What would you buy?

[Ninety-9 SE-L]

2015 Frontier owner. I joined and lurked for some time and mostly because the 5th gen 1500 has been at the top of my list for some time and I can't shake it off with any other truck or SUV being offered by any other company. I particularly want to buy the EcoDiesel, possibly in the Rebel or Laramie trim. I'm not sure if the Diesel will save me any money, especially considering the higher price of Diesel and the DEF, but I particularly want to get more range pulling capacity with less sacrifice.

At this point, my wife and I have agreed, we're just waiting for a good opportunity to come. My 4 main needs:
1. Bigger interior space for road trips. The 4 of us are stupidly cramped in the Frontier.
2. LOTS of range/decent fuel economy, avoiding fuel stops.
3. 8,000lbs of towing is about what I want.
4. Decent safety features, like auto-braking and adaptive cruise.

I've considered some 3-row SUVs, including diesels, but the Ram EcoDiesel seems to have the best range and fuel economy. Honestly, I'm not a Jeep person, but I would have really considered the Grand Cherokee L if it had a Diesel option and more towing capacity.

 

[millerbjm]

Seems like you are going to be real happy with an ecodiesel. Looking over your list I don't see that you plan to haul using the bed so likely the short bed will work for you. If you want efficiency stick with the 3.21 gears but if you will be towing heavy frequently you may actually want to jump to the 3.92 for a little less mpg but better towing capability. Can't see where you live but if you are not planning to do winter or off-road the best rig for your use would be 2WD Laramie or if you do moderate off trail 4WD. I personally would not go the Rebel given your list unless you really prefer the style or plan to offroad more. Laramie will be a better tow rig and more efficient and have more safety and luxury at a similar price point.

 

[J-Cooz]

How long is your daily commute?
I switched from a 2019 Hemi to 2020 ecodiesel and don't regret it one bit. Diesel is usually on par with gas in Ontario and the 50% fuel mileage increase I see definitely pays for itself. I drive a lot (20000 miles a year easily) and having the 33 gallon tank and the ecodiesel makes for a lot less fuel stops. It also tows my snowmobile trailer with ease.

The added cost of DEF is not much at all. The oil changes you can do yourself for about $70-80. Dealers seem to have a "diesel tax" and charge ridiculous amounts for oil changes on it.

Sent from my SM-G781W using Tapatalk

 

[mikeru82]

the EcoDiesel will work great for you if you are wanting good fuel economy, although the Hemi is so much more fun (and worth the extra fuel costs to me ). Just make sure you include the optional 33 gallon fuel tank if you want fewer fuel stops, especially if you get the EcoDiesel. 700 to 800 miles of range is pretty incredible. Also, keep your option list lower if you want to keep your tow and payload ratings up in the usable range, and opt for the 3.92 axle ratio.

 

[Ninety-9 SE-L]

Seems like you are going to be real happy with an ecodiesel. Looking over your list I don't see that you plan to haul using the bed so likely the short bed will work for you. If you want efficiency stick with the 3.21 gears but if you will be towing heavy frequently you may actually want to jump to the 3.92 for a little less mpg but better towing capability. Can't see where you live but if you are not planning to do winter or off-road the best rig for your use would be 2WD Laramie or if you do moderate off trail 4WD. I personally would not go the Rebel given your list unless you really prefer the style or plan to offroad more. Laramie will be a better tow rig and more efficient and have more safety and luxury at a similar price point.

Florida. I will likely never see snow, and if I see any major hill, I probably won't be towing.

I mostly only like the styling of the 2WD Rebel. Trucks still tend to have a lot of chrome and bling.

How long is your daily commute?
I switched from a 2019 Hemi to 2020 ecodiesel and don't regret it one bit. Diesel is usually on par with gas in Ontario and the 50% fuel mileage increase I see definitely pays for itself. I drive a lot (20000 miles a year easily) and having the 33 gallon tank and the ecodiesel makes for a lot less fuel stops. It also tows my snowmobile trailer with ease.

The added cost of DEF is not much at all. The oil changes you can do yourself for about $70-80. Dealers seem to have a "diesel tax" and charge ridiculous amounts for oil changes on it.

Sent from my SM-G781W using Tapatalk

About 20 miles each way, about half is freeway. I do a lot of road trips, though. I will often do about 600-800mi in a night with the cruise control on. I already have a 2nd tank in the Fronty:

I Like having horsepower, but I see no reason to have that in a pickup truck. I would've seriously reconsidered the new Hybrid Tundra if they sacrificed about 100hp for another 3 or 4 mpg.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

2015 Frontier owner. I joined and lurked for some time and mostly because the 5th gen 1500 has been at the top of my list for some time and I can't shake it off with any other truck or SUV being offered by any other company. I particularly want to buy the EcoDiesel, possibly in the Rebel or Laramie trim. I'm not sure if the Diesel will save me any money, especially considering the higher price of Diesel and the DEF, but I particularly want to get more range pulling capacity with less sacrifice.

At this point, my wife and I have agreed, we're just waiting for a good opportunity to come. My 4 main needs:
1. Bigger interior space for road trips. The 4 of us are stupidly cramped in the Frontier.
2. LOTS of range/decent fuel economy, avoiding fuel stops.
3. 8,000lbs of towing is about what I want.
4. Decent safety features, like auto-braking and adaptive cruise.

I've considered some 3-row SUVs, including diesels, but the Ram EcoDiesel seems to have the best range and fuel economy. Honestly, I'm not a Jeep person, but I would have really considered the Grand Cherokee L if it had a Diesel option and more towing capacity.

What are you towing, and what do you generally haul while you're towing? Your payload is nearly always going to matter more than towing capacity.

For your requirements, I'd go with a diesel Laramie, 33 gal tank, 3.92s, and the advanced safety group that is apparently back on the Laramie. From there, you need to figure out what features are important to you and which ones will only eat into your payload.

Seems like you're going through the same process that I went through last year, although I came to a Ram from 3 GMCs in a row.

 

[IvoryHemi]

1. Bigger interior space for road trips. The 4 of us are stupidly cramped in the Frontier.

I would have really considered the Grand Cherokee L if it had a Diesel option and more towing capacity.

I went from Durango (same size as GC-L) to the Ram 1500

if you only need 2 rows of seats, then the Ram’s interior is much roomier, more comfortable and has better storage.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

I Like having horsepower, but I see no reason to have that in a pickup truck. I would've seriously reconsidered the new Hybrid Tundra if they sacrificed about 100hp for another 3 or 4 mpg.

I had a spot in line for the first 1794 that came in to my Toyota dealer, but ended up going with the Ram. I drove the Tundra when it showed up. You're making the right call with the Ram. The Tundra is nice enough, but the Ram's interior is much better and the Tundra feels a little too much like driving a car for me.

 

[JF19Longhorn]

Do not believe the Window sticker EPA ratings. Check independent reviews online and websites like Fuelly.com for real world mileage. Last I checked Fuelly the actual fuel mileage of the Hemi was in the 15.5 mpg - 16.5 mpg range.

I think the Window sticker on mine was 17city / 21hwy (Hemi Etrq) and my actual mileage (mostly Highway driving) is pretty close to Fuelly.com's 15.5mpg - 16.5mpg range. (link in Sig)

I know people post on this site, and others, that their Hemi Avg 22 mpg and spits fairy dust out the tail pipe.. but all online reviews I've read/watched and sites I've checked put the Hemi RAM 1500's in the 16mpg range.

 

[IvoryHemi]

Do not believe the Window sticker EPA ratings. Check independent reviews online and websites like Fuelly.com for real world mileage. Last I checked Fuelly the actual fuel mileage of the Hemi was in the 15.5 mpg - 16.5 mpg range.

I think the Window sticker on mine was 17city / 21hwy (Hemi Etrq) and my actual mileage (mostly Highway driving) is pretty close to Fuelly.com's 15.5mpg - 16.5mpg range. (link in Sig)

I know people post on this site, and others, that their Hemi Avg 22 mpg and spits fairy dust out the tail pipe.. but all online reviews I've read/watched and sites I've checked put the Hemi RAM 1500's in the 16mpg range.

OP said he wants the EcoDiesel

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

Do not believe the Window sticker EPA ratings. Check independent reviews online and websites like Fuelly.com for real world mileage. Last I checked Fuelly the actual fuel mileage of the Hemi was in the 15.5 mpg - 16.5 mpg range.

I think the Window sticker on mine was 17city / 21hwy (Hemi Etrq) and my actual mileage (mostly Highway driving) is pretty close to Fuelly.com's 15.5mpg - 16.5mpg range. (link in Sig)

I know people post on this site, and others, that their Hemi Avg 22 mpg and spits fairy dust out the tail pipe.. but all online reviews I've read/watched and sites I've checked put the Hemi RAM 1500's in the 16mpg range.

My sticker says 18 city/22 highway/19 combined. When not towing the last few weeks, computer says I'm at 20.2 MPG.

 

[JF19Longhorn]

OP said he wants the EcoDiesel

He wasn't sure.

"I'm not sure if the Diesel will save me any money, especially considering the higher price of Diesel and the DEF..."

My post helps in two ways:
1) to check other sources for real world fuel economy because the Window sticker EPA rating is a joke
2) it provides real world mileage of the other engine option in the RAM 1500 for his comparison

 

[mikeru82]

I'm not sure if the Diesel will save me any money, especially considering the higher price of Diesel and the DEF, but I particularly want to get more range pulling capacity with less sacrifice.

Just as an FYI, I owned a 2015 EcoDiesel a few years ago. Any claims about expensive DEF are overblown. I would refill the 8 gallon storage tank at each oil change. Which was about every 7k miles. The local CFN station had a DEF pump, and at the time it cost slightly more than diesel. So it cost me less than $40 to fill about once a year. many gas stations have a DEF pump, and it's significantly less expensive than buying it by the gallon at your local NAPA store.

 

[Ninety-9 SE-L]

What are you towing, and what do you generally haul while you're towing? Your payload is nearly always going to matter more than towing capacity.

For your requirements, I'd go with a diesel Laramie, 33 gal tank, 3.92s, and the advanced safety group that is apparently back on the Laramie. From there, you need to figure out what features are important to you and which ones will only eat into your payload.

Seems like you're going through the same process that I went through last year, although I came to a Ram from 3 GMCs in a row.

Car Trailer, 16ft utility trailer, sometimes I also pull my work's 10K, but not fully loaded. I might upgrade to a 20x8.5 if I get a bigger truck, but mostly to store crap.

I did read a lot of reviews regarding payload, I saw one that had around 1000lbs of payload left over after options, which is ridiculous.
Definitely going to avoid the multi-use tailgate, air suspension, sunroof.
I'm debating on the Ramboxes and the Anti-Slip. I do like having some dry cargo space.
Definitely going to get the 3.0, 33gal, and 3.21 gear since I'm not climbing any grades and would rather have the best fuel economy.

I went from Durango (same size as GC-L) to the Ram 1500

if you only need 2 rows of seats, then the Ram’s interior is much roomier, more comfortable and has better storage.

2 rows is fine. I would consider a 3-row because for better dry cargo capacity, along with the option of hauling more people/kids, when needed.

I had a spot in line for the first 1794 that came in to my Toyota dealer, but ended up going with the Ram. I drove the Tundra when it showed up. You're making the right call with the Ram. The Tundra is nice enough, but the Ram's interior is much better and the Tundra feels a little too much like driving a car for me.

Personally, I think Ram just did a better job than the other companies. That's my unbiased opinion, since I'm not really a fan of domestic brands. Toyota made a good effort, but they fell short with their hybrid's disappointing fuel economy numbers.

He wasn't sure.

"I'm not sure if the Diesel will save me any money, especially considering the higher price of Diesel and the DEF..."

My post helps in two ways:
1) to check other sources for real world fuel economy because the Window sticker EPA rating is a joke
2) it provides real world mileage of the other engine option in the RAM 1500 for his comparison

The diesel is definitely the way to go, if I do end up with the Ram.
Considerations are currently:
New Tundra, New Sequoia, Silverado/Sierra Diesel, Suburban Diesel, Grand Cherokee L, Ram EcoDiesel. Ford and Nissan are not really on my consideration list, and I can't think of any other company that would offer a decent towing platform and front/back legroom.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

Car Trailer, 16ft utility trailer, sometimes I also pull my work's 10K, but not fully loaded. I might upgrade to a 20x8.5 if I get a bigger truck, but mostly to store crap.

I did read a lot of reviews regarding payload, I saw one that had around 1000lbs of payload left over after options, which is ridiculous.
Definitely going to avoid the multi-use tailgate, air suspension, sunroof.
I'm debating on the Ramboxes and the Anti-Slip. I do like having some dry cargo space.
Definitely going to get the 3.0, 33gal, and 3.21 gear since I'm not climbing any grades and would rather have the best fuel economy.

Personally, I think Ram just did a better job than the other companies. That's my unbiased opinion, since I'm not really a fan of domestic brands. Toyota made a good effort, but they fell short with their hybrid's disappointing fuel economy numbers.

Here's a window sticker to a truck very similar to what you're wanting with a payload of 1450 lbs. Max towing is higher than you'd get because of the 3.92s, but you'd have more payload if you don't go for the Level 2. Even has the Night Edition to get rid of all that chrome.

 

[Ninety-9 SE-L]

Actually, incredibly similar to what I'm looking for. My options would be:
Advanced Safety Group
Bed Utility Group
Laramie Level 2 Group
Night Edition
Towing Group
Tow Mirrors
Probably the Ram Boxes.

 

[djevox]

Seems like you are going to be real happy with an ecodiesel. Looking over your list I don't see that you plan to haul using the bed so likely the short bed will work for you. If you want efficiency stick with the 3.21 gears but if you will be towing heavy frequently you may actually want to jump to the 3.92 for a little less mpg but better towing capability. Can't see where you live but if you are not planning to do winter or off-road the best rig for your use would be 2WD Laramie or if you do moderate off trail 4WD. I personally would not go the Rebel given your list unless you really prefer the style or plan to offroad more. Laramie will be a better tow rig and more efficient and have more safety and luxury at a similar price point.

The Ecodiesel would be my only choice for a powertrain for the Ram, and I wouldn’t consider anything else. Last October I bought a non-Etorque hemi, and traded in four months later for an Ecodiesel. This thing gets absurd gas mileage on the highway. I pretty much have to flog it to get as bad a gas mileage as I got on the hemi. Here’s a fun screenshot from a mostly highway run. The mpg’s display is 1.2 mpg optimistic, but that’s still really good for winter fuel.

 

[IvoryHemi]

I did read a lot of reviews regarding payload, I saw one that had around 1000lbs of payload left over after options, which is ridiculous.
Definitely going to avoid the multi-use tailgate, air suspension, sunroof.
I'm debating on the Ramboxes and the Anti-Slip. I do like having some dry cargo space.

Be aware, the Ram Boxes are a payload killer, will cost you ~150 lbs

why so quick to write-off the air suspension? It’s fantastic for towing

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

Actually, incredibly similar to what I'm looking for. My options would be:
Advanced Safety Group
Bed Utility Group
Laramie Level 2 Group
Night Edition
Towing Group
Tow Mirrors
Probably the Ram Boxes.

View attachment 121443
View attachment 121444

So this one might be even closer to what you want to build. Payload is listed at 1257. This one doesn't have the 33 gallon tank or ASG, but it does have the MFT that you said you didn't want. You might be looking at around 1245 lbs or so with the options you listed.

 

[ben b]

I have the 3.21 ratio and the 6 cylinder gas because I don't tow much and wanted the best mileage on long trips, which is my main use.

I love the truck, but regret the 3.21. I don't believe it gets me significantly better mileage. It does severely restrict my tow capability for the few times I actually want to tow something.

There is a great thread on An Engineer's Ultimate Guide To 3.21 VS 3.92 Axle Ratio. It taught me why the mileage didn't improve much with 3.21 for me. Basically, my truck is rarely in 8th gear. So the 3.21 effectively lost me a low end gear ratio while providing a rarely used top gear ratio.

I am happy with the 6 cylinder gas. It's simpler than the 5.7 Hemi and does get better mileage. Plus it is smaller so maintenence should be a little easier for me after the warranty runs out (more room for my hands to work).