Auto's in 03

[ray1933]

We are looking into getting an 03,1 ton SRW, 4 door, Auto with no frills.



What is the good, bad and the ugly about the Automatic

We haul 10. 6 Cabover, pull a boat and sometimes a 3 horse trailer.

 

[CPritchett]

I have the 1 Ton SRW automatic HO 48re and love it. I pull a Jayco Designer fifth wheel that weighs about 11-12,000 and it will pull it 65-75 really good. It is doing much better now that I am getting some miles on it (6000). I have guages and the transmission temp runs about 150 down the road and gets up to 170 sometimes in town.

 

[ralphr]

I had a 99 with the 47RE never had any problems with transmission but it seemed real "loose". On the new 03 it shifts when it should and does not "hunt". also the lock up is solid above 45 MPH. seems that all the "concerns" with the older transmission's are gone. of course only time will tell how they hold up.

 

[nkiewel]

I love the 48RE auto and HO diesel combo. I don't pull anything very heavy (ie. 20 foot fiberglass ski boat and 2 horse trailer), but it has tons of power and stops better than any truck I have driven. The auto feels very solid to me and I really have no complaints.

 

[ROCKJEEP]

I have a 03 2500 SO auto. I tow a 16 ft. car trailer with my rock crawler jeep on it. Total weight is around 7000lbs. I have never even noticed it was there. With being a daily driver I love the auto. If it were only for towing and I wasn't driving it all the time I would have gone stick. But I love my auto.

Kory

 

[BHolm]

I pull heavy loads with both of mine, 15k lbs and wide. They are both HO / autos with 3. 73 gears. The SRW runs a few more rpms on the highway because the duallys tires are taller but the auto works great IMO.



My dually is an ST trim and the QC is an SLT. They really look about the same inside, the SLT just squeezes in a few more features. You may want to seriously consider the seat upgrade option as the base ST seats are not the best.



The new auto is the only one I have tried that stays in OD when I think it should. It is very well matched to the engines torque. It also allows faster getaways than the six speeds The more I drive the new QC, the more I like the drivetrain. It surely puts my wifes durpooch to shame for power.

 

[ray1933]

All the posts sound good, now all I have to do is work on the dealer more. With my 95 trade in he is down to 24,000, would like to trim that down closer 22,000. The truck is a 3500 SLT/Laramie w/towing group. Atlantic Blue.

I about had a stroke when I called State Farm, the insurance will go up $40. 00 a month



If the dealer and I can work some more I will be the owner of the 03.

 

[BHolm]

What happened to "no frills" Ray SLT Laramie is pretty frilly in my book! You need to specify which auto trans you are talking about too. If you are looking at an HO engine you automatically get the new 48re trans. If you are looking at the SO engine you get the old 47re standard with the new 48re optional. I don't know what the old ones were like but I think they took some fiddlin to get them right. Go for the 48re and you should be set.

 

[ray1933]

Auto's in / 03

Well now, some of the no frills went out the window as the wife said she wanted this and that. So that ended up being the SLT/Laramie.

They are working out a swap with a dealer in Spokane,WA and the truck is ours.



This will be our 3rd Dodge, 91, 95 and now the 03. My wife said for a old man, a new truck makes you act like a young boy. I wonder if that feeling translates to you know where

 

[nkiewel]

Originally posted by Ray

I about had a stroke when I called State Farm, the insurance will go up $40. 00 a month

Try being 26 and insuring one of these beasts... LOL My insurance went up over $70 a month from the loaded 99 1500 4X4 QC I traded... Oh well, this truck is work at least another $70/month!

 

[Dean Upson]

Ray,



You will not be sorry that you got the Laramie package. There are a lot of nice little goodies that come with it.



Dean