Spy Shots: 2009 Dodge Ram

[AKaiser]

No, I don't think the old ticker could take looking at the price of a nice new BIG Kubota or Deere.



How come everthing is going up except people's salaries?

Two Words: Fuel Cost



More expensive energy causes more expensive everything, especially steel and manufacturing in general. Even "cheap" foreign steel is more expensive due to transpo costs.

 

[Glock Guru]

Ya, I think that new V8 Cummins Diesel is just a re-badged Power Stroke.



-Troy

 

[blacksheep4x4]

Looks like the same face lift they gave the Durango.

 

[AKaiser]

Ya, I think that new V8 Cummins Diesel is just a re-badged Power Stroke.



-Troy

Na, I'd buy one. They've been working on it since 1998.



See http://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/pdfs/deer_2005/panel2/2005_deer_stang.pdf

 

[y-knot]

Thats the dumbest thing I have hear for a while on this site, "Who cares what it looks like, as long as it does the job" Come on Fat Cat did the heat get to your brain today or what. Aesthetics are the most important part of any vehicle, car or truck.





If the new Dodge was a dog (looks wise) you and no one else would want it. Looks are what put Dodge back into the truck business. on another note, I'm sure looks and function are at the top of Dodge's to do list. Trucks are like women, no one looks for a ugly one, they just get that way when rode hard and used alot.

 

[FATCAT]

Thats the dumbest thing I have hear for a while on this site, "Who cares what it looks like, as long as it does the job" Come on Fat Cat did the heat get to your brain today or what. Aesthetics are the most important part of any vehicle, car or truck.





If the new Dodge was a dog (looks wise) you and no one else would want it. Looks are what put Dodge back into the truck business. on another note, I'm sure looks and function are at the top of Dodge's to do list. Trucks are like women, no one looks for a ugly one, they just get that way when rode hard and used alot.

No, I really don't care what the fenders look like or the roof looks like, or the headlights look like ... I want it to do what I need it to do. If it only came in pink, then i would consider another truck.



The only other consideration I have on the new trucks is if they can still be had WITHOUT electrict windows/locks/keys ... a rubber floor and a cloth seat.



I would be happy driving any of the "Big" three's trucks as long as it had the best engine/manual transmission combo.

 

[Scrappy]

If they messed with the hood, fuggetaboudit!! That will deeeeestroy the aesthetic appeal of the Ram...

#2, Although you can't see it very well in those two photos... if Dodge has done away with the 'big rig' styling, they are making a huge mistake.

If you look close at the picture you can see what looks like some sort of blocks holding the mask away from the top of the fenders. (there is a pronounced outline in the vinyl from the blocks) IMHO I think the big rig styling is still there but isn't as pronounced as it was.

 

[Jong]

If the new Dodge was a dog (looks wise) you and no one else would want it. Looks are what put Dodge back into the truck business. on another note, I'm sure looks and function are at the top of Dodge's to do list. Trucks are like women, no one looks for a ugly one, they just get that way when rode hard and used alot.

I disagree... the truck and motor combination that started this whole site was the '89 Ram 250/350 line with the 12 valve Cummins, and I don't know if you've looked at one lately, but they were not the most asthetically pleasing rigs in the land at the time (I know some will disagree). The Chevy and Ford counterparts at the time were better looking but didn't have the running gear the Dodges had. Obviously things got better looking with the 1994 model year 2nd gen (as well as power), but my point is that what makes a 3/4 or 1 ton great is the ability to work, be reliable and cost-effective over the long run, and take abuse. The fact that it's pretty is secondary to a lot of people.

 

[AKaiser]

I disagree... the truck and motor combination that started this whole site was the '89 Ram 250/350 line with the 12 valve Cummins, and I don't know if you've looked at one lately, but they were not the most asthetically pleasing rigs in the land at the time (I know some will disagree). The Chevy and Ford counterparts at the time were better looking but didn't have the running gear the Dodges had.

Well, they were SUPPOSED to bring out the BRs in 89. Then, what do they do, bring out that stupid-looking chrome monster schnozz. The 87 my Dad has is so much better looking than the 89-93. It was maybe 85 when they brought out the Crosshair grill, IIRC. Those were the best of the old Sweptline series.

 

[rteig]

WOW! It is amazing how many people must not read things through or are complete mushrooms! I don't know how many times I have read that the V-8'2 will be for the half tons and Durango/Dakotas, but it still gets folks fired up (L. O. L. ) I was reading somewhere else that in '08,'09,'10, somewhere in there that the feds will have a mandate on the height for the headlights (because of the crybaby Prius drivers I guess) hence the goofy looking Ford frontend, and probably has something to do with the way GM stacked their headlights. (I want to say this article was in Diesel Power magazine maybe). My guess, and this is only my $. 02 is that the test mule has some radical stuffing under that cover to hide hide the rest of that front end. I know one of those articles said the guy (Giles?) in charge of the redesign was moving away from the "big rig" styling but I agree that would be suicide. On some other dodge site (I think it may have been the DodgeForum.com website) a guy was talking about having been part of a survey for future Dodge trucks where they had several full mock up concepts and a group of people got to vote on them. No one was aloowed to have any cell phones or cameras in there, so no pictures were available, but he said each of them had some resemblence of the current trucks (let's hope!).



Dodge Forum - Dodge Enthusiast Forums for Ram Dakota Charger Neon SRT Viper Stealth

PickupTruck. Com: Future Truck - 2009 Dodge Ram

 

[rteig]

More links!



1500 Diesel coming!



Ram News - this link discusses the concepts that one individual saw last fall

 

[FATCAT]

More links!



Ram News - this link discusses the concepts that one individual saw last fall

A non-truck guy is going to design the new truck ... bad news.



Reading the story in the link he sounds like a politician who can visit a few bars in Texas and a few bar-b-q's and wa-la ... design a truck everyone will like!



A friggen ipod plug thing???? This new truck sounds like it is going to be packed with every electronic gizmo there is with a price tag to boot.



How 'bout a plan old truck with rubber floor, cloth seats manual windows, locks, and a regular old key to unlock the door and start the truck ... then use the rest of the money they were planning to spend on the gizmo's to beef up the suspension, axles, and frame.

 

[betterthanstock]

Hey, it could look worse:

Diesel dual cab for an easy life - drive.com. au

 

[AKaiser]

How 'bout a plan old truck with rubber floor, cloth seats manual windows, locks, and a regular old key to unlock the door and start the truck ... then use the rest of the money they were planning to spend on the gizmo's to beef up the suspension, axles, and frame.

You know, there are these things called BASE MODELS just for guys like you. They're called ST models. :-laf



I don't know about the rest of you, but a vehicle these days without power windows is a PITA, especially when you pull up to someone on the wrong side of the vehicle. #@$%! They also come in handy when you want to cool the inside of your truck when you get in it.

 

[FATCAT]

You know, there are these things called BASE MODELS just for guys like you. They're called ST models. :-laf



I don't know about the rest of you, but a vehicle these days without power windows is a PITA, especially when you pull up to someone on the wrong side of the vehicle. #@$%! They also come in handy when you want to cool the inside of your truck when you get in it.

And the electric windows/lock always break and the window falls down in the door (in the winter times always), and the locks no longer work after a few years.

But the manual windows work all the time. Just lean over and roll down the passenger window if its hot, then drive off ... simple.

 

[LesStallings]

Big rig look...

Ok, are we talking about the old styly big rig look or the new style??



Big rigs don't look like they used to look.

 

[AKaiser]

And the electric windows/lock always break and the window falls down in the door (in the winter times always), and the locks no longer work after a few years.

But the manual windows work all the time. Just lean over and roll down the passenger window if its hot, then drive off ... simple.

YOU can do that. I'm tired of doing that. It was difficult enough in my 92 Dakota, let alone a full-size, and I'm average height for a male. If they break, so be it. I'm sure there's someone out there who'll provide parts cheaper than Mopar by then. BTW, I think my Dad's power windows and locks on his 87 still work. Gee, that's a 20 year old truck with working power locks and windows. :-laf

 

[jcarey]

And the electric windows/lock always break and the window falls down in the door (in the winter times always), and the locks no longer work after a few years.





You must be one unlucky guy... I feel for you :{



I've never had the problems you describe - 4 trucks so far.

 

[FATCAT]

And the electric windows/lock always break and the window falls down in the door (in the winter times always), and the locks no longer work after a few years.





You must be one unlucky guy... I feel for you :{



I've never had the problems you describe - 4 trucks so far.

I've had a Chrysler Cordoba, Crown Vic, and my current VW Jetta that have had electric windows and all have had problems. The Cordoba you had to always leave a little open so you could push the windows down when you wanted to open them. Virtually the same for the Crown vic. The Jetta's windows just pop out of their track on cold icy days if you try to lower them that wouldn't happen of you were manully rolling them down. (just need to use a credit card to separate the window from the rubber gasket).



I just hope that any future trucks will still offer manual windows and locks and mirrors.

 

[jcarey]

The Jetta's windows just pop out of their track on cold icy days if you try to lower them that wouldn't happen of you were manully rolling them down.



Actually I thought you were talking about trucks, the 2500/3500, in particular. I have had the problem you describe with my wife's jetta (She was new to winter driving at the time).



I think it's more related to the power of the electric motors.



But you can accomplish the same task with manually cranking windows.



I've done it: Winter time; you want to crack that darn window, but it sticks.



So you give it a good tug (both hands) . . and POP! :{