I just drove a 2007 Ram 1500 Quad Cab 4x4 with the Sport Package (3.90 gears) and the Hemi with MDS. That is one hell of a strong motor. My daily ride is a 2006 F250 CC 2wd 5.4 and I realize that my Super Duty is about 1500 pounds heavier but, that Dodge will fly made my 3v 5.4 feel like a V6. Felt like a late eighties Fbody (camaro/firebird) in acceleration. I have driven 2004+ F150 wirth the 5.4 and they feel weak compared to the HEMI.

Has anyone driven a Dodge 2500 with the HEMI?

I wonder how the Dodge would run with 7000 pounds tacked onto the hitch?

 

The Dodge does pull trailers well. MDS only works when unloaded, however, so mileage is not good under load. The 5.4 IMO is a Ford weakness. What is the point of overhead cams and three valves at low rpm's? The GM 6.0 also pulls stronger, but the stupid computer-programmed lag makes it feel weak off the line.

Jim

 

Here's the deal. Ford builds a tank of a truck and then puts a terrible drivetrain in them relatively speaking.

First off, the F150 is built totally overkill and is too heavy. There is absolutely no need for a fully boxed frame in a 1/2 ton except for use in ads. Then they put an engine in it that only has gotten 15ft/lbs more torque since 99 and maybe earlier as IDK the specs of the 5.4 from 97-98. Sure it's gotten 40 more HP, but that still only puts it at last in the pack of 1/2 tons. Then to add insult to injury, they still only have a 4 speed auto. How long does it take to get another gear or two?

I swear that Ford is the only entity that I know of that moves slower than the speed of government.

The Ram has a lot of positives ranging from the HEMI MDS engine to the 5 speed auto (that I haven't heard much bad about), to the lifetime drivetrain warranty. If only the interiors weren't god aweful, I'd definitely buy one.

The F150 is so frustrating to me. It has a rock solid frame. It's super sharp inside and out, and then you look at the drivetrain and see engine and transmission technology out of the early 90s and 80s respectively.

Mike

 

I wouldn't say early 90's drive train tech. I mean variable valve timing on the overhead cams is high tech, multi valve heads, FORD always goes conservative on the power rating compare to the other truck manufactures for warranty reasons. They need two engine options one for durability and mileage and the other for truck posers like me who do not work their trucks day in and out.

I wish they had a baby torque shift in the F150 though the 4spd is slow to respond and sucks power.

I agree though that the body and frame of a Ford is tons better than dodge and chevy. And the Dodge interior is a bit crappy but, who is gonna mistake the interior of my XLT F250 for an Audi or BMW?

 

The 5.7 HEMI's are good engines. 345HP and 375 ft-lbs of torque for RAMs. Thats still quite a bit considering it still a two valve push rod engine! The over all dodge packages are improving frame,body and powertrain wise, but the interiors still lacking.

 

Id have to say i have test driven a 06 F150 supercab XLT 5.4l with 3.55 LS gears 4x4b man it seemed powerful to me and i took a 04 Dodge Quad cab laramie 5.7l hem 4x4i not sure what gears but yeah i have to agree those new dodges are just a beast wow they are powerful but then again i like dodge and ford soo...

 

Just fix the interior and I'd buy one.

Mike

 

Alright, I'll bite. What's wrong with the interiors?

They have the largest interior of any pickup, thoughtful storage (like under the cushion of the middle front seat) & YES Essential® fabric (Ford's cloth positively sucks). What's so wrong with all of that??

 

That is kind of what I was thinking. I like the Dodge interior. I think it is a much better design then the f150. but you know what they say that "opinions are like a........"

 

Dodge usually has great use of space, and good quality seats, its the body panels that suck though. Feel cheap, and don't seem fit together nice and tight some of time. Although, recent years have been a huge improvement.

 

I like the seats better than my Ford and I like the Chevy seats too just not the Chevy styling. The Dodge has a 70's look to the center stack in the dash (radio, HVAC). That motor was very powerful and the flat terrain here on the coastal plains of the atlantic reap the benefits from the MDS in the Hemi. When I was test driving the Hemi made me feel bad like I was cheating on a high school girlfriend.

 

They have plenty of positives on the interior as well, and you pretty much nailed all the things I like about the interior, especially the roominess.

But the plastics feel cheap and they have a nasty habit of cracking dashboards. (A guy at the firehouse just had his break at 70K) I also really don't like the cloth interior. It's a personal thing.

I'll just compare my 2000 F150 XLT with my dad's 2001 Dakota SLT. Even when his was brand new and mine had 60K on it, my interior feels richer and better put together. But his has the 4.7 with the 5 speed and 3.90 gears, so it's much more fun to drive than my 5.4 auto 3.55. I swear it feels like it has at least 2x the power of my F150.

I really have to see more of the newer interior. I'd love to get a Hemi mega cab 1500 or a Hemi mega cab 2500 with a stick if it's available. (Or the Cummins with a stick, but that's a given, and about 6K more that I'm not sure is worth it to me)

Mike

 

Vehicles in the 70's didn't even have center stacks! WTH are you talking about?

 

Monsta,

Yeah you are right it just hasa a k-car 1980's plastic feel to the interior. I can't quite put my finger on it.

 

Only the Dodge Mega-Cab has the largest interior, and that model barely edged out the former champ, the 2004 Nissan Titan. The difference is less than 2 cubic feet. The Mega Cab's list price when introduced was $38,000.00. The Titan CC's all have the same sized interior, with as much storage space as the Dodge, and the rear seat cushions not only fold up, but the backrests fold down, reveling hidden storage behind. A Titan XE CC with its standard 339 cid DOHC 32 valve V8 is priced at $13,000.00 less than that OHV Semi Hemi Mega-Cab.