Had my heart set on SLT V6 8 speed and trying to keep the sticker price under 40k. Wound up at a dealer last night and am now having difficulty trying to decide if i NEED all of the options that are equipped in a Big Horn on dealer's lot. Heated seats and steering wheel, 8.4A touch screen, 7 inch instruemnt cluster, wheel to wheel steps, spray in bed liner, rear camera, trailer package, sticker price 45k. Test drive an Express which simply had spray in bed liner. Not much else, sticker price 39k. Trying to find a happy medium between needs and wants, but want to know if anyone regrets not adding more options at the get go. I havent had a new truck in 12 years and I expect to keep this for plenty of years and dont want to think in 6 months i should have went for the options. Thanks

 

I went from a 10 sport crew loaded with everything but nav, roof, or heated/cooled seats to a 13 crew with nothing.... i didnt need the steering wheel controls, or power rear window or leather trimmed seats, or the fancy center console, and i didnt miss the nav/roof/seats in the first truck...

when you are talking about saving 3,4, or 5 thousand dollars for things like that i didnt hesitate getting the express... i much rather like the painted bumpers as opposed to all that chrome on the big horns anyways... just my .02


when it comes down to it my hemi crew 4x4 express will do anything a loaded up big horn, laramie can do or go.

then i took that savings and made my truck different than everyone else and added the things I like or think make it stand out than the 90% of vehicles on the road that look like they did the day they were sold

 

I went from an 03 slt loaded to a 13 st basic with hemi, did not want 20" tires. Only regret is radio does not have bluetooth, i dont miss anything else.

 

If you actually pay 39K for an express then you got taken. I'm not sure I understand the - trying to keep sticker under 40K. What do you actually want to pay - sticker isn't all that relevant.

 

Exactly, my father bought a new '12 Express back in February, sticker was $37k, and just utilizing an internet quote, purchased the truck for $26k. The Express model has lots of room for negotiation, you just need to walk away if the deals not right, and qoute another dealership.

I bought my '13 Ram Sport back in June for $10 under sticker, same place (dealership) I purchased my '09 Ram Sport.

 

Thanks for the comments. Much appreciated. When I said sticker under 40k, i am making an assumption that I will get between 6-8k off of the sticker, thru incentives and dealer discounts. I am trying to keep the price I pay at around 32k, which is what my budget is allowing me for payments. But I am seeing a lot of sales with deeper discounts.

 

You'll have to take a hard look and see what you really want/need, and what you can live without. Don't make the mistake of thinking you'll just get the cheaper one and add the bits and pieces you want later. It never works out, and you'll just end up spending more in cash and time than if you'd bought the options on the truck to begin with.

 

i have bought a lot of trucks in my life time . set your budget ... get the biggest bang for your buck
1] dealers invoice to start
2] all rebates from dealers invoice
3] all hold back
4] now start negeoating
5] Never be afraid to walk away , hand them your bussiness card/information and tell them to call you

 

x10!

People underestimate the power of walking away. Remember the dealership has to sell, you don't have to buy.

What I do, is get a bill of sale written up, then I take it, circle all the things I don't want to to pay for. Write down a new # and give it back to them.

They either take it, and I buy the vehicle, or they say no, I thank them for their time, tell them to call me if they change their mind and leave.

 

Yes I feel your pain, what to do? I bought my truck back in early 2009 right before Daimler Chrysler Corp. went bankrupt. Dodge was having the equivalent of a fire sale, it was the first time I had seen all the incentives bundled together i.e. 0 % financing, employee pricing, cash back rebate, free hemi upgrade and owner loyalty rebate. I purchased a 09 Lonestar CC stickered at 38K for 26K out the door. The deciding factor for me was that I was upside down on my trade, so the Lonestar gave me a reasonable short term payment I could live with. The Express model was not offered in 09 but if it were available it would have seriously considered it. Here is what I regret; I could have bought a loaded 09 CC Sport for @32K or a 09 CC Laramie for @36K. I could have financed it at a longer term at 0% interest but I missed the opportunity. I still love my truck and was able to pay it off last year, and that my friend if the best kind of truck, one that is paid for!!