When Will Matt Cave???

[HoleshotHolset]

It seems as though some folks would like to start a pool on when I end up with a 3rd Gen truck of my own... . :-laf



What do I get out of the deal, besides a truck payment and a kick-butt truck?!



Matt - always and forever drooling over the 3rd Gens... . and saving for a nice down payment.

 

[thejeepdude]

Well I'm in the same boat... I just put my truck up for sale and if it sells for a decent price Iwill be ordering a 3rd Gen. The main reasons are:



Brakes - I'm tired of sinking $$ into my brakes. Rear drums suck. EGR kit is $2000+ for front and rear. The new truck comes with 4 discs, and bigger ones at that.



transmission - It's due. I figure $4500 to have DTT go through it in order to handle the power I want. The new truck has a 48RE instead which will handle more power stock, and which I don't have to worry about for at least 100K miles with the new truck warranty.



Power - Sure I can easily get 325/600 or more out of my 2G, but not until the transmission is done, and even then there's no warranty and I'll probably end up blowing the VP44 sometime in the next couple years. That's another $1000 and time I don't want to spend workin on the thing.



New features - I really like the extra 4" behind the front seats. The fold flat metal floor and 60/40 split rear seat will give me a place to put my fridge/microwave on long trips without my woman having pull her seat up and sit with her knees in the dashboard. I love all the new storage places for a variety of reasons, but especially the stash compartment under the middle seat.



Load capacity - I can get a *1 TON*!!! I always wanted a one ton single rear wheel... now's my chance. Also comes with a class IV hitch which is nice since I'm about 2000lb over the limit on my class III right now.



Longevity - again, due to the brakes, transmission, fuel system all being better built. Plus, I don't have to worry about them for at least 100K.



Cons - the main down side to me besides the $$$ is that the new interior looks straight out of a minivan. Also there is a lot less room in the engine compartment for extra goodies which might make it hard to add onboard air or welder down the road. The sheetmetal is supposedly thinner, but looking at my friend's 3G I don't really see this as a problem.



All in all, I can't wait!



P. S. If anyone in the CA area is lookin for a truck like that in my sig, take a look here: Trader Ad I am flexible on the price, just wanted to start high since these things really hold their value in this area.

 

[MO'Donnell]

I'll put my guess in at 12 months, as I mentioned on the other thread.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

I agree on all counts, except for the interior. I think it's a lot better layed out than the 1st Gen or both versions of the 2nd Gen interior... and better than what F*rd/Chevy have to offer.



I think the interior took some German design cues - almost looks like a luxury car interior. I REALLY like the dual-zone heat/AC... too bad it only comes on the Laramies(my bad!)... .



Daimler-Chrysler did their homework on these trucks - and made improvements to almost every area of the older trucks that we didn't like. They have to be reading the TDR - they've fixed darn near all the issues...



I looked at the ad for your '99... . that leather looks NICE!! Who's leather is that?



Matt

 

[thejeepdude]

Thanks! Yeah I love that leather too... it's custom ordered from leatherseats.com. It has more actualy leather content than the factory leather seats do, and it was less than 800 bucks. With the new truck I am still torn as to whether I'll get the SLT with cloth and add the same leather to it, or spring for the Laramie and get the factory leather and dual zone A/C and stuff... .

 

[PLaFrombois]

Matt



Why didn't you set up a poll for this question, or will you be getting the truck before then? Do you want me to help you look? I can spend other peoples money better than my own. It's a little less than 3 weeks before we meet at Champs, and I think you driving in with a new truck will be a bigger hit than driving the "Yellow Bubble".



Paul

 

[RobertBolinger]

Matt,



"He's not family!"



(from the Polaner® All-Fruit® commercials where the old boy asks to please pass the jelly).



The Ford is a Lariat- the Dodge is a Laramie



OK enough of that.



If you think you are going to buy join the Farm Bureau at least a month before delivery-$25/year for $500 discount that is a certificate so it can be applied to whatever "best deal" you get.



Right now the incentives are either $2500 or $2000 + zero APR for up to 48 months-no more interest worries if you can pay in 48 months.



Check out tomeygun's pricing:

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=88734



Very hard to beat. If you are willing to travel to St. Louis.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

OMG! I can't believe I typed Lariat! (I fixed the post... ) Please forgive me!!!



I was under the impression that the Laramies came standard with the premium cloth 40/20/40... not leather. Hrmmm... . I really want the dual zone climate control. That would save more arguments between me and the 'ole Lady in the cab than I care to admit.



What I would really like to see is if the dual done climate control was only a matter of the control head and a little bit of work... . other than that... I don't really want the Laramie for much of anything else. I hate the fact that the electronic 4x4 comes with the Laramie.



Paul: Hrmmm... . a poll would work okay... but I want people to be able to put in their guess for the pool manually... instead of me offering a few choices to pick from.



As for me being more accepted in a 3rd Gen as opposed to the 'yellow bubble'... I've been driving the wheels off that car for well over a year... . and have grown used to the criticism I get for owning it. Besides, I thought I was helping YOU spend YOUR money!!??



Tomeygun's pricing is unreal. I would very easily make the journey to St. Louis to buy from him... On the thread you have referenced... I wish he would have included a 2500 4x4 Laramie and a 3500 4x4 SRW Laramie... . just for comparison purposes.



His price on a 3500 4x4 DRW Laramie is only a little more than Don Miller Dodge in West Madison had offered me for an '04 2500 4x4 SLT... . with the 305/555!!!



Matt - ready to be flogged like a frat boy for typing Lariat instead of Laramie. :{ :-laf



On edit: I'll look into the farm bureau thing - it can't hurt!

 

[RobertBolinger]

Tomeygun will be happy to give you a price on any combo you want-just PM him.



I wonder about that dual zone thing-seems like it would require extra ducts, etc. to work, but if the hardware is already there. Hmmm. Kind of like the airbag cutoff switch-the wiring is there on the quad cabs, you just have to get the switch, bezel, and get the dealer to reprogram the ECM- oh and get a waiver from the NHTSA to be legal...



The leather is standard on the Laramie, and optional on the SLT. The SLT has three seating options, the standard cloth, premium cloth, and leather.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Okay, then the Laramie might be worth the $4k afterall... . I didn't realize that. From what I have seen, the Laramie consists of: Cast wheels, foglights, interior light group, better seats... with leather!, dual-zone climate control, 6-disc CD changer audio with Infinity speakers... just to name the options off the top of my head... .



All I have had for info so far is the online window stickers and whatever www.dodge.com has to offer, which isn't much.



Thanks for the info!



Matt



On edit: I don't want to bother Tom anymore until I'm definitely 100% ready to buy. I'm still in the research stages... figuring out the #'s and options and so forth... .

 

[Fireman Dave]

Matt,



The Farm Bureau thing is a no-brainer. You might as well consider it a $463. cash gift (I think it cost $37. when I joined).



Dave

 

[PLaFrombois]

Matt



The Farm Bureau is a good idea. Unfortunately, you live in the expensive part of Wisconsin, and it'll cost you $40. Here's the address and contact.



Dane County Farm Bureau



5376 Farmco Drive

Madison, WI 53704

608-249-2982



www.wfbf.com



I guess this means you won't get your new truck until next month.



Let me know what you're looking for in the way of options, and I'll keep an eye out in my wanderings.



Paul

 

[Tomeygun]

Originally posted by HoleshotHolset

OMG! I can't believe I typed Lariat! (I fixed the post... ) Please forgive me!!!



Tomeygun's pricing is unreal. I would very easily make the journey to St. Louis to buy from him... On the thread you have referenced... I wish he would have included a 2500 4x4 Laramie and a 3500 4x4 SRW Laramie... . just for comparison purposes.



His price on a 3500 4x4 DRW Laramie is only a little more than Don Miller Dodge in West Madison had offered me for an '04 2500 4x4 SLT... . with the 305/555!!!



On edit: I'll look into the farm bureau thing - it can't hurt!

the short bed UPGRADE to the one ton is $575/retail, about $515/cost



the upgrade for long bed 2500 to 3500 is $935 on the laramie or like $600 on the SLT, dont ask me why, but that upgrade gets you overlaod springs and clearance lamps, thats it...



AND you get to gloat about having a one-ton!!!



almost forgot, PM me if you want a quote, i am always here

 

[HoleshotHolset]

I'm looking at the WI Farm Bureau application form as I type this... .



This is the only part that I'm wondering about:



FARM AND BUSINESS INFORMATION

Acres farmed

Principal crops raised

Principal livestock raised



Did you guys lie or just leave this section blank?



Tom: As usual, thanks for the info!!



Matt

 

[PLaFrombois]

Matt



Don't worry about it. Just leave it blank.



Paul

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Sweet.



Thanks Paul!



Matt

 

[PLaFrombois]

Matt



I sent you a PM.



Paul

 

[MO'Donnell]

Originally posted by HoleshotHolset

Okay, then the Laramie might be worth the $4k afterall... . I didn't realize that. From what I have seen, the Laramie consists of: Cast wheels, foglights, interior light group, better seats... with leather!, dual-zone climate control, 6-disc CD changer audio with Infinity speakers... just to name the options off the top of my head... .



All I have had for info so far is the online window stickers and whatever www.dodge.com has to offer, which isn't much.



Thanks for the info!



Matt



On edit: I don't want to bother Tom anymore until I'm definitely 100% ready to buy. I'm still in the research stages... figuring out the #'s and options and so forth... .

Double and TRIPLE check the content of the Laramie package for small content changes - I believe for '04 the aluminum wheels are now an option, they substituted the light group which was a late availability option in '03. I think it has about 75% of the available options all wrapped up, plus a few "exclusives" like dual power seats. I wasn't happy about the dial-a-drive, but I've managed to "adjust" By the time you converted to dual climate control, you would have probably spend more $$$$ than the price difference of SLT vs Laramie.



One other compelling reason to get a Laramie



HEATED LEATHER SEATS! Available for the absurdly low price of $140 - but ONLY on the Laramie.



Geez Matt, at the rate you're going, I may have to revise my guess DOWNWARD by a few months!

 

[Tomeygun]

heated seats, dual power, and dual climate control, and laramie DOES get aluminum wheels included - those are the "can't get with slt" options...



all in all, its a nice package, and you can upgrade to GPS radio for $700 !!!

cya

 

[Fireman Dave]

Matt,



When I signed up at the Farm Bureau, I was wondering what they would say. When I walked in and said I wanted to join the Farm Bureau, the lady said "Buying a Dodge truck?". LOL, I said yeah - I guess you're used to that. No problem - quick and easy. They don't care. The way I figure it, they get some funds, Dodge sells trucks, we get a discount - everyone wins. You don't have to be a farmer or even own a piece of land or anything to join.



Dave