RAM to ZR2.......

[DBK]

Has anyone here going from RAM to a ZR2?

If so, pros/cons?

I fully expect ZR2 bias here and that is okay.

I have not been in a Silverado in 20 plus years. Current vehicle is a 2017 RAM 1500 Limited. In all honesty, it is the best truck that I have ever had. There have been a few minor electrical issues along the way. Other than that, brakes/rotors/tires and standard maintenace. Bought the truck with 47 miles on it. Pushing 187,000 at the moment. But, the time has come and I am looking hard at the 2500HD ZR2 (I'm also considering the RAM RHO. Two completely different trucks, I understand).

I test drove the gasser (which is what I would get) 2500 ZR2, two weeks ago and was surprisingly impressed. It rode much better than I though it would. It rode much more smoothly than I thought it would. Now, I am still not quite a fan of the interior color or most of the exterior colors. Those things aside, what I really did enjoy was the much larger cab and the additional space, along with a bed size that actually makes sense. My biggest pet peeve with the RAM is the small bed size.

RAM doesn't make a 2500 trim that I like, other than the Limited. Which would cost more than a ZR2 and I would still need to put a lift/wheels/tires on it. Plus, I really like the exterior looks of the ZR2.

The fact that I can get into a 3/4 ton, with a larger cab, larger bed, double the towing capacity (over the RHO) for roughly $10,000 less is quite attractive. Not going to lie.

I'd love to hear the thoughts of those who may have gone from RAM to ZR2 (or the other way around).

Thanks!

 

[scubatech]

Personally, I have had 3 Dodge/ Ram trucks and several of my friends currently have them . None of us had anything other than warranty work. My friend has a Power Wagon, Magnaflow exhaust & higher flow air filter. That's a cool truck. The Silverado is a very good looking truck, but I think you are playing roulette with the 6.2 liter engine. Read through the threads here. There are valve body issues as well. Ram has the best transmission that's well known. That's my opinion many will differ. Other's will chime in.

 

[DBK]

Personally, I have had 3 Dodge/ Ram trucks and several of my friends currently have them . None of us had anything other than warranty work. My friend has a Power Wagon, Magnaflow exhaust & higher flow air filter. That's a cool truck. The Silverado is a very good looking truck, but I think you are playing roulette with the 6.2 liter engine. Read through the threads here. There are valve body issues as well. Ram has the best transmission that's well known. That's my opinion many will differ. Other's will chime in.

I would be going 2500 ZR2, with the 6.6L.

 

[scubatech]

I would be going 2500 ZR2, with the 6.6L.

I agree with you and I should have mentioned that point. No DFM/ ASS. Good suggestion.

 

[NullNomad]

I was (still am to a point) a life long Mopar guy. Like you, my 1500 Longhorn was one of the most comfortable and strongest gassers I've ever had. All up until the dreaded Hemi tick. It was so bad that replacing the motor was the only option because of all the associated damage. My situation really wasn't much different than the 6.2 roulette Scuba mentioned. I'll add that my old 3500 Ram had just shy of 400k miles on it before we parted ways, but thats what I would expect when running a diesel rig like that.

Now having said that, this time around I went diesel 1500 on my ZR2. Interior, I'm with you. Even with so many years of "upgrades" compared to my old rig, it's not even close to what I had before and to this day miss. What I lost in that, I gained in absolute performance off-road which is important to me. Also the power and towing is amazing for it being a babymax 1500. The only reason I didn't go 2500 this time was simple economics for my daily usage.

 

[scubatech]

I was (still am to a point) a life long Mopar guy. Like you, my 1500 Longhorn was one of the most comfortable and strongest gassers I've ever had. All up until the dreaded Hemi tick. It was so bad that replacing the motor was the only option because of all the associated damage. My situation really wasn't much different than the 6.2 roulette Scuba mentioned. I'll add that my old 3500 Ram had just shy of 400k miles on it before we parted ways, but thats what I would expect when running a diesel rig like that.

Now having said that, this time around I went diesel 1500 on my ZR2. Interior, I'm with you. Even with so many years of "upgrades" compared to my old rig, it's not even close to what I had before and to this day miss. What I lost in that, I gained in absolute performance off-road which is important to me. Also the power and towing is amazing for it being a babymax 1500. The only reason I didn't go 2500 this time was simple economics for my daily usage.

I had a 6.4 liter Hemi in my 2014 Wrangler. Crate engine, no ticking, no exhaust manifold cracks either. That was the way a Wrangler should be! Now of course, you can buy them from the factory. My friend has one and it has been trouble free. Although it does have DOD, and he has a Taser unit installed. He runs 38" tires and 4.56 gears, with the 8 speed ZF. Fun Jeep.

 

[NullNomad]

I had a 6.4 liter Hemi in my 2014 Wrangler. Crate engine, no ticking, no exhaust manifold cracks either. That was the way a Wrangler should be! Now of course, you can buy them from the factory. My friend has one and it has been trouble free. Although it does have DOD, and he has a Taser unit installed. He runs 38" tires and 4.56 gears, with the 8 speed ZF. Fun Jeep.

I do miss my old CJ7 and JLUR... two different sides of a beautiful coin when it comes to jeeps.

 

[MrScottly]

I had both a 2018 Ram 2500 and a 2023 Ram 3500SRW. Drive them over a speed bump and you'll feel like you're on an ejection seat, headed through the roof. That won't fix itself until you put in new springs and shocks. The Chevy 2500 ZR2 is the best riding 3/4 ton truck you can buy, bar none (IMO). The Chevy 6.6 gasser is a reliable unit and doesn't suffer the issues the 6.2 does. The Ram 6.4 gas engine suffers from the same issue the 5.7 Hemi does...Cracking exhaust manifolds and camshaft/lifter issues. Both have sound systems that suck. The Ram seats can be sat in all day, the Chevy seats can be sat in for about an hour. Ram 3rd brake lights leak eventually...all of them. Rams are a whore to get in and out of the bed. Chevy solved that problem. Ram has that BS CANBUS system that makes adding electrical accessories a bit more challenging. The Good-for-a-Years that come on the ZR2 really aren't that bad...They're the only Good-for-a-Years I ever liked. The Firestones that come on most of the Rams are perfectly square. Rams control points (buttons) are not very intuitive, but the Chevy even less so (IMO). That's my $.02, and it's worth what ya paid for it.

 

[DBK]

"The Ram seats can be sat in all day".......

100%

I've done two trips from Wisconsin to San Antonio. 18 hours each way. Non-Stop. Was never uncomfortable.