2018 - 3 months of ownership thoughts

[HookMeUp]

I have owned the truck in my sig since 12/23/2017. Here are my thoughts over the last 3 months:

• radio won't stay muted after a restart
• truck will down shift when using cruise control set @ 75mph on the slightest incline, usually at the top of the hill
• big fenders in the back get scratched easily
• nav system quirks, yesterday told me to turn left and then 500 ft down the road told me to do a u-turn and head the other direction
• 32 gal. tank, why?

I have about 2300 miles on it, fuel mileage has been 12 in town, 16 highway. I've had the 5th wheel hooked up to it to move it to another location, I think I'm going to like towing with this! Did our first 500 mile trip with it a couple days ago. Overall I really like this truck.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Did not sound like you liked much except for the towing part. I advise running TH and EB all the time!

 

[BarryG]

My 17 has 45k on it now. Dont have NAV so no idea on that though my VW golf would tell me turn here and then you have reached your destination yet I am not there or even very close. It certainly downshifts more than my 01 did but it also has another couple gears have not found it to be too annoying. It runs lower rpm for a given speed. What Cummins12v mentioned seems to help both of those items. Cant speak to the big fenders as mine is a SRW. Same with mileage I get better than that but not as good as my 01. My 01 got 18-22 all day everyday in town, highway, loaded (not towing) the 17 gets 15-19 for same driving. It does not seem to like city driving as much. Towing it seems to get about the same mileage perhaps a bit better. The towing experience seems to be better for sure. The 32 gallon tank does suck. MY 01 had a 35 gallon tank and while only 3 gallons more it sure seemed like more than that perhaps the extra few gallons and the better mileage combined is what made it seem so much better. I am seriously considering changing the tank to a Titan 55 gallon. Like yourself overall a very nice truck no real complaints and in the end mileage or not a much nicer truck than my 01 though I do not think I will have the same attachment to it that I did on my 01.

 

[HookMeUp]

Did not sound like you liked much except for the towing part. I advise running TH and EB all the time!

On the contrary, really like this truck. Just a few quirks to work out or get used to. Fuel mileage is better than the 11, not as good as the 02.

 

[Jim W]

This is my reasoning on the 32 gallon fuel tank.


When the truck is almost out of fuel and you need to fill the tank up, this is when you need a bathroom break when you are on the road!

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

This is my reasoning on the 32 gallon fuel tank.


When the truck is almost out of fuel and you need to fill the tank up, this is when you need a bathroom break when you are on the road!

I wish my wife and kid could make it that long.

I got him into peeing in bottles a few years ago, now I just need to train her to pee in a bottle!

 

[KCJackson1]

32 gal. tank, why?

Appears to be a lack of foresight to accommodate the DEF tank. The redesigned truck will have to math or exceed Ford's 48 gallon tank on crew cab 8-footers. A 48-50 gallon tank,with the all-downstream emissions equipment would provide range well over 1000 miles for an empty truck.

 

[jetmechabq]

look I'm shooing for 50 gallons under the bed and a transfer tank in the bed of 50 gallons. that will save me a $1.10 just by filling in Arizona or close to $1.00 filling in Vegas

 

[jgillott]

Appears to be a lack of foresight to accommodate the DEF tank. The redesigned truck will have to math or exceed Ford's 48 gallon tank on crew cab 8-footers. A 48-50 gallon tank,with the all-downstream emissions equipment would provide range well over 1000 miles for an empty truck.

That 48 gal tank is one thing that Ford got right on their new trucks.

 

[GrantP]

That 48 gal tank is one thing that Ford got right on their new trucks.

Agreed. Now if we could just get gas station pumps to quit shutting off at $75 when filling...

 

[Minnow101]

I replaced the stock tank with the transferflow. The extra gallons of diesel keeps me away from the fuel pumps/congestion/tight spaces while I’m towing our fifth wheel. I can get upwards of 400 miles while towing and towing 400 miles is more than enough travelling in one day. We get to the campground, unhook and then I can go get refueled without all the drama.

 

[Rob_Fla]

I have had my 2018 RAM 3500 DRW for 6 months now.
Changed the fuel tank out to the Titan 55 Gallon Mid Ship tank, love the added range.
Did not order with the NAV since I use my RV Garmin when towing (dealer said if I changed my mind about the NAV that it is installed in all the 8.4 screens, the dealer can activate for the same cost as ordering it)
Love towing with the rear "Air Assist" Suspension.
Fuel mileage has been 11 to 12 towing our 18k 5th Wheel and 16 to 18 not towing. The 4.10 axle ratio sure makes pulling hills a pleasure.
Took it to dealer for Shift Linkage recall, recall campaign completed and software updated.

So far like our RAM, it has met all my expectations but still getting comfortable with the Cummins / Aisin package, it sure drives and tows different than my previous GM / Duramax trucks.

Getting ready to head up to Virginia with our 5th Wheel in a couple of weeks, this will be the longest road trip with our RAM since we bought it. Sure hope it warms up in Virginia before we get there. Will have another road trip with our 5th Wheel in July to Michigan.

 

[Cummins12V98]

This is my reasoning on the 32 gallon fuel tank.


When the truck is almost out of fuel and you need to fill the tank up, this is when you need a bathroom break when you are on the road!

Completely agree! Besides my wife really likes the Love's Travel centers.

 

[Cummins12V98]

"Fuel mileage has been 11 to 12 towing our 18k 5th Wheel and 16 to 18 not towing"

You must have gotten a good one! Hand calc over several tanks???

 

[Rob_Fla]

"Fuel mileage has been 11 to 12 towing our 18k 5th Wheel and 16 to 18 not towing"

You must have gotten a good one! Hand calc over several tanks???

Yep, hand calculation, with the 4:10 axle ratio, speed has a lot to do with it, must keep the Cummins under 2000 rpm (65 to 68 mph) or less to get this kind of fuel mileage and most of the travel lately has been in the Florida, Southern Georgia and Southern Alabama area (pretty flat)

 

[BarryG]

While my fifth wheel doesn't weigh near that much I have come to the conclusion that aerodynamics plays a larger role than most think in fuel mileage. I have found that if I have a heavy load like dirt, rock, firewood or whatever (2-3000lbs) and doesn't really change the aerodynamics of the truck in the bed mileage change is negligible. Yet I pull a 700 lb empty weight utility trailer with some rails on it on three sides plus the rear metal mesh gate ramp (to keep llamas in it) my mileage drops a solid 4 mpg. Add two llamas (say another 7-800 lbs for a total trailer weight of 15-1600lbs) the mileage change is also negligible. Tow my fifth and I loose 5-6 mpg dropping down to 12-13 mpg but it only drops it from the utility trailer maybe 2 mpg even though it is 6-7 times the weight of the utility trailer. I know the utility trailer is not all that aerodynamic but the rails are just 2x4s and there is 2 rows of them with 2x4s being used as the stakes and the tailgate/ramp is made of expanded metal mesh with some angle iron support. So it is not like it is brick but all that disturbed airflow sure seems to make a difference. The above numbers are all based on highway type driving speeds of 50-65mph for several hundred miles at a time

 

[BGreenwood]

Muted radio will always reset after restart. Something you will have to get used to.
Can't comment on downshifts because I don't tow. I think you just need to be aware that big fenders are a problem. The only time my Nav system says make a U-turn is when I miss a turn or there is a divided highway and my destination is on the other side of the divide. Glad you like the truck otherwise.

 

[BillGotthelf]

Mileage sounds about(3.73 rear end) right. I tow 20,000 fifth wheel and swivel wheel behind with my Goldwing Trike. At 70 I get 9.5 slow to 65 and I get 10.4 and 60 I get 11. I have an 80 gallon gravity fed transfer tank in bed and a much bigger bladder than my wife but I do enjoy planning cheap fuel stops. My Nav does dumb stuff too like telling me to leave the parking lot headed west and make a U turn. I left the parking lot headed east. Truck has never had to go back to dealer since I bought it and now have 39,000 miles. Best towing truck ever.

 

[scheinin]

I replaced the stock tank with the transferflow. The extra gallons of diesel keeps me away from the fuel pumps/congestion/tight spaces while I’m towing our fifth wheel. I can get upwards of 400 miles while towing and towing 400 miles is more than enough travelling in one day. We get to the campground, unhook and then I can go get refueled without all the drama.

I do the same, except I put in my 50 gal transfer flow tank in the bed of my truck.