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Considering swapping my Ram 1500 Laramie for LX or GX but need some input.
Dont get me wrong, I like having the utility of a pickup truck. But I have a small flatbed trailer should I need to haul anything, and access to larger trailers and trucks constantly. My transport business has taken off so we have 5 1 ton duallys and 15 trailers now.
A large SUV would fit my needs well, as I can transport my dogs easier. Fuel economy is not a concern, as I get 12mpg hwy in my Ram now (its lifted and on 35's). I guess I am getting old, but the mods I have made to the Ram have made it a bear on long trips and costly to operate. Unintended side effects i guess. It rides harsh on the E rated tires, they are loud as hell because they are mud terrains. Im ready for quiet comfort...what my truck was before I screwed with it. These are all fixable things, but it might be easier to sell it and get a different car.
Also, there is the recent crap I went through with my trucks paint issue at my local dealer. This hasnt turned me totally off to the brand, but it has turned me away from the dealer i was using.
so here are my options:
1. Keep what I have, and unmodify it, fix the paintjob and drive it till the wheels fall off. (will cost some money but truck is paid for.)
and sell my truck outright, paying off the loan on the new one after it sells. I like this idea, but wife isnt fond of going into debt, even temporarily. This truck is a year newer than mine, a model up from mine (more options), and 60,000ish fewer miles. The drawback? My truck has bern mechanically flawless up till now. Not sure this one will be.
3. Trade truck straight across(or close) at a dealer for an older LX or GX with fewer miles than my Ram (73k).
i have had pickups for years, but times are changing. Im getting older and i guess with that comes wisdom.
I guess I am getting old, but the mods I have made to the Ram have made it a bear on long trips and costly to operate. Unintended side effects i guess. It rides harsh on the E rated tires, they are loud as hell because they are mud terrains. Im ready for quiet comfort...what my truck was before I screwed with
I have had pickups for years, but times are changing. I'm getting older and I guess with that comes wisdom.
thoughts?
DEFINITELY some wisdom on your part.....+1. I've cautioned people for years about the pounding and noise that modified tires/suspensions can produce. Factory equipment is usually put on for a reason.
A large SUV would fit my needs well, as I can transport my dogs easier. Fuel economy is not a concern, as I get 12mpg hwy in my Ram now (its lifted and on 35's).
If you decide to go that route, I'd avoid the big body-on-frame GM SUVs (Tahoe/Suburban, Yukon, Escalade).....and I say that as a GM fan myself. Consumer Reports gives them a low reliability rating...and, recently, a new customer-complaint with them has come up, which deals with flexing/drumming of the roof sheet metal, at highway speeds, from a poor design/assembly techinque. A fix for it will be difficult.
Also, there is the recent crap I went through with my trucks paint issue at my local dealer. This hasnt turned me totally off to the brand, but it has turned me away from the dealer i was using.
That was common in the early 1990s, when the then-new clearcoat-techniques and new EPA restrictions on paint-techniques led to many flake-off paint jobs, but is generally rare on more modern vehicles. Are your trucks exposed to some kind of local air-pollution or fallout in that part of Texas (perhaps from the oil industry) that you think could be contributing to it?
Dont get me wrong, I like having the utility of a pickup truck. But I have a small flatbed trailer should I need to haul anything, and access to larger trailers and trucks constantly. My transport business has taken off so we have 5 1 ton duallys and 15 trailers now.
A large SUV would fit my needs well, as I can transport my dogs easier. Fuel economy is not a concern, as I get 12mpg hwy in my Ram now (its lifted and on 35's). I guess I am getting old, but the mods I have made to the Ram have made it a bear on long trips and costly to operate. Unintended side effects i guess. It rides harsh on the E rated tires, they are loud as hell because they are mud terrains. Im ready for quiet comfort...what my truck was before I screwed with it. These are all fixable things, but it might be easier to sell it and get a different car.
Also, there is the recent crap I went through with my trucks paint issue at my local dealer. This hasnt turned me totally off to the brand, but it has turned me away from the dealer i was using.
so here are my options:
1. Keep what I have, and unmodify it, fix the paintjob and drive it till the wheels fall off. (will cost some money but truck is paid for.)
and sell my truck outright, paying off the loan on the new one after it sells. I like this idea, but wife isnt fond of going into debt, even temporarily. This truck is a year newer than mine, a model up from mine (more options), and 60,000ish fewer miles. The drawback? My truck has bern mechanically flawless up till now. Not sure this one will be.
3. Trade truck straight across(or close) at a dealer for an older LX or GX with fewer miles than my Ram (73k).
i have had pickups for years, but times are changing. Im getting older and i guess with that comes wisdom.
thoughts?
How old of an LX? Current LX models max out around 7100lbs. Is that enough?
DEFINITELY some wisdom on your part.....+1. I've cautioned people for years about the pounding and noise that modified tires/suspensions can produce. Factory equipment is usually put on for a reason.
If you decide to go that route, I'd avoid the big body-on-frame GM SUVs (Tahoe/Suburban, Yukon, Escalade).....and I say that as a GM fan myself. Consumer Reports gives them a low reliability rating...and, recently, a new customer-complaint with them has come up, which deals with flexing/drumming of the roof sheet metal, at highway speeds, from a poor design/assembly techinque. A fix for it will be difficult.
That was common in the early 1990s, when the then-new clearcoat-techniques and new EPA restrictions on paint-techniques led to many flake-off paint jobs, but is generally rare on more modern vehicles. Are your trucks exposed to some kind of local air-pollution or fallout in that part of Texas (perhaps from the oil industry) that you think could be contributing to it?
nope. The Warren MI truck plant where my truck was built is notorious for **** paintjobs. There was contamination between my paint and primer, causing delamination. Its a documented problem but because my miles are so high and the local sevice manager is an ***, FCA told me to get bent.
Geico is paying to respray my entire front end less my $50 comprehensive deductible. $2,350 worth of work. Luckily comprehensive claims in texas cant affect insurance rates by state law. I'm having it fixed, but I am not sure if I want to keep it. Whats to say the paint will stay on the rest of it?
If I do sell/trade it, it will only be for a toyota/lexus or another Ram. Unfortunately besides the tundra/titan, the other full size trucks on the market today dont interest me.
Originally Posted by LexsCTJill
How old of an LX? Current LX models max out around 7100lbs. Is that enough?
yeah, 6500 is about as high as i would ever need to go.
Well, after talking it over with my wife, we have decided to keep the truck, put new tires on it (get rid of the E-rated M/T's) and get the paint fixed.
I talked to my Geico Agent this morning, and after sending him pictures, He told me that for my $50 comprehensive deductible, I can have the entire front end re-sprayed. That takes care of the road rash on the front bumper cap too. I will get a clear-bra installed 30 or so days after the repaint. The truck goes to the body shop on Monday.
We came to this conclusion because the truck is a premium trim. The only option I don't have that I really want is the wood steering wheel, which can be had for around $1,000, and that is a lot cheaper and easier than a new vehicle. Putting new tires on it is also $1,000, but I will get $800 or so of that back because almost new mud tires here command a premium on craigslist. Putting 33's back on will also increase fuel economy immensely, fix the harsh ride, and reduce wear and tear on the trucks suspension, and drivetrain, leading to increased vehicle life overall.
Bottom line, the truck is paid for, and still considered a late model. Getting something new on a whim because of tires and a little paint just doesn't seem smart.
Yep, as long as it's still mechanically sound, you made the best financial decision IMO.
I think I'd have a hard time giving up my pickup. They're just so useful as well as fun.
For tires I am running 32" General Grabber AT2s which I like. They look great, much better than regular highway tires, do pretty good off road, and should last a while. I have E rated tires, but they're also available in P metric.
Sucks to hear about the paint issues. A lot of times paint issues on newer cars isn't a factory problem. They were damaged during shipping and then touched up by a local body shop.
And paid for is a great thing, especially if its a newer/expensive vehicle like yours.
[QUOTE=Aron9000;10099631 They were damaged during shipping and then touched up by a local body shop.
.[/QUOTE]
Or sometimes not touched up at all from some horror stories I've heard.
It sucks when your paint is damaged on such a new vehicle. In my case it's my fault because I go offroading frequently, so I've got scratches from the sagebrush and such. I had my truck professionally buffed, waxed, and sealed yesterday for about $350(ouch) and it looks about 99% new now, but some of it will always be there.
When I lifted the truck and put on the Mud Terrain's, I was in a position where I needed them. I was in the mud almost every day taking deliveries to oil field sites, most of which were off the beaten path a ways. However, now that my drivers handle that stuff, I really only need all terrains. The truck came from the factory with a 275/60/20 Which is a 33 Inch tire. I was gonna go to a 34 which is mid-way between a 33 and a 35, but I couldn't find any that weren't E-rated. I don't need that either. So I went with the Firestone Destination A/T (white letters out), in the stock size. Next week sometime I will drop the front shocks from 2.8" to 2.1" so that the wheel gap is less, slap on my adapter spacers to get the tires away from the body and put the flares back on it.
The key factor in us keeping the truck is it is paid for. If I can just get the fuel economy and the ride back, it will be around for a long long time. I can do all of the suspension work, fluid changes, etc myself. I can't do much with the computer related stuff, but the rest of it is pretty simple.
I talked to my Geico Agent this morning, and after sending him pictures, He told me that for my $50 comprehensive deductible, I can have the entire front end re-sprayed. That takes care of the road rash on the front bumper cap too. I will get a clear-bra installed 30 or so days after the repaint. The truck goes to the body shop on Monday.
I've been with GEICO since 1982. They are more than reasonable to deal with...IMO, with the possible of USAA (which caters strictly to the military), it's hard to beat GEICO's combination of low rates and customer service, though they are sometimes picky about who they will accept as new customers.
Bottom line, the truck is paid for, and still considered a late model. Getting something new on a whim because of tires and a little paint just doesn't seem smart.
Originally Posted by LexsCTJill
^^^. Likely a smart idea. Having the truck paid for is the smartest move one can make.
I agree with Jill. It's almost always best to be out of debt....especially if one's job is not particularly secure.
Back to the question from the OP. I think a LX or GX is going to drain the person as a daily driver compared to the RAM. The way Toyota gears their SUVs is different than the American brands and as daily driver they have very very very poor fuel economy. Whether or not you can afford it. Also, the always working full time 4WD is a bit fatiguing IMO. All that said, the Lexus or Toyota tricks will last a very very long time. And customer satisfaction is very high for Toyota and Lexus BOF models.
01-30-18, 08:26 AM
Considering swapping my Ram 1500 Laramie for LX or GX but need some input.
I've cautioned people for years about the pounding and noise that modified tires/suspensions can produce. Factory equipment is usually put on for a reason.
