Goodbye Trusty 2nd Gen, Hello New 4th Gen!

[JLandry]

Hi everyone,

After 12 years of faithful service, I just booted my trusty ol' 2001 Dodge Ram Laramie SLT 2500 4x2 SRW to the curb and traded it in on a handsome new 2014 Ram 3500 Laramie 4x4 crew cab long bed dually with bright white exterior, canyon brown/light beige interior, Aisin transmission, 4:10 gears, skid plate, factory bedliner, tow prep package, bucket seats, navigation, keyless entry, remote start, and power adjust pedals w/memory. It didn't come from the factory with Mopar cab-length tube steps, but I managed to get the dealer to add them for free in order to close the deal.

It rides smoother than my 2001 and has a 29,000 pound tow rating. Mind blowing!

Purchased from Tempe Dodge Chrysler Jeep Kia in... you guessed it... Tempe, AZ.

Plan to pick it up this Friday.

Now I need to go work on my signature...

John L.

 

[SnoKing]

Good job John! I am green with envy. Snoking

 

[Bug Out]

Beautiful truck !!!! I heard Tempe Dodge is good to deal with? How was your experience ? Looking for a good dealer in the valley. I'm in Surprise and have had no luck with the dominant dealer in the area.

 

[jeepit]

Awesome! Can't wait to hear how it handles.

 

[JLandry]

I heard Tempe Dodge is good to deal with? How was your experience?

Overall it was a good buying experience, but nothing too memorable. We were always treated with respect and are very pleased with the outcome. I think we were there about 5 hours from start to finish which included price negotiations, a test drive to make sure nothing was overtly wrong with the truck, and then doing all the purchase paperwork. It was a tiring day because we drove 300 miles round trip to the dealer.

For some really good discounts off MSRP posted right on their website, check out Earnhardt Dodge in Gilbert. I haven't personally dealt with them, but I did use their discounts (in part) as a basis for negotiating our truck's price with Tempe Dodge. I would've gone to Earnhardt first, but they didn't have a truck in stock configured exactly the way we wanted, whereas Tempe Dodge did.

Some helpful vehicle pricing resources are:

TrueCar.com

NADAGuides.com

John L.

 

[SnoKing]

So John did you happen to note the RPM's at 70 MPH with the 4:10's and Aisin transmission? The Aisin is .63 in 6th gear where your old 47RE was .69. Tires might be larger in diameter also.

Chris

 

[JLandry]

So John did you happen to note the RPM's at 70 MPH with the 4:10's and Aisin transmission?

I didn't get a chance to drive it that fast. The speed limit on the freeway was 65 where we did the test drive. At that speed, I do recall briefly glancing down at the tachometer and it was under 2000rpm... like maybe 1800rpm and purring like a kitten.

I'll try and post some accurate numbers later this week.

John L.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I'm glad you found the right Ram for you! See you at May Madness.

 

[JJPage]

Love the color, exactly what I would choose! Bet you can hardly wait until Friday, to start the maiden voyage home with the new family member. Congrats & Enjoy! Jess

 

[JSoloman]

Congrats on the beautiful rig. Gotta tell ya, I loved my '01, but I have to say I love my '14 more. Have fun!

 

[Kirwin]

Hey John, You bought my truck!!! Give it back! Oh, never mind, mine has the black interior. Congratulations on your new baby. Ken Irwin

 

[gtoli]

Beautiful truck john, congrats

 

[Cummins12V98]

Very nice!

 

[SnoKing]

John does the new truck have the new factory rear air suspension? Chris

 

[JLandry]

John does the new truck have the new factory rear air suspension?

No.

That'd be a nice option to have though.

John L.

 

[Doubleclutch]

Won't SOMEBODY please buy a Copperhead 2013? Joe's will be the only one at MM this year, and have to be set way out at the end of Murders Row. <G> Looking forward to seeing you at MM this year, John.

 

[JLandry]

Won't SOMEBODY please buy a Copperhead 2013?

While we really liked the look of the copperhead color, we just didn't want a dark colored vehicle. White seems to work better for us and is cooler.

Looking forward to seeing you at MM this year, John.

Ditto! It's going to be fun putting faces with all these names and handles.

Now that I have a 2014, I have a BUNCH of 2nd Gen type stuff (spare parts, tools, etc.) that I'll need to sell at the tailgate swap meet in the RV park... if they'll be one this year.

John L.

 

[JLandry]

We've just confirmed an appointment at the dealership tomorrow afternoon to go pick up our new truck.

It could be a l-o-n-g sleepless night.

John L.

 

[SnoKing]

John, hope you remembered to rescued the MaxBrake controller out of the 2001. If you decide the IBC is good, then you could start a bidding war in the towing section of the forum. I have been keep an old Prodigy to replace my MaxBrake if the 2001 goes down the road.

Chris

 

[JLandry]

...hope you remembered to rescued the MaxBrake controller out of the 2001.

Are you kidding?

Of course!



John L.