I have been a Ford guy all my life...My last two Fords, a 02 4wd and a 04 F-150 4wd have and still suck, Now I'm considering a 06 reg cab slt 2500 4x4 8 ft box with the 5.7 and 6sp trans..

I have heard the 5.7 has a thirst for flue, even with the new mds, I wonder if this will work on a manual transmisson, I have also herad dodge automatics are not dependable..

I like the bigger cab in the Ram, fit and finish looks bland, but due to the bigger cab, I'm considering jumping ship and don't need a quad cab or the cool looking power wagon, or a cummons engine, How has your dodge held up?

Myo4 Ford has the 5.4 3v and is not that bad on flue and is ok power wise, but ford dose not have the option of a manual transmission unless you go a F-250, the 5.4 in the F-250 is a lame dog, a 4.7 in a ram 1500 is two small of a engine for me....thoughts ???

 

I have a manual 4.7 2002 1500 4x2 , thing has 70k on it now and 25k of them are mine. Guess what? I havn't been to the shop ONCE in the year and a half I've owned it. *knock on wood* I think its got pretty good power, too bad they don;t make manual hemi's in the 1500's though. If I want to I can get 17mpg overall with my city and highway driving. Not a hemi but I hope that helps some.

 

if you want better mileage get the Cummins

I can almost see 20mpg at times

 

only isue with the cummions is that it is 7000.00 cdn over and above the cost of a 3/4 ton truck, IF a 5.7 with a six speed manual and a 373 ltd slip gets close to my 5.4 355 LTd slip in my Ford, I'm happy...in the pre MDS Rams (quad cub hemi 1/2 ton) I have been told by dodge owners mileage is lousy...In Canada are Gallon is larger and I never caught on to metric, my Ford has a 135LT tank ( 35 gallons ) and I can get up to 800KM per tank...highway 100KM...60 mph 550 70 625 miles to a tank...

 

waiting on chrsler credit....If they say ok, factery ordering a 2500 ram slt 5.7 6 sp manual.....
I can't wait to get out of my 04 F-150...

 

Do they even mate the HEMI to a manual trans ?

 

The Hemi and your gas card will become best friends. Comparing the 5.4L and the Hemi is like a night and day difference. My brother has an 05 F150 Crew with the 5.4L and there is no comparison. It tows well and handles well, but I feel that my truck does it better, he agrees, but the F150 is a freebie as long as he maintains a B avg in college. Your new Dodge should serve you well and you should have trouble free driving. I probably would have opted for the auto since it gives you a higher towing capacity. What will you be towing that you need the 2500?

As far as the transmissions go, the older ones had problems because you had to manually adjust the belts. When they weren't adjusted properly, they caused heat, wear, and eventual dealth to the transmission. The new ones are automatically adjusted and are very beefy. I haven't heard of a single transmission problem on this board, except the occasional solenoid problem, but not with the transmission mechanicals itself.

Again, Welcome to the DF and Dodge family.

 

The "FORD" sickness is curable by a good shot of HEMI HP. The 2500 Ram is a big, it is really big compaired to the Ford and Chevy.
The 2500HD Ram is a freight train and makes all others look like tinker toys. You will love it. It may be over-kill for what most truck owners really need, but thats the point of buying a Full size HD truck. The solid front axels really ride well. Very tight firm ride without rattles and handles extremely well for a giant. IMO its not just a truck, it is THE truck.

 

I'm getting the truck....it's ago, only reason why I went to a SLT 2500 was because the 5.7 can be had with a manual transmisson, in the 1500 it can only be had with the 4.7, a 1500 with the 5.7 and automatic was a meager 2000.00 cheaper, the 5.4 in the 04 f-150 is good on gas ( for a truck ) but I hate the four speed automatic and the cab in the F-150 ( reg ) is to small, the 04 Ford is the most uncomfortible full size truck I have ever owned and the brakes just suck as well as the electrical problems I have had with it ( 2 battery and 2 altenator )

Thier is one thing I don't like with the Ram, no locking tailgate and the white instermitation, minor issues I can live with...with the manual transmisson and a cold air intake and dual EX, ( 373 LTD slip ) I should get close to the gas milage I can get in the Ford 355 LTD slip....the 04+ fords are heavy fat momas, my Reg cab XLT 4x4 8 ft box is over 6000 LBS a Ram 2500 reg cab is in the same ball park...

So long Ford, I have bled Ford blue, now I'm buying my first dodge/chrysler product, I hope all goes well...

 

I love the white gauges!