Loaner Truck...Sister Vehicle?

[Rmui4305]

I dropped my truck off at the dealer for some paint work and was given a loaner truck. Do I get to drive a Classic? Different trim? Powertrain? Options?

Nope, the *EXACT* same spec and options as my truck, except for the exterior color. Quite to my surprise. The sticker confirms that it is line by line exact same as my truck (except for color).

I then noticed that the VIN numbers are exactly adjacent to each other. My truck ends with 7576....loaner truck 7577. Does that mean this unit came down the line right behind my truck?

That said, the loaner has 3000 miles and feels much more “mellowed out” than my truck, which is at 800 miles.

 

[Maple]

That's pretty neat. They do, from what I understand, build in batches, so that makes sense that they would have two very similar built right next to one another. There's a whole list of things that decodes a VIN, but the last digits being sequential should mean that they were built in that order. Too bad you didn't get to try something new - maybe next time.

 

[Edwards]

That's pretty neat. They do, from what I understand, build in batches, so that makes sense that they would have two very similar built right next to one another. There's a whole list of things that decodes a VIN, but the last digits being sequential should mean that they were built in that order. Too bad you didn't get to try something new - maybe next time.

Actually doesn't mean they were built sequentially, but could have been. It means they were ordered sequentially. I ordered mine last May and received the VIN very shortly afterward. It wasn't built until September meaning that lots of higher VIN numbers were built before mine.
You can pull up the VIN info using various online tools to look at the actual build date, but probably not worth the effort.

 

[Maple]

Actually doesn't mean they were built sequentially, but could have been. It means they were ordered sequentially. I ordered mine last May and received the VIN very shortly afterward. It wasn't built until September meaning that lots of higher VIN numbers were built before mine.
You can pull up the VIN info using various online tools to look at the actual build date, but probably not worth the effort.

Ah, that makes sense, also helps explain why the same dealer had that truck for a loaner. They probably ordered the trucks at the same time just in different colors. For some reason I was thinking that the OP had special ordered.

 

[chithead]

Too cool! Wonder how many times that has ever happened.

 

[SpeedyV]

I dropped my truck off at the dealer for some paint work and was given a loaner truck. Do I get to drive a Classic? Different trim? Powertrain? Options?

Nope, the *EXACT* same spec and options as my truck, except for the exterior color. Quite to my surprise. The sticker confirms that it is line by line exact same as my truck (except for color).

I then noticed that the VIN numbers are exactly adjacent to each other. My truck ends with 7576....loaner truck 7577. Does that mean this unit came down the line right behind my truck?

That said, the loaner has 3000 miles and feels much more “mellowed out” than my truck, which is at 800 miles.

Very nice that you had "your own truck" as a loaner.

Because I have State Farm insurance, and because they have some sort of feud going on with FCA, I don't get a loaner off the lot. Instead, I'm shuttled a mile down the road to a little Enterprise franchise for a complimentary rental. And because I'm only permitted to drive an FCA vehicle under that agreement, I'm not put in one of the Silverados or F-150s on the lot. Nope. Almost every time, I'm given a Caravan, a Journey, or another forgettable vehicle that requires me to retire my man card for a day or two.

Granted, this is a "first world" problem if there ever was one. But I can't help but sigh as other customers are given their new Ram 1500 loaners at the dealership while I sit and wait to be given "second fiddle" treatment...my penance (apparently) for ordering a fully-loaded, top-of-the-line vehicle from them.