Dodge Megacab
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: 3rd Rock
Originally Posted by Truckbedz
I should start be agreeing that I'm a long time Ford fan like most of you and I'm on my 3rd pickup truck and my '00 F250 has been through the wars with hard towing and 4wd miles. Only problem to date were some cheap vacuum hoses. NBD.
But this thread is about the Megacabs, and I've actually driven one so let me offer a couple of thoughts.
1) This cab is big, for full size adults in front or rear, including seat recline as others have mentioned. As mentioned before most Crew cabs sold are the short bed config. But while the Ford SD series is almost 6'8" the Dodge cargo box is only 6'3" like all other Ram shortbeds. (small details that I care about in my biz)
2) The cab has great stowage lockers on the floor behind the rear seats. Sort of neat to keep my essential gear from looking like clutter.
3) The seats fold forward completely to make a sizeable flat bed 'inside' the cab. Way cool, time for Ford and Chevy to get up to speed.
4) The mirrors. This is Dodge's best little design trick as they rotate to turn from standard config to towing config in seconds. Both positions let you use the regular and the convex mirror. What took someone so long to come up with this idea?
And speaking of ideas that were overdue, I'm waiting for any of the big three to mimic the Honda Ridgeline cargo trunk. Another great idea and having seen one personally it was far bigger than I expected.
Now let's be clear, I'm not buying a Honda "truck", not a chance. And I'm not likely to buy a Dodge either but a fair review of this trucks features will teach the other players where the new high water mark is.
Thanks (sorry for the length)
But this thread is about the Megacabs, and I've actually driven one so let me offer a couple of thoughts.
1) This cab is big, for full size adults in front or rear, including seat recline as others have mentioned. As mentioned before most Crew cabs sold are the short bed config. But while the Ford SD series is almost 6'8" the Dodge cargo box is only 6'3" like all other Ram shortbeds. (small details that I care about in my biz)
2) The cab has great stowage lockers on the floor behind the rear seats. Sort of neat to keep my essential gear from looking like clutter.
3) The seats fold forward completely to make a sizeable flat bed 'inside' the cab. Way cool, time for Ford and Chevy to get up to speed.
4) The mirrors. This is Dodge's best little design trick as they rotate to turn from standard config to towing config in seconds. Both positions let you use the regular and the convex mirror. What took someone so long to come up with this idea?
And speaking of ideas that were overdue, I'm waiting for any of the big three to mimic the Honda Ridgeline cargo trunk. Another great idea and having seen one personally it was far bigger than I expected.
Now let's be clear, I'm not buying a Honda "truck", not a chance. And I'm not likely to buy a Dodge either but a fair review of this trucks features will teach the other players where the new high water mark is.
Thanks (sorry for the length)
See you on the boards.
….
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 140
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From: wallingford, ct
I think he is saying that the seats fold down flat not up to make a bed so you can sleep back there. This is something I was hoping the 05 was going to have when I first saw the changes for the 05's when they first came out. But unfortunately that was not the case. Ford should include that.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2003
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OOh OOh. Sleep in the back. Im liking this. I see a stop at the dealer in my near future. Though I must admit Im tired of 1000 dollar a month payments. I love to camp but weather and wildlife makes tents impractical sometimes. I used to love to sleep in my station wagon. No bears, No mosquitos and no wet sleeping bags. I know, I know, really roughing it.
Last edited by Logical Heritic; Oct 18, 2005 at 11:34 PM.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2005
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I don't have much to say about the quality or looks or fuel mileage of the Mega Cab. All I have to say is Dodge must be making a killing on these at the bank. I heard a radio commercial this morning for a dealer offering $9500 off MSRP. Now, you know the dealer is still going to make a profit on the vehicle or he's not going to sell it. Just how much money do they make off these? If the dealer can knock off over $9000 off MSRP and still make a decent profit then they should lower the MSRP. I guess they are simply taking advantage of a marketing trend.
I remember a few years ago some stats on the profit that Ford made on some of their SUV's. Right around $5000 on the Expedition and $10,000 on the Navigator. As I understood this, that was the profit Ford made when they sold the vehicle to the dealer. Talk about taking advantage of a marketing trend!
BTW: I'm not picking on Ford and Dodge brands here. I'm sure examples of profiteering can found with them all.
I remember a few years ago some stats on the profit that Ford made on some of their SUV's. Right around $5000 on the Expedition and $10,000 on the Navigator. As I understood this, that was the profit Ford made when they sold the vehicle to the dealer. Talk about taking advantage of a marketing trend!
BTW: I'm not picking on Ford and Dodge brands here. I'm sure examples of profiteering can found with them all.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: 3rd Rock
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Elder User
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: MA
I happen to like the Ram Mega Cab. I'll bet this truck will be a big hit with crew cab customers. Dodge's quality is very good in comparison to Ford and GM, IMO, and I know it's hard for the blind "blue bloods" to understand or even admit to it. Don't get me wrong, I love the Super Dutys. Heck, I own one! But before my Ford I had a '94 Ram 1500 4x4. It was an excellent truck with no problems. Sold it with 142K on the clock and the current owner loves it too. But anyway, I think the Megacab will be successful. The updated interior is refined and fresh, and the revised nose gives the new Ram a menacing stance. Now Chevy has to design a truck that looks scared!
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,378
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From: nebraska
The build quality is not the same as Ford. If you took the truck apart piece by piece youd see that pretty quick. Im not blinded by loyalty its a fact. If you think differently your not looking closly. Sorry but when somebody says the build quality is good I have to say it isnt. Im glad you have had good luck with your Dodge but most people have not. Like I said Dodge is no 3 in truck sales an is not about to move up until they build a better truck.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: MA
So, 150Ford, when did you take a Dodge apart to determine this? I'd like to see how you can prove this "fact" that Ford is so much better quality wise. I have looked very close, and I can't see how Ford is so much better. Yes, I did have good luck with my Dodge. And yes, I know many people have had bad luck with Dodges. However, I've seen many cases of Ford's having problems too. A great example being the 6.0L. But does that take away from it being a good truck? I'm not saying Ford is better than Dodge or vice versa, but there is absolutely no way for you to prove that Ford is better from a quality standpoint. You speak like Ford trucks are built to perfection, and we all know there is no perfect truck. Like I've said before, they're all over-priced, they all break, and NONE of them will hold up as long as their engines! Best regards.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,378
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From: nebraska
Can you prove the fact that Dodge has a good build qulity. No you cant. The build quality meaning sheet metal .frame the fit an finish. Have you looked at the front end on a Dodge 4x4 the HD models. An look at a Ford there is no comparison way beefier components by far. The interior is way better with better materials. Yes Ford has problems Im not denying that but Dodge is a problem just waiting to happen. I agree with you they all cost too much an none will hold up like the older ones. Hey this is FTE we love our Fords an we do argue that they are better. Thats what Ford guys do. You are over here too so you must like them as well. Sorry if we agree to disagree thats the nature off this forum.
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I felt the build quality in the dodges I had was better than the build quality in the fords I had. Exspecially fit and finish. Or course this is a very subjective opinion from my personal life experiences. F150 have you actually owned and operated a dodge? I had a horrible experience with my last F150 which is why I looked at a dodge cummins. Went straight from a ford to a dodge. I bought that F150 brand new and it was in the shop every two months. Nothing major but a whole lot of little stuff. I live 30 miles from a dealership and there is no mass transit. I was working 90 hours a week including a graveyard. To say this was a pain in my **** would be a huge understatement. Both dodges went to the dealer 1 time before 100k. That is what I expect from a vehicle.
Last edited by Logical Heritic; Oct 19, 2005 at 09:18 PM.
Elder User
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From: MA
150Ford, Yes, I actually have compared the two side by side. The Dodge's components look pretty beefy to me from what I have observed. Equally as capable as a Ford. I obviously cannot prove that the Dodge's quality is "good" because it is only my opinion; just like your opinion on Ford's being of better quality. You can't prove it. And how do you know the interior materials in the Ford are better? Can you validate this? I never said one was better than the other. But again, there's no proving Ford's initial quality is better or vice versa. Like Logical Heretic said, it is all subject to opinion. And "Dodge is a problem waiting to happen"? That's a bit brash, don't you think? I'm curious like Logical Heretic here as well. Have you ever owned or operated a Dodge truck? Anyhow, you are definitely right about a few things; this IS Ford truck forum and I DO like Ford trucks (Super Dutys) haha. But our disagreements provide some interesting entertainment don't you think?
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Bossier City, LA
Originally Posted by 150ford
Boy now everybodies on the Dodge bandwagon. Lots off Dodge fans on FTE. Ive seen enough off Dodge not to have one. Real world experience rules out any awards a truck gets. If I was getting 18-21 MPG out off any Dodge truck I consider myself lucky. I was just looking at the most fuel efficient vehicles an the Dodge ram was at the bottom off the list. 10 to 12 MPG. The biggest complainton most Dodge trucks is gas mileage. I have never yey seen one Dodge guy ever buy another one. One is enough. I think Dodge caters to the young crowd. Hemi this hemi that. It takes an older guy to know better.Dodge has no loyalty in there products.
Fit and finish, well they were all metal in the 70s. Plastic is still plastic no matter who installs it Ford, Dodge or GM.
Now back to the regularly scheduled topic, had Dodge had a real crew cab in 03 I probably would have bought one. Bought a Ford PSD with the now world renowned 6.0.
That said I recently purchased another PSD, this time an 05 model. I have no complaints to date on either. Ryan