Right to your face ford cheerleaders.

worst quality truck ever made!

So what happens when fuel prices go back up and customers turn their backs on trucks and crossovers? ford, GM, Toyota, etc. will be okay but Fiat Chrysler will be in trouble. I'm not knocking trucks because I own three myself, but FCA's busy dropping products like the Dart and 200 with no future replacement, refusing to do something-anything-about the Fiat 500, and adding more crossovers to the Alfa and Maserati lineups. This is stupid. Hey, I don't want Chrysler (and Fiat) to fail, but with Sergio Marchionne in charge, they certainly seem to be headed that way. FCA needs to be fixed, and the first thing they need to do is to get rid of Marchionne-now.

lol

My 2014 ram has been the most quality truck ever and I've had all the brands.

@ Mikey

Biased comment do doubt. Have you read the latest J.D. Power dependability ratings?

Just saw a report on foxnews.com from consumer reports and 4 of the 5 worst vehicles were dodge/chrysler/fiat. not biased, dodge is the worst

Thanks guys.

@ Mikey

Biased comment do doubt. Have you read the latest J.D. Power dependability ratings?

Posted by: Montands | Mar 3, 2016 2:05:41 PM

If you read the article it was based on a total survey of 33K vehicles. Total. And it included all vehicle lines within that company. It also was limited to a single model year, 2013. There is a lot of flaws in that specific study. If Ram was combined within the rest of the fiat family the outcome would likely have been different.

Funniest thing , I have heard of in a while. Jeep in Australia is dying, Chrysler is tiny. The RAM Pickup project has fallen off a cliff, other RAM products are rebadged Fiats

So what happens when fuel prices go back up and customers turn their backs on trucks and crossovers? ford, GM, Toyota, etc. will be okay but Fiat Chrysler will be in trouble. I'm not knocking trucks because I own three myself, but FCA's busy dropping products like the Dart and 200 with no future replacement, refusing to do something-anything-about the Fiat 500, and adding more crossovers to the Alfa and Maserati lineups. This is stupid. Hey, I don't want Chrysler (and Fiat) to fail, but with Sergio Marchionne in charge, they certainly seem to be headed that way. FCA needs to be fixed, and the first thing they need to do is to get rid of Marchionne-now.

Posted by: imoore | Mar 3, 2016 1:53:00 PM

I fully agree. Fiat needs to focus on a total vehicle line vs just trucks and SUV's. Fiat is already paying big fines to the EPA because of their overall EPA score. http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2014/04/fca-daimler-buy-greenhouse-credits-to-meet-epa-emission-limits/

they need to keep focus on FE with their cars. You can tell they made a big push to sell as many cars by building more muscle based cars. This definitely plays a part in vehicle purchases with people that like family sized muscle cars. but the cost is bad fuel efficiency. If fuel prices go up fiat will be in a terrible situation again. People can cry all day and all night about real world fuel efficiency but unless it has a good rating on the window sticker from the govt, it means nothing.

Robert Ryan what's wrong? Scared full size Ram trucks will take off all over the world, and leave your small under powered trucks in the dust/past?

Most of the rest of the world actually give a s**t about the environment and the future and won't buy these gas guzzling beasts. Oz is about the only exception

@ Tom

Of course the out come would be different...however they are not so your argument is pointless. Also your opinion about the tests being flawed is interesting, why don't you make your own test?

Ram changes leadership like I change socks. Diaz, Bigland, Hegbloom and now Morrison, all within the last 3 years or so.

@ Mikey,

Dodge has not made Ram trucks since 2010. It took them a couple years, but starting 2013 with the refresh was when Ram could spend more $$ on their trucks without having to share $$ with Dodge. This is why since 2013 Ram has been a lot better in terms of quality, performance and reliability. I will admit it will take another 100 years for people to forget the past crummy Dodge Ram trucks...

You change socks every three years or so?!?!

I've never owned a Ram, and usually when I have no first-hand experience with something I give them the benefit of the doubt. However, when I mention the mere possibility of looking at a new Ram to any of my friends/neighbors/etc they literally trip over themselves to warn me not to do it, with the same intensity as someone talking a crazy person off the ledge.

After a while you just think to yourself, "That many people having that much negative emotion for a brand.... maybe I'll pass." It's a shame too because those Rams sure seem badass.

@johnny doe,
They have already conquered, the world outside NA. No someone inside of Chrysler has no idea of the market outside NA.
Ford, GM and Toyota could not be bothered.

@johnny doe,
They have already conquered, the world outside NA. No someone inside of Chrysler has no idea of the market outside NA.
Ford, GM and Toyota could not be bothered.

@Montands

4 CEOs in just over 3 years seems normal to you?

@Montands

RAM is still benefiting from the Daimler era. Back when their engineers all had names like Dieter, Fritz and Hans.

Now their designers and engineers go by names like Tony, Louie, and Joey. Good luck wit dat.

@Darien,
They are not really " beasts" but their niche in Australia is shrinking, the 5ver market is shrinking and what is left is being served by European Cab Chassis Vans, Global Pickups of Japanese Light or MDT Trucks

Sure they do, Fiat owns them.

@Darien
A 42ft locally built 5th wheeler pulled by a Light Japanese Truck
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a186/RobRyan7/image_zps5esmgrdy.jpeg

My 2014 Ram 2500 has been awesome! No complaints!

That would be great, and it makes complete sense. I think Fiat commercial should all come under Ram worldwide. I know Aussies want access to the 1500 and 2500 for well under $100K. They will have to do a cab & chassis version of the 1500 Tradesman too.

Montands - when it comes to looking at grey data like dependability reports or any kind of research there always needs to be corroborating data. In other words, does other research confirm it.
In the case of JD Power data that was just released, they report on 3 year old vehicles. The 2016 data (2013 vehicles) 1/2 ton pickup breakdown puts Tundra #1 with Chevy/GM 2nd/3rd. Hd's put GM/Chevy 1 and 2, Ford 2nd, Ram 3rd.

If you look at Consumer Reports, they dropped the 2015 Sierra/Silverado 1500's from their recommended list. Ram 1500 has NEVER been on their recommended list. This is based on their durability data NOT road tests.

Ram is one product line in the FCA lineup. If averaged with FCA as a whole, their company average is 169 per 100.

Their vans must be stellar since the Ram 1500 isn't even in the Top 3 this year and the Ram HD has never moved out of 3rd place.

Benefiting from daimler? They took Chrysler into the cesspool, bled them dry of cash, then dumped them when no longer usable. Worse ten years of Chryslers' history. At first, Sergio was good for the company. Now not so much

FixerUpper - A colleague was telling me about their latest Ram HD. They have always purchased Ram because of the fact that it was the last truck on the market with a manual transmission. This is their 5th and each one has gotten worse. Their current one is plagued with electrical gremlins. It was getting checked for intermittent issues including the neutral safety start cutout switch. The technician was working on a separate issue and the truck self started and drove itself into a work bench.

All of the other people listening to the story said the same thing, " 5th truck in a row, we don't feel sorry for you since you should of known better by now".

The only way Ram can go global is if Iveco gets renamed Ram AND they make a decent compact BOF truck.

Kowalski - most of their SUV's and cars are based upon Mercedes platforms. That is where they benefited from DaimlerBenz.

Most of the rest of the world actually give a s**t about the environment and the future and won't buy these gas guzzling beasts.
Oz is about the only exception
Posted by: Darien |
QUOTE

Ausies drive on the left so,wouldnt this truck need Right hand drive to be legal or popular there

Robert Ryan what's wrong? Scared full size Ram trucks will take off all over the world, and leave your small under powered trucks in the dust/past?
Posted by: johnny doe |
QUOTE

You and the Rambozos have no clue what the rest of the world looks like,obviously..
Our Big trucks are most popular in NA due to the big spaces and low price of gasoline

With such high cost of fuel in Europe its only handful of fanatics who would drive these monsters..same in Japan,there are some folks obsesed with american culture ,who love big trucks even Hummers..not enough though to make any serious dent in sales..
And in China its Buick territory,also some Caddillacs..

Hey heres a suggestion take some Ram trucks and race in Dakkar rally next year,,heck I dare any NA truck maker to try this..
Id wager none of these would even finish let alone win..
Its all European rigs that rule in such rough conditions..

Now just wait until Fiat & Apple hook up.... A whole new fruit.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/fiat-chrysler-ceo-couldnt-merge-224631384.html

Posted today.

The technician was working on a separate issue and the truck self started and drove itself into a work bench.

Posted by: Lou_BC | Mar 3, 2016 5:52:03 PM

There is not such a thing as the self started. Technician is a moron and deserve to die.
Hopefully he doesn't have any work insurance and paid for that from his pocket and go out of business.

I see no benefit from cast off mercedes parts. Hopefully soon Chrysler will be purged of all things daimler.
Self started? Was her name Christine?
My 3500 had zero problems while I put 156000 miles in 18 months on her. More electrical doodads=more problems

Australian comparison between the Ram 2500 and Ford F-250.

http://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/reviews/2016/commercial/ram/2500/ram-2500-v-ford-f-250-2016-comparison-101558

" Ram 1500 has NEVER been on their recommended list."

Posted by: Lou_BC | Mar 3, 2016 5:56:45 PM

https://www.magnummfginc.com/truck-news-info/consumer-reports-recommends-ram-1500/

Ram 1500 is the best truck, 'Consumer Reports' says

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2013/07/16/ram-1500-best-truck-consumer-reports-says/2519369/

Stay thirty,

In South America they sell mid size pickups (HiLux, Amarok, Navarra, L200), FWD pickups have a huge market in Brazil (Strada, Saveiro), small vans (Partner, Fiorino, Kangoo), midsize vans (HiAce) and full size vans (Sprinter, Boxer).

Europe is more about VAN's, the pickups are mostly full size chassis van derived. FCA with Fiat and Iveco is one of the market leaders. VW, Renault, PSA, Mercedes-Benz and Ford sell a ton of vans too. Some roads are narrow, not sure if full-size pickups or duallies could transit there.

In South America the wide full size pickups wouldn't be a problem as they have wide roads, but to introduce those products will take some time. RAM needs a mid-size pickups truck, they should share platform with Jeep.

Not sure about other markets.

I think that FCA should bring their next generation Strada to North America.

Not sure about other markets, never lived there.

I spent 2 weeks in Verona Italy some time ago. Every morning some guy in an early 70's Chevy drove by the hotel. It was a work truck filled with tools and equipment and a piperack. It looked huge next to the tiny 3 wheel trucks and other cars.

Once a Dodge, always a Dodge.

Once a Dodge, always a Dodge.

Posted by: Todd | Mar 3, 2016 9:15:24 PM

You posted under wrong topic. This one is about RAM going global.

Purchased a new Ford F-150 on 6/27/2015 from HemBorg Ford in Norco, Ca. External fan came on a few times as soon as the truck was started while we moved the truck in and out of our shop and would not shut off unless we turn engine off and restarted truck. On September 1 after picking the truck up from getting the decals the battery light came on. The following day I made a phone call up to our local mechanic to see if he could check out why the battery light was on since they are a half mile from where I lived. Pulled the truck out of the shop and let it run for about 30 minutes while I cleaned it to see if maybe the light was on because the truck had been sitting in the shop. I then got in the truck and drove off.

It is about 12 miles from our shop to the local mechanic shop but after getting on the freeway the Sync system notified me. I was going to lose power to some electric powered features or something of that sort. It didn't repeat it. It only said it once so I can't remember exactly. I turned off the radio and air thinking maybe it's a low battery issue. A few minutes later all the indicator lights came on and the truck lost power. I looked in my mirror to get over and to my horror I saw smoke pouring out from under the truck out the back. As soon as I pulled over the smoke was coming out from under the hood as well as flames were starting to come out too. I popped the hood and jumped out looking for my fire extinguisher and in panic could locate it. I ran to the front of the truck and tried to unlatch the hood, but the smoke and flames were pouring out.

A guy ran up and started with his fire extinguisher, but we couldn't get the flames down enough to get the hood opened. By the time the fire department got there, the front tires caught fire and blew into the field which started a 5-acre fire which did slightly damage some decks on a few homes. The fire dept didn't put any water on the truck because they were trying to save these people's homes and I watched in horror. The truck and all our equipment burn to the ground. Some people say why didn't we bring it in when the external fan came on but honestly most people would have even noticed it. I know because we own 9 Fords between our business and personal but since the truck was only at our shop and not in service yet it would be brought in before it was ready to go into service the Ford dealer.

I would have brought it to was father then my local mechanic so it wouldn't have made it either way. I am beside myself with this. Did the fan keep coming on because the computer was telling the truck something was hot? Why did the battery light come on (I did take a picture of the dash when I was pulling into the shop after we picked it up from getting decals and it shows the light on. Please help."

Europe will love the only 1/2 ton with class leading MPG Diesel.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/f150_fires.htm

Ram needs to find themselves a merger or somebody to buy them before they have any chance of going global. The whole company is going broke.
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2016/03/marchionne-apple-pick-pick/

@Scott
Do you know their financial situation ? Please post the link.

@ram

You can read it yourself. Here is FCA annual report. If you choose not to read it all from the beginning you can go to page 23 and just read that page.... It's about there significant debt and the repercussions of that debt. You can start at the beginning but I suspect the dismal report from FCA is over your head but you should be able to understand page 23..... Maybe!
http://www.fcagroup.com/en-US/investor_relations/financial_information_reports/annual_reports/annual_reports/FCA_2015_Annual_Report.pdf

I am not going to read anything. Thank you for playing.

Of course you are not. I was correct in Annual financial reports are over head. But you asked for a link..... I gave you from FCA. So you can now go back and doing basic addition on you fingers.... Something you can understand.

Ok , I checked that and the whole company is not going broke.
You are tro!!