The effect is clear but attractive in bright light, twilight, and night driving. No chrome, no five or six speed automatics; no automatic temperature control, but heaters were a popular option. A glossy color quick-start guide in the glove compartment cover most of the basics. That liner seemed tough and scratch resistant, with no sign of weakness, and would be advisable for most owners. If you're… Despite the effects of the Great Recession on personal-use truck sales, there is still demand for pickups ready to do hard work.
The seats are on the overly firm side but not chiropractor-level so. Pumping out 350 horsepower at 3,000 rpm, and 650 lb-ft of torque at a stunning 1,500 rpm, just off idle automatic transmission , the Cummins diesel engine is far more powerful than the Hemi V8 which dials in at 383 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. Its replacement as resident long-term Ram is this all-black 2010 even though we still do Ram 2500 Laramie Mega Cab 4x4 with the optional Cummins diesel. Getting in and out is a bit difficult due to the 4x4's ride height; but the large door openings help as do front pull-handles. Going back up lets you explore more system information: coolant temp, oil temp, oil pressure, transmission temp, and total engine hours.
Sensing a Problem It turns out weather was the least of their worries. Or you can put all the dropdown things up and seat six people though there are only two shoulder belts in front, there is a lap belt for the center position. This is mostly useful for towing and downhill or long uphill runs; the automatic transmission is a gentle mind-reader otherwise, nearly always picking the right gear. The trailer brake sits underneath the headlight control, out of the way but not out of sight; it can be ignored when not in use. Once inside, passengers have comfortable seats that seem to work for both large and small people, and generous headroom, shoulder room, and legroom especially in the crew cab.
Fortunately for them, the highways through Chicago were cleared by the time they arrived less than half a day after the snow had stopped not the case for the visible surface streets , and the Ram capably managed what slop they did encounter. If you need instant acceleration, pushing the pedal down further results in a quick downshift, which boosts the engine into its peak power zone — which doesn't take much since torque peaks at 1,500 rpm — and with a clattery roar, the truck surges forward. Power Wagon Returns On the outside, of course, the Ram Heavy Duty serves up a pile of bad-ass. This is the longest truck Ram offers, but the black monster was relatively easy to maneuver, even taking into account its rather massive turning circle. The engines are predictably gutsy yet remarkably quiet.
It took a bit of research in the owner's manual to figure out what the icon meant. The defroster worked slowly, even with a warm engine, but eventually cleared the windshield and side windows. Assembled in Saltillo, Mexico Dodge also makes trucks in Warren, Michigan , the Ram is made from mostly American components the Hemi is also Mexican but the Cummins is American. Even more useful for working types are the gabillions of storage cubbies found throughout the huge cabin, including a two-tier glove box and center console, as well as bins under the rear-seat floor. For many buyers, regardless of how usable, ergonomic, or attractive the interior is, no matter how good the cornering or breaks, the Cummins turbodiesel remains the star attraction of the show. Some may wonder why anyone would own a truck that….
The Ram has about 8000 miles left of its allotted 40K, which has some staffers—the ones with trailers and race cars to put in or on them come summer—looking for ways to keep the mileage down and keep our favorite tow vehicle around a bit longer. The base model Ram 2500 and its bigger brother, the 3500 has most of the same ergonomic features; it might not have leather or a navigation system, but it still has the large storage areas and silky-smooth six-speed automatic or G56 six-speed manual. The 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 is tow-rated at 13,450 pounds and load-rated at 3,160, while the Ram 3500 checks in at 17,600 pounds and 5,130 pounds, respectively. The gear shows up in the gauge cluster, in big print. A diesel can pay for itself during the long lifespan of these trucks, and a more efficient engine can add up over the years. Woodgrain is also applies to the center stack bezel; the grain looks about as real as most actual woodgrain in automotive use where wood has to be impregnated with plastic for safety and durability reasons. Our gas mileage around town varied from 8-14 mpg, depending on how heavy we were on the throttle; in rural 40-50 mph driving we shot up to around 20, and on the highway, at fast legal speeds, we managed to stay around 16-17 mpg.
When idling at a mere 600 rpm or so, the Cummins diesel sounds like a gasoline engine racing and clattering. The Ram was notably quieter, smoother, more attractive and more refined than the Chevy. Have You Seen Oil Prices Lately? But we can report that during our first 100-plus-mile leg in a diesel-equipped, single-rear-wheel 3500 crew cab, the trip computer displayed an average of 14. We saw as high as 17 mpg in highway driving with nothing hooked to the back and between 12 and 15 with a trailer. New sheetmetal, a new interior both heavily derived from the new Ram 1500 and re-tuned underpinnings combine in a more stylish, more refined, more capable offensive lineman of a pickup. The high torque of the Cummins — starting at a mere 1,500 rpm — helps the Ram to start moving with the slightest pressure on the gas pedal; but it's smooth.
It's a Hemi-powered 2500 Crew Cab with electric-locking front and rear differentials, electronic disconnecting sway bar, Bilstein shocks, 32-inch tires, skid plates, 4. The reduced air pressure in the tires presumably improves the ride and cornering. Our test truck included remote start, and since these pickups have radio-controlled ignition keys for security, there was no keyway as such, saving a few dollars and avoiding a future repair. For the most part, quite well. The speedometer and tachometer both seem marketing-oriented, since the redline is below 4,000 rpm and the speedometer really doesn't need to go over 100 mph, even if the truck is capable of that speed.
The interior was surprisingly roomy, with plenty of leg room in the back seats; the back was fully outfitted, with both heat vents and air conditioning vents that could be aimed by the rear passengers. This system is easier to use than in the past, because it shows options with a check or no check to show if they are active, letting people quickly page through the options. But Dodge has set the bar pretty high. We found the computerized literature to be lacking and its interface woefully outdated and inscrutable. Our Laramie model, to be fair, had extra chrome, including the grille, door handles, and huge rear-view mirrors; it also had an optional side step.
When Gall returned to the office, we took the Ram to our local shop, where the cause was found to be a faulty O2 sensor. When you hit the gas it kicks down fairly quickly, helping the big diesel to be more responsive. The compartments hold office-garbage-can-sized plastic containers, which can be purchased at Dodge dealers if you want to have several miniature equipment or supply pods depending on your trip. During that same time, new housing construction hit its low inflection point. Mitsubishi owners will be notified by their company.