# 2004 & 2011 RAM 2500 HEMI's



## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

So I was able to take home a brand new 2011 Ram 2500 Crew Cab this weekend. I believe it has the 3.73's but could be wrong- no information on the window sticker and its not labelled anywhere else I looked (axles, glove box, Vin tag). Here is my impression's of this truck after now driving a 2011 Ford F250 Crew Cab 6.2 for a weekend, and a 2011 Chevy 2500 Crew Cab 6.0 for a weekend.

These trucks come straight off the shipping trucks and have about 3 miles on them when I take them. When I returned this truck it had just over 290 miles on it.

Pro's- Tons of space inside, great for a family, lots of cupholders and has small bins in the floor on both sides that can easily hold a six pack of be....umm coke/pepsi. The liners can be removed as well so they can be cleaned. Has a TPMS Switch for Light loads so you can air down the tires as well. This is a default setting as the front tires were at 50 psi and the rears were at 60psi. When you hit the button the TPMS light comes on the dash needing more PSI in all tires for towing/hauling. Definitely a cool featuer. 

This is the nicest riding 2500 hands down of all 3 I drove. It was the most solid, quiet, smooth riding truck of all of them with the Ford coming in second (wasn't as "tight" and solid feeling as the Ram) and the Chevy Last (even my wife commented on how stiff the ride was). The interior is very nice and the seats are very comfortable. Everything is within easy reach and is simple. Also had an integrated trailer brake controller - FINALLY. 

The HEMI Screams in this truck. It is very quick and would definitely take my 04 in a race even though my truck is smaller and weighs less. You can definitely feel the extra power they got out of this motor. Its definitley quicker than both the Ford/Chevy, but the Ford isn't too far behind. I bet a tuner/intake/exhaust would make for a close race.

Cons- The 545RFE Tranny. Its been around since 1999 when it debuted in the Grand Cherokee. It was decent in 99 but was showing its age in 2006. Its a very reliable unit that hasn't had problems other than if you mod the motor to about 450RWHP where the 2 Prime gear lets go. Anyways, this tranny just has badly spaced gearing that takes the HEMI out of its power range. I'd take the Torqueshift 6 speed on this Motor anyday of the week and this would be an amazing all around truck. Driving with an empty load you wouldn't notice it, but when you hook up a trailer or plow with ballast, you definitely do especially going uphill.

All in all this is an awesome truck that I wouldn't think twice about buying. Personally it'd be a toss up between the Ford and the Dodge with me leaning to the Dodge for the ride/quietness and the fact that it has LATCH Anchors in the back seats. Something the Ford does not have- seems stupid but having 2 kids in car seats that are moved from car to car almost daily, it makes a HUGE difference. 

Oh yeah, for 2012 there is supposedly a new 8 speed automatic coming out for the Ram Trucks.


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## DAFFMOBILEWASH (Dec 9, 2006)

Can you special order the 2500 gassers with a hand shaker ??? My buddy has a 03 1500 with a 5 speed. It is a blast to drive!!!


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm pretty sure its gone on the HEMI but you can still get it with the Cummins.


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## Evan528 (Jan 12, 2000)

Great review..... Where did you find dealers that were willing you let you borrow trucks for an entire weekend? I would love to do that before dropping $40,000 on a new truck. 

Test driving a truck for a couple miles does nothing for me. A true "test" would be hooking up one of my loaded trailers and driving it around.


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

Very true which is why I did this myself. Plus it really allows you to find the flaws of the trucks when used in your daily life.

All the trucks are owned by my company and I'm on a company car plan. My suv needed tires so I took this when I saw it coming off the truck.


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## kah68 (Jan 16, 2006)

DAFFMOBILEWASH;1140949 said:


> Can you special order the 2500 gassers with a hand shaker ??? My buddy has a 03 1500 with a 5 speed. It is a blast to drive!!!


 Dealer says only on CC can you get 5speed, not sure if it's cummins only though.


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## cmo18 (Mar 10, 2008)

DAFFMOBILEWASH;1140949 said:


> Can you special order the 2500 gassers with a hand shaker ??? My buddy has a 03 1500 with a 5 speed. It is a blast to drive!!!


I dont think hemi ever came with a 5spd in a truck...the 4.7 did


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## RacingZR (Nov 14, 2009)

chris_morrison;1155371 said:



> I dont think hemi ever came with a 5spd in a truck...the 4.7 did


Sure it did, friend of mine has an 06 2500 QC with the Hemi and 5 speed manual. I drove it during hunting season.


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

Yup just the 2500/3500's had them. 1500's just had auto's.


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## RacingZR (Nov 14, 2009)

I see says the blind man. I sure would like to try out one of them 11's!


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## mtchockey30 (Jun 10, 2009)

I got quoted $35168 out the door for a 2011 Ram 2500 ST Crew Cab Cummins auto. the other day.. Is that a pretty good price?? Also does anyone know what kind of fuel mileage one could expect not towing vs. towing approx. 5000 lbs.? Thanks


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

RacingZR;1155531 said:


> I see says the blind man. I sure would like to try out one of them 11's!


Honestly, coming from the same year/body style truck- its world's ahead in everything compared to our trucks. I'm not the biggest fan of the tranny's shifting patterns or gear spacing, but the new HEMI with Variable Cam Timing and whatever programming they have actually does a nice job together. Ask Pete - bacwudzme - about it spinning the tires off an on ramp at about 25-30mph when going to Augusta a few weeks ago LOL. Everything is so much nicer- interior, ride, handling, sound levels (so quiet).



mtchockey30;1155555 said:


> I got quoted $35168 out the door for a 2011 Ram 2500 ST Crew Cab Cummins auto. the other day.. Is that a pretty good price?? Also does anyone know what kind of fuel mileage one could expect not towing vs. towing approx. 5000 lbs.? Thanks


I think thats an awesome deal, but the ST is usually their Base package- if that matters to you at all. What is the sticker on it? As for MPG's the new diesels with their emissions seem to be getting mid to upper teen's with mixed driving. Get rid of the EGR (just unplug it) and do an exhaust and you'll be up in the low 20's.


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## mtchockey30 (Jun 10, 2009)

plowguy43;1155627 said:


> Honestly, coming from the same year/body style truck- its world's ahead in everything compared to our trucks. I'm not the biggest fan of the tranny's shifting patterns or gear spacing, but the new HEMI with Variable Cam Timing and whatever programming they have actually does a nice job together. Ask Pete - bacwudzme - about it spinning the tires off an on ramp at about 25-30mph when going to Augusta a few weeks ago LOL. Everything is so much nicer- interior, ride, handling, sound levels (so quiet).
> 
> I think thats an awesome deal, but the ST is usually their Base package- if that matters to you at all. What is the sticker on it? As for MPG's the new diesels with their emissions seem to be getting mid to upper teen's with mixed driving. Get rid of the EGR (just unplug it) and do an exhaust and you'll be up in the low 20's.


I think it was $44XXX. I know it was a base model but that price seemed pretty nice I thought. As far as unplugging the EGR, what will that do? Im guessing the check engine light will then be on? What will some of the pros and cons be if it is unplugged?
Thanks


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow $9k off, thats definitely a good deal. The HEMI pictured about had a sticker of $36k I believe and was an SLT with not a ton of options. 

The EGR is basically the route cause of all the diesel problems in new diesels. It puts exhaust back into the turbo/intake like a gas engine, but diesel exhaust has a lot of soot in it. This in turn ruins the turbo among other things and causes a bunch of problems. Some trucks make it without a check engine light, others need a tuner to get it turned off (there are none yet for the 2011's).


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## mtchockey30 (Jun 10, 2009)

plowguy43;1155654 said:


> Wow $9k off, thats definitely a good deal. The HEMI pictured about had a sticker of $36k I believe and was an SLT with not a ton of options.
> 
> The EGR is basically the route cause of all the diesel problems in new diesels. It puts exhaust back into the turbo/intake like a gas engine, but diesel exhaust has a lot of soot in it. This in turn ruins the turbo among other things and causes a bunch of problems. Some trucks make it without a check engine light, others need a tuner to get it turned off (there are none yet for the 2011's).


It would definitely be a change. My grandfather retired from GM and my dad worked there for 17 years and now is in his 18th year at Ford. So I can still get family discounts through GM and Ford... Not Dodge... We have never owned a Dodge although I have heard good things from the Cummins.


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

Nobody makes a bad truck nowadays. Brand Bias is still out there but I've driven all 3 3/4 Ton trucks (2011's) for a weekend just like this Ram and they were all awesome trucks-with their own personality.


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## dave_dj1 (Nov 2, 2010)

Well it must be that the quadcab rides better than the single cab I have! Mine is a 2010 reg cab, 2500 HD hemi with a 6 spd auto. I do get around 15 mpg on average. The first two weeks I owned it I hated it, I traded in my 06 1/2 ton extra cab GMC that rode like a cadillac. The other Dodge's that I had were all 1/2 tons with the 5.9.
Now that I have 22k on it I sort of like it, the bucket seats are nice and overall fit and finish is good. 
I did get a loaner 1/2 ton QC for 3 days when mine was a couple of months old and that rode real nice.


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

Your comparing a 1/2 ton to a 3/4 first of all and second, the Chevy/GMC 1/2 tons have the softest suspension going. Did you test drive any other reg cab long bed 3/4 tons to compare?

BTW- your 2010 has a 5 speed if its an auto.


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## DAFFMOBILEWASH (Dec 9, 2006)

To me a truck should be able to carry some weight ... I found every 2500 series Chev needed some springs in the rear and the tortions cranked to make me happy. But they do ride smooth !!!

The big three all have nice trucks. They all have there share of issues too. To me pick what works for you and keep your options open. Read up and research you future truck for once you drive it home you are married to it. Parting your own ways will sometimes cause real financial heart ache. 

Myself I'm still not sold on the newer diesels. Too bogged down and the computers seem to be taking over the operations too much. I think I'd be driving gassers if I had to buy 08 and up.


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

I agree- 07 and older cummins is the way to go IMO.


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## My07Brute (Feb 9, 2011)

Just to correct the Manual Tranny comments.

06+ 2500 Gas/Cummins us the G56 6Speed manual tranny in the Dodges (maybe 04.5 cummins and up too?)


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