Looks like the Ram folks are just going after increased market share with this maneuver ... good for them. Ram is/has a great truck. Can't wait for them to put the Rebel TRX into production (and they will, in one form or the other, even without its intense off-road capabilities.)

================

these discount tactics gave RAM sales a one month boost. Big whoop!

However, purely from the consumer's perspective, the RAM 1500 represents a great deal, particularly if you opt for RAM's aggressive lease plan.

Where I live the RAM 1500 Express with Hemi V8 is a steal, price wise!

Same thing Nissan is doing with the old Frontier, they are old and have probably paid for them self by now. Run with it Ram pick up some new buyers.

Incentives are risky for FCA however, there are other implications that other manufactures cannot ignore, they are losing customers, and maybe losing them permanently. Although RAM needs to update their trucks they are dependable i.e., bugs have been worked out and they are more reliable than when purchasing newer models like the redesigned f150 or titan. Kicking myself for buying a used 2015 GMC - having transmission issues, dam thing hunts for gears worse than Hillary pimps voters. Jhawk

I wonder this is all abouthttp://driving.ca/chrysler/auto-news/news/fiat-chrysler-reportedly-under-multiple-fraud-investigations

Looking for a pickup, was going to buy a used 2011 ram diesel with 162 tho for $22,000.00 but not sure I need a diesel. May need to pull a 10,000lb boat 2-3 x/year but just light pulling ~1,000 lbs 4-5/yr and some light daily driving. Any input from anyone?

e. ray - - -

I'd go easy on getting a diesel unless you really do A LOT of towing. Gas engines for trucks have come a long way in giving good low-end torque AND decent fuel economy, --- almost as good as a diesels, but without the added maintenance hassles along the way, and repairs (injectors; filters) at 100,000 miles.

Just MHO. But I looked at beautiful Ram mega-cab diesel with manual tranny --- great truck, and I felt sick walking away from it, but logic began to dominate.

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This will hurt resale. No doubt in some areas a new truck is less than a recent used rig. Ram will have to weigh things carefully in the future. This is the road the Titan is going down as well.

Last commenter was thinking what I was thinking.

all this talk about resale value...(RAM and) FCA are limping along as a brand, with Jeep and RAM keeping FCA out of the toilet.

They don't have the luxury of worrying about something that two or three years away.

They are tackling their sales goals 90 days at a time like everybody else. Give them credit for just surviving the lousy US economy the last 10 years.

" Ford dropped F-series cash slightly to $5,173. Some analysts have said that, due to the more expensive costs of aluminum and manufacturing with aluminum, Ford may have less flexibility for incentive spending." :-{

FCA is testing market for a new RAM pricing. They know by this , how many trucks they can sell and need to build ,when price adjustment takes effect.
They can take the market over, if they really want to and new capacity they are planing at , is predicting this future for RAM.

@e.ray
I would go with RAM 2500 with coils and HEMI 5.7.
Very reliable and proven solution for the engine, trany, brakes and chassis. Still very comfy for everyday driving.

Resell value,resell value, lets face it. The current RAM pricing effects resell value of all the brands, not just RAM's.
No one is gonna buy a used ford for 50k, if he can get a new ,proven technology RAM for 40k. I say to hell with resell value. RAM still makes the tons of money so what.

Eray
Ram hemi's take 16 spark plugs ever 30k miles to keep warranty intact. The government is coming down on fca for anti trust and falsify info and such. Big money fca is going to get fined and they may not be around long.... would you buy the last new suzuki car sold in the US????? Same thought process needs to beapplied as you may not have factory support from fiat. Allpar says the hemi, the 5.7 is scheduled to end production in 2018. Without the hemi name its all over for fca and pickups. Epa says no more hemi.

So your best options with what you described to buy a 2017 3.5 ecoboost 10 speed or a gm 6.2 8 speed. Both are 1/2 tons, both are sporty to drive and not lumbering and cumbersome like the ram and both the ford and gm will pull a trailer with ease. You wont be disappointed in an ecoboost or gm 6.2

@16plugs
I have to thank you to remind me to change them. I have over 180,000kms on them and didn't replace them yet. I will do that next summer, when a little warmer. We got a snow already.
Thanks again. Maybe you could remind me next year again please.
It's really big deal to do that once in 6years. LOL.

@ PSD Tank
Well, you are assuming,that there are no any new customers on the market. Sorry to tell you, but people die and new ones are born every day. Market has spoken and RAM has a new customers,who are on the market for a truck. They come from SUV's and small cars as well, not just from the other truck brands.
RAM has a huge advantage, because of refinement handling, because of coils.

@PSD Tank, I doubt you've owned a Ram in the past ten years. My 2014 is holding up great, no rattles and the interior still looks brand spanking new without a hint of wear on it same for the black paint job. I've owned just about all the brands and the Ram is holding up better then anything I've ever owned so far.

Eray
Also you get a hemi and pulling load it may go into limp mode and lock you in first gear and limit you to around 20mph while towing.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BeWhXy_ciuM

"The Ram HD 2500 is our pick for best overall three-quarter-ton pickup equipped with a gas engine.

It dominated our test events, winning 10 of 16 events and scoring a first-place finish with each of our judges. The Ram definitely offered the best interior and had the best ride of the three, comfortably traversing just about every smooth and broken tarmac surface. Even though it sat below our $50,000 price cap, it still provided a lot of technology and features that the other two players could not match: the RamBox, adaptable rear coils, hidden storage, a top-notch information center and more. Our biggest complaint about this truck was that it didn't have side steps, which is practically a requirement unless you are 6 feet 5 inches or taller. Other nitpicks had to do with the fact that Ram tried to pack too many features into the truck; having the Tow/Haul and trailer brake controller relatively low in the center stack makes both a challenge to find in a hurry. Still, if we were going to choose the best all-around three-quarter-ton player in the field today, the Ram 2500 would be at the top of our list."

let the @$$ kicking commence.

Eray
Also you get a hemi and pulling load it may go into limp mode and lock you in first gear and limit you to around 20mph while towing.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BeWhXy_ciuM
Posted by: 16plugs | Oct 9, 2016 4:58:24 PM

RAM didn't go to the Limp mode, was running mostly on the 3rd. gear and was pulling 12,500 lbs instead of 10,000. The engine will outlast anything ford will ever put together. On top of that, it doesn't squat like ford in this video.
Thank you for video link 16plugs. I knew, you work for RAM.

Although it might be good time to invest in a RAM; I would be so hesitant even if they offered $10 000 off sticker price...had too many bad experiences with Chrysler stuff dating back the last 15-20 yrs...too risky;

http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/fiat-chryslers-big-pickup-discounts-could-be-a-big-problem-for-general-motors/ar-BBxcZDa?li=BBnbfcN&ocid=spartandhp

RE johnny doe

You got it wrong about Nissan.

Nissan has $500 on the Frontier. Lowest incentive of any truck except the Ridgeline.

I drove by the nissan dealer a few days ago and they were advertising 8,000 off the titan

"For those who may have missed it, Ram pickup trucks outsold Chevrolet Silverado pickups for the first time in a long while in September.. .."

We must remember that Silverado and Sierra nowadays are essentially the same truck, just with different body work. They go down the same assembly lines. If we add together the sales data from those two models, then Ram did not outsell those GM twins; and certainly did not outsell the Ford F-150. Ram still has a away to go yet, but they are getting there, --- slowly.

Ref: http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/

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There was a Ram 2500 sitting out in front of my local dealer with Save $18,000 written on the windshield.

It's the hottest truck and SUV market in a long time, FCA's strategy of marking them down and pushing volume is too short term focused. GM is doing it smarter, focusing on profit over volume. Wait until Q3 financial results come out, GM will have another multi billion dollar quarter while FCA is still making chump change.

When the market inevitably slows, FCA's strategy will backfire hard while GM will still be profitable.

@ Frankie Poo

Frankie, thank you --- by research on the net I have heard of Blackbear tuner and this guy Justin, I'm in Sacramento area where does Justin work? I am guessing the tuner would void my warranty yes? Do you have any personal experience to pass along w/this tuner and your truck?

Thank you, Jhawk.

GM profitable? Through tax payer funding. Lol and the 6.2 chevy is horrible at towing because it wasn't designed with towing in mind like the ecoboost. The 6.2 is constantly shifting under load while ecoboost just hums along smoothly in the same gear with the same load behind it. The 6.2 was destined as a sport truck and grocery getter.

I think it's outstanding that RAM is still competes with a N/A motor while everyone else is turning to DI and turbos.

"GM profitable? Through tax payer funding. Lol and the 6.2 chevy is horrible at towing because it wasn't designed with towing in mind like the ecoboost. The 6.2 is constantly shifting under load while ecoboost just hums along smoothly in the same gear with the same load behind it. The 6.2 was destined as a sport truck and grocery getter."

+1

The Ecoboost is the best motor out right now for towing. It's the one motor that has towing characteristics of a diesel without going diesel.

The second gen 3.5 eco along with the 10 speed transmission will be a combo that will be very hard to beat.

It could also be that consumers are still skeptical about getting a gas engine with direct injection or turbos because it's a very new and complex system that would probably cost dearly to fix if it ever should fail and since fca is the only one to still of a naturally aspirated engine people are more compelled to buy what they know and are accustomed to. Just my two cents

"...The truck market has reached its plateau."

@Dapper Dan

Ninety-four million American adults have been out of work so long the government no longer counts them as unemployed. Worst employment numbers in almost 40 years.

Do you think that could have something to do with it?

@Dapper Dan

Or, you set yourself up to be profitable at a lower volume like Ford and GM have. FCA is going to be in a world of hurt when the market cools off over the next few years.

That would be because GM has been having HUGE incentives for almost the last half year.

The Ecoboost has diesel characteristics? Sure wish they actually saved gas when you needed some torque. That isn't much like a diesel.

It's only out for guys that tell their wives it is a gas saver, but they just want to play. The 2.7 is so dang thirsty, in a lighter truck, it is no comparison to a Ram diesel. But everybody will say how fast it is.

Lol, that 3.0 has plenty speed, what is needed, anyway.

"The Ecoboost has diesel characteristics? Sure wish they actually saved gas when you needed some torque. That isn't much like a diesel."

Yes, It has a flat torque curve and reaches peak torque at 2500 RPMS. Diesels typically reach their peak torque at 1600-1800 RPMS and also have a flat torque curve. Unlike the v8's where you have to spin them at 3500-4000 RPMS just to reach their peak torque and have a much linear torque cure.

Im not sure what all fuss with MPG is. If you can afford a 40k-60k truck you can afford gas. If you want a vehicle that gets 25MPH go get a car.

I buy a truck for towing/hauling/off-road that is what it's made to do.

@16 plugs: you are really behind on spark plug intervals for the 5.7.

It was revised a few years back, and now they go 100,000 miles or 10 years, whichever comes first.

Maybe you haven't noticed Ram has more engines than just a hemi?Maybe you are upset you bought a Suzuki?

"It could also be that consumers are still skeptical about getting a gas engine with direct injection or turbos because it's a very new and complex system that would probably cost dearly to fix if it ever should fail and since fca is the only one to still of a naturally aspirated engine people are more compelled to buy what they know and are accustomed to. Just my two cents"

Nothing complex about turbos and direct injection. I agree it would cost more to repair that a v8.

The ecoboost is just a better towing application than a v8.

FCA will be in a world of hurt if they continue to push incentives like they have been. They are advertising leasing at $165.00 a month and big money off sticker. It appears fiat is trying to push sales to make them look better on paper for a future buyer of the brand. Since fiat was caught doctoring their sales numbers this is the next best thing.

Except when it comes to engine braking. But in all reality they were designed with the focus on the weekend warrior who only tows his 3000lb boat or 7000lb camper 3-5 times per year. Rarely do I see anyone towing with an ecoboost. Lol

And it's not just v6 vs v8 but the displacement that hurts the ecoboost.

Rarely do I see anyone towing with an ecoboost. Lol

Posted by: Gasser V8 | Oct 11, 2016 9:06:19 AM

You obviously live in a bubble then. I travel a lot during the summer and it is amazing how many F150s with that engine are towing large travel trailers and large boat. At RV resorts Ford trucks are the majority with GM trucks just behind. Fiat trucks are far and few between. Just like boat docks. The largest trailers will be hooked up to a Ford truck and many of them F150s with the 3.5L ecoboost. I do see some fiat trucks but they tow jetskis, canoes and small fishing boats.

Then they should put the ecoboost in the f-250 and 350 like gm does the 5.3 and 6.2 or ram does the 5.7. Oh wait a minute, it wouldn't hold up to that kind of towing. Lol

Then they should put the ecoboost in the f-250 and 350 like gm does the 5.3 and 6.2 or ram does the 5.7. Oh wait a minute, it wouldn't hold up to that kind of towing. Lol

Must be why ford puts the 6.2 in there f-250 and 350 instead of the ecoboost. Lol

I apologize, I thought they offered the 5.3 as a 3/4 ton option and was going to offer the 6.2 in the 3/4 Denali. I'm sorry I seem to have offended you so much to be name calling. Lol

@Gasser V8. You didnt offend me. I don't really care for GM products, but if you are going to talk smack about Fords 3.5 Turbo engine and compare it to GM and RAM offerings you should already have a clue as to what you are talking about. You come off as a know it all which clearly you are not

I was not talking smack about the ecoboost. I have no problem with the ecoboost. I was just merely pointing out that it cannot perform as well as a higher displacement engine at towing. If that was the case they would probably put it in their HD trucks. Let's face it, you can't put a turbo or supercharger on a lawn mower and expect it to out perform a side by side. Lol