2017+ Power Wagon - Thoughts and Opinions?

Added some vinyl stickers to the back glass finally. Hoping to order a retrax compatible bed rack here soon. Yakima is looking to be the best option but holy hell is it expensive for what you get.

OA

 

Pics from the trailhead and trail today.
OA

 

Beautiful truck

Ram has really upped their game in the last few years.

Seeing as how they've overtaken Chevrolet as the number 2 truck it seems to be working well for them.

But I do have a question for all the Ram guys:

Why does everybody drive with their mirrors extended all the time?

 

Nice truck! I couldn't let go of my manual Tacoma though... I ended up getting a Ram sport 4x4 with air suspension instead of the Power wagon as I needed it mainly for the bigger bed and towing capabilities rather than off road prowess.
Here is is a pic... not a power wagon but the air suspension sure rides nice! Lol

 

Yeah I legitimately tried to want a Tundra (I've been a Toyota guy my whole life) but it's objectively not there in any metric except reliability. Among the rest, Ram and Ford rose to the top. The Ram interior is super nice (smaller than the Ford's though) and the 6.4l Hemi is pretty well tested.

There's pretty much only one reason to drive with the tow mirrors "extended" all the time and that's having to tow regularly. The mirrors obviously need to be adjusted differently when they're stowed in the regular position. If you didn't get memory seats, it could be a pain the ass to adjust them every time you flip them out (folks with memory seats will just set the secondary setting to leave the seat in the same place but have the mirrors adjusted for towing). That said, most are probably just doing just to be clowns about it.

OA

 

Thanks! Your truck looks great with the wheel combo. I test drove an ecodiesel with air suspension and it was an amazing ride for sure.

I washed and waxed mine for the first time over the weekend. The hydro blue is a fun color but there's something to be said for a super clean black truck.

OA

 

That blue is dirty! In a good way lol.

 

One pic from the easy part of the road to the trail head (wife tried to take some pics but most were unusable) - actually the entire trail was cake with the PW. You definitely feel its size at time on smaller sections. Bonus pano from the viewpoint at Broken Top below.

OA

 

Nice truck, I like full sized pick ups.

 

Nice truck man! I am also looking to sell my DCSB6MT to get into a 4.5Gen HD ram. I am still in the process of making the decision on what truck to go with. I am still trying to decide between a Tradesman, Tradesman PW, and PW.

Have you had any build quality or other issues so far?

 

No real build quality issues but I've had it approximately 6 months and 5k miles so there's plenty of room for that to happen. I do intend on buying an extended warranty before the factory one is due to expire so I can cover myself should I decide to keep something longer than 3 to 5 years. Based on my research in the PW/Ram HD forums, power wagon issues seem to be few and far between and tend to show on trucks with the older style 6 speed transmission (2018 and older) when they do happen.

Only thing I'd mention is to strongly consider use case and needs. For me the PW is perfect (don't tow, payload needs are within capacity) and I have an overbuilt, factory warrantied off roader for the things I use it for. Fuel efficiency ranges from 11mpg (in town stop and go commute, max distance is like 6 miles, max speed around 35mph) to 17 or 18mpg (highway trips at around 70mph). You can't get a PW with a center console (if that's important to you) right now but can via the 75th anniversary edition coming out next year it seems.

I'm glad I got the Power Wagon level 2 package (essentially the "lux" trim for PWs) and the big 12" display. The forward facing camera is amazing on trails and the surround view helps in tight parking spaces.

Also - when shopping - don't expect to pay sticker or close. Domestic brands tend to offer a lot more discount. Dennis Dillion in ID is the go to dealer for deep discounts and you can use a quote for them as basis for negotiation elsewhere when shopping. Generally speaking, it should be relatively easy to get 10% off MSRP with some folks seeing as much as 13%+ if they hit the discounts at the right time (buying last model year's truck in December/January typically gets you there). Ordered trucks will be on the lower end of the discount range.

OA

 

Seems like RAM has come quite a long way in regards to build quality. I honestly never saw myself buying one but I just can't get on board with the Tundra. Probably not a bad idea to go with the extended warranty just for peace of mind. It's gotta be a good feeling to have such a capable vehicle covered no questions asked. I spend more time surfing the Ram HD forum than TW these days.

The PW is perfect for me as well. I think it's one of the best transitions from a midsize as my needs really aren't changing. At 6'4" I am just ready to get into a real full size with a solid axle. My trucks are strictly for pleasure/winter driving and don't get that much mileage put on them. I would likely go base model PW with the bed utility and remote start.

Yeah, I know what you mean about the prices of domestics. So many discounts can be had if you work for it. I can get a Tradesman for about the same price as my TRD OR was. I am hoping for around $8-10K off the MSRP. I have access to a friend and family employee discount code as well so that should get me a good starting point. The buying process should be interesting. I traveled 3.5 hours to find a dealer that would get me a MT taco so I am not opposed to doing the same with a PW.

Thanks for the info, enjoy your PW!

 

Plowed my way through a part of Cascade Lakes highway to the trailhead the day before they closed the gates for the season for a short hike/snowshoe. The PW made short work of it.

OA

 

So like the OP I too will provide an update. I caved this year, took advantage of COVID and bought a new (to me) truck. I was torn between a PW and a Cummins. I weighed in the pros and cons, what I'm using a 3/4 ton truck for, gas milage, cost of diesel, etc. Ended up going with a 2018 Cummins. 23mpg highway sounded more appealing than what the PW gets.

My Taco is my off road/ hunting rig. I figured I needed a good towing rig for the kind of travel trailer I want.

 

if U need that much truck

many still compare a mid sized Tacoma to full sized trucks

capacity ratings 2x.......3x

i dont get that ..........................................Super duty Ford / Dodge power wagons ot class ANY Toyota

only thing about the RAMS

they rust quicker than a chevy these parts

especially right over the rear wheel wells

 

I ended up with a ‘18 2500 Laramie mega cab 4x4 with the Cummins about a month ago. So far I’m loving it too. I don’t even know our camper is back there anymore and I’m getting 17 mpg in town. 14.5 towing (not being easy on the skinny pedal either) compared to 8 mpg with the taco. I really like the Amp Research steps since they tuck away and keeps the sides looking clean. Mine came with a lock n roll cover. I’m impressed with how that thing doesn’t leak a bit of water into the bed. Ram has really stepped things up with their interior. I still need to get my front side windows tinted.

 

Go Hokies!

 

Beautiful truck. Those mega cabs are super spacious too. Hope you’re enjoying it as much as I am the PW!

Shear size makes the 2500s a hard sell off road on the east coast (if that’s where you are). Fortunately in central Oregon it isn’t a big deal at all. Given that you drive both regularly I’d be curious as to your thoughts on how the taco compares as a daily? I imagine everyone’s use case is very different but still would be interesting to know.

Did you go to tech too? This football season has been absolutely awful.

OA

 

Thanks man! I’m really enjoying it. That blue you got is freaking awesome in person. PW is a great looking truck. I know a lot of people say the upkeep on the diesels is so high but it’s really not when you look at it. Toyota here charges $68 for a oil change and tire rotation. You’ll do 3 of those to 1 in the diesel (Oil changes). I believe it’s going to come out better or at the minimum equal in the end. I’m planning on doing the maintenance myself on this one anyway so I should be saving money. The only thing that hurts on this one will be buying those 20” tires. Haha