Is the Larime package worth it?

[DocDetonancour]

Going to buy a 04. Looking at window stickers $4000 seems like a lot for the upgrade over the SLT. Other than the leather what do you get for all the extra dough? thanks, Doc

 

[Badunit]

A few things in the package are:



Dual zone heat/AC system - Nice when one person is in the sun abd the other isn't. Can't get this without the Laramie package.



Power adjustable pedals - Lets you customize pedal position to just what you want. Probably not all that necessary unless you have extra long or short legs.



Leather trimmed seats - I like them but you can get a better deal with aftermarket.



Fold flat rear floor - A must have in my opinion.



Infinity sound system



Steering wheel mounted audio controls - I've never used them.



Homelink garage door opener - Nice. Has three buttons.



Woodgrain dash - Nice but not a must have and some prefer to not have it.



Fog lamps



Skid plates on 4x4



Tow hooks on 4x4



Sentry key system



Power seats



Sliding rear window



Leather wrapped steering wheel



Console beneath front center seat - Nice. We need all the storage we can get.



Electronic shift transfer case - Some have not gotten the Laramie package becasue they didn't want this.





Those are all the things I can think of from the '03 model year. Some you cannot get without the Laramie package, some you can. I don't think I listed anything that is standard with the SLT. The '04 model year may be different.

 

[HBrink]

It all depends on what you want in a truck. You have the choice of taking an SLT model and selecting many of the Laramie package items and saving a few dollars or selecting the Laramie package and having a more deluxe truck. I chose the Laramie package because I plan to use this truck for many years hauling our 5th wheel around. I think the list of items in the package might have been posted already but I'll put it here for you to see what is included.



Tow hooks

Seat - Leather 40/20/40 Bench

Seats - Power 8-way, Driver and passenger

Seat - rear, 60/40 Split folding

Tires - LT 235/80R17E OWL All Season

Pedals - Power adjustable

Transfer Case - Electric, shift-on-the-fly

Fog lamps

Grille - Bright body color

Speakers - 7, Infinity sound system

Audio controls mounted on the steering wheel

Steering wheel - leather wrapped

Console - overhead computer /universal garage door opener

Storage - Folding flat load floor

Storage - Center Seat cushion, front

Window - Sliding rear

Mirror - Rear view, auto dimming

Bezel - Instrument panel woodgrain

Air Conditioning/heating - Dual zone temp control

Badge - Laramie

Keyless Entry - Remote



That's about it! Mine will be ready to go in about 2 more weeks!



Harry

 

[lawdog]

Remember 1 important thing when ordering leather interior. ONLY the FRONT seats are leather, the rear seat is a high grade VINYL. I really like the Laramie package, but I will not get it because of the leather only part of it. I am going to buy a SLT and probably change the grill to the Laramie grill because I like the body color surround with just the chrome cross bars in the grill and the chrome bumpers. I had originally planned on getting a Sport, but a Big truck in Balck needs some Chrome. Besides, Chrome does not stone chip up as bad. The father-in-laws Jeep Cherokee Sport is all black and the front is pretty badly stone chipped.



I really like the Dual power seats option on the Laramie, but not enough to get the leather. The dual zone temp would be nice, but I do not use it that much in the wifes Durango, so no big deal, Besides, I normally drive, so I make it comfortable for me... lol.

Power pedal I can get on a SLT, and I can still shift into 4X4 with a mechanical lever so I know it went in. I am leary of electricl shifted transfer cases, just my opinion

 

[krabman]

I love the steering wheel audio controls. Thought I wouldnt use em when I bought the truck but now that I have got used to having them I find them indispensable. The temp in my truck has always been a problem, wifes to cold Im to hot. I would guess this sounds familiar to a lot of people. Dual climate control and the butt warmers have ended that problem. My guess is if you add up the options you want on an SLT you wont be looking at a 4000 dollar difference anymore. Some of the extra you will also get back at resale. My take is get it, I havent talked to many people who were sorry they got an option but I know quite a few who were sorry when they didnt.

 

[loncray]

I've never had steering wheel audio controls before, but now I wouldn't live without them - way too convenient. The SLT is still a fine truck, and less costly if you don't want all the bells and whistles. But you really ought to see the fold-flat load floor - it's absolutely wonderful and very expensive to add after you've bought the truck.

 

[bighammer]

I NEVER would have paid for them, but I'm lovin' the steering wheel audio buttons, heated leather power seats, dual climate control, (used to use my window ) all the power goodies, etc. Center console storage is nice, but there seemed to be more space for stuff in my old truck.



To be able to change the feel of my seat while driving is really nice. Flat rear floor is nice too, but I've had some groceries shift and hit the concrete when I open the door. My Rottweiller likes it though. A decent sound system is a nice plus--Especially in a truck that is quiet enough to hear it.



I don't use the power pedal adjustment. Who cares about the wood dash. (MAybe I should sell/trade it if it's really a big deal) Laramie badge got pried of the tailgate with all the other useless crap on there.



I still sometimes go for a crank to roll down the window, though. Old habbits are hard to break I guess.



I love my old truck and can't quite part with it yet, but I am getting spoiled by the new one. I got the 03 at the dealer's cost (invoice-reabates-holdback) so I can't complain too much. Had I ordered it, I doubt the deal would've been as good.



BTW, I'd be into chrome bumpers if somebody at Muncie would like to switch with me. Graphite anybody?

 

[Badunit]

I think my '01 had more storage also. The rear underseat storage is smaller now. I did discover, though, that a small toolbox will fit under the driver's side rear seat on top of the fold flat floor (when it is folded for rear seat usage) if the toolbox is all the way to the back of the cab. Maybe that's not news for anyone here but I was pretty happy when I found out. I assume the same holds true for the other part of the rear seat but I have baby seats strapped in back there and didn't feel like removing them to find out. One nice thing about the '03 is that it has a two-part rear seat; at least I can access some of the storage without removing baby seats.

 

[bighammer]

I miss the storage behind the seat in my 94 reg cab. There's no space like that in the new quad. It seems especially big because I removed the useless trays and put a wood box on the driver's side. Great for chain, jumper cables, fire extinguisher, etc. Can't figure where that stuff will go in the new truck. Maybe a small toolbox in the back...

 

[RMcCulloch]

BigHammer,



Doesn't your SLT have the underseat storage area?

 

[bighammer]

Mine is actually a Laramie (though I pried the badge off the tailgate along with all the other crap on there) and yes, I do have the underseat storage. I seems pretty minimal though--Just little cubby holes. (they seem so clean and lined with carpet. Who wants to throw a nasty chain in THERE? )

 

[radar doctor]

Seats in the 03

I have a 99 slt Leather seats and i feel like the back seat is leather too. someone mentioned that the 03 back seat wasn't leather. Is that true. I do think the leather seats are a much better grade of seat than my 95 cloth interior. . Oo. Oo. Oo.

 

[RMcCulloch]

Re: Seats in the 03

Originally posted by radar doctor

I have a 99 slt Leather seats and i feel like the back seat is leather too. someone mentioned that the 03 back seat wasn't leather. Is that true. I do think the leather seats are a much better grade of seat than my 95 cloth interior. . Oo. Oo. Oo.

Wail, if my back seat ISN'T leather, then somebody's been able to synthesize the leather on the front seats!



They did such a good job, in fact, that it even <b>smells</b> like leather.



Bob

 

[Casey Balvert]

Can you spell SPOUSE?



The Laramie package came with adjustable pedals and dual temperature controls. If you ever meet her you will understand why I think it was worth every cent that I paid for the Laramie.



Casey

 

[bighammer]

Just the 'marriage saver" heating control is worth it. Can't put a price on keeping the Mrs happy.

 

[David Muench]

Most things you can (and I did) add to a SLT. The 3 things I wish I had but couldn't get would be the dual zone climate control, heated seats, and the universal garage door opener. But for me, it wasn't worth the downside of leather and the wood dash (and the money).



Now after having lived with the truck since early December, I find that I don't miss the heated seats at all with the cloth. I think they're just there to make up for the leather being so cold in the winter. I still wish I had the dual zone climate control though. If that were an option on the SLT I would of paid a decent amount for it (hint, hint Dodge). The garage door opener isn't really a big deal either way.

 

[MO'Donnell]

What Casey said!



My better half is 5'2", so the power pedals are pretty much a must, as well as power seats. She really wanted the bun toasters (heated seats) so the Laramie was a must. The difference between the SLT an Laramie is probably around $1000 by the time you add the cost of the leather, power seat & pedals, flat floor, fog lights, etc. , etc. that comes in the laramie but not in the SLT.

 

[Jeff Clark]

I went round and round with this and decided for me it isn't worth the money. The only thing I really wanted was the leather/suede seats. I can get those from leatherseats.com for a lot less. The other things I want like power seat with storage under console, fog lights, keyless entry, leather steering wheel, ansd sliding rear window can all be ordered on an SLT. I don't want wood grain dash. I don't want the Infinity stereo or steering wheel controls because the factory stereo is coming out for aftermarket stuff. I don't need the load floor because that is where my subs will go. I don't need heated seats or dual climate control. So the SLT is the way to go for me.

 

[loncray]

It's different for every buyer - I decided I wanted the whole shebang - power pedals and seats for my height-challenged wife, sliding rear window, even the electric transfer case. Definitely wanted that load floor (and am really glad I got it) - the leather seats and plood dash are classy looking - and I had no idea how convenient the steering wheel audio controls were. I don't have the time or money to Bomb the interior of the truck, so I needed to get it as loaded as I could from the start - I'm glad I spent that money, but many others won't make that same choice.

 

[Dean Upson]

I think the Laramie package was worth every penny. I would get exactly the same truck if I had to do it over again.



Dean