to convey to Ram HQ. When he calls, I will ask for his email address so I can forward this by PDF before we talk.
Here are the major points I make in my letter to Mr. Dimitry:
* Truck people are patient, loyal, to a fault, but the manufacturer still has an obligation to treat them well.
* Ram’s web presence is flawed and hostile, not up to industry standards.
* Ram should be participating in the forums, and should be mining the information in the forums to improve the customer experience.
* Order tracking should again be offered or at least the dead links to the defunct tracking system need to be corrected.
* Ram agents should be supported with access to order tracking and to information about production delays and halts.
* Escalation of cases is a joke. Ram needs to instruct case managers to actually follow up.
* Ram has silently abandoned features that were touted in the 2019 product launch; and no explanation has ever been given. The ones which affected me directly were the “RV Match” color scheme (fully half of all possible Longhorn colors), the low-tech bed step, the low-tech bed extender. There was also the misstep of failing to warn purchasers of the Trailer Tow Package that this meant no Surround View (a party piece). (Note this was corrected in Build & Price, but is broken again). Inexplicably, the low-tech Rambox feature, available for 6 years, became a major problem to production. Now we hear on the street that there is a shortage of V8s of both persuasions. Since there is no communication between Ram and the public, we cannot know if this is fiction, or if there is simply a push to unload a bunch of V6s.
* Incentives are a major problem as the Chrysler Incentive Assistance Center couldn’t answer any of my questions. A letter to them went unanswered. Incentives are announced and then expire before we can avail ourselves of them, due to the extraordinary wait times.
-----
Oct. 1, 2018 Day 144, D1 Status 107 Days: I called Mr. Dimitry again in the afternoon and got him. He gave me his email address of and I sent him a PDF of the document mentioned above. He replied by email that we would talk on Oct. 2.
-----
Oct. 2, 2018 Day 145, D1 Status 108 Days: Mr Dimitry and I spoke at length about my concerns.
-----
Oct. 10, 2018 Day 153 Per call to Customer Assistance Center I spoke to [interference] who told me that it was built and approved for shipment, despite the fact that the latest tracking update on Wednesday October 10 showed it in status D1 (go figure). No other info was available. Mr. Dimitry also called me and he believes it is probably in JB status, getting the spray-in bedliner. I am able to download the "build sheet" but not the window sticker. Can't find the answer to "when are window stickers available?" but obviously it is not before the vehicle achieves KZ status. (Later in the day I was able to download my sticker.)
------
Oct. 12, 2018 Day 155 Called CS again to confirm that they could see it in KZ status. They could but had no ETA. Then today Forum Tracking was updated with the welcome "KZ" as my status. There was one typo on my window sticker ("9" instead of "19" speakers). Also the Bed Utility Group breakdown included only the tie-down hooks but not the divider or bed lighting. The hooks and divider only appear on the "build sheet".
PRINTING THE WINDOW STICKER: This document is 11x17 and your printer cannot print this large. However, the document is neatly divided into two 8.5x11 halves. If you are very clever and have the right PDF software you can figure out how to print each half separately at 100% size.
-----
Oct. 13, 2018 Day 156 Day of the Gibberish: On today's tracking spreadsheet there is good news. My truck is now at the CSX New Boston, Michigan yard. The actual verbage is "ingate / Rebay at Facility". I had to consult a dictionary for "INGATE" and it seems it's an obsolete word meaning "entrance". No such luck for "REBAY" which is not an actual word. However, I used my wits and consulted the extensive CSX Glossary of Railroad Terms and learned that neither of these terms is an actual railroad thing. On a positive note, I am very relieved that my truck is at a "Facility". I'd hate to think it was abandoned on the side of the road. If I sound curt, try waiting 156 days and see how testy you are.
-----
Oct. 15, 2018 Day 158: My salesman emailed to confirm that truck is waiting for rail transport, said there is a shortage of car carrier railcars.
-----
Oct. 18, 2018 Day 161: Truck arrived at Cumberland, MD at 4:13pm, but no "Ramp ETA" given.
-----
Oct. 19, 2018 Day 162: Sold my current F150 today. Ram reached its final rail destination, Jessup (Baltimore area) MD, which is 36 miles from me, at 5:17am. Was unloaded at 11:41pm. No "Ramp ETA" set yet, so I guess that phrase doesn't mean what I thought it meant. . . .
-----
Oct. 22, 2018 Day 165: Truck is at Koons" (my dealer) Prep Center as of 3:04am.
-----
Oct. 25, 2018 Day 168, which 24 weeks since placing my order: Picked up my truck. Was pleasantly surprised that the tank was filled. I received the $1500 standard incentive & the $1000 competitive truck owner Conquest Cash, so my total cost for the truck, less taxes and tags, was $60,009 - $2500 or $57,509 + $699 dealer fee = $58,208. Out the door price was $63,299.41. Tax = 4.32%.
I'm writing this 4 days after I picked up the truck, and I'm pleased to say I have found no defects. The one disappointment I had: Ram has cheaped out on the glove box contents. Earlier in the year there was a classy suedey Velcro-closure cover with a pocket for manuals and one for your registration. What I received was a nylon sack with a drawstring. I recommend that anyone who got this go to ebay, as I did, and buy one of the glove box sets with the nice folder. The manuals are older editions, but you can stick them in your house for quick reference and swap in the latest editions for the truck.
NOW THAT I AM A RAM OWNER, THIS IS THE END OF THIS BLOG. I'M A HAPPY CAMPER.
See Part 1 from June 22, 2018 under Members Trucks. Here’s a quick summary: I ordered my truck on May 10, 2018, with most of the Longhorn options, including Rambox and two-tone. I got caught in the Rambox fiasco of August, but when the Rambox-equipped trucks began being built, I became alarmed that only mine was being ignored. This is now more of a blog, or diary, as the saga of my delayed order stretches into the 5th month and beyond . . . .
Sept. 17, 2018 Day 130, D1 Status 93 days: I sent email to my salesman, who is out of the office until Sept. 19, asking him to do something. Posted same.
-----
Sept. 19, 2018 Day 132, D1 Status 95 days: Salesman Craig Brenner replied, said he’d inquire but suspected problem was eTorque. I replied with screenshot of spreadsheet, sorted by order date, showing 27 of 30 earliest orders were built (the exceptions being mine and two from late June or 47 days after I placed my order), and showing that 29 of the 30 included Rambox and most included eTorque.
-----
Sept. 20 2018 Day 133, D1 Status 96 days: I received an email from Jim Morrison in response to my letter of Sept. 6, which was received on Sept. 10. Here is the content:
“Ralph,
I just read your letter and wanted to thank you for reaching out to me and let you know that I am happy to communicate with you and earn your business.
You can reach me at 248-xxx-xxxx.
Jim"
As I review this today, October 2, 2018, I have no idea who runs Ram, after reading the forum featured story on the shakeup.
-----
Sept 20, 2018 Day 133, D1 Status 96 days: While out of town apparently a Mr. Dimitry, a brand manager for customer care called, asking me to call him to discuss the letter I had written to Morrison. He did include an apology in his voice message.
-----
Sept. 21, 2018 Day 134, D1 Status 97 days: Also while I was out of town I received an email from salesman Craig Benner dated this day. Here is the content:
“I finally heard back from my rep and he said exactly this; “This truck was ordered with Walnut brown two tone lower paint. The plant is not currently building this option and does not have a time table for when they will start.
Will you please reach out to Mr. Walker and see if he would like to remove this option so that his truck will get built or would like to leave it and wait with no time table?”
Let me know.”
There is no apology to me in this email.
Note: Previously I have been calling the Ram CS line every Friday but will no longer do so since I have joined the 5THGENRAMS forum tracking scheme.
-----
Sept. 24, 2018 Day 137, D1 Status 100 days: I returned from my travel and called Mr. Benner. We set up an appointment for the next day.
-----
Sept. 25, 2018 Day 138, D1 Status 101 days: The order had regressed to status D so it was not possible for Benner to modify the order, but only to relay the request to his rep at Ram, which he did. To wit, the Walnut Brown lower option and the Trailer Tow Option were deleted, lowering the truck cost by $501 to $60,009, and the total price with tax by $522.64 to $63,394.91. I was given a new copy of the “Sales Offer” and promised a copy of the Priced Order Confirmation (POC) by email as soon as Thursday Sept. 27, 2018.
-----
Sept. 27, 2018 Day 139, D1 Status 101 days: For my records, I used the Build and Price function to configure the same truck that I ordered on May 10, 2018, to see how much the MSRP had gone up. It is up from $68,880 to $70,845, or $1965 (2.85%). The cost of my modified order is now $70,395. My cost will be based on the May pricing.
-----
Sept. 28, 2018 Day 140, D1 Status 102 days: I left a message for Mr. Dimitry in the morning. I have prepared a 6-page list of items I wish to convey to Ram HQ. When he calls, I will ask for his email address so I can forward this by PDF before we talk.
Here are the major points I make in my letter to Mr. Dimitry:
* Truck people are patient, loyal, to a fault, but the manufacturer still has an obligation to treat them well.
* Ram’s web presence is flawed and hostile, not up to industry standards.
* Ram should be participating in the forums, and should be mining the information in the forums to improve the customer experience.
* Order tracking should again be offered or at least the dead links to the defunct tracking system need to be corrected.
* Ram agents should be supported with access to order tracking and to information about production delays and halts.
* Escalation of cases is a joke. Ram needs to instruct case managers to actually follow up.
* Ram has silently abandoned features that were touted in the 2019 product launch; and no explanation has ever been given. The ones which affected me directly were the “RV Match” color scheme (fully half of all possible Longhorn colors), the low-tech bed step, the low-tech bed extender. There was also the misstep of failing to warn purchasers of the Trailer Tow Package that this meant no Surround View (a party piece). (Note this was corrected in Build & Price, but is broken again). Inexplicably, the low-tech Rambox feature, available for 6 years, became a major problem to production. Now we hear on the street that there is a shortage of V8s of both persuasions. Since there is no communication between Ram and the public, we cannot know if this is fiction, or if there is simply a push to unload a bunch of V6s.
* Incentives are a major problem as the Chrysler Incentive Assistance Center couldn’t answer any of my questions. A letter to them went unanswered. Incentives are announced and then expire before we can avail ourselves of them, due to the extraordinary wait times.
-----
Oct. 1, 2018 Day 144, D1 Status 107 Days: I called Mr. Dimitry again in the afternoon and got him. He gave me his email address of and I sent him a PDF of the document mentioned above. He replied by email that we would talk on Oct. 2.
-----
Oct. 2, 2018 Day 145, D1 Status 108 Days: Mr Dimitry and I spoke at length about my concerns.
-----
Oct. 10, 2018 Day 153 Per call to Customer Assistance Center I spoke to [interference] who told me that it was built and approved for shipment, despite the fact that the latest tracking update on Wednesday October 10 showed it in status D1 (go figure). No other info was available. Mr. Dimitry also called me and he believes it is probably in JB status, getting the spray-in bedliner. I am able to download the "build sheet" but not the window sticker. Can't find the answer to "when are window stickers available?" but obviously it is not before the vehicle achieves KZ status. (Later in the day I was able to download my sticker.)
------
Oct. 12, 2018 Day 155 Called CS again to confirm that they could see it in KZ status. They could but had no ETA. Then today Forum Tracking was updated with the welcome "KZ" as my status. There was one typo on my window sticker ("9" instead of "19" speakers). Also the Bed Utility Group breakdown included only the tie-down hooks but not the divider or bed lighting. The hooks and divider only appear on the "build sheet".
PRINTING THE WINDOW STICKER: This document is 11x17 and your printer cannot print this large. However, the document is neatly divided into two 8.5x11 halves. If you are very clever and have the right PDF software you can figure out how to print each half separately at 100% size.
-----
Oct. 13, 2018 Day 156 Day of the Gibberish: On today's tracking spreadsheet there is good news. My truck is now at the CSX New Boston, Michigan yard. The actual verbage is "ingate / Rebay at Facility". I had to consult a dictionary for "INGATE" and it seems it's an obsolete word meaning "entrance". No such luck for "REBAY" which is not an actual word. However, I used my wits and consulted the extensive CSX Glossary of Railroad Terms and learned that neither of these terms is an actual railroad thing. On a positive note, I am very relieved that my truck is at a "Facility". I'd hate to think it was abandoned on the side of the road. If I sound curt, try waiting 156 days and see how testy you are.
-----
Oct. 15, 2018 Day 158: My salesman emailed to confirm that truck is waiting for rail transport, said there is a shortage of car carrier railcars.
-----
Oct. 18, 2018 Day 161: Truck arrived at Cumberland, MD at 4:13pm, but no "Ramp ETA" given.
-----
Oct. 19, 2018 Day 162: Sold my current F150 today. Ram reached its final rail destination, Jessup (Baltimore area) MD, which is 36 miles from me, at 5:17am. Was unloaded at 11:41pm. No "Ramp ETA" set yet, so I guess that phrase doesn't mean what I thought it meant. . . .
-----
Oct. 22, 2018 Day 165: Truck is at Koons" (my dealer) Prep Center as of 3:04am.
-----
Oct. 25, 2018 Day 168, which 24 weeks since placing my order: Picked up my truck. Was pleasantly surprised that the tank was filled. I received the $1500 standard incentive & the $1000 competitive truck owner Conquest Cash, so my total cost for the truck, less taxes and tags, was $60,009 - $2500 or $57,509 + $699 dealer fee = $58,208. Out the door price was $63,299.41. Tax = 4.32%.
I'm writing this 4 days after I picked up the truck, and I'm pleased to say I have found no defects. The one disappointment I had: Ram has cheaped out on the glove box contents. Earlier in the year there was a classy suedey Velcro-closure cover with a pocket for manuals and one for your registration. What I received was a nylon sack with a drawstring. I recommend that anyone who got this go to ebay, as I did, and buy one of the glove box sets with the nice folder. The manuals are older editions, but you can stick them in your house for quick reference and swap in the latest editions for the truck.
NOW THAT I AM A RAM OWNER, THIS IS THE END OF THIS BLOG. I'M A HAPPY CAMPER.
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