Which vehicle is best for me? Ram 1500 vs Durango
#1
03-17-2019, 06:38 PM
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Michigan
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Which vehicle is best for me? Ram 1500 vs Durango
Hello everyone! first time poster here. I'm in the market for a vehicle and I'm not quite sure if I'm posting this in the right section of the forums, so I'll leave this up to admin discretion. I've been trying to do my due diligence and research over the past couple of months as i am hoping to get my hands on a new vehicle this spring/summer season. I am at a toss up between the 4th generation Ram and the 3rd generation Durango. I'm having a hard time choosing between the two as i am unsure which will best fit my needs. And I'm hoping all of you could give me a better idea.
To start with I'm looking for a daily commuter car which i will be driving on a 40 minute commute most of the time. So comfort, reliability, dependability, and cost of ownership within reason, are very important to me. I have a budget of 15 - 20k, and in my area choices between these two are plentiful for what i assume is reasonable mileage 70-100k-ish. My father has owned several rams that he uses as work trucks, and they've been to hell and back so i feel very partial towards the ram. I have no experience with Durangos on the other hand. I've never dallied a truck so i am not sure whether or not that would play a large factor in whether or not either of these would be a better choice as a daily. Towing however is the real issue in question here. I plan on purchasing an aluminum open car hauler so that i can tow my project/track car around without having to depend on other people. The local track is about 2 hours away. It seems to me most 16 to 18 foot aluminum car haulers are somewhere in the range of <2000 lbs and my project car weighs around 2850lbs wet. accounting for spare wheels and tires and tools and what not, I'm giving myself a safe overestimation of around 6000lbs capacity i would like to be able to safely tow. Which seems well in the range of both the v8 Durango and the v8 Ram according to various online resources. Next year me and a bunch of my friends are planning a trip to the tail of the dragon in Tennessee and i would like to be able to tow my car long distances on road trips without much issue when these types of occasions arise. The issue for me is that i understand towing for long periods of time and often, will put stress and strain on the tow vehicle so it's important to me that my choice is capable in doing this with minimal wear and tear as possible. In terms of comfort, I would like to attempt to budget for high trims like the Laramie or the citadel or maybe a lower trim level with certain options, given the choices in my area these seem reasonable. With long distance driving, and poor to average quality roads in mind it would really suck to get beaten up all the time driving. But i also understand that for certain desires i will have to make compromises somewhere else. i hope this is as clear and as concise as i can possibly make it to give you a good idea of what my needs and wants are.
Budget: 15-20k
Needs: Daily Drive-ability, Comfort, Reliability, Towing both short distance and long distance safely , Ease of maintenance, Road trip worthiness, seating capacity 4-5(Third row seating would be nice but not necessary)
Wants (Can live without): low to average cost of ownership, luxury features: Premium Sound Heated/cooled Seats, Heated Steering, integrated trailer braking/tow package.
Questions:
Which of these two is the best choice for me? Is a Ram overkill for my needs?
Which of these will be easier to maintain? I am an avid DIY'er with an if it ain't broke, still fix it approach, and ease of maintenance/cost of ownership is preferable.
Which model years for either of these should i be on the lookout for, and which to avoid?(For both Ram and Durango)
What is the reliability like with the durango? I hear mixed reviews.
Is my budget realistic for a decent example of either of these?
Which of these will sufficiently and safely meet my towing needs?
What mileage is reasonable in this price range?
Any concerns of maintenance history/recalls/trouble spots with these vehicles i should be aware of? Ex: Water pumps, Exhaust header Bolts etc
Maybe there are certain things i haven't thought of or criticisms you would like to put forth that you feel are worth considering are welcome. Thank you in advance for any help you're willing to offer me, and hopefully soon I'll be a proud owner of either of these.
To start with I'm looking for a daily commuter car which i will be driving on a 40 minute commute most of the time. So comfort, reliability, dependability, and cost of ownership within reason, are very important to me. I have a budget of 15 - 20k, and in my area choices between these two are plentiful for what i assume is reasonable mileage 70-100k-ish. My father has owned several rams that he uses as work trucks, and they've been to hell and back so i feel very partial towards the ram. I have no experience with Durangos on the other hand. I've never dallied a truck so i am not sure whether or not that would play a large factor in whether or not either of these would be a better choice as a daily. Towing however is the real issue in question here. I plan on purchasing an aluminum open car hauler so that i can tow my project/track car around without having to depend on other people. The local track is about 2 hours away. It seems to me most 16 to 18 foot aluminum car haulers are somewhere in the range of <2000 lbs and my project car weighs around 2850lbs wet. accounting for spare wheels and tires and tools and what not, I'm giving myself a safe overestimation of around 6000lbs capacity i would like to be able to safely tow. Which seems well in the range of both the v8 Durango and the v8 Ram according to various online resources. Next year me and a bunch of my friends are planning a trip to the tail of the dragon in Tennessee and i would like to be able to tow my car long distances on road trips without much issue when these types of occasions arise. The issue for me is that i understand towing for long periods of time and often, will put stress and strain on the tow vehicle so it's important to me that my choice is capable in doing this with minimal wear and tear as possible. In terms of comfort, I would like to attempt to budget for high trims like the Laramie or the citadel or maybe a lower trim level with certain options, given the choices in my area these seem reasonable. With long distance driving, and poor to average quality roads in mind it would really suck to get beaten up all the time driving. But i also understand that for certain desires i will have to make compromises somewhere else. i hope this is as clear and as concise as i can possibly make it to give you a good idea of what my needs and wants are.
Budget: 15-20k
Needs: Daily Drive-ability, Comfort, Reliability, Towing both short distance and long distance safely , Ease of maintenance, Road trip worthiness, seating capacity 4-5(Third row seating would be nice but not necessary)
Wants (Can live without): low to average cost of ownership, luxury features: Premium Sound Heated/cooled Seats, Heated Steering, integrated trailer braking/tow package.
Questions:
Which of these two is the best choice for me? Is a Ram overkill for my needs?
Which of these will be easier to maintain? I am an avid DIY'er with an if it ain't broke, still fix it approach, and ease of maintenance/cost of ownership is preferable.
Which model years for either of these should i be on the lookout for, and which to avoid?(For both Ram and Durango)
What is the reliability like with the durango? I hear mixed reviews.
Is my budget realistic for a decent example of either of these?
Which of these will sufficiently and safely meet my towing needs?
What mileage is reasonable in this price range?
Any concerns of maintenance history/recalls/trouble spots with these vehicles i should be aware of? Ex: Water pumps, Exhaust header Bolts etc
Maybe there are certain things i haven't thought of or criticisms you would like to put forth that you feel are worth considering are welcome. Thank you in advance for any help you're willing to offer me, and hopefully soon I'll be a proud owner of either of these.
#3
05-24-2019, 08:54 AM
I towed my S2000 racecar (2500lbs) on a 16' Aluma trailer (1150lbs) with my 2013 V6 Durango. I put about 400 lbs of stuff in the back of the Durango. It towed without any problems. The only time it showed any sign of struggling was on a 2.5 mile long hill between Atlanta and Birmingham.
That being said DOHC engines are not ideal for high torque applications. I burned out a rocker arm. It was covered under warranty, so I didn't ask any questions. In general, pushrod engines are better for towing, so I upgraded to 5.7l R/T and I cannot even tell the trailer is back there.
I'm now looking to sale the Aluma and get a 24' enclosed trailer. The Durango isn't ideal for this. Weight isn't an issue. Wheel base is too narrow to control a huge side surface in side wind and mirrors cannot see around the enclosed trailer (not good options for extended mirrors on Durango). While it will pull the 24' enclosed, I'm likely going to trade the Durango. Very sad. It is awesome!
If you're sticking with light weight open trailer, I give the 5.7l Durango two thumbs up. If you might upgrade to 20-24' enclosed, get the RAM 1500.
That being said DOHC engines are not ideal for high torque applications. I burned out a rocker arm. It was covered under warranty, so I didn't ask any questions. In general, pushrod engines are better for towing, so I upgraded to 5.7l R/T and I cannot even tell the trailer is back there.
I'm now looking to sale the Aluma and get a 24' enclosed trailer. The Durango isn't ideal for this. Weight isn't an issue. Wheel base is too narrow to control a huge side surface in side wind and mirrors cannot see around the enclosed trailer (not good options for extended mirrors on Durango). While it will pull the 24' enclosed, I'm likely going to trade the Durango. Very sad. It is awesome!
If you're sticking with light weight open trailer, I give the 5.7l Durango two thumbs up. If you might upgrade to 20-24' enclosed, get the RAM 1500.
Last edited by Will010100; 05-24-2019 at 08:57 AM.
