Help a mod be lazy, new truck questions

[Ozymandias]

Yes you can still get window cranks and manual locks, rubber floor, work vinyl.

I love my Tradesman rubber floor and work vinyl is really nice. Have power locks and windows but no FOB. Just use a normal key.

That's what I like about RAM, one still can have the full range, from nothing to extreme luxury- whatever the customer prefer.

 

[Timd32]

If you look at the upgrade package prices closely you can always add a pretty nice infotainment system aftermarket for some of those numbers.

All depends on the interests rates and rebates on the vehicle and figure out the total cost of ownership on the upticks and monthly payment.

The base model no longer has a lot of the harnesses needed to add the power group it's pretty stripped out, but you can usually order them on line for certain ones if you really have to have anything.

You could also get or make a nice iPad mount and you get a 12" to go, then pair up that with a wifi module or bluetooth for the metrics you want to monitor, all what you have time to put into it.

At the same time hit the market just right and some of the upgrades are pretty much being thrown in for free.

 

[RVTRKN]

I negotiated hard and bought mine well below MSRP and made them throw in a FCA bumper to bumper warranty, this was in September.

 

[Dl5treez]

I test drove it again and the 12” display was glitching. Salesperson said it’s been happening a lot more than he would prefer. I’m out on that truck.

The Tradesman is pretty much what my ‘95 is. Not a bad thing at all. The search continues.

 

[RVTRKN]

That may be a good reason its a holdover. I'm surprized they didn't just replace it and put it back on the lot.

 

[TFucili]

That may be a good reason its a holdover. I'm surprized they didn't just replace it and put it back on the lot.

Chrysler won't let the dealers replace the head unit for wacky behavior. The dealer showed me a memo or bulletin that spelled out most of the funky things mine has been doing right along, and it specifically stated that the head unit is NOT to be replaced.

 

[EDankievitch]

Chrysler won't let the dealers replace the head unit for wacky behavior. The dealer showed me a memo or bulletin that spelled out most of the funky things mine has been doing right along, and it specifically stated that the head unit is NOT to be replaced.

Sure don’t replace a bad head unit. Just replace the whole truck.
Lol

 

[JR]

Sure don’t replace a bad head unit.

By FCA standards it's not bad, just normal

 

[CGordon]

I have owned a 2001 (1500 gas), a 2003 (2500 gas), a 2005 (3500 Laramie, 5.9), a 2011 (3500 Laramie, 6.7) a 2015 (3500 Laramie, 6.7) and now have a 2019 3500 Laramie (850 lb.ft). It is loaded with just about everything you can imagine and in the year I have been driving it my frequent thought is that this is not only the best truck I have ever owned but it it the best vehicle I have ever driven. It is well built and all the "goodies" work well. It is amazingly comfortable, for a "truck" and gets better fuel mileage than my wife's Jeep Liberty! My first road trip with this truck returned a hand calculated 26.4 mpg (imperial) on a 650 kilometer trip through the mountains.

I am very pleased with this truck and have no regrets about its purchase at all!

 

[RVTRKN]

Well I sure hope the Italians didn't recruit the French for the computor, controlling the 12" radio. I had a horrible experiance with a rebadged AMC Eagle over to Dodge ???????? (don't remember) after the buy out of AMC. On edit: It was controlled by canadian computors designed by French engineers, and I bought it used and owned it 1 month, and made the Dealer buy it back. It couldn't pass the Comifornia 30 day safety warranty period, that only applies to a California Dealer. The dash would blank out all engine parameters.

 

[TFucili]

I have read that the Etch-A-Sketch is made by Panasonic, but don't know if that's true. As to the Uconnect software, I have no idea who is behind it.

RVTRKN, I assume you are referring to when Renault rode herd over AMC, before it went to Chrysler? Like the RENIX electronics???

 

[RVTRKN]

That’s exactly what I’m referring to.

 

[Dl5treez]

What the salesperson meant was the big screens are messing up often, and referenced how FiatChrysler declares much of it “normal”. I am used to VW pulling the same shady BS with their underperforming infotainment systems so not surprised. Shady though.

The sales guy called and wants me to come look at a 2020 Tradesman they just got it off the transporter. Hmmm

 

[EDankievitch]

Got to love it . “The screw ups are considered normal”. Just like Microsoft or cable saying just un plug it and re boot it to get it to work.
Hope we never get into another real war like WWII . I can just hear the IT people tell a General or a Captain “Hold on. Ok you need to un plug your weapons control panel for 30 sec then re plug it and do a full reboot to get it to work. “ Just tell the guys shooting at you to hold on...
We except this as normal operating procedures....

 

[JR]

As to the Uconnect software, I have no idea who is behind it.

I don't think FCA is alone to be honest. When we went on our wheeling trip to West Virginia last year my buddy had just bought a new Silverado 2500 and insisted on dragging my trailer (and machines) down. The truck sat for 4 days and started fine when it was time to load up, Except now the radio didn't work and neither did the A/C. After 8 hours of staring at each other in sweaty miserable silence I think we were both on each others last nerves. And the kicker is, it's done it to him a handful of other times since, all after the truck sits for several days (but starts fine on its own).

 

[EDankievitch]

A few years back I knew a guy with a GMC that would Just shut off while driving. Didn’t matter where or when it would shut down . You would. Loose the power steering an power brakes. Only way to re start it was to take the key fob hold it outside of the truck and hit lock/ unlock then hit the starter. Try doing that while doing 70 towing a very heavy Gooseneck trailer like he use to . It happened more than once. GM could not fix it. It’s normal.... Lol
He now drives a Super Duty. Has for 6 years with no issues.

 

[AH64ID]

A few years back I knew a guy with a GMC that would Just shut off while driving. Didn’t matter where or when it would shut down . You would. Loose the power steering an power brakes. Only way to re start it was to take the key fob hold it outside of the truck and hit lock/ unlock then hit the starter. Try doing that while doing 70 towing a very heavy Gooseneck trailer like he use to . It happened more than once. GM could not fix it. It’s normal.... Lol
He now drives a Super Duty. Has for 6 years with no issues.

In the 3 months my dad has had a GMC 1500, pretty sure a ‘19, it’s had more glitches and recalls than any other new rig we’ve had.

 

[Ozymandias]

And here also, I guess 99% work flawless but the 1% is beaten through the www.

 

[Dl5treez]

Lots of truth to that Ozy. I don’t want to be the 1% though LOL

 

[Timd32]

I'm now in the wait a week or so and see what the rates and demand do, interesting feedback from a local FCA dealer today in NJ.

Also the grip on the slowing economy is getting tighter hour by hour.

You might be able to get much more truck for the money in a week or two.