I noticed some comments about Ram "quality" while reviewing some of the recall posts. I bought my 2009 low mileage Ram 1500 Hemi about 5 weeks ago and I've already put over 5,000 km on it (3200 miles). Just love the truck! I'm taking it in tomorrow for the tie rod recall, but the dealership was pro-active and called me before I even received a recall letter.

Now...list price on my '99 BMW 740iL was approximately $82,000.00 (Cdn) I bought it used, with only 27,000 km on it. Just off the top of my head, here's a partial list of what I have had to replace: both front sway bar links (twice), both front control arms, transmission input shaft seal, radiator cracked (plastic), expansion tank cracked (plastic), hydraulic self-levelling suspension actuator broke, self-levelling headlight control broke, display "pixels" in instrument cluster mostly missing-require new instrument cluster, water pump seized, transmission software updated twice to eliminate "clunk" on downshift, ABS/DSC control module fialed, both rear suspension coil springs broke...acutally snapped, valley pan gasket leaking (exterior coolant leak), secondary air pump failed (check engine light on as a result), MAF sensor replaced ($600...), water-cooled alternator failed (about $800...), tape player broke, mechanical front coffee cup holder assembly broke, wooden shift **** cracked in multiple places (??), and so on. That doesn't of course include brake rotors, etc and regular maintenance items. This on an $82,000.00 car. In fairness, I do put a lot of miles on...but I also look after my vehicles and do whatever maintenance I can on my own. The car does run great...but at a pretty hefty cost.

A small point...but so nice to walk into the Dodge dealer and get a Mopar oil filter for $9....instead of the $32 the BMW dealer charges.

 

I am not surpised at all and thanks for the write up. Your BMW experiences are not unique I assure you and I agree with you 100% on the quality comparision. I have read absolute horror stories about BMW automatics and how they just left the customer holding the bag for huge repair bills.

 

In this day of cost cutting and purchasing components by manufacturers' solely by "lowest bid" it's not surprising at all.

I hear all the time how **** poor American vehicles are but I have two friends with Tundra 4x4s. They've had more recalls than the Ram has had and one of the guys was without his truck in the first year he had it more than he was able to drive it due to a rear differential AND a cam failure. This was a NEW vehicle purchase and he went 'Yota and rubbed it in to all the guys at our hunting club how he spent the extra $$$ for reliability...

 

You are comparing apples and oranges! A new vehicle with 3000 miles vs. a 12 or 13 year old vehicle (depending on build date) with who knows how many miles. I have had my Ram for over two years and it has had several recalls and small issues. I also have a 535i that I picked for my wife a week after I brought home my Dodge. My wife drives that BMW like she stole it and it has only been in the shop once at 15,000 miles for the oil change. When your pickup is twelve years old, make a list of how many things had to be fixed, then compare it to your BMW. That 7 series probably has many bells and whistles and unless you have a loaded Laramie, there are fewer gadgets in the Dodge that may develop issues.

I agree the parts are more expensive, but again, a $90,000 car vs. less than $50,000.

 

I never had one problem with my 535xi, but I did sell it a month before the man. warranty expired.

 

I bought my Ram Laramie 2 years ago; only have 20,000 miles on it. However I clearly remember my intention: Buy AMERICAN. I want to keep all my money here. What’s the point of enriching Japan or Germany? How will we ever get past our economic problems if we don’t take care of our own? Don’t get me started on that fake sop, “Oh, but those Japanese cars are made in the US.” It doesn’t matter. Profits go back to home countries. I want it all to stay here.

Sorry for the digression but lemme say I’m completely satisfied with my Ram. Yes there were problems to fix but not much worse than my last Toyota, one of six I’ve owned. It was poorly made and not up to the standard I expected. My Dodge has held up and drives as well or better.

I’ve own 2 Mercedes and I’d never buy another of those pieces of crap. The damn thing shut down in the middle of a street and nobody could figure out what was wrong. Is that what’s called “reliable”? Hardly. It drove well and I liked its handling but otherwise it was an expensive piece of junk.

I bought a new Porsche Boxster in 2002. I love driving it but let me tell you, I’m not happy shelling out $400 for oil changes, or $1,300 for a new set of tires. That one will be sold this year. Replacement? A Cadillac.

The only reason folks buy BMWs is to brag and imagine other people they don’t even know might look at them. It’s self-centered, egotistical insecurity that made them spend all that money.

 

KeepOnTruckin,
I love my Ram too! As an American servicemember, I can appreciate the sentiment of "buy AMERICAN". However, today's global auto industry is much too complicated to make statements like "profits go back to home countries". Ford, GM, Dodge, Chrysler, and the like may have originated in America and may have their corporate HQ's here; however, all of these companies are owned by investors all over the world, including foriegn governments like China. So a chunk of their profits end up overseas as well. Many of these companies use large quantities of parts manufacured outside the U.S. and many are assembled by workers in foriegn countries.

I will give you solid reasons people buy BMWs: 1. They are really fun to drive! 2. Tell me the last time an "American" car company built a really good lookin' sedan?

What was it? Two Mercedes and a Porsche?????? Egotistical?

 

My 2009 RAM is not brand new with 3,000 miles...it has 55,000 km on it. I am the second owner. I have owned plenty of high mileage vehicles purchased new. My '99 Ford Explorer for example ran up 270,000 km and the operating cost was a fraction of my '99 BMW 740iL. Same thing with my '96 Bonneville SSE which had almost 300,000 km on it. My point with the BMW was (a) that things broke that I've never had break on any other vehicle, and (b) parts are very expensive. I agree that the 7-series is more prone to problems due to all the "bells and whistles" (although Lexus seems to avoid many of the quality issues) and a 5-series BMW with any iteration of the in-line 6 engine is no doubt much more reliable and less costly to maintain. One thing though is true...nothing drives like a BMW.

 

I can say I have owned Two Pontiac Grand Ams (Great cars to drive miss them both may they rest in pieces) and my Mazda 5. A few weeks ago I bought my first Dodge and I grew up with different pickups and SUVs. But I got to say the best vehicle I have ever drivin that was not a military vehicle has to be my truck. I think that you do have to look at the expenses you are bound to get with a car when you think about it. But more importantly look at what you did with it. My two Pontiac's I did all the maintenance on them and took really good care of them maybe only spent a couple of grand on little things. My Mazda was my families car till we got the truck and that thing has been in and out of the shop for different reasons almost every year since 06 when I got it. But its still a fun drive and a good car to get around in. Every one does buy a car/truck/suv for different reasons and every one of them are apples and oranges. But that is my own humble opinion