MY 2019 TRADESMAN LOANER TRUCK - IMPRESSIONS

[Billy James]

I took my Laramie in for a couple updates, a couple complaints, and an oil change. My Service department gave me a 2019 Tradesman, Quad Cab, 4x4, 6.4 bed, 5.7 e-torque, with 180 miles on it. Ironically, it has the same build date as my truck 8/18. I never drove any other trims since I had already decided upon a Laramie when I bought my truck. I expected the Tradesman to feel like a cheap truck; but I am actually presently surprised. Here are some observations:

1. I actually like the tradesman seats (this one has a bench, mine has the buckets). The seats are a little more narrow and have a more pronounced side bolster than my Laramie and seem to fit me a little better. Although the power adjustments and heating/cooling make my leather Laramie seats worth the money. The cloth bench isn't that bad.
2. I'm not a fan of the tradesman stereo. The screen seems a bit small and it isn't as good as the Alpine in my truck. But, it is ok for a standard stereo....not too bad.
3. I like the look of the tradesman interior overall. It isn't as plush as my Laramie; but its a nice design and it doesn't look cheap.
4. So far, I'm not a fan of the E-torque. You DO hear and feel it stop and start; it is no more refined than the start/stop on my wife's 2018 Malibu. I also don't see any noticeable difference in acceleration/power.
5. The transmission bumps more in this truck than my truck ever did. This transmission makes mine feel refined. I don't know if this is because of E-torque or because this truck isn't broken in yet. One of the complaints my truck is in for is the transmission bump; but mine isn't nearly as bad as this one.
6. This tradesman has the same 50 to 60 MPH wobble/vibration (whatever you want to call it) as my truck; but it is more pronounced in this tradesman. So, when service departments say its normal... maybe it is for these trucks. This tradesman has Bridgestone Dueler H/T 275/65R18. My truck has Bridgestone Dueler H/L 275/55R20. Sometimes I wonder if that wobble/vibration are these Bridgestone tires. Maybe the truck is too heavy for the Bridgestone P-rating; or maybe they are just junk.
7. This truck is "bouncy". You can feel every little bump in the road. I am pretty sure this is a tire thing because I think the suspension is the same as my truck. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the "bounce", it just seems that this tradesman rides more like a truck than my Laramie does.
8. Surprisingly, this Tradesman is nearly as quiet as my Laramie. I can hear the exhaust a little more in the Tradesman, but everything else seems pretty quiet.
9. This Tradesman has the Tow Mirrors. I don't see any advantage of having tow mirrors over the power folding mirrors. The Tow mirrors really don't provide much more visibility and they just don't look as good.
10. I do miss my blind spot detection right now (one of my favorite features).

These are just my initial observations. The reason I wrote this is because I was actually surprised how nice the Tradesman is. I think most of us on this forum have Big Horns, Laramies and Limiteds; I haven't heard much about the Tradesman. So if there is anyone out there thinking about a RAM and they don't want to spend Big Horn, Laramie, or Limited money.....the Tradesman is not a bad truck at all. Sure, it doesn't have all the fancy stuff, but it has the stuff you need. I actually kind of like the simplicity of this Tradesman and wouldn't hesitate purchasing one if I needed to spend a little less.

 

[silver billet]

The bench doesn't get enough credit. I specifically ordered the bench after test driving one with and without it, as a driver you can't tell you're sitting in a bench when the console seat is flipped down. I ordered the bench because there is literally no downside; you get an extra seat, and it costs less. Now all I need to do yet is throw some katzkin over it.

I did look seriously at the tradesman too, but couldn't get past the tiny screen and black door handles. Other than that, it's probably quite similar to my bighorn, and you get a higher payload out of the deal too vs the more expensive trims.

I'd buy a tradesman for work if I needed it, Ram did a great job on it.

 

[jastevenson]

Did you check the tire pressure? Overinflated tires may be making the ride rough, since the tradesman should actually ride better than your truck due to the smaller tires with higher sidewalls

 

[Jako]

The bench doesn't get enough credit. I specifically ordered the bench after test driving one with and without it, as a driver you can't tell you're sitting in a bench when the console seat is flipped down. I ordered the bench because there is literally no downside; you get an extra seat, and it costs less. Now all I need to do yet is throw some katzkin over it.

I did look seriously at the tradesman too, but couldn't get past the tiny screen and black door handles. Other than that, it's probably quite similar to my bighorn, and you get a higher payload out of the deal too vs the more expensive trims.

I'd buy a tradesman for work if I needed it, Ram did a great job on it.

I agree about the bench seat. Bench seat was my #1 requirement. Consoles interfere with my knee comfort. I also prefer cloth over leather and such. I keep vehicles and all my cloth seats are doing better than the leather seats. I added LED lights and the level II package with Nav to the Bighorn along with near new/used Laramie wheels. Very happy.

 

[Billy James]

Did you check the tire pressure? Overinflated tires may be making the ride rough, since the tradesman should actually ride better than your truck due to the smaller tires with higher sidewalls

No, I haven't check the pressure yet. The Tradesman has steel wheels too; so maybe that is contributing some. It doesn't ride hard or rough; just bounces a lot more.

 

[moosem]

I hate to break it to all you BigHorn, Laramie, Longhorn and Limited owners, but the only difference between models is the features such as electronics, exterior trim pieces, wheels, interior materials, etc. (I’m sure a few other other miscellaneous items as well).

Underneath it all they share the same chassis and drivetrain (besides etorque and air suspension if equipped). I’ve read comments on here about how much better the fit and finish on the Limiteds are compared to other models. Nope. Even Limiteds have the same crooked bumpers and front fascias that don’t quite line up symmetrically.

Now, I’m not saying that my BigHorn is as nice as a Limited or anything like that, which, of course it shouldn’t be since it costs ~40% less...I’m just saying.

In my opinion, the best thing about these new RAMs is that the lower models are legitimately nice. Can’t say that about the GMs or Fords. The Bighorn is the equalivalent of the Ford XLT, the Chevy LT and the GMC SLE. None of those are even close to a BigHorn. Not even in the same league.

 

[Fidomac]

My 2019 limited had a wobble about 55 miles an hour .....the front end was out of alignment and one of the tires was also out of round from the factory ..... They did a force balance and a front end alignment and the problem was fixed

 

[silver billet]

No, I haven't check the pressure yet. The Tradesman has steel wheels too; so maybe that is contributing some. It doesn't ride hard or rough; just bounces a lot more.

Probably just the suspension. Tradesman is a lighter truck due to missing the heavier features like sunroof etc, so the suspension is not doing anything in a light truck, making the bumps hit harder. Soon as you add some weight (in the back, or add heavy features) the suspension settles down. Same effect in an unloaded 3500, for example.

 

[gotmeahemi]

I understand OPs predicament....

I took my truck in today for replacement BCM and to deal with that lil studder between 1st and 2nd gear. Enterprise gave me a 2019 bighorn classic and I may be enjoying the ride a bit more than my 2019 bighorn (new body). It’s stiffer on turns and I can feel the acceleration a lot better (which is very enjoyable). I love my truck but I love this trucks ride. I am also liking the front bench seat that I told myself I loathed when I got mine. I’m not sure what to make of this discovery.


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[bravo1]

My son has ordered a 2020 Ram Tradesman,Quadcab,6.2 bed,Trailer/Tow package,level 1,Sport appearance,Offroad package,with a 8.5 inch Connect,EcoDiesel.Granite Grey with a blackout grille assembly...They have already given him his trade in value, allowing a lot of mileage before he turns it in.

 

[RAMpage]

I hate to break it to all you BigHorn, Laramie, Longhorn and Limited owners, but the only difference between models is the features such as electronics, exterior trim pieces, wheels, interior materials, etc. (I’m sure a few other other miscellaneous items as well).

Underneath it all they share the same chassis and drivetrain (besides etorque and air suspension if equipped). I’ve read comments on here about how much better the fit and finish on the Limiteds are compared to other models. Nope. Even Limiteds have the same crooked bumpers and front fascias that don’t quite line up symmetrically.

Now, I’m not saying that my BigHorn is as nice as a Limited or anything like that, which, of course it shouldn’t be since it costs ~40% less...I’m just saying.

In my opinion, the best thing about these new RAMs is that the lower models are legitimately nice. Can’t say that about the GMs or Fords. The Bighorn is the equalivalent of the Ford XLT, the Chevy LT and the GMC SLE. None of those are even close to a BigHorn. Not even in the same league.

40% less? Damn you guys have some large differences in base prices there.

 

[Billy James]

So, after a couple days with the Tradesman; I still believe it is a pretty good truck. I will say that I do miss some of the comforts of my Laramie though. Getting into the Tradesman after work doesn't quite give me that relaxing feeling like I get with my Laramie. I also found that I miss my keyless entry and cooled seats. I still don't like the E-Torque; it is very noticeable when coasting to slow (and of course when stopped). The mileage on this Tradesman is MUCH better than my Laramie though; my Laramie averages 16.4 daily while this Tradesman is averaging 19.2 (that's a pretty big difference). I attribute the better mileage to the Tradesman being quite a bit lighter than my Laramie, the E-Torque, and the 3.21. The Tradesman is still a very good truck; I am just starting to miss some of the features of my Laramie already.

 

[LouCap]

I took my Laramie in for a couple updates, a couple complaints, and an oil change. My Service department gave me a 2019 Tradesman, Quad Cab, 4x4, 6.4 bed, 5.7 e-torque, with 180 miles on it. Ironically, it has the same build date as my truck 8/18. I never drove any other trims since I had already decided upon a Laramie when I bought my truck. I expected the Tradesman to feel like a cheap truck; but I am actually presently surprised. Here are some observations:

1. I actually like the tradesman seats (this one has a bench, mine has the buckets). The seats are a little more narrow and have a more pronounced side bolster than my Laramie and seem to fit me a little better. Although the power adjustments and heating/cooling make my leather Laramie seats worth the money. The cloth bench isn't that bad.
2. I'm not a fan of the tradesman stereo. The screen seems a bit small and it isn't as good as the Alpine in my truck. But, it is ok for a standard stereo....not too bad.
3. I like the look of the tradesman interior overall. It isn't as plush as my Laramie; but its a nice design and it doesn't look cheap.
4. So far, I'm not a fan of the E-torque. You DO hear and feel it stop and start; it is no more refined than the start/stop on my wife's 2018 Malibu. I also don't see any noticeable difference in acceleration/power.
5. The transmission bumps more in this truck than my truck ever did. This transmission makes mine feel refined. I don't know if this is because of E-torque or because this truck isn't broken in yet. One of the complaints my truck is in for is the transmission bump; but mine isn't nearly as bad as this one.
6. This tradesman has the same 50 to 60 MPH wobble/vibration (whatever you want to call it) as my truck; but it is more pronounced in this tradesman. So, when service departments say its normal... maybe it is for these trucks. This tradesman has Bridgestone Dueler H/T 275/65R18. My truck has Bridgestone Dueler H/L 275/55R20. Sometimes I wonder if that wobble/vibration are these Bridgestone tires. Maybe the truck is too heavy for the Bridgestone P-rating; or maybe they are just junk.
7. This truck is "bouncy". You can feel every little bump in the road. I am pretty sure this is a tire thing because I think the suspension is the same as my truck. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the "bounce", it just seems that this tradesman rides more like a truck than my Laramie does.
8. Surprisingly, this Tradesman is nearly as quiet as my Laramie. I can hear the exhaust a little more in the Tradesman, but everything else seems pretty quiet.
9. This Tradesman has the Tow Mirrors. I don't see any advantage of having tow mirrors over the power folding mirrors. The Tow mirrors really don't provide much more visibility and they just don't look as good.
10. I do miss my blind spot detection right now (one of my favorite features).

These are just my initial observations. The reason I wrote this is because I was actually surprised how nice the Tradesman is. I think most of us on this forum have Big Horns, Laramies and Limiteds; I haven't heard much about the Tradesman. So if there is anyone out there thinking about a RAM and they don't want to spend Big Horn, Laramie, or Limited money.....the Tradesman is not a bad truck at all. Sure, it doesn't have all the fancy stuff, but it has the stuff you need. I actually kind of like the simplicity of this Tradesman and wouldn't hesitate purchasing one if I needed to spend a little less.

The tow mirrors are actually quite good for towing when you flip them up. Otherwise, they're awful AND you lose the 360 cameras too. My limited came with the tow package, and when I get my next RAM I won't be getting that again.