1/2 ton DIESEL from RAM in 2014.

[Steve P.]

This is the first I have seen of this and hope they have been testing their butts off.. I have not understood what took so long to do this as Ford and VW at least have done this in smaller vehicles than a 1/2 ton truck.

No real specs as of yet, but as I say, this is the first I have even seen of it..

http://www.worldcarfans.com/113021453833/2014-ram-1500-ecodiesel-announced

[firefighter3931]

This is the first I have seen of this and hope they have been testing their butts off.. I have not understood what took so long to do this as Ford and VW at least have done this in smaller vehicles than a 1/2 ton truck.

No real specs as of yet, but as I say, this is the first I have even seen of it..

http://www.worldcarfans.com/113021453833/2014-ram-1500-ecodiesel-announced

Very interesting...i see it has a 3 liter engine  I wonder what kind of power it will make ?

Steve, i just checked the milage on my dually and the last tank it got 20.9 MPG hand calculated. 

The overhead said 22 MPG so it is pretty close to "actual"   



Ron

[bull]

Diesel technology is big in Europe but people here in the states have had a hard time figuring it out. IIRC Chrysler built a Liberty with a small diesel and it didn't do very well because the US is not accustomed to the notion. The govt. regulations and media hype here is all about hybrids and electric cars so most people don't realize the great mpg  and clean potential of diesel engines.

The odd thing about this story though is they will not be using a Cummins. I guess it's going to have a VM Motori engine like the Liberty had. That's a bad idea. While most people in the US don't know much about diesels, what they do know about them is that Cummins is one of the biggest names in diesel technology. I don't see this one going too far. If Fiat gets rid of Cummins altogether they're really going to screw Chrysler.

[charger_fan_4ever]

My 2001 qcsb 4x4 24v 6 speed is right at 20 mpg bone stock. I hope by losing the heavy factory muffler i will gain a lil mileage. If a 1/2 ton version cant get atleast high 20's i dont see a lot of sales.
On another note my little 2001 tdi jetta just did 55mpg on a 700 mile trip loaded with luggage.

I can't complain these old rigs treat me well. My cousin just got a 2013 tdi jetta more hp but the car is  heavier, so mileage is the same as on my old commuter.

[1974dodgecharger]

Diesel big everywhere minus u.s. they build diesiel landcruises but not sold in u.s.

Diesel technology is big in Europe but people here in the states have had a hard time figuring it out. IIRC Chrysler built a Liberty with a small diesel and it didn't do very well because the US is not accustomed to the notion. The govt. regulations and media hype here is all about hybrids and electric cars so most people don't realize the great mpg  and clean potential of diesel engines.

The odd thing about this story though is they will not be using a Cummins. I guess it's going to have a VM Motori engine like the Liberty had. That's a bad idea. While most people in the US don't know much about diesels, what they do know about them is that Cummins is one of the biggest names in diesel technology. I don't see this one going too far. If Fiat gets rid of Cummins altogether they're really going to screw Chrysler.

[chargerboy69]

Diesel technology is big in Europe but people here in the states have had a hard time figuring it out. IIRC Chrysler built a Liberty with a small diesel and it didn't do very well because the US is not accustomed to the notion. The govt. regulations and media hype here is all about hybrids and electric cars so most people don't realize the great mpg  and clean potential of diesel engines.

The odd thing about this story though is they will not be using a Cummins. I guess it's going to have a VM Motori engine like the Liberty had. That's a bad idea. While most people in the US don't know much about diesels, what they do know about them is that Cummins is one of the biggest names in diesel technology. I don't see this one going too far. If Fiat gets rid of Cummins altogether they're really going to screw Chrysler.

And Ford steps in to grab Cummins and we have. . . the perfect truck.   


I agree will Curtis, I do not see this going over with the casual buyer. . . They need the Cummins name on it. .

[Indygenerallee]

And Ford steps in to grab Cummins and we have. . . the perfect truck.

Can you imagine the sales figures if that happened!! It would be unreal.

[odcics2]

Ram Throws Down Gauntlet with New Diesel for Light-Duty Pickups

Maker has big expectations for high-torque, high-mileage oil-burner.

by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jun.28, 2013


Chrysler is throwing down the gauntlet, its Ram truck division planning to become the first maker to offer a high-mileage diesel in its light-duty pickup line.

Ram, which is expected to post its 39th consecutive monthly sales increase next week, is betting that this will give it a critical advantage over competitors both domestic and foreign at a time when fuel prices continue to hover just below $4 a gallon in much of the country.  The question is whether potential buyers will balance the initial, $2,800 price premium against the longer-term savings on fuel.

"When you look at the psyche of pickup truck owners," Reid Bigland, the CEO of the Ram division, said  during a preview of the new powertrain, "they're more aware of the benefits of a diesel engine" than the general U.S. population.

The heart of the new Ram EcoDiesel.

Diesels typically deliver as much as 30% higher mileage than a comparable gasoline engine. But what Ram officials believe could prove equally significant for customers is the high-torque nature of the diesel in a business where stump-pulling power is as, perhaps more, important than off-the-line accelerations.

Despite its relatively modest 3.0-liter displacement, Ram's new turbodiesel makes 240-horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. That's roughly equivalent to the maker's big 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, even while the diesel is expected to deliver fuel economy closer to the Ram 1500's V-6 option.

At the moment, the maker has not come up with final, EPA-approved mileage numbers, though Bigland cautions the Ram 1500 will likely get slightly less than the 30 mpg the new, 3.0-liter diesel-powered version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee is offering.

(Ford slings mud at Ram with its new F-150 tremor sport truck. Click Here for more.)

The 3.0-liter diesel will become available on virtually all versions of the Ram 1500.

The $2,800 premium isn't the only thing working against a diesel comeback in the U.S., though.  There's also the higher cost of the fuel, typically running about the same – or even higher – than unleaded premium gasoline.

Even so, Bob Hegbloom, the Ram brand marketing chief, claimed that all-in, "under three years from an efficiency standpoint is all it's going to take to pay for itself." And, considering the average pickup on the road today is about 12 years old, Hegbloom said the lifetime savings due to the diesel's better fuel economy will be measures in the thousands of dollars.

There is, of course, the general disdain Americans have had since the 1980s, CEO Bigland acknowledged, due to the generally coarse, rough-riding and smelly diesels of that era.  The challenge will be to convince potential buyers that the latest diesel technology is smooth and clean while also powerful and fuel-efficient.

There are signs that U.S. motorists are catching on.  European makers are reporting steadily increasing sales – Volkswagen struggling to come up with enough diesel engines to meet demand for some of its passenger car and SUV models, such as the Passat. Its sibling Audi brand will launch three new diesels for the 2014 model-year and another for 2015.

US consumers have long avoided diesels, but Ram hopes rising fuel prices - and improved diesel technology - will change perceptions.

Mazda is adding a new diesel powertrain for its Mazda6 sedan line this coming year.

And even General Motors is adding a diesel for its compact Cruze line for 2014 – its first passenger car diesel in over a quarter century.

But while the domestic makers have long had oil-burner options for their heavy-duty trucks, Ram is the first, and for now only, brand to offer a diesel in a light-duty pickup.

"It will be a great differentiator," said Bigland, noting Ram has already driven its market share from around 11.5% of the pickup segment to nearly 20% since parent Chrysler emerged from Chapter 11 in 2009.

He hinted the maker foresees the new diesel will account for at least 10% of Ram sales as customers become more aware of the option, but he added, "That could go to 20, 25, even 30%."

"It's sure going to put other makers on the spot," concurred analyst Joe Phillippi, of AutoTrends Consulting.

The competition, including Toyota and Nissan as well as segment dominant General Motors and Ford, have dropped hints, in recent months, they may be looking at diesel options. GM, in fact, had largely finished development of a light-duty diesel, dubbed the Baby Max, prior to its 2009 bankruptcy. And Phillippi said that if GM felt the need, it could be put into a truck in as little as one to two years.

Ford, however, continues to emphasize its EcoBoost, a turbocharged V-6 gasoline engine, as a diesel alternative. It this week introduced a new EcoBoost-powered sport truck spin-off of its full-sized F-150 model, dubbed Tremor.

But if Ram's new 3.0-liter diesel delivers the buyers, Phillippi and other analysts suggest, the competition will be under severe pressure to respond with oil-burners of their own in short order.   
       

[Steve P.]

Oddly but true, FORD use to own a chunk of Cummins. I have heard as little as 5% and as much as 20%, so I can't begin to guess why they would have only used them in 450's and bigger. My SD2f0 Super Crew would stay with me for life if it had a cummins under the hood.... As it is I am looking to sell it now...

Ron, does your truck have an aftermarket tuner?? I know you got great mileage from the time you bought it in 07'- 08'. 

[bull]

Diesel technology is big in Europe but people here in the states have had a hard time figuring it out. IIRC Chrysler built a Liberty with a small diesel and it didn't do very well because the US is not accustomed to the notion. The govt. regulations and media hype here is all about hybrids and electric cars so most people don't realize the great mpg  and clean potential of diesel engines.

The odd thing about this story though is they will not be using a Cummins. I guess it's going to have a VM Motori engine like the Liberty had. That's a bad idea. While most people in the US don't know much about diesels, what they do know about them is that Cummins is one of the biggest names in diesel technology. I don't see this one going too far. If Fiat gets rid of Cummins altogether they're really going to screw Chrysler.

And Ford steps in to grab Cummins and we have. . . the perfect truck.   


I agree will Curtis, I do not see this going over with the casual buyer. . . They need the Cummins name on it. .

It's the same old problem we've had with foreign ownership at Chrysler. Either they don't understand the American psyche when it comes to cars and trucks or they don't care to understand it and think we just need to embrace their way of doing things.

[Mike DC]

  

It's the same old problem we've had with foreign ownership at Chrysler. Either they don't understand the American psyche when it comes to cars and trucks or they don't care to understand it and think we just need to embrace their way of doing things.

That's because these foreign companies keep buying Chrysler with the intentions of using it as a doorway into the American market.  American label + foreign product = Americans buy foreign product.

They are reading the situation backwards.  Mopar isn't a respected brand in the USA on principle like Sony or Toyota.  Far from it.  The public generally has misgivings about the quality of the brand itself but they like the individual Mopar products.  

 

[odcics2]

This new 3.0 diesel has nothing to do with the Cummins in the HD trucks.
Cummins and Dodge are tight in bed, and will remain so. 

 

[Indygenerallee]

Cummins and Dodge are tight in bed, and will remain so.

Only if the money is right!!!

[Todd Wilson]

20 some years ago Ford owned Cummins stock. They did have a seat on the board but that's about all it was. Ford has been in the big truck market for some time. And like any big truck outfit you can order what ever engine you want and that's why you see Cummins in the bigger Ford trucks. The small 5.9 style Cummins has been  a very good engine. Chrysler and Cummins have long contracts together for engines for the Dodge Ram truck. Its good for both companies. You will also find the 5.9 style engines in a lot of other things out there that are non Mopar. That's why its the best engine out there. Its tried and true with a very good track record.

As for the market and how this new 1500 will do will be interesting to watch. GM soured everyone on diesel when the 5.7 and 6.2 diesels came out in the 80's. They were for the most part POS engines. Dodge set the industry on its ear in 1989 when they put the first 12 valve Cummins in the pickup trucks. It was a gutsy move then after what we had seen in the 80's with the GM diesels. It has since created a fierce competition between the big 3 and look what we have now.   All 3 trucks have massive amounts of power with very good MPG as compared to their old big block gas engines.

We have 2 crowds out there. The Green Weeny people who want little econo hybrid shit boxes that get high MPG and then we have the other crowd of people who want bigger vehicles with some performance still available. With tight economic times and the price of energy  they will look at this diesel.  The diesel engine is the only engine in these times that puts out performance and respectable MPG and that's what people want! Add that to a bigger sized vehicle and it should sell. 

Hopefully Dodge wont price it high as compared to the gas engine variety.

Todd

[bull]

GM soured everyone on diesel when the 5.7 and 6.2 diesels came out in the 80's. They were for the most part POS engines.

Todd

No kidding. That 6.2 was a miserable, pathetic piece of yard fudge. There was a white '82 GMC on a ranch I worked on in '85 and that thing couldn't get out of its own way.

[Steve P.]

As I see it, GM only screwed themselves by NOT putting more into the R&D of diesels. It's seems they all want to break a mold, but none want to take a chance to set the World on it's ear.

Todd calls the other half, (GREEN WEENIES). Well, you have to consider that everyone does NOT need a truck and won't buy a truck or a large car if they have no need. My F-250 can do MUCH more than I have ever asked of it and in it's nearly 100,K  I have never pushed it at all..  I tow rarely anymore and only have this truck now due to the comfort. I am presently looking for something smaller that will take me minimum 2 times the distance on the same money. I am kind of a GREEN WEENIE, but not only because I care about our future. I also care about my bottom line.

Oil to gas will probably never go away, but there is no reason we have to stick with something that pours crap into the atmosphere. We have ALL evolved to better and better. Why not be for a better step now? For those who do tow and want a full size truck with power to haul and still get reasonable mileage, WHY NOT?

Ron is dragging 6 tires around and averaging 20 MPG with his 05' Cummins Dually. I am slightly lighter and dragging 2 less tires and I get half of that around town and not much better over the road. Towing a B-body on a 2000 trailer drops me to a lousy 9 miles to the gallon... Still plenty of power and control, but can't afford to go anywhere with it. Hell, I spoke to a guy with a F-550 Motorhome a few years back that said he was doing close to 20 through Arizona with his Cummins diesel. I don't know how heavy it was, but it was big and he was hauling a race truck and large storage lockers on about a 30 foot trailer behind him... He was using a programmer and says he has followed the truck and never sees any black spouting from it... Was a nice RV..

[ACUDANUT]

Diesel technology is big in Europe but people here in the states have had a hard time figuring it out. IIRC Chrysler built a Liberty with a small diesel and it didn't do very well because the US is not accustomed to the notion. The govt. regulations and media hype here is all about hybrids and electric cars so most people don't realize the great mpg  and clean potential of diesel engines.

The odd thing about this story though is they will not be using a Cummins. I guess it's going to have a VM Motori engine like the Liberty had. That's a bad idea. While most people in the US don't know much about diesels, what they do know about them is that Cummins is one of the biggest names in diesel technology. I don't see this one going too far. If Fiat gets rid of Cummins altogether they're really going to screw Chrysler.

It's not us Bull, it's our EPA that makes it hard on us who own them.  The price for "green" diesel is killing us financially.

[Steve P.]

I don't agree. Without the EPA we would be in much worse shape.

My buddies wife has a VW that is diesel powered and she gets 50 MPG. Not quite as well over 65MPH, but says it feels like it runs out of power there.. I'm sure another gear would take care of that issue. It's about 8 years old now and maybe they have done that, I don't know. A friend who owns a used car lot, had a Ford Ranger some years ago that ran like a top. Had tons of power and got great mileage. It LEAKED EVERYWHERE, but Ford was on the right track and that was a 4 cylinder in a Ranger. He even used that little truck for dollying back many cars he bought to his lot. Only issue was how bad it leaked from everywhere...

My point is that we all have different needs for our vehicles. Though we still have millions of PICK UPS everywhere down here, we are seeing many, many more electrics and very high mileage mini's all the time here.

As far as the price of DIESEL, according to the big oil companies it is only more expensive because they do not sell enough to bring the price down. It was kind of a long explanation, but in a nutshell they have to stop pumping GAS to pump DIESEL through the pipelines and it causes a disruption in their production. Diesel is actually easier for them to make. Less steps.. So if more were deisel it would bring down the costs... Personally I believe they are full of shit and are just busting our shoes for WORLD SIZED PROFITS. I would be happy to park my little shitbox in the driveway and let the paint absorb the sunlight to power it. Yes, there is a company making SOLAR ABSORBING PAINT... How cool is that???     

[odcics2]

Price of the 3.0L diesel Ram 1500 is around $24,000.
Not bad for 420lbs. of towing torque.    Should get under 30 mpg on the highway. 

[odcics2]

Found more info:

The 2014 Ram 1500 will offer a new, 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engine, mated with the TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission. The engine delivers an outstanding combination of best-in-class fuel efficiency, unsurpassed torque and impressive capability.

Pricing for the 2014 Ram 1500 starts at $24,200, plus $1,095 destination. The exclusive V-6 EcoDiesel with TorqueFlite 8-speed automatic transmission is priced $2,850 greater than a similarly equipped Ram 1500 with a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with Torqueflite 8 speed transmission.

Also new on the 2014 Ram 1500 is a front park assist system and host of efficiency, comfort and emissions-friendly refinements including a variable displacement compressor; pulse-width modulated blower; humidity sensor; and the latest technology in air conditioning refrigerant.

The 2014 Ram 1500 delivers best-in-class fuel economy with a truckload of pioneering, fuel-saving systems including: eight-speed automatic transmission, stop-start system, thermal management system, pulse-width modulation and active aerodynamics, including grille shutters and air suspension.


3.0-liter, V-6 EcoDiesel engine for the 2014 Ram 1500

The 2013 Ram 1500 won Motor Trend's Truck of the Year, The North American Truck of the Year and Truck of Texas – a rare trifecta in the pickup segment. Building on the award-winning truck, the 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel will further stretch its best-in-class fuel economy title lead and continue to raise the innovation bar in one of the automotive industry's most customer-loyal segments.

Powertrain
The 2014 Ram 1500 continues the brand's quest of re-defining the half-ton full-size pickup class with the introduction of an exclusive small displacement turbo diesel engine that delivers a best-in-class combination of torque and fuel efficiency.

Aptly branded EcoDiesel, the new 3.0-liter powerplant is a turbocharged 60-degree, dual overhead camshaft (DOHC) 24-valve V-6 that produces 240 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque ¬is noticeably more efficient than all V-6 gasoline engines in the half-ton category.

Like the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 and 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 gasoline engines already offered on the Ram 1500, the new EcoDiesel V-6 will be mated to the TorqueFlite 8, the only eight-speed automatic transmission offered in the half-ton class.

The new EcoDiesel – developed and manufactured by VM Motor (a Chrysler supplier since 1992) – is one of the most advanced diesel engines in the marketplace. Equipped with a diesel oxidation catalyst, diesel particulate filter, and selective catalytic reduction, it will be emissions-compliant in all 50 states.

The new Ram 1500 also is equipped with a capless fuel filler system for re-filling convenience.

The 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine (Ward's 10 Best Engines Award three years in a row) with variable-valve timing (VVT) offers 305 horsepower, 269 lb.-ft. of torque and best-in-class fuel economy for V-6 engine trucks. The Pentastar V-6 features 42 percent more horsepower, 13 percent more torque and at least 20 percent better fuel economy when compared to the previous 3.7-liter V-6 powertrain. The legendary 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with fuel-saving cylinder shut-off and VVT provides 395 horsepower and 410 lb.-ft. of torque.

The class-exclusive eight-speed automatic transmission (TorqueFlite , standard equipment with 3.0-liter V-6 EcoDiesel and 3.6-liter V-6 Pentastar, doubles the amount of gears compared to the previously available four-speed automatic transmission, which improves drivability and enhances fuel efficiency. The eight-speed also is available with the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8.

When the 2014 Ram 1500 full-size pickup arrives in retail outlets the fourth quarter of calendar year 2013, it will establish what is unmistakably the most advanced and efficient powertrain portfolio in the light-duty category, as evidenced by:
Exclusive offering of a small-displacement turbo diesel engine (EcoDiesel V-6)
Exclusive offering of an eight-speed automatic transmission (8HP45 with Pentastar V-6,
8HP70 with Hemi V-8 and EcoDiesel V-6)
Unsurpassed torque
Best-in-Class V-6 gasoline engine fuel efficiency (Pentastar V-6)
Best-in-Class combination of power and fuel efficiency in a V-8 engine
(Hemi V-8 mated with eight-speed transmission)
Only manufacturer in light-duty class to offer diesel, gasoline, and flex-fuel
(E85 capable 3.6-liter V-6) engines

Engineering
Beginning in model year 2014, the Ram 1500 will offer a front park assist system, a first time offering on a full-size Ram pickup truck.

The system uses four sensors located on the front bumper. The bezel-less, integrated sensors sequentially send out ultrasonic waves when the vehicle is driven in forward at low speeds. The system can detect objects as far away as 47.2 inches.

The sending sensor and adjacent sensors pick up the echo of a signal when it bounces off an object. Triangulation is used to determine relative distance, based on elapsed time between the outgoing signal and its return.

Readouts located in the cluster display (and audible chimes) notify the driver of front/rear object proximity.

[odcics2]

Rest of the info...  (was too long for one posting)

Parasitic Loss Reduction
Pulse-width modulation (PWM) is a fuel-saving technology for the Ram 1500, which reduces parasitic electrical load. The technology not only eliminates unnecessary load on the alternator but also improves the durability of benefiting systems. Fuel delivery and the forward cooling fan are two systems that take advantage of PWM, adding a 0.4 percent improvement in fuel efficiency.

The 2014 Ram 1500 will carry additional uses of PWM technology and a host of new efficiency, comfort and emissions-friendly refinements. These include a variable displacement air-conditioning compressor pulse-width modulated vent blower and humidity sensor.

Variable displacement compressor (VDC)
As opposed to a "fixed" displacement compressor, the variable displacement compressor (VDC) automatically varies its pumping capacity to meet air conditioning demands rather than working in an on/off fashion. As a result, the variable displacement compressor (VDC) lessens loads on the engine, reducing parasitic losses for enhanced fuel efficiency and helping to maintain a consistent cockpit temperature. The technology also reduces related noise and vibration annoyances.

When the interior cabin temperature is higher than what's desired (outside the automatic temperature control setting), the VDC increases refrigeration capacity until the desired temperature is reached. Once the temperature is reached, the VDC automatically reduces its capacity to maintain the desired temperature rather than shutting off completely.

The overall result is smoother compressor transitions, less noise and greater fuel efficiency.

Pulse-width modulation blower
Like the VDC, the pulse-width modulation (PWM) blower continually controls fan speeds for optimal performance in all driving scenarios; quiet, efficient operation; and virtually unnoticeable performance. Not unlike other PWM applications that debuted on the 2013 Ram 1500, the pulse-width blower ensures an infinite amount of varying fan speeds to satisfy every customer-requested condition in relation to the air conditioning system.

Humidity sensor
The new humidity sensor is packaged behind the rearview mirror, and works in tandem with the PWM blower and VDC to continually measure the potential for humidity being formed on the windshield interior. While the sensor enables noticeable de-fogging benefits, it also enables the VDC and PWM blower to run at the most optimal speeds to expedite humidity reduction.

New Air Conditioning Refrigerant
Beginning in 2014, the Ram 1500 will be the first in its competitive set to carry F1234yf refrigerant, an application developed to help reduce greenhouse emissions.

Design
The 2014 Ram 1500 retains its ruggedly handsome appearance with an award winning interior (Ward's 10 Best Interiors), exterior design aesthetics and segment-leading technology. Every Ram 1500 truck benefits from content specifically designed to match each model's unique style.

For 2014, the Ram 1500 offers 12 different colors, including two new shades: Blue Streak and Granite Crystal; available in a monotone and/or two-tone depending on the model.

Unsurpassed powertrain warranty – five years/100,000 miles
The 2014 Ram 1500 is backed with a, five-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty. The powertrain-limited warranty covers the cost of all parts and labor needed to repair a covered powertrain component – engine, transmission and drive system. Coverage also includes free towing to the nearest Ram dealer, if necessary. The warranty also is transferable allowing customers who sell their truck during the warranty period, to pass the coverage onto the new owner.

The standard three-year/36,000-mile Basic Limited Warranty provides bumper-to-bumper coverage for the Ram 1500, from the body to the electrical system.

Quality
The 2014 Ram 1500's quality is scrutinized at the company's Chrysler Technology Center's state-of-the-art scientific labs in Auburn Hills, Mich., including the Noise/Vibration/Harshness Lab, Electromagnetic Compatibility Facility, Wind Tunnel and the Road Test Simulator (RTS).

For example, the RTS recreates the abuse a truck endures at the hands of a 95th percentile driver – meaning someone who drives the vehicle in more severe conditions than 95 percent of all customers. The RTS can put a lifetime of wear and tear on a truck in about one month's time. The Ram development team is committed to finding and fixing any issues before the customer does.

Manufacturing
The 2014 Ram 1500 is built at the Warren (Mich.) Truck Assembly Plant, which has built more than 12.5 million trucks since it started operations in 1938. Regular Cab models of the 2014 Ram 1500 are built at the Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant in Saltillo, Mexico.

[firefighter3931]

Ron, does your truck have an aftermarket tuner?? I know you got great mileage from the time you bought it in 07'- 08'. 

Nope, it's all stock with just a cold air K&N filter kit and a MBRP stright-thru muffler with the factory exhaust system still in place. Can't complain with 20.9 miles per US Gallon. Pulling the trailer fully loaded it gets 15.5 MPG if i keep the tach at 1750 rpm/65 mph with the cruise and A/C on. 

It's got all of 80,000 miles on the clock now....trailer queen tow vehicle that it is 

It is a 3 season vehicle and has never been driven in the snow...and never will 


Ron

[bull]

Todd calls the other half, (GREEN WEENIES). Well, you have to consider that everyone does NOT need a truck and won't buy a truck or a large car if they have no need. My F-250 can do MUCH more than I have ever asked of it and in it's nearly 100,K  I have never pushed it at all..  I tow rarely anymore and only have this truck now due to the comfort. I am presently looking for something smaller that will take me minimum 2 times the distance on the same money. I am kind of a GREEN WEENIE, but not only because I care about our future. I also care about my bottom line.

Green weenies are like pacifists, they only act that way because they can. A yuppie who commutes to work at a downtown office in a Prius plastered in various 'save the planet' stickers may look down his nose at the guy in the next lane who's driving a Dodge Cummins but he relies heavily on diesel technology to maintain his piousness. Between the 2-3 trucks per week that drive by his 'green' home to pick up his garbage and recycling to the diesel/electric trains and trucks that bring all those gluten free, organic foods to his favorite yuppie gorcery store. If he had any idea how much he needs diesel he'd probably have to up his meds.

The irony is that these super intelligent city folks often get all holier-than-thou about this stuff and start passing laws that affect the farmers and loggers in a feel-good effort to save the world and then can't understand why their favorite wholistic bread disappears off the shelf or the price of new Birkenstocks jumps $20.

[Steve P.]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA.....    Bull, ya kill me.... 

I just figure for the amount of crap we put in the air with NEEDED utilities I figure I can do my part to not be such a pig as I once was. Now keep in mind I DO NOT have my Coronet on the road.. If it were on the road I might just be slinging some smut in the air myself!! But, I do all I can not to make more trips to the store than needed and I have become a bit easier on the go paddle as well...

I must say I am leaning a bit to the 2014 Diesel ram. Tuning on diesels has gotten much better and I think most of the time I don't smell them like years past. (They give me an instant headache when dumping fuel out the exhaust), but I will have to check one out as they make the marketplace.

Do they still build a MEGACAB??   

[GPULLER]

Ron, does your truck have an aftermarket tuner?? I know you got great mileage from the time you bought it in 07'- 08'.  

Nope, it's all stock with just a cold air K&N filter kit and a MBRP stright-thru muffler with the factory exhaust system still in place. Can't complain with 20.9 miles per US Gallon. Pulling the trailer fully loaded it gets 15.5 MPG if i keep the tach at 1750 rpm/65 mph with the cruise and A/C on.  

It's got all of 80,000 miles on the clock now....trailer queen tow vehicle that it is  

It is a 3 season vehicle and has never been driven in the snow...and never will  


Ron

Let me know when you want to sell it! ha ha ha   Like those rust free trucks here in the rust belt.
My '98 is a 3 season truck too.  Last time I checked mileage it got 19 empty and 13 pulling a trailer with one 6500lb tractor.  Loaded like this the mileage may vary!

[Steve P.]

I only ever see 13 MPG unloaded on the highway. 

[Todd Wilson]

Well the facts are most Americans still want big vehicles and power/performance.  With the price of energy, MPG is starting to be important. Diesel engines are the only way to really do all this.

My stock 2005 2500 Cummins 2wd  depending on the roads traveled gets 20 to 22.5 mpg. I have massive amounts of power and comfort from the big truck.


Todd

[Homerr]

FWIW the last two times I was in Europe I saw diesel versions of these on the road: Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler Town & Country minivan, Honda CRV, Subaru Forester (it was named something else there iirc).  There were a few more, just can't remember them now.  This is, of course, in addition to all their domestic VW, Fiat, SEAT, Peugeot, Renaults, etc. that all have diesels available.

The Jeep and Chrysler left me feeling with 'why not in America?!' since the engineering is already done and doesn't Europe have more stringent diesel emissions standards.

I drove a 5-speed diesel Peugeot 307 (similar to a Golf) the first time for 5,000 km and when I converted to US mpg I got 62mpg over the trip with tons of city driving and some in the Alps.  Next time was a 5-speed diesel Citroen C3 (fine for 2 people, a little gutless in the Swiss Alps) for 2,000 km and with all the mountain driving we got US 57mpg.  In both cases it was cheaper per mile to pay the European $7-8/gallon with the higher mpg than it was to buy $3.50-4/gallon gas in the US and drive our 22mpg DD cars here.

[Pete in NH]

Yes, about 50% of the cars on the road in Europe are diesels. I think we don't see them here because American buyers equate diesels with noisy, smelly engines and think of those horrible gas engine conversion disasters GM came out with in the late 70's. It's really too bad it turned out this way. I think from an engineering point of view diesels make so much more sense than hybrids. Hybrids are overly complex with their two drive systems and all the complicated electronics to control it all. Not to mention the environmental impacts of producing and disposing of the batteries they use.

On the price of diesel, I think we are simply competing with the world price of diesel fuel. When I bought my 99 Ram Cummins, diesel was less than the price of regular gas, now it's more than premium. I don't think the pipeline explanation is really it. I think if we don't pay the world price of diesel our oil companies will simply ship it elsewhere. Diesel in the rest of the world is used everywhere.

I hope Chrysler does a better job with the diesel 1500 Ram than the Jeep Liberty diesel. Those Liberty diesels got really poor fuel milage for a diesel. Something around 18 MPG which was as bad as the gas versions. As I remember they didn't do too much better than my big Cummins, which didn't make any sense. I remember really looking into them at the time because unlike many others in this country I'm sold on diesel technology. You used to see one of those diesel Liberty's around from time to time, but I haven't seen one in quite a few years. They seem to have disappeared quickly.

[ACUDANUT]

Don't forget the price of diesel fuel is a buck more per gallon 6 months out of the year.

[Mike DC]

Hybrids are overly complex with their two drive systems and all the complicated electronics to control it all. Not to mention the environmental impacts of producing and disposing of the batteries they use.

It's not that hybrids are a bad idea. 
It's just a bad idea to build hybrids and keep the gasoline drivetrain as the primary one.   

Hybrids keep coming out looking impractical because the auto industry is so resistant to change that it has been mostly building them bass-ackwards.  They need to stop trying to build electrically-assisted gasoline drivetrains, and start building electric cars that use little gasoline engines just to charge the batteries.

[firefighter3931]

Let me know when you want to sell it! ha ha ha   Like those rust free trucks here in the rust belt.
My '98 is a 3 season truck too.  Last time I checked mileage it got 19 empty and 13 pulling a trailer with one 6500lb tractor.  Loaded like this the mileage may vary!

Hey Reed....nice looking truck ! My 3500 is silver as well 

The 2wd is useless in snow anyway so there's no reason to subject it to salt & crap so i don't bother. I have a Neon for daily duty that gets descent fuel economy but i really miss driving the big rig sometimes. 

I just lent it out to a co-worker who used it to tow his son's car to a show out of town. They drove 580 miles (there and back) on 3/4 of a tank with an open trailer and 3600lb car. Total weight car and trailer was close to 6000lbs. They couldn't believe how nice it drove and how little effort the Ram needed to accelerate and cruise with the load out back. 

Hopefully the new Ram has descent fuel economy and towing capacity....it won't be close to a 5.9 Cummins but it should be descent enough if sorted out properly.


Ron

[Steve P.]

Brazil is also loaded with Diesel powered cars and trucks. Not that they are all burning diesel!! Brazil is big on growing their fuel. 

They also have Dually crew cab S-10's powered by diesels.  I watched a show about Brazil's move toward freedom from fossil fuels and was shocked at some of the cars and trucks they have. Many of them built by the big 3!!!!!

How about a 4-door Ram Charger with duals?