by "Nibbles" (nibbles)
Published 03/06/2017 at 10:32
by "Nibbles" (nibbles)
Published 03/06/2017 at 10:32
Tags: Project Thanks Obama
; We bought a truck
; RAM MAN
STARS: 3
Anyone following Project Thanks Obama knows I got some bad news last week
http://oppositelock.kinja.com/project-thanks-obama-the-death-knell-1792908650
Well I’m happy to report that we did get a new engine. It’s a 5.7 HEMI. There’s just one problem with it
It happens to have a truck wrapped around it.
We traded the Volvo S40 for this 2017 RAM 1500 Bighorn on Friday with all of 13 miles on it. Quad cab (because what do two people need with a crew cab?), UConnect 8.4, heated things and a few other options. It’s not the Denali we wanted but we weren’t in a place to buy a 70k truck just yet. It’ll do what we need for the next few years for sure. The best part - we’re already seeing better MPGs than the Dakota, nearing 23! 23 mpg in a heavy-ass truck with a big-ass cast iron engine? Hell yeah. We’ve put about 150 miles on it so far and have come to the decision that this was not a bad decision. Project Thanks Obama is now actually a project instead of a DD.
Many more pics and a reviewlet coming in the near future!
"Jcarr" (jcarr)
03/06/2017 at 10:37, STARS: 0
Jelly
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
03/06/2017 at 10:38, STARS: 0
So if Thanks Obama doesn’t have to do truck or DD duties what are your plans for it?
"Nibbles" (nibbles)
03/06/2017 at 10:42, STARS: 0
It’s so fukkin’ NOICE
Got the Alpine 9 speaker plus sub system in it too. I can happily drown out those millenials blasting their raps with some good ol’ CCR :)
And yes that ZF is everything I thought it would be.
"Nibbles" (nibbles)
03/06/2017 at 10:46, STARS: 0
Get a 5.9
Build said 5.9
Strengthen the NV3500 or find an NV4500
Blast and recoat the frame
SAS, probably 4.88
4" lift
33" TAKOs, maybe 35" depending on clearances
???
I ain’t gonna worry about the body so much any more or fancying up the interior. Rust abatement, maybe a new tailgate, Rustoleum paint job, call it a day
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
03/06/2017 at 10:50, STARS: 0
Nice. You should do a bedliner paint job.
"Nibbles" (nibbles)
03/06/2017 at 10:52, STARS: 0
Nah, too much weight. The axles are going to add enough, I’d really like to keep it under two tons :)
"Jcarr" (jcarr)
03/06/2017 at 10:53, STARS: 1
How is the rotary shifter? Awkward? Got the air suspension?
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
03/06/2017 at 10:53, STARS: 1
Just don’t fix the rust and you’ll have no issues keeping the weight down.
"PatBateman" (PatBateman)
03/06/2017 at 11:04, STARS: 0
Very nice whip!! Congrats!!
I personally love the idea of that transmission mated with the 5.7, too.
"Nibbles" (nibbles)
03/06/2017 at 11:06, STARS: 1
Oh, the shifter
I haven’t driven an automatic truck in YEARS yet the movements are still etched in my memory. Everything I’ve owned for ages has been floor-shifted, whether manual or automatic. However the first few times I went to shift from R to D or vice versa I found my right hand reaching out toward the gauge cluster, expecting that remnant of days long past - the column shifter - to greet me with a satisfying clunk . It’s brought forth many a giggle from both me and my wife. She has found herself slapping the center console as well in a vain attempt to change gears.
The rotary shifter, as I predicted in previous posts, is absolutely remarkable. There’s no mechanical linkage in anything any more and nothing says this is the future, get used to it better than the shift dial. Space is freed up for other things - in this case a cavernous console bin - and the placement and usage is, to be honest, perfect. It’s easy to use and quite intuitive. Slap one direction to go forward, another to go backward. I’m still in the learning phase as sometimes I’ve put it in park after reversing when I meant to put it in drive, but I think that’ll go away soon. The “manual” option - buttons on the steering wheel - were polarizing at first. I thought they’d be a good idea for regular use but they’re not. They’ll be great for holding gears while towing but otherwise they really want you to leave the ZF to its own devices because it’s better than you and it is.
We didn’t get the air suspension - they didn’t have any Bighorns with it in stock and we would have had to upgrade to a Laramie. Surprisingly my wife said no to the Laramie, she likes the Bighorn better :\
(and that whole spiel up there about the shifter, I’ll be using that verbatim in the review I’m sure)
"Nibbles" (nibbles)
03/06/2017 at 11:06, STARS: 1
Well it is a ‘90s Mopar ;)
"Nibbles" (nibbles)
03/06/2017 at 11:07, STARS: 1
Thanks! The ZF is indeed everything I thought it would be.
"Jcarr" (jcarr)
03/06/2017 at 11:08, STARS: 0
Interesting. I feel like I wouldn’t know what to rest my right hand on.
"diplodicus" (diplodicus)
03/06/2017 at 11:09, STARS: 0
I had a ram as a rental for a week and the zf is fantastic.
I’m not a fan of the interior design though.
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
03/06/2017 at 11:09, STARS: 1
Right so you’ll probably want to address rust so it can continue to exist.
"Nibbles" (nibbles)
03/06/2017 at 11:10, STARS: 1
The center console armrest is comfortable and welcoming, even in the lower trim levels.
"Nibbles" (nibbles)
03/06/2017 at 11:19, STARS: 0
Yeah it really is
As far as interior goes, it’s all subjective. The GM twins have a beautiful looking interior. We cross-shopped the Bighorn against a Silverado 1500 LTZ. The LTZ’s seats were absolute and utter shit comparatively, which means a lot since we will be driving the truck all over the Us
It may not be the best looking interior, but everything is in its riiiight plaaaace
And the seats don’t suck
"diplodicus" (diplodicus)
03/06/2017 at 12:00, STARS: 0
I don’t like the new GM interiors either. We have a 2011 Sierra at work and I like the interior in that. It’s very simple and clean. I’m not crazy about the seats in it, haven’t driven the newer gen so I don’t know if they’re the same or not. I’m not big on fords interior design right now either.