"Long_Voyager94" (yourenotavalidusername)
09/23/2020 at 09:59 • Filed to: oppo review, Ram Big horn, RAM
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"Long_Voyager94" (yourenotavalidusername)
09/23/2020 at 09:59 • Filed to: oppo review, Ram Big horn, RAM | 1
| 22 |
So while my van’s in for the hood replacement I was given a 2020 Ram 1500 Big Horn for a loaner. With just 5,500 miles on the clock, it’s like brand new yet.
It’s a crew cab 4x4, so a “big” truck, but it drives and handles like a much smaller vehicle.
The ride is stiff, yet smooth.
The handling is extremely quick, yet it seems well composed and even offers some decent feedback.
Performance is impressive, but restrained.
Economy is a joke at best.
The exterior styling is lackluster IMO, the chrome grille overbearing and the body lacking any real distinction. That being said, it easily flies under the radar with it’s generic styling.
The interior is where it really shines
, well appointed with quality feeling materials. Steering wheel buttons are well laid out to keep your hands on the wonderful leather wrapped wheel while all major controls are well in reach. The seats are comfortable and supportive, with the heated seat being a godsend on my back this week. Plenty of storage compartments and loads of rear seat room, even when sitting behind my 6'2" BIL. All the seats are equally comfortable and excellent at eating up miles. Most would find the touchscreen impressive, I’ll admit it’s better than most, but I find it annoying and distracting. That being said, it seems well laid out and has tangible buttons for those like me.
Photo: Stock Photos, sorry
Ride is quiet and smooth. It’s stiff without being harsh and feels excellent eating up our lackluster roads around here. As I stated earlier, the handling is quick and responsive with some decent feedback, while feeling well sorted and composed. Sports car, no. But it is perfectly fine for tossing some corners on the way home.
The 5.7 Hemi/8-speed feels damn good in here. It feels perfectly suited cruising down the highway as it does when you call on all 410hp/395ft-lbs. Said power is more than enough to get you up to far past legal speed, all the while carrying a big grin on your face. The 8-speed feels well sorted and reacts quickly when called upon.
Economy however I find laughable considering. I’ve maxed 21 mpg cruising on the highway and since refueling and resetting, have netted 16.3 mpg in my normal mixed driving.
For comparison, I average 22.5 mpg hwy and 18.2 mpg mixed from my Grandpa’s 250k mile 06 Ram 1500 crew cab V8 4x4.
Hence why I say laughable considering it has cylinder deactivation, better aero, 4 extra gears, and weighs 100 lbs less.
Being a step above “base” model, the interior really impresses with it’s quality and comfort, the driving dynamics are well suited for daily duty while being tough enough for truck stuff. While I wish the economy and styling were better (
and we’d do away with these stupid touchscreens
), its on par with other 1/2 tons these days.
Apparently my camera needs a charge, so stock pics will have to suffice.
Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> Long_Voyager94
09/22/2020 at 23:50 |
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That truck with the hemi is a hoot to drive. I had one as a work truck and I drove it when ever I had the chance. It was fun....
Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> Long_Voyager94
09/23/2020 at 00:08 |
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It's strange living in a world where vehicles as big as my last apartment with a big V8 getting 20 miles per gallon in any setting is unimpressive.
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Long_Voyager94
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/23/2020 at 06:51 |
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In honesty, this truck averages worse than the 98 Silverado we had years ago. That was an ex cab, short bed, with the 5.7L Vortec.
22 years older, same engine displacement, 4 less gears, same weight. How is it that economy is worse on the new truck, how is that ok?
Pickup_man
> Long_Voyager94
09/23/2020 at 09:33 |
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The new Rams are really nice trucks and IMO the best of the full size trucks available. They nailed the interior on these as well, even the base models feel nice.
I’m still on the fence about the coil spring rear suspension though, in normal driving they do ride very smooth, but I don’t like the way they handle bigger bumps, the rear end wanders around a lot when upset, and it’s far worse when loaded.
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Long_Voyager94
> Pickup_man
09/23/2020 at 09:58 |
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I haven’t noticed it wandering around on our rough roads, even when we loaded it down with 800 lbs of crap last night for scrap it handled fine.
Speed
> Long_Voyager94
09/23/2020 at 10:13 |
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I hated the new body style until I sat in my friend’s. It’s a Long Horn, so it has all the fancy fixins, but damn what a truck to sit in. It was incredibly nice and I really liked all the storage compartments Dodge managed to incorporate into the interior, especially the ones in the rear floorboard area. I still think they’re a step down as far as exterior styling, but that interior gets a big thumbs up.
vondon302
> Long_Voyager94
09/23/2020 at 10:26 |
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I’ve gotten a couple of tanks at nineteen but now that 90mph is the new 80mph I’m averaging 17s , which will get worse once it gets cold out of course. Heated seats are a godsend tho, first vehicle I’ve had with them.
I'd really like to see the new body style in a 2 door but they still don't make them yet or if at all.
The Ghost of Oppo
> Long_Voyager94
09/23/2020 at 10:44 |
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Are they really the same weight?
Cash Rewards
> Long_Voyager94
09/23/2020 at 11:04 |
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I’m assuming emissions are better? And also same mpg but more power?
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Long_Voyager94
> The Ghost of Oppo
09/23/2020 at 12:00 |
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Yep, both just under 5k lbs.
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Long_Voyager94
> Cash Rewards
09/23/2020 at 12:00 |
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More power is a result of better tuning and a cleaner burning engine, cleaner engines should use less fuel to make the same power.
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Long_Voyager94
> vondon302
09/23/2020 at 12:01 |
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Crew cab 4x4, the weight difference probably easily makes the mileage difference.
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Pickup_man
> Long_Voyager94
09/23/2020 at 12:09 |
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Maybe I’m just overly sensitive to it, but we loaded one down once, with probably more weight than we should have, and driving over bumps was unnerving because it felt like the rear end just started going another direction. Of course this is just the way a link type suspension with a track bar works, and I notice and dislike it on vehicles with solid front axles as well. The Ram’s soft rear suspension though just makes it much more pronounced.
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vondon302
> Long_Voyager94
09/23/2020 at 12:35 |
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For sure.
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Long_Voyager94
> Pickup_man
09/23/2020 at 12:52 |
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I mean the last truck I drove prior was a toss up between that 06 Ram and our old F250, both of those easily bounced around on rough roads. This feels very stable in comparison.
Then again, trucks in general do that, so it may be something that doesn’t phase me after driving trucks for a long time. Even my van tends to do that after upgrading the rear springs.
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Pickup_man
> Long_Voyager94
09/23/2020 at 14:00 |
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It’s not the bouncing around, its the rear end shifting left/right. I’ve driven trucks my whole life and am used to the usual bouncing/rough ride, but this is something different. I haven’t heard of anyone else who’s experienced the same thing so maybe it’s just me, IDK, I just prefer leaf springs I guess.
rctothefuture
> Long_Voyager94
09/23/2020 at 15:37 |
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FIL has one and it’s an amazing truck. He let me borrow it for a week when we were re-doing our deck during Quarantine. He bought it brand new off the lot, same color but the larger cab for the dogs to lay down in. With the seats folded up, I’m convinced you could fit a Full size mattress in the back of the cab.
The power is exceptional on these. The sound of the Hemi is great and the sound system hooked up with UConnect is fantastic. His suspension is a little more comfortable as he has the air suspension but it still gets sideways pretty quick.
Honestly, why would you buy a Silverado if you had the choice? The Chevy and GMC drive fine but the exterior styling is polarizing, the interior is dated, and nowhere near as refined as the Ram.
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rctothefuture
> Pickup_man
09/23/2020 at 15:38 |
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Have you tried one with the self leveling air suspension?
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Long_Voyager94
> Pickup_man
09/23/2020 at 16:00 |
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The shifting left to right was what I was referring to as well.
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Long_Voyager94
> rctothefuture
09/23/2020 at 16:01 |
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I honestly wouldn’t touch a Silverado or an F150 after being in this. These are lightyears ahead of the competition inside.
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Pickup_man
> rctothefuture
09/23/2020 at 16:41 |
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I’ve driven them, but not with a load, they ride really smooth but I still notice the same side to side shimmying. It’s %100 due to the 5 link system they use. When the track bar travels through it’s arc it moves the axle side to side a small amount and I can feel it. I notice the same thing on the front ends of Super Duty’s/HD Rams, Jeeps etc. There’s nothing wrong with it, just not something I’m used to and therefore don’t like.
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rctothefuture
> Pickup_man
09/23/2020 at 23:47 |
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Thats fair, im used to driving Jeeps and Ram's so thats probably why I am used to it!