4th Gen Thoughts

[HVAC2]

My ED. 40k. EGR cooler. 65k crank position sensor. Hoping Cummins was better.

 

[HVAC2]

I don't think so.

Help me. It will make 100k or not?

 

[JohnM45]

They are solid until the warranty runs out then they will cost you $$$. Don't expect them to have the same service life as a 2nd or 3rd gen, too much emissions and electronics and when it goes bad you might be footing the cost considering how quick FCA is to bail on warranty. Trade it every 3 years and HOPE your dealer will fight for warranty issues.

That is the unfortunate downside.

The trucks that are that terrible have got to be in the minority... not to be all rose-colored glasses about it, but 100k miles and plan to trade it? Seems ridiculous.

 

[Ozymandias]

Help me. It will make 100k or not?

Yes it will, and beyond, there are enough of them out there that have way more Miles without big trouble.
I wouldn't worry to buy a new one as a US Customer.

 

[HVAC2]

Thanks! I was getting buyers remorse

 

[SnoKing]

Thanks! I was getting buyers remorse

Just drive it like you stole it. It and you will like it. These trucks like to be worked.

 

[Wiredawg]

It's interesting to see posts bragging on previous gens durability and that it's missing now.

I've owned a 93, 00, 02, 03, 09, and my current 17 and the 17 is by and far the most capable, both in usable power and weight carrying and towing capacity. The exhaust brake and Aisin 69C are amazing.

On previous trucks, I replaced injectors, injection pump, crankshaft position sensor, turbos, rebuilt trannies, etc, so I'm not convinced 4th gen is worse than previous gens.

Will there be problems? Possibly, but given the EPA mandates, I'm pretty sure the problems with EGR, DPF, SCR etc... will not be unique to Ram.

If a previous Gen stands out so much in capability and durability, do an off frame restoration, rebuild transmission and motor and run it again. Can't be more expensive than buying a 4th or upcoming 5th Gen. It is possible to make an old truck new.

For my part, I'll keep my 4th gen, use it and fix it if something breaks, just like I did with my previous gens. BTW, through all that, I still liked every Ram I owned and the capability each brought to me.

Cheers, Ron

 

[HVAC2]

Oh it will, western region all winter towing a28 ft 8klb ATC. Summer it basically sits. Very little in town use.Worked for the eco. Never had those issues.

 

[gsbrockman]

They are solid until the warranty runs out then they will cost you $$$. Don't expect them to have the same service life as a 2nd or 3rd gen, too much emissions and electronics and when it goes bad you might be footing the cost considering how quick FCA is to bail on warranty. Trade it every 3 years and HOPE your dealer will fight for warranty issues.

That is the unfortunate downside.

Undoubtedly one of the most laughable statements posted on here for quite some time.....

 

[SnoKing]

Undoubtedly one of the most laughable statements posted on here for quite some time.....

I guess you did not notice who made that post?

 

[Newsa]

I think the power train on these trucks is built for 300k-500k miles or 10,000 hours. Yes you will have to replace some parts during that time..... Just as with any vehicle.

Why would you buy a $50,000-$85,000 truck and trade it every 3 years? I hear the fords are consistently more expensive than the equivalent ram

 

[Ozymandias]

Undoubtedly one of the most laughable statements posted on here for quite some time.....

I see that every time a new Gen is rolled out.

All those phrases are so known, read back 10 year for Gen4, almost 20 year for Gen3 and so on..
The old stuff is SO MUCH better, and capable and reliable and so on..

 

[gsbrockman]

I guess you did not notice who made that post?

The fact he is a “Super Moderator” WILL NOT silence me, as long as everything is kept civil.

Are you tooooo skeeeeeeeert to engage with a moderator.....”Super” or “Regular” ?????

 

[SnoKing]

The fact he is a “Super Moderator” WILL NOT silence me, as long as everything is kept civil.

Are you tooooo skeeeeeeeert to engage with a moderator.....”Super” or “Regular” ?????

Does he not work on them every day?

 

[Newsa]

That supermoderator bashed all g56's a few years ago. Maybe the g56 isn't appropriate for a 3500 .
It's perfect for a 2500 with a 3.43 differential not towing too heavy. It really was the best deal i could find money-wise in a diesel. Ford and chevy did not have that low cost option.

 

[gsbrockman]

Does he not work on them every day?

Yes.....and for every one he works on, there’s probably 15 or 20 tooling down the road without any issues.

 

[SnoKing]

Yes.....and for every one he works on, there’s probably 15 or 20 tooling down the road without any issues.

But who else knows better if FCA is starting to change warranty support. Maybe FCA hired ex Ford people in that department? His issue was not about the good trucks, but about the ones that needed warranty support, which sooner or later a certain percentage needs. I bought the second warranty I have ever purchased because of the complexity of those new trucks. First was on a VCR deck years ago in the early 80's.

 

[HVAC2]

Lets start with EGR coolers. Crank sensors. I'm not so worried about dpf as our driving habits are long and heavy.

 

[Wiredawg]

But who else knows better if FCA is starting to change warranty support. Maybe FCA hired ex Ford people in that department? His issue was not about the good trucks, but about the ones that needed warranty support, which sooner or later a certain percentage needs. I bought the second warranty I have ever purchased because of the complexity of those new trucks. First was on a VCR deck years ago in the early 80's.

I bought my 2017 5500 fully understanding the complexity of the electronics and the potential costs of ownership. The electronics are modular, the diagnostic software is highly refined, and even though the parts can be costly, the labor time is often times less. The service writer plugged in their wifi into my 2017 Ram 5500, ran the diagnostic, told me I have a bad antilock brake system pump, in about a minute. That's what it was, and one week later, I'm picking it up after receiving a text and a cool video where the tech showed me what he did and the fix was successful.

It's just like I read the mechanic's report and part of the criteria was inspecting the part for road damage, which would/should not be included as warranty. I understand the cost of technology and I guess you can say I've bought into it. My dealer, and Chrysler, Daimler-Chrysler, and FCA that have sold me Rams for the past 20 years have always been fair to me. I spent most of my career automating processes for the US Air Force, and for the most part, automation (electronics) is good.

We read from time to time where folks have bad experiences with a dealer, their trucks, and FCA. I suppose its possible for FCA employees to complain too and they may be valid. I just haven't had that experience and based upon most of the posts here and from all my friends who own new Rams, it hasn't been their experience either.

Bottom Line: I'm a happy customer and I think most of the 4th Gen and the 2019 whatever Gen are mostly happy too.

Cheers, Ron

 

[Ozymandias]

CKP, very rare on all Cummins till today.
EGR coolers, not to many reported here in the TDR.