Review: 2009 Dodge Ram – Does It Have A Hemi In It ?!?!?!

By Sandi Pedersen – MyCarData

Not long ago a full size truck was a common choice for many, but lately fewer families are choosing a truck to function as a main vehicle. Having said that, many of today’s working class as well as several businesses, still rely on trucks, so new ones are constantly being developed. The 2009 Dodge Ram is a great vehicle in terms of styling and functionality, and offers many different models. From the basic V6 powered ST model to the SLT crew cab 4×4 powered by a potent 5.7 liter Hemi equipped with MDS (Multi-Displacement System). With choices like these the 2009 Dodge Ram offers a truck that fits just about everyone’s needs.
The truck that arrived in my driveway was very impressive, painted Inferno red and sporting TRX4 labeling along with 17 inch all terrain tires mounted on chrome rims. The truck just standing still made a very macho statement. Having tested a few of the newer trucks on the market I expected this one to be similar. Boy was I wrong!

One of the things that impressed me with this new Dodge was the optional Rambox cargo management system. The rear box sides have built in storage compartments that make it very easy to stow grocery bags, tools and gear at the touch of a button. Even though the sheer size of the truck overall required parking toward the back of the grocery store lot, I liked this storage option enough to overlook the added steps. Another detail that in my mind must be included when buying any full size vehicle, was the optional Parkview rear camera and Park Sense rear parking system. These work in unison when the vehicle is in reverse. One allows you to see behind you while backing and the other alerts you when objects are getting to close.

The SLT also came equipped with very comfortable cloth 40/20/40 front seats and 60/40 rear seats. The optional luxury group also added things like a leather wrapped steering wheel, fold away power heated mirrors and sun visors with illuminated vanity mirrors. These are options which appeal to both genders. Well, the vanity mirrors got more attention from me then perhaps my male counterparts.

The new Ram 1500 SLT looked cool, drove great and had a 390hp Hemi which was awesome. Add to this a few options and voila, you have a vehicle that beckons to be driven for work or play. I would highly recommend the 2009 Dodge Ram to anyone looking for a new full-size truck.

I have come to the realization that when I get into a vehicle for the first time, I immediately look at the cup holder options. Call me shallow or just an avid coffee drinker, who is seldom without a cup, but I found in talking to other people, women in particular, that this is a very important aspect of how we feel about the vehicle.

On a scale of 1-10
Cup holders – 8

The center console offered tons of storage, adequate cup holders and a massive arm rest. All this added greatly to the interior comfort of this vehicle.

2010 Dodge Ram 3500 Heavy Duty – Preview Look

By Casey Williams – MyCarData

As Dodge rolled out its all-new Ram last year, something was noticeably missing. In the hoopla of coil spring suspensions, Daimler engineering, and Chrysler 300-style interiors, nobody mentioned heavy-duty 2500/3500 series models. For 2010, Dodge makes amends.

Said Scott Kunselman, V.P. – Jeep/Truck Product Team, “Our new 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups continue to build on Dodge Ram’s leadership in the Heavy-Duty pickup segment. Our Ram Heavy-Duty Pickups reinforce Dodge Ram’s bold and powerful reputation, and provide improved capability in critical areas of the segment.”

For the first time ever, Heavy Duty trucks will be available in Crew Cab configuration with enough space to seat up to six comfortably. All will enjoy optional heated and ventilated seats, heated steering wheel, rear seat DVD player, Sirius Satellite Radio, Sirius Backseat satellite television, 30-gigabyte music hard drive, and 10 speakers for total surround sound.

Dodge will offer a choice of gasoline and diesel powertrains. A 6.7-litre Cummins V8 diesel produces 350 horsepower at 3,000 rpm, a staggering 650 lb.-ft. of torque at only 1,500 rpm, and is 50-state emissions compliant. An available 5.7-litre HEMI V8 steps off with 383 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque. 3500 series trucks with dual rear wheels can tow up to 18,500 lbs; maximum payload is rated 5,110 lbs. If you can dream it, you can probably tow or haul it.

If you’re thinking you would look cool riding around in one of these awesome new Heavy Duty Dodge Rams, you are right. However, these are tough trucks for tough jobs. They would look great in front of your house, but could also move it. When real men (and women) need real trucks, it would be hard to beat the new Dodge Ram Heavy Duty. When the trucks hit dealerships this fall, they will compete against the Ford F-250/350, Chevy Silverado HD 2500/3500, and GMC Sierra HD 2500/3500.

2009 Dodge Ram — For The Love Of Work

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman – ww.car-data.com

It is a heck of a time to be introducing new, big trucks in a market that has taken a dramatic downturn. Sure today a gallon of gas is about $2.00. But a couple of months ago when Dodge introduced this new Ram 1500, gas was over $4.00 a gallon. We hate to throw dirt in an open wound but logic and gut tells us that $4.00 plus gasoline is probably in our future, again.

But the reality is somewhat different than conventional thinking. Even though the light pickup truck market is smaller it is still a volume leader. The answer is relatively simple, people need trucks for work.

J.D. Power and Associates, a Westlake Village, Calif. Marketing and research firm tells us, “Although large pickup truck deliveries have taken a dramatic hit this year (down 26.1% year to date), owner loyalty actually has risen during each of the past 5 months, or since June 2008, according to Power Information Network (PIN) retail transaction data from J.D. Power and Associates. In addition, total industry market share has maintained some strength, based on the company’s research data.”

“Despite large pickup sales falling by more than one-third in October from the same month in 2007, the segment held a reasonable share of industry sales—13.3% of the market in October-,” notes the information from Power.

So there you have it.

Even in a down market trucks are still loved and needed.

And Dodge thinks those that need pickups will love the new Ram.

Dodge sought a new measure of refinement without losing traditional big-pickup truck capabilities with its all-new Ram. And the Dodge boys succeeded in many ways — despite a large amount of carryover equipment and features — pointing their 2009 Ram at customers who want more handling prowess and ride sophistication and a more luxury-car interior in their pickup.

The most revolutionary change is the use of a heavy-duty coil rear suspension. Since the first pickup rolled onto the streets and dirt roads of America a century ago, trucks have come with rear leaf springs.

That basic design is so good it has survived for a century.

A stack of leaf springs supports heavy loads and prevents the truck from bottoming out. The trade-off is a stiffer, bouncy ride — the familiar truck jiggle — when the truck bed is empty, because without weight in the pickup bed very little spring flex takes place.

Coil spring suspension systems have been used on the front of most trucks for years and at all four corners of most cars. These systems typically have a single coil on each side of the vehicle, which moves more freely than a leaf spring setup offering more give and a more comfortable ride.

Dodge says its Ram 1500 truck with five-link rear coil springs will carry a traditional load without compromising comfort. Don’t take this to mean a Lexus ride. You will still find a modicum of traditional truckiness because the coil setup is of heavy-duty construction to handle big payloads.

And, indeed, he Ram has a maximum payload of 1,850 pounds and a top towing capacity of 9,100 pounds.

While those are excellent numbers, they fall short of the maximum configurations in the new Ford F-150, the Chevrolet Silverado and the Toyota Tundra. Dodge figures most people who need more hauling and towing capability will move up to its Ram heavy duty trucks. We don’t necessarily agree since the price tag for a heavy duty to get the extra capability is pretty stiff so Dodge may be taking a risk in the half-ton segment and they may give up some volume to its competitors.

Was the suspension change worthwhile?

Our usual rider, who we quiz each week about the various vehicles we drive, praised the ride from her shotgun seat. “This might be the most comfortable pickup I’ve ridden in,” she opined.

One of the few people we allow a few miles behind the wheel from time to time marveled at how the Ram test truck drove like a sedan. “If you didn’t know, you wouldn’t know you were in a pickup.”

That’s our tiny corner of the world, and Dodge hopes it’s a microcosm of U.S. truck buyers. Dodge has set its sights on who they think will be purchasing pickups in the diminishing segment over the next few years and attempted to match its newest iteration to those buyers.

Perhaps equally as enticing is a new interior that we think is amongst the best in the pickup truck ranks. The design appeals to the eye and the controls are well placed, well marked and easy to use.

All interiors come with first-rate materials. All pieces are aligned correctly and overall fit and finish is excellent.

Our SLT came with optional leather upholstery — standard in the top trim Laramie — that included a leather-stitched dashboard.

The seats are broad and comfortable, but firm enough to keep tired bodies fresh on long-distance journeys.

Storage areas are abundant including a big center bin.

Opt for the crew cab, and you will be rewarded with water-tight storage compartments under the rear floor and shallow bins under the flip-up back seat.

Dodge has substituted the old extended cab configuration with its half doors for what it calls a quad cab with traditional hinged doors.

Although leg room is on the smallish side, entering and exiting the quad is much easier than crawling in and out of the back of an extended cab.

The new crew cab offers back-seat comfort with a good rake to the seatbacks and scads of legroom.

We think Dodge got it right giving the power hungry among us a big tasty bone in the form of a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 generating 390 horsepower. The monster engine will give Dodge owners bragging rights over the few Tundra faithful who can’t keep their traps shut about Toyota’s 5.7- liter 381-horsepower V-8.

Our two-wheel-drive SLT quad cab test truck included the big V-8 and it’s a beast with the potential to do tire-smoking launches. A standard-cab model was measured by a major auto magazine in a time of
5.7 seconds 0-to-60 and 14.4 seconds at 93.4 miles per hour in the quarter mile. For comparison, the two-wheel drive Tundra regular cab has been measured at 6.1 seconds and 90 mph in the quarter mile.

Gas mileage is acceptable for a big pickup, but certainly not something to get excited over. In 4 X2 guise, the EPA rating is still a paltry 14-mpg city, 20 highway and in 4 X4 configuration it is 13/18. For comparison, the big Tundra V-8 is rated at 14/18 for the 4
X2 and 13/17 for the 4 X4.

Probably more important to most truck buyers are the decent towing and hauling numbers that come with the 5.7-liter engine.

The new Dodge, as you might expect, comes in a variety of configurations including three trim levels — ST, SLT and Laramie — with Sport and TRX (off road) packages available, three bed sizes (8- foot, 6-foot-4 and 5-foot-7), three body styles — regular cab, quad cab and crew cab — and in two-wheel or four-wheel drive.

Add to all that the two engine choices in addition to the big Hemi (the standard engine is a 3.7-liter V-6 making a rather meager 215 horsepower; and probably the engine of choice for many people will be the 4.7-liter V-8 mated to a five-speed automatic generating 310 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque). That makes for about a zillion configurations. Good luck, but our suggestion is to find a real truck builder to help you figure out what you need.

We don’t think the V-6, standard in the 4 X2 regular and quad cab model will be a consideration for most folks. It’s mated to a manual transmission or a four-speed automatic with a maximum towing capacity of 3,800 pounds. But the bad news is its meager 14/20 fuel rating.

We recommend moving up to the smaller V-8 for $1,060. It’s package 24 A and includes the five-speed automatic. In addition to the extra horsepower and increased towing capability (7,600 pounds) you get almost the same gas mileage numbers as the V-6 at 14/19.

The Ram begins at $22,170 for a 2 X4 regular cab with manual transmission and climbs through the configurations to a $44,170 for a handsomely equipped 4 X4 Laramie.

Our SLT quad cab test truck, which came with the big Hemi and several other options including navigation, 20-inch wheels, leather interior, power sunroof, dual-zone climate control and upgraded audio system, carried a bottom line of $40,065 including $900 destination charge.

Also look for a nifty Ram Box option of built-in lockable exterior fender side panel bins that are now being offered on certain models – something new, different and practical.

We think Dodge has hit the sweet spot between workhorse and modern vehicle sophistication. And that may be a very good thing in these tough times.

2009 DODGE RAM GETS BUFFED

By Casey Williams -
www.car-data.com

When Dodge launched the radical 1994 Ram, it knew there wasn’t much to lose.

While Rams were well known for their Cummins diesel engines and an ability to work hard, theirstyling was positively antique. GM and Ford re-designed their full-size trucks several timesduring the Ram’s lifespan.

Then came the Peterbilt face, flush glass, wrapped headlamps, and flared fenders withoutforgetting how to work for a living. Fifteen years later, Ram makes major advancements on aproven formula. “We built a range of concept trucks that we took to clinics, including one thatwas intentionally not ‘Ram-like’,” said Mark Allen, Chief Designer. “We heard loud and clear thatpeople wanted the look we own with Dodge Ram – bold, powerful and capable. We knew we had tobuild on that theme.”

Without a doubt, you’ll recognize the Ram instantly with its big rig snout, lowered frontfenders, and tough Dodge styling. Not surprising, much attention was given to aerodynamics andwind noise. Hood corners are pushed downward, the hood dome is shaped to flow air over windshieldwipers, mirrors are streamlined, wheel openings are minimized, and the sill surface was sculptedoutward to better match the tire plane.

Even the A-pillar was formed to direct air and water over the vehicle, window moldings werereduced to make glass more flush with the bodysides, and the front air dam was shaped to work as abelly pan. It is safe to say that no pickup in history has been so carefully designed to reduceaero drag, lower noise, and most importantly, increase gas mileage.

Inside the sleek cab is more Chrysler 300C than Dodge Ram with a gated gear selector placed inthe center console with two Super Gulp drink holders, a concealed storage bin that rivals a PODSunit, and space for cell phones and other small objects. True to tradition, a laptop can becompletely concealed. A three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel, twin analog gauges, silverfinishes on the console, and elegant use of woodgrain raise the level of style and convenience.Twin glove boxes, heated steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, express up/downwindows, in-dash navigation, side curtain airbags, rearview camera, and Sirius Backseat satelliteTV take it up another leap. If Mercedes built a truck, this would be it.

Unique in the segment is Dodge’s innovative “RamBox”. To conveniently store sports equipment,tools, fishing poles, or even beverages, two storage compartments were carved into the bedsides andare accessible from the outside by opening locked doors. The self-draining and lit compartmentshold up to ten cases of soda (240 12-oz cans). An adjustable bed divider, bed extender, and cargorail system with sliding cleats add versatility.

As stylists smoothed the exterior, chassis and powertrain engineers buffed and pumped the bigtruck’s muscles. Among engine choices of a 3.7-litre V6 or 4.7-litre V8 is a new 5.7-litre HEMI V8that generates 380 horsepower and 404 lb.-ft. of torque to pull almost anything. MDS(variable

displacement) technology allows the engine to run on four cylinders during low power situationsto save fuel while variable valve timing improves engine breathing, efficiency, and power. Dodgeclaims a 4% increase in fuel economy – rated 15/20-MPG city/hwy for the V6, 13/19-MPG for the 4.7-litre V8, and 13/19-MPG for the big 5.7-litre V8.

Just because a truck can tow big loads doesn’t mean it shouldn’t behave like a luxury car.Engineers stoked its undersides with a multi-link coil-spring rear suspension that dispenses leafsprings for a refined and “settled”

ride that promises to be the best of any full-size pickup. Trailer sway control, electronicstability control, brake force distribution, and four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes are all availableto keep the big boy from throwing a fit on slick surfaces or when loaded to the max.

There is so much new about the 2009 Dodge Ram that I couldn’t possibly cover anything. Gasprices are sure to take a toll on Ram sales, but that will not be a reflection of the all-outeffort that went into engineering and styling a new generation of pickups. The fact that Dodgecould create an all-new truck with so much technology while keeping its face a familiar sight isall the more impressive. Expect similar prices to the current model when the truck goes on salethis fall. Competitors include the updated 2009 Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra, NissanTitan, and Toyota Tundra.