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Dodge Ram (2002) UNVEILED! - READ ONLY

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Messages Page 65 of 67

#638 of 667 Its all about torque by indydriver

Mar 17, 2002 (4:33 pm)

If you are buying a pickup for street use and occasional light duty hauling (in the bed), no doubt the 4.7 will be just fine. If you go 4x4, intend to do any serious off-road work or tow anything, more torque the better.

#639 of 667 Payload question by demetriusk

Mar 17, 2002 (5:12 pm)

Does anyone know why the payload on the 2002 Dodge Quad 4x4 is only 1520 lbs compared to the F150 SC 4x4 which is 2670 lbs ?. Am I reading something wrong?

#640 of 667 by emale

Mar 17, 2002 (5:51 pm)

here is the info i found. it is based on comparing a 4x4 4.7l quad swb to a 4x4 4.6l ford s-crew.
 
                 dodge ford
max payload 1517 1495
max tow capa 4200 6200
 
i couldn't really determine why there is such a large difference in tow capacity.

#641 of 667 Nerrs by brucec35

Mar 19, 2002 (9:49 pm)

Wouldn't "the dealer price" for the vehicle be the invoice price minus the 3% holdback? That's roughly $800 below invoice. With a $1500 rebate it wouldn't be difficult to find one for $1500 below invoice. That seems to be a pretty substantial difference. Not to mention a 100K powertrain warranty through 3/31/02. That's worth maybe another $1000 if you keep it long term.

#642 of 667 Hey WLM by brucec35

Mar 19, 2002 (9:58 pm)

I had the same problems when trying to buy a Ram. They don't seem to actually have them in many of the combinations they advertise. ABS is rare, side airbags seem non-existant. And god help you if you want a Regular cab with 20" wheels, or on any Ram that isn't $34,000 and loaded to the hilt. Sure, the brochure says it's available, but it's not. We did a search and found ONE black or red one in the COUNTRY, and they wanted $700 to ship it to us, so I passed. And if you special order, you risk losing a $1500 rebate and 100K powertrain warranty.
 
I wound up with a Black Silverado reg cab Z71 sportside. Slapped on some American racing wheels and better tires (they come with crummy Firestones) Very sharp truck. But more expensive than the Ram I wanted. But I just couldn't find a ram except in quad cab. I must say, the Silverado is much faster than the Rams, but hey, let's be real, these are trucks, not sports cars. The Ram 4.7 is more than adequate for 2wd and regular cabs, and probably acceptable if you get the 3.92 axle on 4x4 quad cabs.

#643 of 667 What's with all the fuss about backseat comfort by brucec35

Mar 19, 2002 (10:18 pm)

I don't have kids so I never use my truck's back seat except for storage and dogs. But I'm curious. Why do so many truck buyers worry so much about how comfortable seating is in the back? Sure, you want it to be reasonable back there, but is an inch or three really that important to you as the person who is driving and paying for it? I would think the typical user only rarely has anyone back there at all, with a majority of them hauling only children most of the time, and adults maybe on short trips like out to eat, not on cross-country treks. And since your teenager with the long legs or friends aren't offering to chip in on your payments, why are you so concerned about their comfort? It's not like you're asking them to ride in the back of a Porsche 911 or 944. Now that is torture.
 
I find it interesting that children today are coddled in comfort to a degree that would have been automatically considered absurd in the 60's and 70's when I was a kid. I rode accross the USA and back at age 10 in the tiny 3rd row seat of a station wagon. My brothers' odorific body eminations bothered me a lot more than any perceived lack of leg room. My point is that most kids below 13 probably couldn't care less about leg room, seeing as their legs don't touch the floor anyway, and I never minded sitting in the back of my friend's small cars as a teenager. It just wasn't a factor at that age.
 
I see a lot of $35,000+ SUV's and $30,000 plus pickups out there that are basically $20,000 pickups with a bit more sheet metal and maybe an extra $500 seat. In case you weren't aware, profit margins are much higher on crew cabs and SUV's than pickups or sedans. That rear seat comfort may well be costing you big time.
 
I suggest putting a tip jar on the back of your seat for your passengers to show their gratitude to you for considering their comfort. Or, if you want rear seat comfort, buy an old BMW 740il, not a pickup truck. You can play ping pong in that back of that.
 
By all means, if you regularly transport average or tall people, go for the extra space, but if your rear seat rarely sees anything besides the rear end of a 4 y/o, why not look at the other more important attributes of the vehicle?
 
I can understand needing a basic amount of room back there, say the diiference in a Ram and a Dakota...but worrying about differences between full size trucks...I just find that funny.

#644 of 667 emale by brucec35

Mar 19, 2002 (10:22 pm)

There is more to performance than peak HP or Torque numbers. Other things like gearing, where in the power band the peak is acheived, and in the case of the 4.7, a more efficient transmission, can make a "small" engine perform as well or better than a big one. And some engines "feel" stronger than others. My Tundra, for example, pulls much more smoothly and strong than my Silverado's 5.3, which is a fine engine. But the Tundra feels stronger because it does it w/o a lot of noise and fuss. The lighter Tundra and the Silverado are about equal in 0-60 times, btw.

#645 of 667 Back seat room and some other stuff (Brucec35) by lamaratwork

Mar 20, 2002 (3:09 pm)

Back seat room is a major consideration for me. I regularly transport my sprouting children. If I have a choice, I will make the best choice for my situation. I had no choice when I traveled long distances in the back seat of my Parents' 1976 Toyota Corolla hatchback (2 door). My big brother, me, and sis in the back. South Alabama in the summer with no A/C. We never complained. For financial reasons, that was the choice....then.
 
I agree with your statement about young people today. Has it not been repeated by every generation, though?
 
I also agree with your statement about the cost of most SUV's and well equipped large pickups. I remember pricing trucks many years ago, just before SUV's started taking over the landscape. I was amazed at the value compared to passenger cars with the same equipment. The "law" of supply and demand did nothing to drive the prices down. Sort of like gas prices. Over the past several years, just prior to every major holiday (or spring break) gas prices have escalated. More usage, higher prices. Whats up with that?
 
I would not trade my Quad for any truck available. The back seat room is but one of the many appealing attributes..to me. The great deal I got was the major reason I chose the Dodge Quad. Had I known how much I would enjoy it, price would not have been such an issue.
 
"More important attributes" are different things to different people.

#646 of 667 by emale

Mar 20, 2002 (5:37 pm)

the s-crew i drive serves as my only vehicle. therefore, when i take people along with me, i want them to be in reasonable comfort, even if it is a truck. doesn't matter if it's a kid or adult, or whether or not i "ever" park my arse in the backseat. overall comfort for all passengers is simply imperative to me.
 
brucec35,
 
about peak hp, etc. agree, completely!

#647 of 667 Dodge Ram Owners! by Karen@Edmunds HOST

Mar 22, 2002 (1:30 pm)

I'm here to announce the new Dodge Ram Owners Club club now available on Edmunds.com Owners Club board. Please stop by and introduce yourself in Meet the Members and let me know how I can help build your club.
I have linked this discussion into that folder, but it will always reside here in Pickups.
Looking forward to meeting everyone!
KarenS
Host
Owners Clubs

Messages Page 65 of 67

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