New Ram Truck Class...

[Captain America]

... I took today made me think of you guys. The 2019 redesigned Ram 1500 will have a really interesting 12" display unit available that does so many different things that it's gonna be a challenge to some...but...because of complaints from customers a CD player will be available again in 2019. It's a rare thing when customer complaints lead to a change like that but I personally got lots of 'em.

Here's a video with a little information about the 12" display...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vklWTDP6h8k

 

[bogus bill]

Talk about people on cell phones, how many accidents will this cause? Sorry, I am the least computer literate person I know but yet am on mine most of the time.

 

[wwb]

Some folks will think it's really great..... others will regard it as the answer to a question that was never asked. I'm afraid I fall into the latter group.

"The Boss" has a RAV4 with one of those do-everything screens. Apparently, the boneheads who designed it never drive at night. You can dim all the other instrument and control lights, but not that monstrosity. Also, whoever thought it was "intuitive" to operate sure doesn't think like I do.

 

[bogus bill]

When I was a kid the local garage owner "Happy Jack Langenburg" was quite respected by the race track crowd. He owned a airplane, Harley's and drove a home built Indy racer looking car. He was always doing stock car racers etc. He was a local legend. He told me he would never own a radio in a car of his as he wouldn't have the distraction! He would be about a 115 if still alive.

 

[Fox Mike]

We purposely did not buy one type of vehicle due to the fact that the 'display' panel couldn't be dimmed or turned off. There are enough distractions on the highway, I don't want to have more at my fingertips.

 

[Kevin]

I’d love it... in a Ford.

If it’s in the Dodge RAM, I’m afraid I’d have to pass. The rest of the truck might fall apart around that screen.

 

[arfmel]

Some folks will think it's really great..... others will regard it as the answer to a question that was never asked. I'm afraid I fall into the latter group.

"The Boss" has a RAV4 with one of those do-everything screens. Apparently, the boneheads who designed it never drive at night. You can dim all the other instrument and control lights, but not that monstrosity. Also, whoever thought it was "intuitive" to operate sure doesn't think like I do.

Wife’s ‘17 Silverado has same problem with the overly bright display. I put a rag over the screen at night when I’m backing the truck up. Otherwise the glare from the screen blinds me to such a degree that I can’t see anything in the mirrors.

 

[Heliman]

I’d love it... in a Ford.

If it’s in the Dodge RAM, I’m afraid I’d have to pass. The rest of the truck might fall apart around that screen.

:lol: :lol: :lol: I agree! BUT to each his own.... Lotsa folks like these new days Mopars...... NOW I'd take a yellow '68 Road Runner with 4-speed and no doodads. :roll:

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

How is it that while law enforcement is constantly warning people not to drive while distracted, at the very same time vehicle engineers are working overtime to distract those same drivers? MORE?

Rick C

 

[Rick Courtright]

Lotsa folks like these new days Mopars...

Hi,

Is it true "Mopar" today is short for "More parmesan?"

Rick C

 

[Dan in MI]

Ford has 'em too. On top of the fact that I generally hate these type of things and I work with them EVERY day, I'm a buy it till the wheels fall off vehicle buyer.


That is NOT an option with these type of controls. They are tied into many of the vehicle systems. So now when your widget fails it affects something vital and in your 10 year old truck you have spend more than it is worth for a new display to keep it on the road.

 

[RolandDeschain]

When it comes to pickups I have owned Chevys, Fords, and Ram, and for the past 30 years all bought new. Never had a lick of problems with any of them, but of all of them my favorite was a 2001 Ram, and the dumbest thing I ever did was to trade it for a F150. Which was a good truck, but the Ram just had certain things I liked better.

So when it came time to buy another one this year I bought a new 4x4 Ram and couldn't be happier with it. Rides great, and the single cab SWB version I get really fits my needs for those tight spots on boat ramps and mountain trails. Plus their behind the seat storage beats everyone else in the single cab version. And that Hemi with the 3.92 gears is a beast in a light truck like that.

But yeah - no touch screens on my trucks. Get the Tradesman model and you lose a lot of opportunities for crap to go wrong.

 

[mjpchief]

I've spent almost $1000 on my truck since January because of plastic. Plastic and aluminum radiator, $500 plus labor. Plastic thermostat housing, $150 plus labor. And of course neither could be repaired, only replaced.Two places on a vehicle that should not be made of plastic. Police can write you a ticket for distracted driving and the designers keep adding more distractions to the dash of your car.

If I could spend 10 minutes in a locked room with a ball bat and an automotive engineer I could die happy.

 

[Mus408]

I have a 2014 Ram 1500 quad cab with 5.7 Hemi and so far has been an excellent truck.
Don't have any of the that super connected screen stuff on it and I can't remember when I used the CD player.
But it was GREAT seeing 22.9 MPG on my way home from Cabela's today to pick up some items!

Think I like the look of the 2014-2018 models better than the 2019.

 

[GP100]

I wouldn't own any "newer" vehicle.. I like my vehicles to be something that can be fixed simply.. Not something that demands you have a degree in electronics just to open the hood..

 

[redhawker]

Since the 2019 looks like an exact copy of a Toyota Tundra there's no way I'm buying one.

My 2016 ought to outlast me though so not a problem. Just think it's a bonehead move by FCA Group.

 

[RolandDeschain]

Since the 2019 looks like an exact copy of a Toyota Tundra there's no way I'm buying one.

My 2016 ought to outlast me though so not a problem. Just think it's a bonehead move by FCA Group.

yup - I took one look at the 2019s and went out and bought a new 2017 on close out.

 

[RolandDeschain]

I wouldn't own any "newer" vehicle.. I like my vehicles to be something that can be fixed simply.. Not something that demands you have a degree in electronics just to open the hood..

I keep the brochures on all the vehicles I bought new so it makes it easy to track. Other than replacing the serpentine belt on the Caravan, I have experienced no equipment failures whatsoever on these vehicles - electronic or otherwise. Just routine maintenance.

2017 Ram 1500
2015 Mazda CX 5
2014 Toyota 4 Runner
2008 Ford Expedition ( i put about 150,000 trouble free miles on this one)
2006 F150
2001 Ram 1500
1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
1994 Dodge Grand Caravan (replaced serpentine belt)
1992 Jeep Cherokee
1991 Eagle Talon TSI AWD
1983 Chevy C10

Also could add a couple of new business vehicles 2-more 4 runners and a chevy pickup for business to the mix too - again - no repairs.

 

[Heliman]

I wouldn't own any "newer" vehicle.. I like my vehicles to be something that can be fixed simply.. Not something that demands you have a degree in electronics just to open the hood..

The only real newer vehicle we have is a 2015 Subaru Forester. Other than that we have a 1994 Mustang Cobra, 1997 F250 Powerstroke Diesel which was purchased new and a 1999 Ford Ranger that is my daily driver. Those are my “older” vehicles and am happy with all.

I just couldn’t bring myself to pay the high prices of the new trucks....even if I wanted one.

 

[Dan in MI]

If I could spend 10 minutes in a locked room with a ball bat and an automotive engineer I could die happy.

Don't lump us all together.......and if you only had a ball bat your ending comment would only be 1/2 right. :lol:

 

[GP100]

If I could spend 10 minutes in a locked room with a ball bat and an automotive engineer I could die happy.

Don't lump us all together.......and if you only had a ball bat your ending comment would only be 1/2 right. :lol:

I'm not so sure he isn't 100% right.. I'd be willing to hold the engineer for him while he shot for the fences.. :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[cas6969]

Talk about people on cell phones, how many accidents will this cause?

Well the government is once again over stepping it's bounds and mandating backup cameras. Which means all cars will end up with touch screen radios. I'll wager the deaths caused by accidents from people fiddling with them will greatly surpass any children's lives saved by not backing over them.

 

[WAYNO]

I have a 2016 Dodge pickup. I do not care for the doo-dads, and I agree, with the government requiring everything to be heads-up and/or touch free while driving, Dodge has done the opposite. For example...If I want to check my radiator temperature, there is no gauge. I have to push three different buttons on the steering wheel to scroll to a digital display of the engine temperature. Then three more buttons if I want to see other engine functions, then press all the same buttons again if I want to see my trip summary or even the mileage on the vehicle.

Even the radio...If I want to change the bass and treble settings, I have to scroll into multiple settings and displays to make the adjustments. It is not convenient, and if you do it while driving, I guaranty your eyes will leave the road while doing so. And programming stations? Not a chance unless you've got a youngster to do it for you.

And one more thing I dislike about newer pickups. If I'm coasting down a hill, the transmission will down shift automatically to keep me from going too fast.

But ya know...I've rented quite a few cars over the last few years, and they are all much more high-tech than I'd like. Doesn't matter the brand.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

My Toyota Tundra is a 2012 and I've got 111,000 miles on it. I figure I'm good for another 10 years and I will drive less every year as I age. (I assume anyway) Hopefully longer than 10 years. I don't want to ever buy another one.

 

[Mobuck]

"I have a 2014 Ram 1500 quad cab with 5.7 Hemi and so far has been an excellent truck.
Don't have any of the that super connected screen stuff on it and I can't remember when I used the CD player.
But it was GREAT seeing 22.9 MPG on my way home from Cabela's today to pick up some items!"

22.9 mpg with a 5.7 hemi???
How big was the hill you were coasting down? I saw 99.4 mpg on MIL's Impala on a 2 mile downgrade once.
Best I saw on the 1500 w/5.2(318?) on the New Mexico trip was in the 19mpg range and that was on dead flat interstate with a tailwind.

 

[Captain America]

"I have a 2014 Ram 1500 quad cab with 5.7 Hemi and so far has been an excellent truck.
Don't have any of the that super connected screen stuff on it and I can't remember when I used the CD player.
But it was GREAT seeing 22.9 MPG on my way home from Cabela's today to pick up some items!"

22.9 mpg with a 5.7 hemi???
How big was the hill you were coasting down? I saw 99.4 mpg on MIL's Impala on a 2 mile downgrade once.
Best I saw on the 1500 w/5.2(318?) on the New Mexico trip was in the 19mpg range and that was on dead flat interstate with a tailwind.

The Hemi with MDS easily gets over 20 MPG with mixed driving, the 5.2L hasn't been used in over 15 years.

 

[mjpchief]

If I could spend 10 minutes in a locked room with a ball bat and an automotive engineer I could die happy.

Don't lump us all together.......and if you only had a ball bat your ending comment would only be 1/2 right. :lol:

I'm not so sure he isn't 100% right.. I'd be willing to hold the engineer for him while he shot for the fences.. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Thank you GP.

 

[GP100]

Your Welcome mjpchief,

Always glad to help out.

 

[RSIno1]

I’d love it... in a Ford.

If it’s in the Dodge RAM, I’m afraid I’d have to pass. The rest of the truck might fall apart around that screen.

No the screen will die before it's time too. Fiat will use the cheapest part available.

 

[mjpchief]

A friend of mine bought a new Chrysler product and took it in for service. While at the dealership they did an update on it by some kind of reprogramming the computer through the control center in the radio. Something went haywire in the process and his new car sat at the dealership for the next 4 weeks while the service Dept. and a factory rep tried to figure out what the problem was. The rep told him that this was not the only one to have this problem. If they keep adding all this new new technology and improvements to new vehicles we will be walking to our destinations.

OMG. I'm starting to sound like my grandpa. But I'll still take a set of points over a computer any day.