After owning a 2001 QC and my current 2005 Ram 1500 QC 5.7 4x4, I am considering a new truck. Mine is at 93K and both rear fenders are rusting thanks to the MD State Highway Administration.

I really like my current truck except for the mpg... I have the 3.92 rears and consistently get 12-13 mpg driving to and from work. Even running the interstate or going on a "trip" I'll get 15 on a good day. When pulling my 4-place enclosed snowmobile trailer, I get 8-9 mpg.

I have a heavy foot and live in the mountains of Western MD. If you're not going downhill, you're going up.

I'm looking for a crew cab that has enough power to pull my trailer easily, but get's better gas mileage.

Looking at Ram 1500 and F150 5.0 (OMG). I'm pretty po'd at Dodge for the 89 octane requirement and the dam rotary gearshift on the 8-speed. I will NOT have a truck with that.

Should I look at the Ram with the 6-speed and 3.55s? Surely with the extra HP of the new Hemi (versus mine), pulling a 5000 lb trailer would be fine. It's so odd that Ford seems to have a package that has exactly what I want.

Help.

 

Sounds like you'd be better off buying a cummins, not a gasser.

 

No way... I drive 3 miles to work, 3 miles home for lunch, 3 miles back to work, and 3 miles back home. That would kill a diesel. I do a little over 10K miles a year.

Wifey is the one who said I should get a new truck (after she had to drive it to work one day)... she wants something smoooooooth.

 

IMO a cummins is the only thing that will get you what you want, but I hear what you're sayin with how far ya drive. A naturally aspirated gasser will always suck mpg wise towing that kinda weight, especially in the hills. I really don't think the Ford will do you any better, despite what may be advertised for it. A half ton crew cab is a half ton crew cab despite the brand. What mpg are you looking for from your new truck? Ford ecoboost may get close to what you want, but do have a read of this if you do consider that. First post is all ya need to read really.

 

I'm not looking for much when towing... we've towed that trailer with all three... They all get under 10 mpg. Its like dragging a 20' sailboat (in winter).
I'm looking for 15 or so around town and 18-20 on a trip (w/out having to drive 65 mph). Did a recent roadtrip with a buddy in his F150 Supercab 4x4 with the 5.0 V8. 19 mpg on the highway at 75 mph. 18.6 mpg for the entire trip which included 2 days of city driving.

If the RAM 1500 4x4 will do that with the new 5.7 and 6-speed tranny (running 87 octane), I'm sold. If not, dodge can take that rotary dial shifter and 89 octane and shove it.

 

2014 ram is supposed to get that, though Im not sure if that 6 speed or 8 speed. Why the hate to 89 octane? I run 91 octane in my 01... Its really not even that much more expensive, i calculated it was costing me like $10 extra to fill my tank with 91 instead of 87... dont ask for those calculations though that was a looooong time ago! That was for a 26 gallon tank filled up completely.
I hear ya on the rotary shifter though, thats just stupid. I run 91 purely cause I find my truck has a better throttle response with it, and theres no ethanol in it. My 2 cents.

 

My 2001 was the same... but the diff between 87 and 91 can be up to .50/gal. I have to put that in my high compression toys. The original 5.7 Hemi said specifically to run 87. The 2014 mpg figures on the RAM are for the 8 speed tranny

 

I do not see what the big deal is. Pump the 89 octane. $3 more per tank and you are not driving far by your own admission.

As for the dial, I am not a fan either. But the Ram looks far out weigh the dial shifter when comparing to a Ford.

You will get a MPG increase with the new truck over your 05. I had an 05 RCSB Sport with the same 3.92s I have now. I get 2 more MPGs with the 4th GEN.

If I am not mistaken the 14's are getting a little more MPGs on the highway over the 13s, or at least I thought I saw that somewhere.

 

I had a mileage increase even from going from 07-11. It wasn't much but it was some. I traded up for CTD, and its too much truck for what you need. As you have already mentioned. At 5000lbs you should have no issues with a gasser. Yes mileage hurts with a gasser, but you can buy a lot of fuel for a CTD costs. Unless your driving ALL the time with a trailer behind, gasser is still the way. IMO when I moved up to a CTD I hardly saw much of a difference in towing my 6.5k holiday trailer. With all the emissions junk its hard to get anything. However with all that gone, now I get awesome mileage. Wherever I go I pretty much have a trailer on tho. I also ran 89 octane, pretty much all time. Sometimes you get the illusive hemi tick when idling, but its not something you are gonna blow your truck up with.

The rotary shifter is only for the 8speed. If you still get the 6 speed you won't get that. The 8 speed is a fully electronic one, hence just a dial, not a manual shift linkage.

That ecoboost is not all its cracked up to be either. I know a few guys that are quite unhappy with what they are getting, lets not even get into the reliability portion. I think by even wanting 20 not pulling your asking for a little much. I just barely got that when I had my hemi on flatland prairie Alberta.

After all, why do you buy a truck? It certainly is not for mileage. Yes you want as much as you can get, but to make that a decision to switch or not, I don't think I would.

However I would upgrade to just get into the truck itself. The interior is the best of the big 3 IMO. Everything is in an awesome place, as far as I know its all holding up...The other thing your getting that no other truck has is the coil springs. This in itself is gonna make you want that truck. Although IMO they are not the best to tow on, yet still perfectly capable of 7k. The ride you get on a daily drive is outstanding, let alone the drive quality. Then again if you are considering a 2013, you also have the option of air ride, which no other competitor has either.

 

I though 89 was recommended but 87 is acceptable in the 5.7L hemi. The new 6.4L hemi indicates 89 required I'm quite certain.

I do often use 87 myself, and try to use 89 in every 3rd tank or so. There is about 20$ difference for me, which on a full fill-up isn't worth complaining about.