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

Originally Posted by PerthDisco

FPT Iveco Diesel engines are highly regarded in boats for reliability, clean exhaust and low fuel burn.

Pretty sure the 2.7 is a Peugeot engine............

As I wrote in original post, Fiat make good diesel engines.

FWIW I know at least three motor repair shops that won't book in Peugeots (or Audi, Renault, Citroen, Fiat, Alfa) as they are a "PIA", "not worth the hassles". One of the three won't touch the 5 cylinder Ford Ranger/ Mazda, same reasons.

Edit - The local bloke won't touch Land Rovers, "too difficult". I have tried hard to convince him that a Series or County is no more difficult than an EH Holden or Valiant but no go. He is not quite 40 and probably only has knowledge of the Disco TD5 and all electronic singing and dancing RR's and Discos which are notorious with repairers.

Go through the van with and be really honest about what you use and how often, you might be surprised about stuff you have collected along the way and how much mass it adds up to. Lots of benefits to having a clean out and being able to relocate the bikes onto the van will help the car but not the issue of GCM. We went through the whole canoe thing a while ago, too long a story for here but we decided too heavy, too expensive and so got an inflatable (3m) which packs into 2 bags, fits in the back of the car easily. Much less mass than the 2 canoes and much easier to handle and use for us and a lot more versatile.

A mate had a F250 until very recently, had plenty of discussions with him about it and did some interstate trips with him in it. They don't call them F Trucks for no reason, they truly are a truck to ride in, NVH is pretty average, general road handling is poor, engine noise was appalling. Do your self a big favor, look up the servicing requirements. I honestly don't remember the specifics of the conversation with him but I was shocked when he told me about how often it was serviced and the shear volume of fluids it used, it was an expensive beast to run. But, it could certainly tow, one of the trips we did we bought a lathe and a mill, the lathe went in the back (1T) the mill on the trailer (1.2T), it didn't even know it was there, very impressed from that perspective.

Good luck, will be interested to hear about the test drive.

Peter

Same with Land Rover except I would say 9/10 workshops wont touch them. That is nothing about the brand but more about the inept mechanics that work their. I do get some mechanics specialize, but generally an engine is an engine and not that hard to work out.
The main issue is most so called mechanics these days are not mechanics but fitters. Very little is repaired just replaced. Also go anywhere with a carby engine these days and if the mechanic is not over 50 they will just stare at the carby with a blank look.

Originally Posted by Bigbjorn

As I wrote in original post, Fiat make good diesel engines.

FWIW I know at least three motor repair shops that won't book in Peugeots (or Audi, Renault, Citroen, Fiat, Alfa) as they are a "PIA", "not worth the hassles". One of the three won't touch the 5 cylinder Ford Ranger/ Mazda, same reasons.

Edit - The local bloke won't touch Land Rovers, "too difficult". I have tried hard to convince him that a Series or County is no more difficult than an EH Holden or Valiant but no go. He is not quite 40 and probably only has knowledge of the Disco TD5 and all electronic singing and dancing RR's and Discos which are notorious with repairers.

I would disagree about the ride, one of my mates had a F350 and it was beautiful to ride in. Great power and much better fuel economy than his 200 series V8 diesel Land Cruiser by around 5 l per 100kms.
I am not a Ford fan but they build good trucks, just not practical for most of us in Australia.

Originally Posted by PeterJ

Go through the van with and be really honest about what you use and how often, you might be surprised about stuff you have collected along the way and how much mass it adds up to. Lots of benefits to having a clean out and being able to relocate the bikes onto the van will help the car but not the issue of GCM. We went through the whole canoe thing a while ago, too long a story for here but we decided too heavy, too expensive and so got an inflatable (3m) which packs into 2 bags, fits in the back of the car easily. Much less mass than the 2 canoes and much easier to handle and use for us and a lot more versatile.

A mate had a F250 until very recently, had plenty of discussions with him about it and did some interstate trips with him in it. They don't call them F Trucks for no reason, they truly are a truck to ride in, NVH is pretty average, general road handling is poor, engine noise was appalling. Do your self a big favor, look up the servicing requirements. I honestly don't remember the specifics of the conversation with him but I was shocked when he told me about how often it was serviced and the shear volume of fluids it used, it was an expensive beast to run. But, it could certainly tow, one of the trips we did we bought a lathe and a mill, the lathe went in the back (1T) the mill on the trailer (1.2T), it didn't even know it was there, very impressed from that perspective.

Good luck, will be interested to hear about the test drive.

Peter

If you take Any of the wide bodied Yank 4WD's off road you will most likely scratch the crap out of the side panels in the scrubby sections of the tracks.

"mechanics these days are not mechanics but fitters."

To be pedantic, fitters are more highly skilled tradesmen than "motor parts replacers" as the service manager at a construction equipment company used to call them. Give a fitter-machinist some training in automotive diagnosis and he would be far more use to an employer.

Ask young motor mechanics if they have ever rebuilt a water pump, done a major overhaul on an auto transmission, set up a diff. Most would not have done this since their tech college days. Most shops send components out to specialists for repair or overhaul.

Originally Posted by RoverLander

We do go to remote areas and plan to do more. The D4 has taken us for a 3/4 lap so far and has done really well with not even a flat tyre.

GVM upgrades dont really help. Its the GCM (Gross Combined Weigh) that needs to go up from the D4's 6740. I need about 7500+.

I am taking a RAM for a test drive next week...if the ride is that bad then ...i dont know what I will do. I dont like the ford option as the right hand drive conversions done lately havent been done very well.

ram will ride really good and be comfy
the 4x4 isuzu trucks ride like a d4 with no air in the airbags

Also i wouldn't touch a new f250/350 thats been converted the ones you want are the older ford Australia imported vehicles from Brazil with the old 7.3 or the older 4.2 six
the newer then 2006 f250's wont have parts back up or anyone around who has worked on them, where their are a lot mechanics who have worked on the older f250's due to mines in remote area's.
the ram will have the same issue as it is only a converted vehicle just with factory backing is all and done at the old hsv assembly line so they are fine if you treat them like a p38 range and stay 2 hours from home but become more risky the further away you get.

have you spoke to an engineer about getting a gvm and gcm upgrade, gvm should just be stronger air bags with a possible brake upgrade while gcm should just be a brake upgrade which you should be able to do with a pad upgrade and maybe slotted rottors as the d4 i would assume has anti sway esc all ready programed so worth a look imo

also if you are going over 3.5ton you need to change your ball to a 70mm