New Ram

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint


I was looking yesterday and checking out Ram trucks and the Jeep GC to kill time. Much to my disappointment they don't have a dipstick for the transmission. It might sound petty but it annoys me. Other than that the truck is nice.


That used to rub me the wrong way also, but when was the last time you saw a dipstick on a manual transmission? If it had a fill hole on the side just like the Tremec in my Challenger, I'd be thrilled. But it doesnt...

What should really irritate you is that you have to have a scan-tool to fill the transmission to the correct level when you do a fluid change- at least on the older NAG-1 5-speed, not sure about the 8HP.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum

What should really irritate you is that you have to have a scan-tool to fill the transmission to the correct level when you do a fluid change- at least on the older NAG-1 5-speed, not sure about the 8HP.


Nope. Not true for the Nag1, we have used a work around for many years here. But you do need to know the temp of the fluid to get the level accurate.

I'm sure the 8HP70 will have its tricks revealed...

 

[hattaresguy]

The Airmatic suspension would make me nervous, its a mixed bag in Mercedes.

Other than that they seem like good trucks, one of the guys down the marina has had one for about 6 months.

 

[lovcom]

SteveSRT8, why do you even need a truck? Do you haul anything? And if so how often? If its just fashion and a way to burn through the kind of cash that would make Dave Ramsey cry, I would suggest you get a Prius, and be smart about $$.

 

[JetStar]

Ahh where did that come from?

Originally Posted By: lovcom
SteveSRT8, why do you even need a truck? Do you haul anything? And if so how often? If its just fashion and a way to burn through the kind of cash that would make Dave Ramsey cry, I would suggest you get a Prius, and be smart about $$.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: lovcom
SteveSRT8, why do you even need a truck? Do you haul anything? And if so how often? If its just fashion and a way to burn through the kind of cash that would make Dave Ramsey cry, I would suggest you get a Prius, and be smart about $$.


Why do you need a car? Ride a bike, or take the bus.

 

[SubLGT]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
………..This truck drops lower when you park, raises when you take off, lowers a bit at higher speeds, and best of all does it all very transparently. No noise, nothing. …………….


does the truck auto level after attaching a trailer, or putting 600 lb in the bed?

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Picked up a gorgeous new Ram today for a 3 day test drive. Haven't bought a pickup new since 09 and what a difference a few years make.

The truck is a gorgeous dark Granite with color matched bumpers and that nice frenched in dual exhaust under the back bumper, sprayed in bedliner, I can't think of anything missing.

This truck drops lower when you park, raises when you take off, lowers a bit at higher speeds, and best of all does it all very transparently. No noise, nothing. The truck is super loaded, all the bells and whistles. Very nice touch screen with all the usual stuff. Sound system is Alpine with a nifty 8 inch sub in the back. Very nifty back seats fold up and then drop a panel to create a flat floor if wanted.

The shining star is the 5.7 and 8 speed trans. Even with tall economy gearing first gear is still short and gets things rocking RIGHT NOW. Very responsive trans, somebody got the calibrations perfect. Engine is fantastically smooth, virtually no vibration at all and a sweet soft sound of power (REAL power!) when you get on it.

Best of all, effortlessly cruised at 70 mph (under 1500 rpm!) and got almost 30 mpg! This is a great drivetrain...


I was looking yesterday and checking out Ram trucks and the Jeep GC to kill time. Much to my disappointment they don't have a dipstick for the transmission. It might sound petty but it annoys me. Other than that the truck is nice.


But you forget, my other Mopar has no dipstick either. So we are already prepared, Miller Tool to the rescue!

Frankly, I am excited to learn what it takes to service this trans in the driveway. Since it is in almost everything these days the info is out there somewhere...
I saw somewhere maybe a Ram site and is seems not really bad.

 

[wtd]

Sounds like a nice truck and I've heard some good things about the new 8 speed transmission. I've been drooling over the new 2015 Challenger R/T and R/T Scat pak with the new 8 speed. I just can't afford it right now.

Wayne

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum

What should really irritate you is that you have to have a scan-tool to fill the transmission to the correct level when you do a fluid change- at least on the older NAG-1 5-speed, not sure about the 8HP.



It does irritate me.

My 08 Liberty has no dipstick, I ended up making one which seems to work well. After doing an ATF change I had the level verified by a reliable shop and it was on the money. Still it was a PITA and a move in the wrong direction IMO. Especially with a unit as expensive as the 8 speed transmission the Ram and GC are using.

I'm pretty sure someone will be posting about an ATF change or how they topped theirs up at some point. It will be interesting to see if the Wrangler gets the 8 speed unit. I wonder if they'll add a dipstick to it or not..........

As far as the Ram PU, I think its a winner!

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: lovcom
SteveSRT8, why do you even need a truck? Do you haul anything? And if so how often? If its just fashion and a way to burn through the kind of cash that would make Dave Ramsey cry, I would suggest you get a Prius, and be smart about $$.


Frankly your advice is not needed. I'm a big boy and I buy what I want. Life is too short, and I'm not feeling your joy...

 

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: lovcom
SteveSRT8, why do you even need a truck? Do you haul anything? And if so how often? If its just fashion and a way to burn through the kind of cash that would make Dave Ramsey cry, I would suggest you get a Prius, and be smart about $$.


Frankly your advice is not needed. I'm a big boy and I buy what I want. Life is too short, and I'm not feeling your joy...



That lovcom dude does a lot of trolling. My Silverado is stone age compared to the new Ram. I especially like the 3.6 six and 8 speed auto combo. But with 22 mpg the Hemi would sure be tempting. My six cylinder Chevy gets 22 on its best day. Usually averages 19-20.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Originally Posted By: lovcom
SteveSRT8, why do you even need a truck? Do you haul anything? And if so how often? If its just fashion and a way to burn through the kind of cash that would make Dave Ramsey cry, I would suggest you get a Prius, and be smart about $$.


Why do you need a car? Ride a bike, or take the bus.


Does he need a computer? Maybe he should turn it off and save the electricity (and save the rest of us from drivel like 'buy a Prius.')

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum

What should really irritate you is that you have to have a scan-tool to fill the transmission to the correct level when you do a fluid change- at least on the older NAG-1 5-speed, not sure about the 8HP.



It does irritate me.

My 08 Liberty has no dipstick, I ended up making one which seems to work well. After doing an ATF change I had the level verified by a reliable shop and it was on the money. Still it was a PITA and a move in the wrong direction IMO. Especially with a unit as expensive as the 8 speed transmission the Ram and GC are using.



Oh, I agree that a real dipstick would be simplest. But given that things just do NOT leak like they did in 1960, a fill and drain plug on the side of an automatic trans (serviced from below, just like a manual trans has always been done) would be perfectly acceptable. Its the whole "use a special dipstick, but also a scan tool or other temperature source" kind of precision thats annoying. It just begs for errors- a gearbox shouldn't be THAT sensitive to fill level. But, we're here and we cope...

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Originally Posted By: lovcom
SteveSRT8, why do you even need a truck? Do you haul anything? And if so how often? If its just fashion and a way to burn through the kind of cash that would make Dave Ramsey cry, I would suggest you get a Prius, and be smart about $$.


Why do you need a car? Ride a bike, or take the bus.
There is a certain pleasure in driving a vehicle that is enjoyed.

 

[morepwr]

I never used to be a big fan of the Dodge trucks but they have really come a long way in the last few years and I find myself liking them more and more. The drivetrain options they have are fantastic.

 

[rjundi]

Originally Posted By: lovcom
SteveSRT8, why do you even need a truck? Do you haul anything? And if so how often? If its just fashion and a way to burn through the kind of cash that would make Dave Ramsey cry, I would suggest you get a Prius, and be smart about $$.


I know my neighbor a Ukrainian is leasing one as he turned his MB E350 diesel from lease. The lease payment was only $250/month on the new RAM which is loaded to the hilt.

He actually just deserves to try it IMHO as he grew up with nothing including running water. Now him and wife could care less about money as physcians living the "US" dream.

I realized some folks just have more money to spend. Dave Ramsey makes great tips for many folks to accumulate wealth with limited income but we have no idea what income the OP has.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum

What should really irritate you is that you have to have a scan-tool to fill the transmission to the correct level when you do a fluid change- at least on the older NAG-1 5-speed, not sure about the 8HP.



It does irritate me.

My 08 Liberty has no dipstick, I ended up making one which seems to work well. After doing an ATF change I had the level verified by a reliable shop and it was on the money. Still it was a PITA and a move in the wrong direction IMO. Especially with a unit as expensive as the 8 speed transmission the Ram and GC are using.



Oh, I agree that a real dipstick would be simplest. But given that things just do NOT leak like they did in 1960, a fill and drain plug on the side of an automatic trans (serviced from below, just like a manual trans has always been done) would be perfectly acceptable. Its the whole "use a special dipstick, but also a scan tool or other temperature source" kind of precision thats annoying. It just begs for errors- a gearbox shouldn't be THAT sensitive to fill level. But, we're here and we cope...



I hear ya, and agree! The thought of a full for life transmission doesn't impress me, hopefully its a unit that can be serviced as in pan drop and filter change, and a work around for the DIY'er for the missing stick. The transmission is pretty new to me. I became interested in the GC when my wife told me she really liked it, so I started reading up on it.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Originally Posted By: lovcom
SteveSRT8, why do you even need a truck? Do you haul anything? And if so how often? If its just fashion and a way to burn through the kind of cash that would make Dave Ramsey cry, I would suggest you get a Prius, and be smart about $$.


Why do you need a car? Ride a bike, or take the bus.
There is a certain pleasure in driving a vehicle that is enjoyed.


Like a new Ram.

 

[Nate1979]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Picked up a gorgeous new Ram today for a 3 day test drive. Haven't bought a pickup new since 09 and what a difference a few years make.

The truck is a gorgeous dark Granite with color matched bumpers and that nice frenched in dual exhaust under the back bumper, sprayed in bedliner, I can't think of anything missing.

This truck drops lower when you park, raises when you take off, lowers a bit at higher speeds, and best of all does it all very transparently. No noise, nothing. The truck is super loaded, all the bells and whistles. Very nice touch screen with all the usual stuff. Sound system is Alpine with a nifty 8 inch sub in the back. Very nifty back seats fold up and then drop a panel to create a flat floor if wanted.

The shining star is the 5.7 and 8 speed trans. Even with tall economy gearing first gear is still short and gets things rocking RIGHT NOW. Very responsive trans, somebody got the calibrations perfect. Engine is fantastically smooth, virtually no vibration at all and a sweet soft sound of power (REAL power!) when you get on it.

Best of all, effortlessly cruised at 70 mph (under 1500 rpm!) and got almost 30 mpg! This is a great drivetrain...


Is the MDS engaging at 70mph? That's amazing cruising mpg. My 5.3's AFM usually won't engage at such speed but even if it did it would only be ~25mpg at best. If AFM isn't engaged it would be more like 20mpg at 70mph.