Thread: Switch to Dodge RAM 2500...please talk me out of it!

If anyone's interested, then check out this site:
ramtrucksaus.com.au, owned by the Walkinshaw Group. I have little knowledge except to say that I've heard that they are selling very well.....I can't get that link to work, but if ya google Ram Trucks Walkinshaw, ya'll get it!
Pickles.

My wife and i took a Dodge RAM for a short test drive. The dealer was waiting for their demo to come back from a show so we didnt really have long enough with the car. Initial impresssions:

Pros:

- The conversion by Walkinshaw is done super well. The dash is beautifully made and you would be hard pressed to pick it as a conversion
- it is nowher near as uncomfortable as i expected it to be. Its certainly no disco but driving it empty the ride was easily acceptable.
- The features in the car easily outrank a HSE Disco (air conditioned seats, TPMS, Digital radio and better dashboard info (oil temp, trans temp, and lots more configurable on the dash).
- My 5'3" wife was comfortable driving the car
- It comes ready to tow. Brake controller, tow hitch, trailer pluf all standard
- Exhaust brake...how cool would that be!!!

Cons:
- Its big and long. However the turning circle and getting around roandabouts was better than i expected. I didnt try to park it in a carpark but it wouldnt be easy.
- Head room with the standard sunroof is not as good as the disco. Im 6'6 and i only just fitted without hitting my head on the roof.
- The diesel engine responsiveness doesnt feel as sharp as the disco. But the car only has 50km on it and i didnt have a great opportunity to try it.
- Its got a terrible hand brake. Its actually a foot brake on the right hand foot well wall. You need to do a foot shuffle to apply it. The release is via a pull up panel on the bottom edge of the dash. Its difficult to reach.

If we were on the road fulltime we would buy it. Living with it around town would be difficult. In the next 12 months i think we will be on the road about 50% of the time. So its a lot of time living with it in town.

We then explord a Landcruiser. More on that in the next post.....

Another (horrible) option is a new 200 Series Toyota Landcruiser. A standard cruiser would not put us in any better position. In fact a Sahara probably is slightly worse as with all the extras they add reduces its payload.

However, Lovells do an upgrade that increases payload by 500kg, Ballweight to 400kg and braked tow capacity to 4000kg. This is an easier option if buying a new cruiser as it can all be done before the car is first registered. Here is the link:

Lovells Suspension - For The Ride of Your Life - Company Profile - Products: GVM Upgrades - Toyota Landcruiser 200 Series

I havent driven a converted landcruiser so i cant comment on the ride. I look at the cruiser and think:

Pros:
- It would give us the payload/towing capacity we need;
- Its all legal and approved around Australia
- It would be relatively easy to live with around town (compared to a RAM)
- dealers and accessories are everywhere for a landcruiser.

Cons:
- while it is technically capable of the towing capacity it would not tow as stable as a RAM
- potential warranty issues between toyota and lovells if anything goes wrong.
- $8k to do the Lovells upgrade
- the upgrade lifts the car by 2 inches making it harder to get in and out for SWMBO.
- I dont believe that the Toyota diesel oil consumption and DPF issues are fully resolved.
- Its a 30 year old architecture car that has ben tarted up...

ive owned a 80 and 100 series Landcruisers in the past. They were good cars at the time but having now driven two D4s for the last 8 years, I dont think i could go back to a landcruiser.

So we have decided for now.... next post.

Ever thought of a Winnebago and tow a Suzuki Jimny ?

We are going to stick with the Disco. We will do some serious weight reduction work on the car and the caravan.

In the car I will start with removing the cargo barrier and luggage shelf we have installed. I will remove the 3rd row of seats and get a Blue slip to register the car as a 5 seater. I can change it back to a 7 seater before we finally sell it. We will also reduce spares and tools etc.

The caravan will be tougher. We may end up looking for a new, lighter van. I can reduce some weight in what we carry.

I think we will then be in a position to add a Porta bot and a small electric outboard.

I will go to a weighbridge to check that we are within limits....and then maybe I will still decide to buy a Dodge RAM after all.....

Stuff the Ram. Get something like this.

iu.jpeg

Heaps more room, better turning circle, tows anything and is probably cheaper to run.

Not sure about NSW but in the sunny state going from a 7 seater to 5 only requires engineering IF it is a permanent modification. If your intention is to keep the bits and return the vehicle to standard, I cannot see why engineering (at what ever cost - twice) is required.

my 0.02c anyway

Originally Posted by RoverLander

We are going to stick with the Disco. We will do some serious weight reduction work on the car and the caravan.

In the car I will start with removing the cargo barrier and luggage shelf we have installed. I will remove the 3rd row of seats and get a Blue slip to register the car as a 5 seater. I can change it back to a 7 seater before we finally sell it. We will also reduce spares and tools etc.

The caravan will be tougher. We may end up looking for a new, lighter van. I can reduce some weight in what we carry.

I think we will then be in a position to add a Porta bot and a small electric outboard.

I will go to a weighbridge to check that we are within limits....and then maybe I will still decide to buy a Dodge RAM after all.....

I ditch the 2nd row too for touring, temporarily of course! There's another 60kg if you don't need them. Made a platform out of ply to replace them, much more storage in cab now.

2nd row is much easier. 4 bolt next to each other. With the seat in the folded forward position they balance perfectly for easy removal.