17 TUNDRA to 19 RAM, back to 19 TUNDRA

Hey y'all, well we all make mistakes, some more expensive than others ... I am one of those people. I lost my Tundra to an act of nature and after 9 months in a 2019 RAM 1500 I just couldn't take it anymore, got back into a TUNDRA and here she is ... its good to be back in the right truck.

 

Congrats! Just curious, since you came from a tundra to the ram - what did you not like about the ram? There is a guy that I work with that has been on my butt since I got my tundra that I "should have gotten a Ram". I could have saved thousands, American made truck, blah blah.
I am just curious just how far apart they are. I know I made the right choice with my tundra - just think he is justifying his.

 

Congrats on the new Tundra.
Tell the tale of the Ram. What went wrong?

 

RAM...?? What didn't you like about it??

 

I'm curious too. My 05 Dakota entire ac replaced in 17 and computer in April of 18 finally replaced with tundra in November. I like it alot even more since paid off but come November felt it was time had about 125000 on it.

 

I’d love to hear about the Ram. I recently rented the new Rebel for a week while on business. I loved the truck and enjoyed driving it much more than my Tundra. Although probably not a good comparison. A 2011 SR5 compared to almost anything 2019 would probably feel subpar. I bet if I threw 10k of suspension, exhaust, and sound system at my truck I would like it more than the Rebel though.

 

that's wild! I was literally just thinking about going down to my dodge dealer and checking out the 2500 power wagon.

 

Welcome back!
Nice looking DC

 

Welcome from South Texas.

 

Tell your friend that your Tundra is more American then a Dodge Ram. Tundras are built in Texas. Dodge Rams are built in Mexico but I do believe starting late last year they started production of some Rams in the Michigan plant. But even then they will be built in Michigan using Chinese parts.

 

Yes mine is from texas . Just look on driver door

 

Still

 

Ahem... Lol
https://youtu.be/Ryf7bo10lF4

 

Let me guess, that Tesla screen was bugging out on you real bad...

 

I like the power wagon too... But I gotta say it's in different class than the tundra.

 

Welcome and what about the Ram?

 

HAHAHAHA you guys are awesome!


Well the story goes like this ...


I bought a 2013 Tundra CM 5.7 near the end of 2013 (deal on out-going body style). Loved it. Having had several Tacomas it seemed like the right next step. Wasn't sure I'd like a larger truck but I got used to it real quick. Had her almost 4 years when sadly she got infested with rats from my neighbors 65 year old ivy. I was clueless. However that’s not even the craziest part. A few months before I found the rats living in the dashboard of my Tundra I began to suffer from “random swelling” attacks. I actually saw the rat when I was spraying off the crap from the engine. My tongue, my left hand, my right foot, then my throat would swell (3 or 4 times normal size) randomly every 4 or 5 days. Turns out I had contracted a parasitic infection in my body from breathing aerosolized rat feces. It was literally trying to kill me. After thousands of dollars and months of tests the medical community had nothing to offer, no answers. My friend referred me to a naturopath doctor, he said “you have bugs” – a laughed. But decided to try his snake oil and it worked. After a few weeks, zero episodes and they haven’t returned.


Because I read that Toyota had used soy based wire in Tundras I was not sure about getting another Tundra, but I did, I 2017 CM 4x4. That also ended up with rats in the engine bay. So I switched to a RAM hoping that would solve the problem.


Turns out that it wasn’t the truck that was the problem (all brands use the same wiring mostly), it was my neighbors ivy. I have badass neighbors and we split the cost of ripping out 90 ft. L x 11 ft. H x 2 ft. thick ivy. I also installed some lights in my driveway, rats like the shadows.


So that FINALLY brings us to the 2019 RAM Big Horn Crew 5.7 4x4. I really liked all the gizmos and features, liked the feature combos I could get and I got a smoking deal, $11,300 off sticker. But within weeks I started to realize that although I now had all these gadgets and felt like I had gotten a “deal” the I could never get comfortable, the seat was just … wrong. The recalls started within a couple months of ownership. Then that body “creak” - then the loud “clang” (like hitting the bell housing with a hammer) on start-up. ECO mode on the RAM was also a real pita under normal city driving - it would almost backfire as it went from 4 cyl back to 8. Then there was the transmission, for some unknown reason when I would start off from a stop the transmission would feel like something was bound up, holding it back, then it would release and I’d get full power. Unsettling in the rain for sure.


And of course all these issues and recalls had to be handled by the RAM dealers. 9 months of ownership and I had already changed dealers because of incompetence. One time they actually told be “who knows” when I asked when the break pedal recall would have a solution from FCA. Brake pedal of all things! Wow.


I am not here to bash on RAM. They are good trucks for what they are. But now I finally understand QDR. On my new 2019 TUNDRA SR5 DC 5.7 everyone thing just works. It may not have the fanciest gizmos and gadgets but what it does have works as designed flawlessly every single time I use it. I can brake and accelerate without wondering what the drivetrain might do this time.


Finally, I took a huge bath on the 2019 RAM, I have never experienced depreciation like that before. It may seem like some other brands are a better deal but resale value really matters. I paid cash for my 2019 Tundra and I sure am glad that money is there and not in some other brand truck.


Pictures or it didn’t happen …

 

Holy crap! Glad you are ok!

 

LOL the picture of your swollen lip, sorry but that's the craziest shit i've ever heard. Rats living in your truck, glad you are back in a Tundra though. She's boring, she's dated, but she' comfortable and will be rock solid for years to come. 182K miles on mine, drives like new.

 

What a story and what a mess of your life the f'n rats made.
Glad you're ok both in health and in trucks.

 

Damn! Welcome back. Glad you’re getting things back on track. I can’t believe you were inhaling that nasty shit without knowing. I feel for you.

 

When a brand gets renamed because of their bad quality....... That pretty much tells the story. Its a Dodge. It will always be a Dodge. Auto unions destroyed Detriot manufacturing quality a long time ago. The trucks made in Mexico are generally better quality than what comes out of Detriot.

 

OMFG dude! glad you survived, this was a crazy story. Reminds of of that movie snakes on a plane except a hell of a lot worse. Glad it’s behind you now. WELCOME

 

I’m sure it was the unions and had nothing to do with piss poor management and horseshit designs, right?

 

You tell me. Different designs same result. Different management same result.

None unionized plants doing better.

Union leaders have always been for themselves.

 

And the company and management doesn’t think the same?

 

And the union doesnt think the same?

 

They built poorly designed, poorly engineered and unreliable vehicles. To me that’s what their downfall was. The unionized employees to my knowledge just built the dog shit that was rolling down the line.
For the record, I’m not union. I have been in the past but I find your comment completely baseless and ridiculous.