Ok guys I'm looking for a new dodge ram but not sure what to do. I have my heart set on getting a manual tranny and that's that no budging on that issue. That leaves me with two choices for the stick. Go with a 1500 rcsb and get the 4.7 or go into the 2500 and get the hemi or get the diesel. If i go into the 2500 I would want to get the diesel but I would also have to get a qc sb instead of the rcsb which I want. but the diesel 2500's are like at a minimum with an SLT is like 38k msrp. So i really don't wanna spend that since one its a helluva lot and two it's way mooore than i need. So i wanna know from ppl that have the 4.7 hwo do you like it???. Feel like enough power or is it a dog. I'm coming from a jeep wrangler with a 2.4L 4 banger so I'm ezily amazed to say the least lol.

 

Il be honest, Im pretty happy with my 4.7, plenty of power for me, i also dont do much hauling/ towing
my last ride was an 02 dakota with the 3.9 v6, and the jump to the 4.7 was great
i do wishi bought mine with a stick tho,
if you can find a good deal on a 4.7 with a manual trans, id say go for it, cus unless your doing heavy duty work, there really isnt any piont in going up to a 2500
dont get me wrong, i have driven the hemi , and its pretty sweet, but i know i would get speeding tickets right and left with it
as for the 4.7, you can get one at a great price and its got plenty under the hood

 

my girl friend has a wrangler with the 2.4 and the 5spd. she loves it. anyway the 4.7 isnt bad at all, i have it in my qc sb and it does fine, i even pull trailers. you will have more than enough with 4.7 and the manual since it doesnt sound like you do much hauling.

 

I have a 2003 Ram SC and I love my 4.7. It has plenty of power and will be just fine for anyone who is not doing a ton of heavy towing and pulling stumps out of the ground. I can also say that simple upgrades to the 4.7 will improve performance significantly. I have noticed a definite difference in acceleration and gas mileage with the K&N drop in filter and since I put dual exhaust on the truck.

Lets put it this way... If you dont know if you need a HEMI, you probably dont need one. But if you have the money and want the big boy...go for it.

 

I have 02 4.7, Haul sleds and ****, plenty of power if you need to tow some things. I'd love a cummins!!!

 

The 4.7 is a fine engine. If you need more towing or pep, a gear swap wakes it up.

With all that said and done, I would go the 2500 with the Diesel. It can pull about anything and with about $400 you can easily get 27 mpg + depending on how you drive. My buddies 03 2500 got 21 mpg towing a boat from Sulphur Springs, TX to Galveston, TX - about 350 to 400 miles one way. All he has is a drop in K&N and a Bully Dog programmer.

I would also NOT buy anything above a 2005 with all the problems I have been seeing on here.

 

Hey stump, did you swap gears for more jam? If so how's the fuel eco.??

 

04 quad cab with 4.7 and 5 speed. a little sluggish on the bottom, but higher rpm range the power is great. i pull a massey furgeson 4000 series tractor fairly often. does just fine.

 

First off, I own a '03 regular cab, short bedwith the 4.7L [2wd]. My truck has the 545RFE transmission and3.55s in the rear. For me, this combination is exactly what I need (it took me 10 months to find). I tow around 5000 lbs of horses and trailer every weekend during the spring and summer, am renovating my house, but still need something I can drive on the highway at aquiet 1700 to 2000 rpms. Moral of the story, I didn't need a hemi or a diesel to doany of the aboveand I enjoy driving my 4.7L. You need to decide exactly what you need, then what you want and then find everything that meets those specifications.

 

I did the gear swap so it would tow my 26' camper up hills without hunting for gears or causing the engine to stay in the 5000ish rpm range under extreme stress. I don't really care about going fast in a 5000lb chunk of steel that handles like a boat and only has about 30-35% of it's weight in the rear. With 4:56's and the stock 17" wheels and tires, my wife gets 17-18mpg. I get 14mpg. Also at 70mph I'm running 2500 rpm's. With a stick it will probably be closer to 2300 rpm's since there will be no slipping like in an automatic tranny.