Best value to cost ratio pick up on the market

"MUSASHI66" (musashi66) 09/23/2018 at 16:00 • Filed to: None

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Oppo, what do you think is the best new pick up truck on the market for around $30-35k?

Basically, my father in law’s old Dodge RAM 2500 just got totaled because of hail damage. He wants to replace it with another truck, but can step down to a 1500 as he doesn’t have to haul the trailer he used to.

I think the requirements are:

-Full size truck, so no Taco/Colorado/Canyon

- Crew/Quad cab - whatever has normal doors for the back seats

-V8 or turbo V6

-longest bed option, as he still hauls two humongous dog kennels for his hunting dogs

-as good fuel economy as one can get out of a modern pickup

-as close to $30k as possible

He’s 60+ and he probably will n ever sell this, so resale value is moot point. But, something that can last him until he croaks would be good.

My option 1: I am thinking of a 2018 RAM 1500 with a quad cab and 6'4" bed and V8 Hemi. I’m pretty sure one can be had for $10000 under MSRP without too much trouble. I think he can pick a few different modes at $35k or less . Downside is 17mpg combined

Option 2: Ford F150 with a 2.7L Turbo is interesting as well - I think we can find one with $7000+ discount and it has the best MPG (21mpg combined) out of 3/4 ton trucks if you don’t count regular V6 (non turbo models), and it is still powerful enough to hustle with a sense of urgency when you step on it. I think $35k would give him a decently loaded one.

He does like power, so 3.5L V6 ecoboost is not out of realm of possibility, and the new Silverado with 6.2 V8 420HP is sweet, but those would probably end up being around 50k.

Oppo hive mind, your thoughts?

The Snowman > MUSASHI66 09/23/2018 at 16:17

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5.3 Silverado

MUSASHI66 > The Snowman 09/23/2018 at 16:20

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Can you elaborate? What makes it better than F-150 2.7 or RAM 1500 Hemi? Does it have better discounts? re you talking about the brand new model or the outgoing and hoping to find a deal?

Tristan > MUSASHI66 09/23/2018 at 16:25

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A one year old 3.5 Ecopoop or Ram 5.7 . you didn’t specify if the old truck was gas or diesel, so I’ll assume it was gas. In which case, the 5.7 Ram 1500 will have worlds better fuel economy than the older 3/4 ton, so I’d bet he’d be happy with it.

Whatever the decision, it’s not like anyone makes a “bad” truck. They’re all fantastic and incredibly capable/reliable rigs. Test drive them all and pick the favorite. I still say look for a lightly used one- he’ll get more truck for his buck that way with little to no downside.  

MUSASHI66 > Tristan 09/23/2018 at 16:36

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Old truck is gas 2500, and he’s lucky to get 13mpg combined. I agree - no one makes a bad truck (well, other than Nissan based on reviews, and he likes the Titan - I’m trying to discourage that). New 5.7 is only 17mpg average, so he might save $50 per 1000 miles driven with gas at $3.

As far as used vs. new - I am not sure if that is re ally the cas e. Used trucks in CO seem to hold their value really well - buying a year or two old truck is about the same as buying a new one with a good discount. 

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > MUSASHI66 09/23/2018 at 16:50

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Ra m with a hemi is going to be the best value, for just driving dynamics and day to day comfort I’m still a Chevy fan. Ford is hit or miss...

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > MUSASHI66 09/23/2018 at 17:59

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F-150 my guy. Those 2.7s hustle when you step on it and they feel more modern than the outgoing Ram and are more proven than the incoming Ram .

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > MUSASHI66 09/23/2018 at 18:10

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Just like to point out that the Ram 1500 Quad Cab with the V8 Hemi is, after a RHD conversion by the mob behind HSV, around AU$80,000 in Oz.

About the same price as a Ranger Raptor dual cab.

But more 15 grand more expensive than the new M-B Sprinter dual cab with seating for 5, either an 8 foot or 10 foot(?) bed, higher load capacity and much better fuel economy...

nermal > MUSASHI66 09/23/2018 at 18:17

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The old body style Ram 1500s will be the best option for cheapness. You should be able to hit right around $30k as long as you stay low on options. I nteriors on even the base model new trucks are better than 10 yr old models due to progress, plus the ride will be a bazillion times better.

MUSASHI66 > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 09/23/2018 at 18:19

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That’s $58k in freedom dollars. You guys are so screwed with car prices - but then again, you can buy V8 utes and real off-road Land Cruisers :)

MUSASHI66 > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 09/23/2018 at 18:20

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And they have great gas mileage if you’re not stepping on them!

MUSASHI66 > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/23/2018 at 18:20

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I haven’t driven any newer pickups lately so my mindset is stuck on the comfort of a 2001 Tundra :)

MUSASHI66 > nermal 09/23/2018 at 18:21

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New interiors are cool, and I imagine there are decent discounts on those as well. I think we might need to test drive them all.

Tristan > MUSASHI66 09/23/2018 at 18:48

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$50/1000 miles is still $750/year. My old neighbor has a newer Ram 1500 with a 5.7. He gets about 10-12 towing his travel trailer and has seen as high as 26 on a no-load all-highway trip. He says he sees about 20 normally. I guess it just depends on how heavy his foot is, but 20 MPG for an almost 400 HP crew cab 4x4 fullsize truck is nothing to sneeze at. I grew up with wheezy 170 hp regular cab trucks that had half the capabilities, a quarter of the amenities, and got 10 mpg.

MUSASHI66 > Tristan 09/23/2018 at 19:05

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20mpg would be great! I doubt he’d ever see that the way he drives...

Tristan > MUSASHI66 09/23/2018 at 19:15

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I recommend the 3.5 Ecoboop. It’s damn quick when you smash the skinny pedal, and the one I rented got mid 20s with the cruise set at 80, and 18 mpg when I was absolutely ragging the s#!t out of it trying to make a 7 hour trip in 5 hours and 45 minutes. The al-yoo-minny-um truck drives so much like a car, too!

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > MUSASHI66 09/23/2018 at 19:41

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V8 utes are dead. This Ram 1500 has been introduced to try and attract sales from the crowd that would once have bought one .

The extra costs are associated with the RHD conversion since none of the Ram’s are engineered for it. Basically it’s a full strip and rebuild of the LHD vehicle with a some locally made or re-engineered parts. Hence the cost.

If FCA wanted to engineer the next series of Ram trucks for both left and right hand drive then they cost easily lop twenty to thirty grand off current retail.

Truth is though...these things are such a niche package and, in so many ways, impractical and inefficient for most purposes in this country.

MUSASHI66 > Tristan 09/23/2018 at 21:43

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Good to know, thanks! 

The Snowman > MUSASHI66 09/24/2018 at 00:30

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Real world fuel economy on the ecoboost is garbage.  I have never been impressed by the current Rams. The Silverado with the 5.3 gets descent mileage and drives nice. Don't know about the new body but I imagine you can find a hell of a deal on the old ones.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > MUSASHI66 09/24/2018 at 01:15

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I bought a new F-150 last year, and I’m an happy camper with the truck. The 2.7 ecoboost is a seriously good motor, and it is deeply impressive  towing.

MUSASHI66 > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 09/24/2018 at 18:27

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Driving normally, do you get anything near the estimated gas mileage? 21 on average would be great. 

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > MUSASHI66 09/25/2018 at 00:10

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With the cruise control set at 80-82 mph, I get between 22.5-23.5mpg. This is running at 4000+ ft in elevation (and usually hotter than balls outside) in a mountainous state. It would probably do better driving across someplace like Nebraska. My truck also has the short 3.73 gears, which while d eeply impressive towing, I think the truck would do a couple of mpg better with taller gears dropping the rpm s a bit cruising. my truck is also a 2WD, regular cab/short bed, so it isn’t a heavy combination.

C ruise control is critical to getting mileage out of it on the highway. Without it, the smallest throttle input my foot can make always seems to spool up the turbos more than needed and mileage suffers . The computer does a way better job, and these trucks will even automatically engine brake downhill with the cruise set, too .

My in- town mileage is so minimal with the truck not even getting close to warmed up during the week for my 1 mile commute that never exceedes 35mph that I can’t really tell what it actually gets in town. My best guess is around 19 or 20 , if you keep your foot out of it.

MUSASHI66 > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 09/25/2018 at 01:08

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Thanks! 

boxrocket > MUSASHI66 10/01/2018 at 06:51

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Definitely F-150 if he’s going to be keeping it a while. The 2.7L is a great engine, and my father-in-law has it in his F-150 which he uses to pull a trailer and bed full of camera gear all over the Midwest. My dad just replaced his 2013 3.5L EcoBoost crew cab in on a 2018 of the same spec, even though I encouraged him to consider the 2.7L since he doesn’t use the truck part of the truck as often as he used to and doesn’t need the oomph or relative thirst of the 3.5.

If not the Ford, then the Ram would be preferred over the chevy, if only for familiarity and a massively better interior. 

MUSASHI66 > boxrocket 10/01/2018 at 16:51

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Thanks! We’ll see what he decides to go with - he always talks about saving money and he always end up with exactly what he wants regardless of cost. “Buy once cry once” is his motto.