One Year Test Update: 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 HD
So far, the Ram's been a reliable, indispensable tool
/ By Scott Mead
/ Photography by Brian Vance
/
Article provided by: Motor Trend Magazine
Mongo, our 2500 Ram Heavy Duty, is in transit this month to our Detroit office after a stretch in Tampa with OED Bartlett. We're finding the tightly sprung HD (when unladen) bouncy on rough surfaces, but adding a few bags of concrete or sand in the bed easily softens the ride. Bartlett also reports that washing the Ram can be a chore: It's too large to fit into most automated vehicle washes, and there's a lot of surface to clean by hand, especially during the Florida love-bug season. We wish the HD's turning radius were a bit tighter; pulling into most parking stalls requires two attempts to get the truck in straight. Our Hemi has been long on power, however, and short on service needs, as its first trip to the dealer only called for scheduled maintenance: An oil/filter change and tire rotation pulled $56.61 from our pocketbook. So far, the Ram's been a reliable, indispensable tool.
From The Logbook
"Without a runningboard, it's quite a jump to get into the Ram. I feel like I'm a kid driving Daddy's truck."
--Jeff Bartlett
| 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 HD |
| Base price | $30,305 |
| Price as tested | $38,895 |
| Vehicle layout | Front engine, 4wd, 4-door, 5-pass |
| Engine | 5.7L V-8, OHV, 2 valves/cyl |
| Hp @ rpm | 345 @ 5400 |
| Torque @ rpm | 375 @ 4400 |
| Transmission | 5-speed automatic |
| 0-60 mph, sec | 8.1 |
| EPA mpg | Not rated |
| Total mileage | 10,188 |
| Average test mpg | 11.6 |
| Problem areas | None |
| Non-warr cost | $56.61 |