Talk me OUT of a buying a RAM 3500 Dual Cab Dually...

[foreman Etexas]

I really like mine,13/14mpg, ride is nice ,I have a tacoma for the other stuff.

 

[sldva00]

I lived in Houston when I bought my 98.5 cummins. The dealers there were crazy then and I guess they still are. I took a trip to Madisonville and bought mine at the local dealer (IIRC - Henson Motors). Not only did I save on the price tag, but the tax rate was lower too. Now this was back in '98, don't know if things are the same, but worth making some phone calls.

 

[foreman Etexas]

Freestone county dodge is close to me I could run threw lot tomorrow and see if any of theirs have hemi's. Also good dealer in madisonville Henson Dodge

 

[SanDucerro]

Freestone county dodge is close to me I could run threw lot tomorrow and see if any of theirs have hemi's. Also good dealer in madisonville Henson Dodge

Seeing your truck in the pictures above probably pushed me over the edge. That's a GREAT looking setup!

 

[buickanddeere]

Duals are near helpless in snow or mud. The dually truck also has a huge fat backside that makes parking , narrow streets and some corners impassable or a challenge.
Same truck with singles a definite maybe.

 

[Soundguy]

Before I start - this thread is not intended to be a "one brand" over another discussion, but rather one on the issues associated with any Dual Cab Dually - be it Chevy, GMC, Ford, or Dodge. :thumbsup:

I have a 2009 Dodge RAM 1500 Short and Wide with the 6 cyl that I bought new. It's a great "city" truck - but it ain't much for the country. No real towing capacity (darn near killed the thing hauling motorcycles in an enclosed 6x12), and since it's a single cab it really doesn't have any room - at all! It also gets lousy gas mileage, so the savings in fuel I thought I would find simply aren't there. So, I'm lookin' to upgrade. I want something with a tow capacity of 10000 lbs, but other than that I'm open to the truck I buy.

i got rid of an older late 90's gasser dodge single cab ram 1500 that I too near wore out hauling much more than it should, and got into diesel ford dually, crew cab ( full 4 door ) later 90's

glad I did.

extra room is nice. the DRW makes for more stability feel when towing... and lets face it.. more rubber on the road.. that's good for braking.. hurts a lil when you repalce tires.. but the safety feeling ws worth it for me.

for what it's worth.. I'm a ford guy really.. but loved my dodge too.. and if the right dodge dually would have showed up.. I'd liekly have that now... they were both in the running..

good luck!

 

[Cat_Driver]

I didn't read all the answers, BUT I would buy what you want and get all the items you've EVER dreamed of - YOU DESERVE IT, we all do. We all work hard enough that our trucks are our rolling MAN CAVES. Dually will give you a rolling spare if you get a rear flat, that saved me twice on the freeway once. Yes dually had a far rear, but the stability can not be beat. I had a SRW and a dually, same truck one year apart and the dually was far better that the SRW in a lot of ways. Sure you park a little farther away, big deal, what you GAIN for hauling safety etc is far more worth it.

 

[Dmace]

I wanted to agree with DiamondPilot's typical advice to go with a 350/3500 SRW truck as a perfect all-around truck as it makes perfect sense but I LOVE dually's. I love towing with them, driving them with 4-6k in the bed and will go out of my way to follow one on the road becuase they look so bad *** from the rear.

With that said, a half-ton "could" handle 10k loads but I doubt they'll last doing it on a regular basis in country land. If your worried about rain/snow handling, get better tires. Get the big bad dually you want and be happy. I would wait for the 2013 RAM's to come out. Even if you don't want a 2013, it will drastically cut the cost of left-over 2012.

 

[Soundguy]

i agree.. safety.. feel.. want.

I didn't read all the answers, BUT I would buy what you want and get all the items you've EVER dreamed of - YOU DESERVE IT, we all do. We all work hard enough that our trucks are our rolling MAN CAVES. Dually will give you a rolling spare if you get a rear flat, that saved me twice on the freeway once. Yes dually had a far rear, but the stability can not be beat. I had a SRW and a dually, same truck one year apart and the dually was far better that the SRW in a lot of ways. Sure you park a little farther away, big deal, what you GAIN for hauling safety etc is far more worth it.

 

[foreman Etexas]

Seeing your truck in the pictures above probably pushed me over the edge. That's a GREAT looking setup!

Thank you!! Your shopping at a good time,maybe look for some 2012 left overs,I paid 11,000 off sticker with B&W GN hitch throwed in...

 

[SanDucerro]

Thank you!! Your shopping at a good time,maybe look for some 2012 left overs,I paid 11,000 off sticker with B&W GN hitch throwed in...

Yep! The one I'm after is a 2012 RAM 3500 4x4 - nicely optioned - at $9k off list. The MSRP on the truck was only $49k, so there are not that many options to toss in for free. I think I've got this one about as low as it can go. We're working on moving the trade in number a bit higher, but I'm good with the current price.

BTW - I'm dealing with the trade in as a seperate part of the equation. As far as I'm concerned, the trade in has absolutely nothing to do with the final price of the truck. Once the dealer and I have agreed on what the truck's value is - then and only then do we begin discussions on the value of the trade.

 

[burnieman]

We just bought a 3/4 ton. Nice truck. We only have 120 miles on it but it sure looks good in the driveway next to my 01! My neighbors are jealous again!

 

[foreman Etexas]

Yep! The one I'm after is a 2012 RAM 3500 4x4 - nicely optioned - at $9k off list. The MSRP on the truck was only $49k, so there are not that many options to toss in for free. I think I've got this one about as low as it can go. We're working on moving the trade in number a bit higher, but I'm good with the current price.

BTW - I'm dealing with the trade in as a seperate part of the equation. As far as I'm concerned, the trade in has absolutely nothing to do with the final price of the truck. Once the dealer and I have agreed on what the truck's value is - then and only then do we begin discussions on the value of the trade.

I would just check with Henson Dodge for the heck of it,see who wonts to really move a truck. I can't stand the going back and forth from salesman to his boss than back with different numbers. When you think they are at bottum push a little more,tell them ford running 10,000 off msrp,lol..

 

[SanDucerro]

Ya'll are doing a really lousy job of talking me out of this dually... :laughing:

But that's OK, I was really looking for vindication rather than justifcation. :stirthepot:

 

[scrappy isb67]

i am in the same conundrum.
I currently have a '07 2500 QCSB that is lifted and has big tires on it. I got it as is for a song but i cannot really tow much with it because of the lift and tires. I already have a deal worked out to trade the '07 AND my '10 Jetta TDI for it. what my biggest problem is giving up my mileage vehicle to get something that I CAN tow with BUT I don't need to tow all the time. so I will be paying a mileage penalty for towing capability. what to do, what to do?

 

[mjncad]

Plenty of good pros and cons for DRW and SRW trucks already mentioned, so I won't regurgitate them here.

However; I will add an aesthetic item about dually's that I don't like. From the rear they remind me of a woman with a big fat butt.

 

[Renze]

I have an old ram with the 5.9 gas engine. I have towed 10k with it, and while beyond it's max rating it did it, but the engine was working. The suspension, brakes, and cooling were up to it, but the engine was working. I regularly tow about 6-7k with it. The new gas motors would be worlds better I think, especially with a lower rear-end, mine is a 3.55.

I've towed 5k behind my Volvo... gets me 20mpg in 5th gear at 2200rpm, yes the engine is working but it was once designed for a VW light commercial vehicles, so it does what its designed to do. the brakes designed for 120mph dont fade when stopping 5k from 70mph. I just wish it had stiffer rear springs... by no means i'd want the added cost per mile of a commercial vehicle for towing twice a month, and towing that 5k three times a year.

 

[rustyshakelford]

i am in the same conundrum.
I currently have a '07 2500 QCSB that is lifted and has big tires on it. I got it as is for a song but i cannot really tow much with it because of the lift and tires. I already have a deal worked out to trade the '07 AND my '10 Jetta TDI for it. what my biggest problem is giving up my mileage vehicle to get something that I CAN tow with BUT I don't need to tow all the time. so I will be paying a mileage penalty for towing capability. what to do, what to do?

Take the lift and big tires off and keep the jetta. I'd take the 40-50 mpg everyday. I don't know what the attraction is on these dodges besides they look good. The mileage is horrible and the emmission equip isn't as efficient as on a duramax or ford even. Join a cummins forum. If you are dead set on getting a dodge I would wait for the 13 or 14s with urea. Less aggressive egr, more power and better mileage.

Brett

 

[SanDucerro]

i am in the same conundrum.
I currently have a '07 2500 QCSB that is lifted and has big tires on it. I got it as is for a song but i cannot really tow much with it because of the lift and tires. I already have a deal worked out to trade the '07 AND my '10 Jetta TDI for it. what my biggest problem is giving up my mileage vehicle to get something that I CAN tow with BUT I don't need to tow all the time. so I will be paying a mileage penalty for towing capability. what to do, what to do?

New tires, new wheels, lower it...

There now - see guys and gals - I most certainly CAN be practical... :laughing:

I hear you about mileage. My trade in is a 2009 Corvette with 436HP that gets 28+ miles to the gallon on the highway and 20+ in town. It's also the fastest, quickest, and most beautiful piece of transportation I have ever owned - but I never drive it. The 'vette sits in the garage and gets dusty while I tool around in the RAM 1500. In my neighborhood (Katy, TX) the Corvette fits in with all the BMW's and fancy SUV's and even those 2500's that cost $50k and have never hauled anything more than a sack of potting soil - but the car would be sorely out of place at our farm in Yoakum. Our dream for the last 10 years has been to escape suburbia and retire to the farm. Well, I'm not sure the retirement part is going to work out - but the house in Katy goes up for sale this spring and we're making the move! We ARE going country and the dually is going to fit right in... :yes:

 

[NICKB304]

I'd get the 2500 if your towing under 12k.
I've owned a 4x4 2012 Ram 2500 SLT 8' bed with extended cab $32k out the door, for just over a year now. I've done some towing, 6000 lb travel trailer, towed about 2k miles last summer. Moved my tractor/equipment trailer & boat (about 10k lbs) a few hundred miles. I've put this truck thru its paces with payload (5k of bagged cement in bed) and towing. I've owned Chevys & Fords forever. My brother jokes about it coming from the factory with a dirt floor in it, because nobody in there right mind would do that to a 1 week old truck. I get 17-18 mpg empty @ 60mph, 10.5-11.5. in the city and 10-11 towing the camper.

It tows great for what I do with it, All around I'm happy with the truck and it beats the heck out of the 2500 chevy and 1500 trucks I've owned in the past. I would say the only downside is, it rides like a tank going down a dirt or bumpy road, flat blacktop its great. If I let some air out of the tires to fix the problem it rides good but then the light comes on for anything under 60psi.

there is a light load button on the dash under the radio that changes the the tpms to let you run 45psi in the rear without the error light coming on. also you can have the dealer change the psi settings if you would like.