What To Buy?

[SUN RA KAT]

I need your opinions about what to buy. I plan on ordering a 2000 Ram Quad Cab in the next few weeks. I love my wife's 1999 Chrysler Town & Country AWD Limited and want my truck to be like hers (leather seats,best radio CD/casette,etc.)but I'm 6'5" tall and fit much more comfortably in a Ram.

I do not plan on using my Ram for towing, hauling, or racing. I just want a fun vehicle for a small giant. I did not like the ride quality of the 4X4 so I'm going with the 4X2 short bed SLT+ with Sport package. It will be a daily driver. Gas mileage is not a major concern because I drive less than 10,000 miles per year.

I'm trying to choose between the 1500 with the 360 V8 and the 2500 with the 488 V10.
I liked the ride quality of the 1999 Ram 1500 with the 318 V8 - would the 2500 with the V10 have a similar ride quality?

If the ride quality is the same, then what are your opinions on what should I buy?

Also, what sort of aftermarket items (headers, cat-back, modified throttle bodies, etc.) can I put on it and not void the warranty? I would be looking for increas-ing gas mileage as well as power. What would
work best at the low end? (I plan on getting the standard 3.55 gears with Limited Slip Differential & will be turning about 2000 rpm @ 70 mph). I want the inside of the cab to be close-to-stock quiet but don't care about outside noise as long as I won't be getting a noise violation ticket.)

Thanks.

[SweetnLow]

Glad to hear that your planning on buying a new dodge... they are great trucks!! As for weather to buy a 1500 V8 or a 2500 V10, go for the V8!! of the two or three 2500s I have riden in, they ride much stiffer than a 1500, especially with the v10 or diesel cuase they way so much more. Plus, if your are wanting decent gas mileage and power, the V8 is definatley the way to go, you will pass the v10s all day long. Granted, if you want to sink loads of money into the v10, it would probably stomp v8 but all day long too!

As for bolt ons, I dont know about everyone on here, but for the money the mopar performance computer was the best bang for the buck that I have found! But I dont think they are avaliable quite yet for new trucks. Headers and a cat back are suppose to help, a K&N filter (especially the FIPK) seem to help a bit, and they are all relatively (I use that word lightly!) inexpensive....

Clay

[Mikey]

Yippee!

Another Ram owner to be....

You are asking many questions some of which conflict with eachother....."don't plan to race, tow, haul.." then "what's the aftermarket parts availability for performance increases"....

I tend to say that your biggest wildcard is the towing. If you don't plan to tow, go with the V8, if you think you might in the future, go with the V10.

If you go with the V8, then go with the 360. The people I have spoken with that have the 318 are always saying that they wish they had the 360.

Ride wise, the 2500 is definitley more firmer than the 1500.

Aftermarket add-ons (catback, Gen II, computers, chips, etc) are all smog legal in all 50 states, unless you're in California where you need to confirm that the products are CARB certified.

Welcome to Ram country.

[9dodge]

I have a 98 1500 quad cab with the 360. It needed a little bit of help so it would tow with the 355 gears.(I added a exhaust system that added torque). The mileage is not that great bout 16mpg combined. Ride is excellent, and thats what you'll get with the 1500, it's more of the soft ride truck, than a work truck like a 2500 or 3500.

[DuranGO]

The V-10 is only available in the HD2500, and
will definately ride more firmly than the 1500. I had a '94 V-10 STD-cab (all they made then) SLT-- 3.54 gear, etc. My was one of the few than snuck out before they rechipped them to lower the top-speed capability in 3rd and
OD to 105mph or whatever--- around town, the truck rode as you might expect: FIRM! But,
on the hiway, at speeds above 55 on up to however fast you wanted to go, it was great!
Very stabil, and confidence building-- mileage was exceptional for a V-10-- as told to me by other owners and the dealer: 16.6mpg
at 75 to 80mph--!
If your 1st couple of paragraph truly reflect your usage, syick with the V8 (5.9), if you even consider towing anything beyond 5000lbs,
get the 10! I used to tow a 10,500lb race-
trailer, with a huge sail-area, and on any roads but those with the steepest hills,
(like those on I70 in eastern Utah), it didn't even kick out of OD! (yeah, yeah, I know, I wasn't supposed to tow in OD, but I
never had any trans problems either!)
Tom

[Bigdodgeram]

are you going to order your ram from the factory? i hope so. dodge has started something new on orders, your name comes on the sticker, by brother in-law saw my 95 ram club and had to have a 99 quad cab 3500 of his own. thats how i found out about the name on the sticker. his was there. i also would recomend the 1500 360 if your NOT going to tow. but if you ever tow anything more than 2000 and you go over mountians you will wish you had more truck and power. the 1500 has lighter running equiptment than the 2500, 5 lugs for the 1500, 8 lugs for the 2500.just to name one. get your truck with all the options availble cause if you don't you'll be wishing you had. in 95 i wasn't able to get some things that are availble now. the only thing i wish i had that was availble is the electric seats, cause when my wife drives the ram she moves the seat all around.
good luck and wellcome to the club!!!!!!!!
i just looked at your profile and see your in ohio. how close is your town to my old home town of streetsboro, which is outside of cleveland and near the chrylser stamping plant in twinsburg oh?? if you do some traveling you might want to go to st. louis mo. fenton mo. to be exact where they make the ram quad cab. call 314-349-4040 for tour information and see them build your new ram.
thanks

[This message has been edited by Marshal Carpenter (edited October 01, 1999).]

[SUN RA KAT]

Thanks everybody! I took delivery of an Intense Blue 2000 Ram 1500 Quad Cab built especially for me (the sticker said so). I
got the 5.9 with Sure-Grip, Auto Trans,3.55, SLT+ (leather seats, best stereo, etc.), and
the Sport Package. Also got the Mopar soft tonneau, Dodge under-the rail bedliner, extended warranty, and a few other things.

With the $2000+ I saved by not getting the V10 I can put it into the 360 V8
for things like headers, Gen II air filter, &
lots of gas for the gas tank. Put over 600 miles on it in just over a week.

[RAM MAN]

Congrats on your new truck !!!

I have a 98 Quad cab and it's been THE best truck I have ever owned. (Used to be strictly a Ford Truck kinda guy . . . )

Sounds like you got a nice one.

Join us in the "RAM CHAT" room in this forum and keep us up to date with your modifications - !!!

"Good luck on your project !"