Hi all I will be purchasing a Ram 1500 soon and have a dilemma in what motor and generation I want. The 2nd gen body style is my favourite of all time but has the 360. The hemi in the 3rd gens is by far a superior motor though, although they cost right around double of the 2nd gen. Just looking for different opinions so if you had to pick which would you pick? Thanks

 

Don't sell the 360 short, it is a damn good engine, just never saw anything close to it's potential in the Ram. It boils down to which one you like to spend more time in, how much power do you need and looks. Do you like gadgets, then a newer one is a better idea. I originally wanted a 2nd gen way back when, then when it was time to get a truck initially I didn't like the look of the 3rd gen, but it grew on me (345hp and decent handling didn't hurt either).

 

I've owned both - a '98 RCSB 4x4 and my current '04 QCSB 4x4. The 360 is a reliable engine (once you take care of the plenum issue and death flash). Good low end torque but because it was designed in the late '60s it's HP to displacement is pretty paltry by today's standards and because fuel economy in trucks wasn't a consideration way back then, you won't pass by too many gas stations without stopping. I had a hard time getting much over 10 MPG with 5" of lift and 35" tires. I do agree - the 2nd Gen is still my favorite body style and it's the last of the half tons with SFA.

The Hemi has proven to be very reliable (with really the only flaw being the '03s with their weak valve springs). Torque numbers are about the same as the 360 down low, although peak torque is a bit higher. HP is no comparison as the Hemi easily makes 100+ HP more and it's about 25% better on fuel economy. My only real complaint is that 1500 4x4s followed suit with everyone else and went to IFS...

 

I'm not trying to be "that guy" and this is plainly my opinion, but 1. I think the 2nd gen trucks are so ugly unless they are modded out the wazoo. 2. (this ones positive) I see the 2nd gens all the time and they're still trucking along so they had to have done something right with those motors. And back to the looks, I don't think they look completly bad, but I remember when I was younger (like 12 or 13) when the 3rd gen rams came out I thought that they were the sickest trucks to touch the street. Whenever I saw a 2nd gen I was like dad I hate those trucks, and he'd say yeah me too.

 

I have had both as well, a 2000 Laramie with off-road package and my 04 SLT hemi. The mileage on the 2nd gen was horrible. The ride was good but nothing like when i test drive what i have now. The hemi is much better on gas and holds its own on power and towing. I liked my 2nd gen but wouldnt trade the 3rd back for it.

 

One might have had to be old enough to remember when they came out, to fully appreciate what the 2nd gen style did. Before that, you rarely saw Dodges it seems, and almost overnight, a new Dodge was sitting in multiple driveways on any given block. It was crazy what that bodystyle did for Dodge...there hadn't been anything like it before, and there hasn't been as dramatic or radical a change in styling since then by anyone. Dodge truly kicked off the modern truck revolution, moving from a square work vehicle to a stylish everyday driver.

The 3rd gen is just an evolution of that style, but has a superior engine IMO. Not knocking the 318/360, the LA family was in production for 40 years (and the basic architecture stayed on to the '10 Viper) so it must've done something right.

My vote? Hemi.

 

All in all gotta say hemi. The style grows on you I think and you can't beat the engine.

 

Hemi seems to be the general consensus! I was leaning to the hemi but the price is scaring me off. Not worried about the IFS as I do very little off roading and certainly won't be lifting it. I would like something a little newer then my 2000, if i can find a good deal on a hemi I certainly will pull the trigger!

Edit: I was looking at this one, what would a good price be for it? http://peterborough.kijiji.ca/c-cars...AdIdZ361752764

 

I don't know how the kilometers or dollars translate to US, but that looks like a nicely kept Laramie. But it's hard to judge by pictures.

 

Its 106k miles and $11500 in USD. I wouldnt offer more than $10k for it tho