If you were to start all over with a brand new truck, which would you choose?

[justbecause]

Chrysler would be stupid to replace the Ram with a Wrangler truck. Doesn't make ANY sense to replace a full size with a mid. Who would cross shop those two vehicles? I'm trying to imagine the "inventory-clearing demand" it would have compared to a regular work truck that appeals both to businesses and regular Joe's alike. I'd imagine it would sell maybe 10% of current Ram's annual sales, at best. Jeeps will always be a niche product that appeals to a certain segment of people. People will gawk and drool, but not many will plunk down $40k for one. And a 10 hour road trip in a Wrangler? No thanks.

You arent seeing the vision.

The jeep truck that would sell would BE a "1500" it would tow 9k lbs, it would have a 2klb payload. With a solid front axle, available locking diffs, does everyone care about that? No, but the same 10s of thousands of people who buy a wrangler "because its cute" would buy it.
People who want a 1500 would buy it.
The jeep offroad people would go nuts for basically a 1/2 ton power wagon.
all the little old ladies who bought a ram 1500 last year for their own reasons would still buy it.

A 1/2 ton wrangler truck getting 30mpg would sleigh, it would lay waste to, the 1/2 ton market.


will jeep make a truck? Maybe. But who cares? If its just a wrangler with a bed it will be functionally useless.
Would jeep sell a hell of a lot of them anyway? Of course, jeep could sell a fiat if they put their name on it....
oh, wait.....

 

[Clutch]

_
Don't know. Why was the Scrambler killed off? >snip<

Market has changed. People now-a-days actually want a $40-50K truck that is mostly useless.


I see a production JK Brute, doing very well.

 

[p nut]

You arent seeing the vision.

The jeep truck that would sell would BE a "1500" it would tow 9k lbs, it would have a 2klb payload. With a solid front axle, available locking diffs, ....

So the vision is a mid-size doing the duty of a 1/2 ton, maybe 3/4 ton full size pick up. Got it. Can't imagine how it will ride. :Wow1:

Market has changed. People now-a-days actually want a $40-50K truck that is mostly useless.

Hey, mine hauls air (on a daily basis!) just fine, thank you very much!

 

[Clutch]

Yup, you can get a great deal on a Ram. Similar "good" deals on other 1/2 tons as well, but Ram was best priced when I was shopping. Came in a close second in the end, but I won't lie: I do sometimes second guess my final choice when I see one of them passing by.

Have a couple buddies with them, they seem to like them.

My question is...why are they sooo cheap? Is longevity an issue? Is it a only own under warranty vehicle?

Or do you pay a little more for a Toyota, suffer a little on mpg...but pretty certain you can get 500,000 miles plus out of it. Without much fuss.


http://www.trucktrend.com/features/1602-the-million-mile-2007-toyota-tundra/

 

[Clutch]

Hey, mine hauls air (on a daily basis!) just fine, thank you very much!

Ha! At least you have some real power under your right foot!

I was referring to DCSB Tacomas and the GM twin midsizes...is what I believe a Wrangler truck would compete against.

 

[justbecause]

I never said anything about a mid size, those numbers are the current ram 1500 specs and it would ride like a dodge ram 1500.... because it would BE a dodge ram 1500, only they wouldnt call it that. and the body would be different than the ram 2500 +

I hope I clarified that well enough for you.

 

[p nut]

Ha! At least you have some real power under your right foot!

Well, I wouldn't know. I'm keeping it in the "Eco" zone more than "Boost". Something tells me I could have gotten away with an N/A 3.5L V6. :elkgrin:

 

[p nut]

Another vote for the Power Wagon here. We have a 2008 QCab w/G-56 6-speed manual. LOVE IT !!! Yes, it gets horrible mpg, in fact, I think my particular truck gets the worst 8-10, whether empty or loaded about the same, except on hills, where i saw 2 mpg pulling a long 20 minute hill at 6% grade, 10,500 lb camper, in 3rd gear @ 5500 rpms. The Power Wagon is the best factory equipped off-road capable truck made today-----period. All I did was add a set of Hellwig Load Pro 35's on the rear leafs. $380 to my door. That turned it into a towing machine. We have since downsized the camper to an 18' Starcraft AR One Extreme @ 3500 lbs. Truck don't even know it's there. Assess your needs, wants & budget wisely. It is a unique vehicle & not for everyone. And, like any big truck, when it needs fix'n, it is expensive. Gas is at the lowest price since i was a kid. AWESOME, for us PW owners !!! LOL

I didn't know PW came with a 6-speed option. I'm guessing that is no longer the case.
_
But I definitely have PW envy whenever I pass one.

 

[poriggity]

If I was forced to retire my 04 Dodge ram 2500 diesel, I would probably end up in a power wagon with a 6.4 hemi with either a flippac or fwc on the back of it. As much as I love my current truck, I really don't "need" the diesel and the added lockers and other off road goodies on the pw are enticing. I won't be getting rid of my 04 until the body falls apart around the engine...

 

[OffGridCamper]

The Power Wagon is the "only" production vehicle that comes standard with front/rear diff locks, elec. sway bar disconnect and a 12K Warn winch and is trail proven. The Raptor's are nice, but you get cheated by Ford on all of their vehicles now days so I'll never buy one until they get their stuff together (a 2013 Escape was the eye opener to their cheapness on electronics and interior). Unless you're going to put serious miles on it and be hauling a lot of weight then the 6.4 in the PW will be more than sufficient, I know some manufacturers "offer" some of the "standard" features that the PW has, but they don't even compare to it.

 

[Clutch]

Well, I wouldn't know. I'm keeping it in the "Eco" zone more than "Boost". Something tells me I could have gotten away with an N/A 3.5L V6. :elkgrin:

Ha!


I think most of us could get away with the N/A V6.

 

[mikekey]

We just upgraded to the Powerwagon after a year with a half ton 1500 Ram. It got the job done, but it was limiting offorad. We tow all the time, so moving to the HD market made sense for us. I have drooled over the looks of the 17 Raptor. And breifly considered it. We thought about a Powerwagon before buying the 1500 and at the time it seemed like to much truck. hindsight now. If I could go back to before we started, I'd of bought a Powerwagon and saved some money spent on the half ton.

If we lived a traditional life, I might be convinced to build a Taco expo rig.

 

[TwinStick]

I didn't know PW came with a 6-speed option. I'm guessing that is no longer the case.
_
But I definitely have PW envy whenever I pass one.

Yes, it was an option in 2006-2008, then it stopped. We ordered ours new BECAUSE we could get the 6-speed manual trans. We had an 04 2500 QCab w/Hemi & 545RFE trans & it sucked for pulling our 10,500 lb toyhauler. Same 345hp Hemi. The G-56 made ALL the difference. It pulled our toyhauler easily.

Dodge/Ram/Fiat REALLY NEEDS TO BRING BACK THE G-56 OPTION FOR THE HEMI'S.

 

[brushogger]

So the vision is a mid-size doing the duty of a 1/2 ton, maybe 3/4 ton full size pick up. Got it. Can't imagine how it will ride. :Wow1:



Hey, mine hauls air (on a daily basis!) just fine, thank you very much!

Toyota used to offer their mini truck in 3/4 and 1 ton ratings. LR also made the defender 110 in 3/4 ton rating. Neither set any speed records though. A couple of times I've seen one dealer who specializes in Defenders buzzing thru Oklahoma on I 40 in a 110 pulling a trailer with another 110 on it. He seemed to have no problem doing the speed limit. He does have a TDI engine though.

 

[Littlehouse]

Could the regular cab long bed powerwagon be coming back with more power?http://www.autoblog.com/2016/03/10/ram-hellcat-pickup-truck-spy-shots/