Drove a Hemi
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 26
Likes: 1
Drove a Hemi
Guys, this is my first post here, but notice my join date. I have been a long time lurker, but have not had much to contribute.
I drove a 2009 Ram 1500 with the Hemi a few days ago. All I can say is wow! That truck stirred up emotions I had not felt in 20+ years from a vehicle.
<O
BUT –
<O</O
To me the Hemi was like the girl you dated just after college: Beautiful and fun, but just not quite marriage material. Not someone (something) you would want to spend the rest of your life with (or keep a long time like I do with vehicles).
<O
I have never been impressed with Chrysler. Their quality has also seemed to lag behind the other American auto makers. I do see a lot of older Chrysler products on the road, but they never seem to look very good. While Chrysler seems to have made great strides in recent years, I still can’t get past feeling it is still a pig with a lot of lipstick. From the sound of the tailgate closing, to the aluminum hood, which the paintless dent repair people cannot take out hail dings, apparently.
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Please don’t turn this into a bashing thread. The consensus on all of the other forums is usually they are best and all others are POS.
<O
(I posted in this forum because I have tried really hard but I still don’t like what Ford did to the 2009s and I am going to get either the Ram or a 2008 F150).
<O
Thoughts?
I drove a 2009 Ram 1500 with the Hemi a few days ago. All I can say is wow! That truck stirred up emotions I had not felt in 20+ years from a vehicle.
<O
BUT –
<O
</OTo me the Hemi was like the girl you dated just after college: Beautiful and fun, but just not quite marriage material. Not someone (something) you would want to spend the rest of your life with (or keep a long time like I do with vehicles).
<O
I have never been impressed with Chrysler. Their quality has also seemed to lag behind the other American auto makers. I do see a lot of older Chrysler products on the road, but they never seem to look very good. While Chrysler seems to have made great strides in recent years, I still can’t get past feeling it is still a pig with a lot of lipstick. From the sound of the tailgate closing, to the aluminum hood, which the paintless dent repair people cannot take out hail dings, apparently.
<O
Please don’t turn this into a bashing thread. The consensus on all of the other forums is usually they are best and all others are POS.
<O
(I posted in this forum because I have tried really hard but I still don’t like what Ford did to the 2009s and I am going to get either the Ram or a 2008 F150).
<O
Thoughts?
New User
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
A friend of mine drove an 04 F150 for work up until early this year. It had almost no options on it and had about 120K on it. He was forced to trade it for a new Dodge 1500 a few months ago. The Dodge has a lot more options on it, but he says he wishes he had his 5 year old F150 back instead of the brand new Dodge. I rode in it, and I wasn't impressed. It just felt cheap.
Another friend has owned a Dodge 1500 since new in 04 and claims his is more reliable than my 05 F150. In reality he's had his in the shop 5 times for every 1 time mine has had an issue. I wouldn't trade my Ford for a Dodge.
Just my 2¢ worth.
Another friend has owned a Dodge 1500 since new in 04 and claims his is more reliable than my 05 F150. In reality he's had his in the shop 5 times for every 1 time mine has had an issue. I wouldn't trade my Ford for a Dodge.
Just my 2¢ worth.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: North West Lower Michigan
I have a '95 Dodge 2500 with a V10. Loved the truck. That being said, for the last 3-4 years it has been plagued with problems. Fuel injectors are bad and very expensive to replace, tranny lost first gear, and now I think it is running on 6 cylinders! Now I have upgraded to an '04 F150 Screw Lariat and I feel like I am driving luxury. I wont go back.
CCB
CCB
New User
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
I think you'll be happy with your choice. The Dodges look nice, but then again so do the Fords. Just don't look too far beneath the surface of the Dodge; the quality just isn't there.
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 125
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From: North West Lower Michigan
I really did like my dodge. I did not abuse it because it was my daily driver. Right now it has about 180000 miles and drives like it has 580000. My wife has an '07 Expedition E.B. with 208000 miles on the 5.4l and it will do circles around the dodge. Oh yeah, so will my '99 escort. 
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FTE Legend
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 37,887
Likes: 20
From: North Central Rural Sask.
In all honesty the only dodge pick up I would consider is a heavier one with a cummins, and you guessed it, just for the cummins!
I never have liked dodge trucks, and steered pretty clear of them. At my previous job we had all kinds of dodge's 3/4 and 1 ton, and I didnt like em. They rode crappy, always seemed to have something small wrong with them, and I cannot stand dodge seats!
Ive read alot that they have improved them greatly over the past little while, but when it comes to trucks i will admit I am a little biased, I will stick with ford.
I never have liked dodge trucks, and steered pretty clear of them. At my previous job we had all kinds of dodge's 3/4 and 1 ton, and I didnt like em. They rode crappy, always seemed to have something small wrong with them, and I cannot stand dodge seats!
Ive read alot that they have improved them greatly over the past little while, but when it comes to trucks i will admit I am a little biased, I will stick with ford.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,243
Likes: 2
From: Chicago and Mt Carroll IL
I have driven my business partners' 07 Ram 2500 hemi a number of times since new. It IS quick as ch** but each time I've driven it seems to get looser and looser. Rattles, steering vagueness and real iffy brakes/front end. It has about 44k on it, not old and tired but feels that way. He doesn't tow much and most of the mileage is back and forth to his 2nd home, Delavan WI (about 95 miles each way, 90% interstate.) Also burns about a quart between oil changes, not horrible but I'd expect less at 44k. Just doesn't feel as cohesive as my SD or even my 210k '97 ranger. Get the Ford IMHO.
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 33,903
Likes: 244
From: Johnstown, PA
I have a friend who owned (emphasis on owned) a Dodge 1500 with the big engine as a part of his small masonry business. I drove it on a number of different occasions and was just never comfortable with it. It felt loose to me all the time. He constantly had issues with brakes, front end parts, and the general ride quality just wasn't there. He recently got an F-250 SD 4x4 and he said "It's like night and day difference in the quality of the truck. It just plain out feels better to me."
Get the Ford, IMHO.
Get the Ford, IMHO.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
I really did like my dodge. I did not abuse it because it was my daily driver. Right now it has about 180000 miles and drives like it has 580000. My wife has an '07 Expedition E.B. with 208000 miles on the 5.4l and it will do circles around the dodge. Oh yeah, so will my '99 escort.
how is that possible? you would have to drive 250+ miles every single day.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,313
Likes: 0
From: Sunny, Snowy, CO
I've driven a Hemi 1500 Ram, and honestly, while it may be faster than a 5.4, I couldn't feel it by the seat of my pants. Nothing seems really fast to me when I'm driving it though. I use a truck to haul stuff, and not go light to light, so I couldn't care less if my neighbor had a 10 second truck parked in his driveway.
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,840
Likes: 1
From: On the prairie
Someone has to have had a good experience with a Dodge, guess thats me. I know it aint a full size but my Dakota hasn't loosened up at all, feels quite resposnsive, and overall handles great. The mileage isn't the greatest but trips usually average 5-6 miles since I moved, before that it was about 250 miles a week. I bought it out of high school four years ago cause it was small and had a V8. Its definitely not as fast as a Hemi but it definitely is faster than my brothers '05 F-150, which I have to admit, is one darn nice ridin truck. Some of the older Dodges are gettin rusty and loose so who knows how well the 2000+ trucks will fare in the long (20+ years) run. If you plan on keepin your truck for a good long time your probably better off Ford, but if you trade every couple years theres nothin wrong with likin a Dodge. Matter of fact, I think I'll see just how long the little Dakota goes; its only at 106k now, ask me how I like it 94,000 miles from now...
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 25,479
Likes: 738
From: Isanti, MN
If you plan on keepin your truck for a good long time your probably better off Ford, but if you trade every couple years theres nothin wrong with likin a Dodge.
Now, that being said...I would NEVER buy an older one, from the '90s...too many quality issues...