97 3.5, honestly, had they let us shift the truck by hands, i have no question that the ram would have roared right up the hill, but we werent permitted to shift by hand. i dont know if the problem is so much in the transmission itself, or more in the way that the computer has things setup in towing mode...

 

I agree with 97 3.5 on the trans issue. IMO 4 speed auto trans are obsolete and 5 speed should be. Most manufacturers are offering 6 speeds with their vehicles and some are working on 7 speed gearboxes. Is the transmission the same for the '09 as previous years? And if the problem is in how the computer controls shifting then there is room for improvement.

Badstrat, forgive me if this is common knowledge but, how do you get to test these vehicles? Do you work for Dodge or was this an open test by Ferd?

 

The only thing MT could say to defend not giving the Dodge TOY is the steering was "light" and not enough model options. What a load of sh*t. They were supposed to be testing the NEW models (1/2 ton), not the whole range.That is a stretch for them, since they said it was the fastest and the best riding. I think the auto media is trying to see if they can destroy Chrysler with their half-*ssed "testing". OK, I have vented. But, when it comes to Chrysler, great is never good enough. Road and Track had a comparo between the ZR-1, Ferrari and Viper. As old as the Viper is now, it was the winner of the slalom and was beat 0-100 by 1/10 second.But even though it was $30k less than the ZR-1 and $100k less than the Ferrari, it came in 3rd. The reason? A "cramped" cabin. I am 6'5" and I sat in a 2007 coupe(never drove it) and had to move the pedals TOWARD me.

 

Which gear were you in at the time? Although I can't say for sure as I was not the one driving, it might not have helped with the wide gaps in the gear ratios. The issue still stands that based on the other reviews I have seen on the Ram, the transmission seems to be the handicap as Toyota, Ford, and soon GM only have 6-speeds with their top level models. Heck even Nissan's 5-speed has better chosen ratios than the 545RFE. The Hemi is a great engine, but the transmission gearing choices are holding it back. The fact that the Ford did so well should be more than enough evidence of that. On top of this, the gearing of the six-speed could help the fuel economy even further.

red06RAM, thank you and yes it is the same transmission; though, I think they made a few updates.

mantisman51, I agree with you 100%. I thought the same thing about that stupid review that R&T did. The issue is speed not comfort. I get tired of the idiotic reviews that Edmunds does. Their rip off of stale SNL jokes slamming the Avenger. They had dug a grave for the Challenger before they even drove it making stupid comparisons. I also loved the comparisons MT has done that are so obvious who's side they are on like the one where they decided that the previous generations Taurus & Impala were superior to the Intrepid sighting performance numbers on a family car comparison, never mind the fact that the Intrepid was a size bigger or that they didn't compare the top of the line Intrepid to the top of the line Taurus & Impala. I've driven them all, there is no way those two even compare to an Intrepid. Okay, ventilation off.

 

i own four vehicles with 3-speed auto transmissions, and i dont see a need for any other transmissions...at least not in auto form..one is in the 12s, one is in the 13s and gets 18mpg, and one gets 30mpg...

im thinking (it was a long time ago now), that we started in first, then it shifted, and then when it got into third gear, IIRC, it was low in the rpms, but wouldnt drop back into second.

 

Maybe we need to screw the auto trans idea and just put a manual in them.

 

they definitely need to start putting manual transmissions back in vehicles..but so many people are too uncoordinated to drive a stick now.

 

Everyone is too busy texting and talking on the phone to bother with a manual. The younger generation is even worse, totally addicted to cell phone usage. The art of driving is fading fast.

 

its ok...i aim to breed the perfect driver. my dad put me on the track when i turned 16, and i plan to do the same someday...my dad is a hell of a driver, as am i...amanda is one of the, if not the best female driver ive known...so once i reproduce..look out nhra..

 

It deserved it! First time I've seen so much love for Dodge in a while!