Hello All,

New member here and a first time Hemi Owner. I had a 2004 2500 Cummins and I loved it. I have drove GM vehicles most of my life, but decided to pull the trigger on a new ram.

I ordered a 2012 1500 4x2 Laramie Longhorn and have a few questions. I am looking to get the best mileage possible out of this truck. 95% of my trips are 100 miles on the interstate. I am thinking about adding a few things to the truck and would like some opinions and recommendations.

I ordered the 3.21 axle ratio in an attempt to maximize fuel mileage. I don’t ever plan on pulling anything or racing anyone so losing the low end torque doesn’t bother me.

Could adding a cold air intake, exhaust, and programmer help get better mileage?
I also am considering hid and ledlights and a lockpick for the navigation system. Any experience with these items?

I saw on the Mopar website that there was an option to get a kicker subwoofer for the 2011trucks. Has anyone ever upgraded the subwoofer and is the kicker subwoofer available for the 2012’s?

I am also considering an extended warranty. I don’t know much about these hemiengines or transmissions. Would an extended warranty be a good idea?

I am sure I will have many more questions and I look forward to hearing from everyone.

Thanks

Toby

 

Congrats on the purchase. Hope everything goes as you planned. You will not be upset with the hemi!

Few questions and answers for you...

Did your longhorn not come with the factory dual exhaust? IMO I think its pretty good as it is. Some people remove the resonators to maximize airflow, but I havn't. If its not then yes a dual will help you out. HOWEVER just check on this forum for something called drone, IF your going to go that route.

Air intakes on these trucks are worthless, at least the $400 ones. If your going to build your own then ya it might be worth it to get a little more growl. As far as performance go, these intakes are so well built now it really is not worth it.

Tuners are a yes. HOWEVER because yours is a 2012 its not going to be guaranteed that there will be a tune available. Just because they are so new, tune companies have to crack the encryption as dodge changes that every year.

If you looking into HIDs, check into the DIY section. I have made a DIY for HID installations. You can see what its going to take there...

Extended warranty IMO is a joke. Your powertrain is already set for 5 years 100000kms. (sorry don't know what it is in the US) But if your powertrain IE motor or any part of the driveline fails. Its going to be within that 100kms.

 

Thanks Nate.

Yes the longhorn does have the factory dual exhaust. I haven't looked into it, but I figured it restricts the air enough to lose some mpg. How about putting a k&n filter in the factory box?

Thanks

 

I would think it would maybe drop you 1 MPG AT MAX...thing is, everything is always restricted by the cat...so unless your going to put a TRUE dual exhaust (headers back) your not going to gain any noticeable performance...

Some people have claimed to get a little bit more response out of a K&N filter, I still have everything stock and I don't seem to have any complaints...not yet haha

 

Leave it stock - I also have a 3:23 for the flatland driving we do. It still has plenty of grunt on the bottom, and lots of power up top.

If you watch your right foot, and drive smart, you should get over 21MPG on the highway. I got 28 once, staying under 55, on basically empty roads, with no stops, and can get 23-24 staying under 65, if I watch my foot. I really had to work for that 28. Things like coasting uphill, and only accellerating downhill, and very lightly at that. Neutral when I could, shut off at stoplight. etc.

It's still got so much power, though, that sometimes that is real hard.

 

Nate,

Did you put projectors in with the HID's or just the lights?

Thanks,

 

No, and I don't recommend putting projectors in. Unless you are buying from a local store and can talk to someone who is very good with their products.

Thing with HIDS, they burn bright and they burn hot. Projectors cut the top of the beam off using an "eyelid" If that projector has not been made with the proper material you will burn your lens. SO unless you talk with the dealer and the dealer is 100% certain that you can run HIDS. I would not put them in. You risk the damage to your lens, and most of the times you can't return them because its your fault they burned up.

 

Are you serious? The "dual" exhaust flows worse than the single exhaust. Its not a dual exhaust anyways its a single with a bunch of extra bends and 2 outputs.

 

A true dual system (from the engine back) is a good way to improve performance; however a Y system (one pipe into the muffler and the two coming out the back) is more restrictive and provides less power. Factory exhaust systems are generally crappy and restrictive but a single pipe factory system still isn’t any good.

 

Proof please...facts only, no horseplay...Relate to factory single exhaust only.